Marketing
Russ Gazda recalls listening to his mother playing the Hawaiian Guitar as a child. He played the accordion and later was introduced to the Hammond B-3, thanks to recordings by his hero Booker T. Jones. Russ sought to play wherever he could and in his early days he performed in lounges in the...
Shawn Bruce played piano and guitar as a teenager, not knowing at the time he would have a 20-plus-year career with the Piano Technicians Guild! With a background as a newspaper reporter and with such organizations as the auctioneers association, Shawn understood the importance of communication and...
Dennis Hallmeyer has fond memories of his years playing mallet percussion in the school’s marching band, eventually progressing to the xylophone. Beginning in the 7thgrade Dennis took a keen interest in computers and even developed websites for local businesses in his small hometown. After his...
Leng Tshua has played an important role in the piano industry both in the United States and his home country, Singapore. His passion for music began when he was inspired by his aunt playing the piano. Her enthusiasm and those melodies stayed with young Leng, who went on to take lessons. He entered...
Vanessa Mering took a summer job at Alesis while studying at UCLA. That position was her introduction to the music industry for which she has been a vital part of ever since. With a focus on marketing campaigns for a wide range of innovative products, Vanessa worked at M-Audio and Line 6 before...
Takaki Maeda and his team were celebrating the 40th anniversary of Casio's Musical Instruments division while attending the NAMM Show in 2020. This special occasion was the perfect opportunity for us to sit down with Maeda-San for his NAMM Oral History interview. His perspective on the growth and...
John Schauer grew up in Indiana where his father offered him some sage advice; “if you listen, you will know what to say.” The quote stayed with John as he developed a career in the music industry. In 1987 he joined the Yamaha team in the corporate communications department. He was always listening...
Carlos Hidalgo was just thirteen when he learned the guitar and fifteen when he switched to drums. A year later he was working in a local music store, Allegro Musical. Carlos really enjoyed the music retail environment and began making notes of some of the services he would provide if he had his...
Nat Kusano has always been compelled to create and market ideas and products that inspire and encourage people to pick up an instrument and play. Having had piano lessons when he was a child, Nat grew up understanding the importance of providing the right tools, such as method books with large...
Michael Newsom proudly serves as the Marketing Director for LR Baggs. The position brings together Michael’s passion for music and love of gear. As a kid, he played in bands with his brother and together they developed as musicians. They even signed a record deal at a young age. However, when given...