Marvin Gaye
Dr. George Shaw has had a big impact on the lives and careers of thousands of young musicians. As a music educator and sought after musician, George always looked for opportunities to engage and inspire students. While teaching at Long Beach City College, George asked many of his jazz friends to...
Mel Brown didn’t have the money growing up to afford drum sticks so he used rolled up newspapers to bang out a beat nearly everywhere he went. At the age of 17, young Mel was playing in area night clubs. While attending Portland State University (on a full scholarship), he met Marvin Gaye while the...
Ernie Watts is the answer to the question - who was playing the “mystery horn” on Frank Zappa’s The Grand Wazoo album? A veteran studio musician and bandleader, Ernie has had thousands of career highlights such as playing in the Tonight Show band and recording with Marvin Gaye, Kenny Burrell,...
Lance “KC” Jackson was always the one to fix the instruments in the band growing up. He learned early on the importance of learning a little bit of everything and to continue to educate himself on new programs and gear over the years. This approach to his career led to an impressive list of artists...
Paul Hostetter’s career as a luthier dates back to 1963, although his passion for music may have been born when he was. He started by giving guitar lessons before he began building instruments. Paul played on recording sessions for Motown, including on hits with his personal friend, Marvin Gaye....
Bob Olhsson started as a mastering intern at Motown Records in the mid-1960s, when he was still a teenager. His long and innovative career as an engineer has included several historic projects including albums with Stevie Wonder and Marvin Gaye. After moving from Detroit to San Francisco, Bob...