Multiple Interviews
Rick Drumm inherited his father’s love of music. His father established Ronnie Drumm's House of Music and Rick spent must of his childhood in the store and playing drums with his father’s many bands and combos. Rick toured with his father in the 1970s with the circus, which is where Rick began his...
Bill Kaman served as president of Kaman Music Corporation, a company started by his father. Under Bill’s direction, Kaman Music expanded its product line, developed overseas markets, and acquired new companies to be managed under the corporation. In addition, he has also insisted on new and...
Jerry Ash recalls his father, Sam Ash, giving him a pocket full of change and sending him off on the subway to New York City to pick up the sheet music orders from the publishers. With nickels for the subway rides and some string for wrapping the bundles, Jerry set off. United Parcel Service and...
Jim Kidder had already worked in music retail for several years when he was given the chance to take over the band instrument division and form his own business. Since then, Kidder Music has become well known and beloved by students and band directors alike. Jim’s strong support for school programs...
Bob Hale had a long and successful career as an engineer and was able to devote his retirement time to his passion for music as a docent at the NAMM Foundation’s Museum of Making Music in Carlsbad, CA. Bob soon became the museum expert on the electronic music displays and began training new...
Evan Brooks became interested in electronic musical instruments during the early days of synthesizer development. He worked on MIDI (Musical Instrument Digital Interface) controllers for E-MU and other San Francisco Bay Area companies. Soon thereafter, Evan started designing his own technologies...
Chris Martin is the proud descendent of the instrument craftsmen in Germany who founded the C.F. Martin & Company in 1833. As CEO of the company, Chris has overseen the expansion of the company while keeping family traditions in tact. Chris began the now infamous limited edition series guitars...
Bob Heil received his first break into the pro audio market when the Grateful Dead’s sound system was not available for a concert date. Bob’s own powerful system was used, and a new name for speakers and microphones was born into the world. Several of his innovative products, including sound...
Bob Gallien has been an innovator in bass guitar amplification for some 30 years! Inspired as a young guitar player in the 1960s by bands like the Rolling Stones and the Beatles, Bob loved the role the bass guitar had in rock music, although it was clear the sound needed improving. As co-founder of...
Stephen Yu pioneered conga making in Thailand before it was common and popular. He also created a long list of items, beginning with guitars, for a number of other companies. When it was time for him to branch out and create his own name product line, he found his operations were already up and...