Music Manufacturing
David Jewell remembers his brother’s snare drum sitting in the closet and wanting so much to play it. He begged his teacher, Mrs. Mandy, to join the band and after several tries, she agreed. David remarked during his NAMM Oral History interview that if she didn’t say yes, he probably would not be...
Mike Overlin always wanted to work for Yamaha ever since being introduced to the company’s philosophy and commitment to providing excellent products and services. As an employee for over twenty years, Mike is proud to say he was right about wanting to be involved with a company that echoes many of...
Ken Dapron grew up in a very musical family. His parents were members of the pop singing group called The Merry Macs. Music was all around him as a child. Ken played saxophone and drums in school and fell in love with the guitar. He played in many bands throughout his school years with dreams...
Garth Gilman finished his MBA and through a mutual friend met Tom Sumner who provided a tour of the Yamaha offices in Buena Park. Tom, who at the time was the General Manager of the Pro Audio/Combo Division, recognized Garth’s passion for music and interest in business. The two discussed the...
Dave Wintz has always enjoyed designing musical gear, whether it be guitars or pickups. His passion lies with creating a product that will provide any musician with the opportunity to add to their own unique sound, like a painter adding a new color to his palette. In the early part of his career...
Herb Remington was the steel guitarist for Bob Wills and the Texas Playboy who built his own line of guitars called Remington Steel. Among his fascinating history: being long time personal friends with Leo Fender. For a while, Fender made steel guitars and, in the beginning, Leo would often give...
Jack Kanstul and his brother, Mark, joined forces with their father Ziggy in 1981 when Kanstul Musical Instruments was established in Anaheim, California. Like his father, Jack had worked for the F.E. Olds Company and developed a good idea of how to be a successful brass instrument manufacturer. ...
Danny White is the owner of the famed Sound Techniques Recording Studio, located in the United Kingdom, which began in 1964. The studio had its own sound (based largely on the custom made mixing consoles) that enriched the recordings of Pink Floyd, Jethro Tull, John Martyn and The Who! In the...
Michael Paul, known as MP, always had an interest in the visual arts, especially those that could involve multiple formats. When he had the chance to create light and color programs for live musical acts in the 1960s, MP found his true passion! He worked on countless shows including those for the...
Jim Gamble envisioned a console that would give an engineer ultimate control of the audio being mixed. He started by working for one of the original sound reinforcement companies and helped write the book on the touring industry. The experiences that he had working with some of the most revered ...