Music Retail
Greg Howren is the past president of his family's music store in Charlotte, North Carolina. Greg followed in his father's footsteps and continued to build the music store, which focuses on school band programs as well as the combo business. After his father was president of the company, his older...
Harry West was the founder of Fine Musical Instruments located in Statesville, North Carolina. The store was an early pioneer in vintage stringed instrument sales and in fact, Stanley Jay once called Harry, "the father of us all." His store was later renamed Harry and Jeanie West's Fine Musical...
Charles Lawson has played church organ from boyhood all the way into his 80s. He was hired by a small piano store when he first moved to Bristol, Tennessee, from Knoxville to be close to his wife’s family. Along the way he opened a piano shop in Bristol, and worked closely with the Baldwin Piano...
Guy Ward was the president of the Ward Piano Company, located in Canton, North Carolina, from the 1940s until his retirement. After his daughter and son took over the company, he continued to go into the shop every day even at the time of his 2013 NAMM Oral History interview when he was 89! As...
Tut Taylor was a world renowned Dobro player, but did you know he partnered with George Gruhn and the two hired Randy Wood to form a music store in Nashville? Gruhn Guitars began as GTR, which was an abbreviation for George, Tut and Randy, when it opened in the 1970s. Although George would buy Tut...
Lynn Clapp opened a small guitar shop in the back of a piano store in 1967. He later moved into his own building in Knoxville and called the place Lynn's Guitars. The store was a hot spot for musicians and for those dreaming of being the next big star. Lynn focused on lessons and over time...
Sarah Glew began her career in the music industry by selling records in a small store just south of San Francisco in Pacifica, California. Over time she added musical instruments and found that guitars were a great seller in the heyday of the Beatles and the British Rock Invasion. As the store...
Ben Ash began working for his family’s store before he can remember. He is the fourth generation of Ash family members to work in the company that was formed by his great-grandfather, Sam Ash. In addition, Ben is the third generation Ash to be interviewed for the NAMM Oral History program, a...
Les Lillo grew up in the music industry; his parents founded Lillo's Music in 1963. Les recalls growing up and working in the family business, playing drums in the family band and performing in and around his hometown of Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. He recollects aspects of the music industry in...
Victor Lillo Jr. grew up in the music industry attending his first NAMM when he was 12 years old at the Disneyland Hotel in Anaheim, CA. Vic reflects on his exposure to music and how a good attitude is a key to success. He founded the Johnny Guitar Corporation in Hollywood, CA. (est. 1988) and...