NAMM Board of Directors-Interviewed
Clint Strait was born in Austin, TX and is the 3rd generation to work for the Strait Music Company. Clint is carrying on his family’s tradition of great customer service and selection to provide the community with a one-stop store for all their music instrument needs. Always looking towards the...
Jake Connolly has fond memories of working with his father, who became his mentor in life and the music business. Together, father and son grew their string distribution company from a short list of products to a strong offering based on several product lines. The relationships they built years ago...
Lynn Sheeley Jr.'s father opened a small piano store in east Tennessee in 1908. After serving in D-Day during World War II, Lynn returned home to work in the store, which he later took over. Along the way, the business grew to four locations, two of which are in Knoxville and that Lynn managed for...
Bryan Bradley proudly states in his NAMM interview that he has had several mentors throughout his career that helped him grow and develop within the industry. Among those mentors were Gene Joly and Morty Manus. Bryan wrote songs for several television projects before becoming a buyer for Guitar...
Ron Losby was classically trained on the piano and began his love of the music industry by providing free lessons at Sherman Clay’s retail chain. He later worked within the Wurlitzer music stores where he was trained on the “Wurlitzer Way” of doing business. Those classes provided a foundation for...
Ray van Straten began his love of music when his parents bought him a kids piano when he was four years old. He went on to study classical piano performance, as well as jazz arranging with Manny Albam, a highlight of his music education. Ray has memories of playing in rock bands throughout his...
Kevin Prosser took over the piano and organ store his parents established in the mid-1980s. His brother later came into the business, which had several locations throughout Washington State. In the late 1990s, Kevin opened a store in Palm Springs and ran it for several years. During that same time...
Jim DeStafney is the co-owner of Blues Angel Music in Pensacola, Florida. After completing a 24-year career as a Navy fighter pilot, Jim opened the shop in 1997. Blues Angel Music has been named a NAMM Top 100 Dealer for six consecutive years, and continues to show excellence in the music retail...
Lauren Haas Amanfoh started answering phones at age three and began writing rental contracts at age 10. She grew up in a music store, and went on to receive her degree from Ohio State University. She professionally performs on the French horn at major venues such as Carnegie Hall, and is now the...
Jack Schechinger enjoyed his career in the music products industry. When he sat down for his NAMM Oral History program in retirement, Jack recalled the many friends and companies he worked with and got to know over the years. Jack’s passion for music developed thanks to his mother being a piano...