Rock and Roll
Desmond Child is the songwriter behind such hit collaborations as "Livin' On a Prayer" with Bon Jovi, "Dude Looks Like a Lady" with Aerosmith, and "Livin’ La Vida Loca" for Ricky Martin. Desmond started as a recording artist with his band Desmond Child & Rouge on Capitol Records in the late...
Michael Cotten was the original keyboardist for the band the Tubes, which took full advantage of the innovations in synthesizers of the 1970s and 80s. Michael experimented with electronic sounds and the latest keyboards within the early recordings of the band. After his time with the Tubes, Michael...
Rick Nielsen is among the very few rock stars who grew up in a music store! His story and background is perfect for the NAMM Oral History program as it ties together a professional career in music making with mom and pop music retailing! Rick's father purchased a music store in Rockford, Illinois...
Shane Fontayne grew up in England and came to the United States for the first time in 1976. He has recorded and performed with a long list of musical greats including Joe Cocker, Van Zant, and toured with Bruce Springsteen during 1992-1993. Shane has been a regular musician for the Kennedy Center...
Tony Bongiovi opened Power Station Studios in New York in the early 1970s, which helped define a few eras of recordings. The studio, which became a mainstay in the industry, was created after Tony worked for Motown for several years and recorded the likes of Jimi Hendrix. Tony also designed several...
Rob Roy was playing in a band and recording some of their songs when he met Tony Bongiovi who offered to help Rob. Tony had just moved from New York to Florida and was looking for a project. The two soon designed and established a new studio, Power Station Florida, which echoed the renowned studio...
Karl Denson has played the saxophone alongside Lenny Kravitz, The Rolling Stones, Jack DeJohnette, Switchfoot, and the Blind Boys of Alabama (among others). He was the co-founder of the acid jazz band The Greyboy Allstars, which was formed in 1993. The band originally got together for a CD release...
CJ Vanston was thrilled to have the opportunity to produce for Toto, one of his all-time favorite bands. The project was a symbolic full circle experience having been a studio musician, first in Chicago and later Los Angeles. CJ became known for creating sounds and becoming an expert on...
Lowell Levinger, known as Banana, was a founding member of the Youngbloods back in the late 1960s. The band had a series of hit records including the 60s anthem “Get Together.” Banana played lead guitar, piano, finger cymbals, pedal steel guitar, and sang with the band from 1965 until 1972. He...
Eric Burdon participated in the British Invasion of the 1960s as an original member of The Animals. It was an exciting time in music that brought popularity to rock bands from England to America such as The Beatles and The Rolling Stones. Eric was greatly influenced by jazz and the blues, which...