Vignette
Out in the village of Bubenreuth, Germany lays the incredible history of a group of independent luthiers who in reinventing themselves after World War II helped produce hand-crafted musical instruments that inspired music and music makers ever since. Within the NAMM Oral History collection we have...
William Gard (1915-1987) served as the NAMM Executive President for over 35 years, beginning right after World War II. In fact it was Mr. Gard who helped re-open NAMM’s offices, which had closed its doors for two years during the war. Those were critical times for NAMM and his leadership guided...
This video vignette was created to serve as a tribute to Jazz guitarist Joe Beck (1945-2008). Joe was helpful in the early days of the NAMM Oral History Program but due to his health was never interviewed. To show our appreciation for his role in helping us, we asked his friend Jimmy Bruno for his...
Accordions make a sound when the bellows are expanded or compressed with air, while pressing keys causing the pallets to open. The air moves across the strips of reeds, allowing them to vibrate. Often people associate the accordion with polka-type music, but really they can be heard in a variety...
One of the most archaic yet essential instruments in the music and percussion industry is the cymbal. With its origins dating back as far as 3,000 B.C., the cymbal has been used in various settings including rituals, celebrations, worship, military purposes, and enjoyment. After alchemist and...
The piano sticker represents a NAMM program of the early 1900’s until World War I and again briefly in the 1950s. The sticker program was an effort to authenticate dealers and pianos in a time when there was stenciling (counterfeit branding) of pianos and some disreputable dealers. Unfortunately,...
Women’s role in the music industry has progressively grown and developed over the years. When the NAMM Oral History program began, many of the women interviewed kept the books of their retail store. However, the role women have played in the industry grew to include more and more women in top...
Studio Engineers make the music come alive for the listener. As Brooks Arthur notes, engineers are like the extra band member performing behind the board. This compilation from the Oral History archives shares just a few stories from some of the icons such as George Massenburg, Ed Cherney, Eddie...
Boots Randolph was a legendary saxophonist who redefined what the instrument's role was in both rock and roll and country music. In this special vignette, Chuck Surack, Founder of Sweetwater Sound, and Tim Smith, Studio Musician and Professor at Frost School of Music, sit down to remember their...
Band Instrument Repair Technicians are always working behind the scenes to save the day when instruments come in damaged and in need of some repair. They are the ones that have all the crazy and interesting stories, like in this clip you will hear a story about how a police officer once ran over...