Oral History - all
Zoro is easily recognized walking most of the NAMM Shows and is often seen demonstrating his style on several products he uses during the shows. His knowledge of the products he plays makes him a perfect endorser and his passion for music makers makes him the ideal spokesperson for the benefits of... more
Walfredo Reyes Sr. is the Cuban-born percussionist who became known around the world for his style of playing. He is also known to many drummers as the father of two great percussionists, Walfredo Reyes Jr. and Danny Reyes. During his long career he was greatly influenced by Candido, who was also... more
Dom Famularo is a regular attendee at the NAMM Shows and can often be found demonstrating products he endorses or talking about his latest method book or educational DVD. Dom’s passion for music making has made him one of the music industry’s most sought-after speakers, clinicians and teachers. He... more
Birth Date: May 7, 1925
Deceased Date: May 4, 2012
Elliot Fine is best known to percussion students for the method book he wrote with Marvin Dahlgren called 4-Way Coordination, which was first published in 1963. Over the years, he has published several method books on drumming including Accent On Accents. He played for several big bands before... more
Andy Zildjian is the president of the cymbal company his parents established in 1981, Sabian. With a long family tradition of cymbal making, Andy is proud to continue developing the company. Andy has worked to continue the core set of values established by his parents regarding customer and... more
Don Teach is the owner of Shreveport Music store, which was once run by his father. While his father guided the store it was mainly a Hammond dealer and became one of the first to offer Yamaha instruments. By the mid 1960s, he was asked to carry guitars for players who did not want to travel to ... more
Klaus Scholler is the President of Karl Hofner GmbH & Co KG, established in 1887 and now celebrating its 125th anniversary. Over the years Höfner has produced many ground-breaking instruments including the iconic Hofner Violin Bass guitar. Played by Paul McCartney, it has, unsurprisingly, also... more
Birth Date: April 26, 1936
Deceased Date: April 2, 2015
Doug Sax was the pioneering mastering engineer who helped shape the craft beginning in the late 1960s. Doug was part of the original design team for the famed Mastering Lab in Hollywood California that was established in 1967. Over the years he worked on many award-winning projects and worked... more
Glenn Roberts is the president of Best Music in Oakland, California, which was first established in 1934. The store was established by Art Best during the Great Depression and soon became a cultural center within the community. When Glenn was in high school he began teaching music and formed a jazz... more
Dave Oppenheim is the founder of Opcode Systems, a Palo Alto, California software company that pioneered MIDI sequencing for MAC OS and Microsoft Windows. With Dave’s programming, the company created such software products as Vision, Studio Vision, Galaxy and Max. Among the many users for Dave’s... more
Rob Mazzella is the vice president of GMS Drum Company. As a teenager, Rob combined his love of drumming with this love of machine shop work and began creating small accessory items for local music stores. Rob established GMS, which stands for his series of products called Grand Master Series, in... more
Dan Marshall’s father opened Marshall Music Center in Lansing, Michigan, in 1948, right after returning from World War II. The store soon became a leader in quality instruments and service for local musicians as well as the area schools. Under Dan’s direction, the company has grown and developed... more
John Larson worked in piano retail in and around North Dakota before opening his own store. He worked the area and became involved in the music programs and lessons within the community. He also became a well respected member of the National Association of Piano Travelers and would rarely miss the... more
Darrell Kersten served in the National Guard for over 20 years. After his time in the service he joined the team at Groth Music in Bloomington, Minnesota. After working on the road and calling on school band directors, Darrell requested to work in the stock room, where he has worked ever since.... more
Brock Kaericher is the President of REMO Inc. and over the last few decades he has worked closely with the company’s founder, Remo Belli. Brock has been a strong supporter in the products as well as the many programs the company supports including music education and music wellness. As a member... more
Leslie Ann Jones is the renowned recording engineer and pioneering producer and mixer who helped re-define the craft of engineering in the 1970s and 80s. She is well known for her long list of successful and award winning projects as much as she is known within the industry as a giving and talented... more
Todd (TJ) Johnson serves as a manager of the Groth Music Store in Bloomington, Minnesota. As a singer and entertainer, TJ has offered his understanding of the needs of professionals who come into the store. His passion for music helps him to provide outstanding customer care, a core value of the... more
Andy Hildebrand is the creator of Auto-Tune, which has had a big impact on music makers since it was first released in 1997. After a successful career as a scientist, Dr. Hildebrand had an opportunity to form his own company and began working on computer plug-ins related to music, his first love.... more
Al Hager is the store manager for the Bloomington, Minnesota based Groth Music. As a professional bandleader and bass player, Al came to the store with a great understanding of musical instruments and business management. He has worked closely with the store’s owner, Nancy Groth-Kersten, to... more
Jon Haber is the president of Alto Music in Middletown, New York. Jon grew up in New York and as a kid would go into Alto Music, which he later bought and expanded to include sales in their store as well as on the Internet. In 2006, when Jon was asked by American Express to appear in one of their... more