Oral History - all
Herbert Wanka is the master bow maker who established his own company in Baiersdorf, Germany in 1971. He began making bows in 1952 and worked as an apprentice to the renowned craftsman, Emanuel Schuster, in Bubenreuth Germany. After completing his master examinations in 1968, Herbert formed his own... more
Birth Date: June 3, 1940
Deceased Date: April 27, 2020
Herbert Volkmann like so many of his generation saw the horrors of war while growing up in Germany before and during World War II. Herbert and other musical instrument makers moved to Bubenreuth after the war and focused on the craftsmanship that for Herbert was a family tradition. Amid the sorrow... more
Chuck Turk has been active in the music industry in both manufacturing and in retailing. In fact his experiences have included working with small independent retailers as well as large chain stores. Chuck worked for several suppliers such as Gibson and First Act before joining the team at Armadillo... more
Wolfgang Teller joined the family musical instrument making business in 1980. His grandfather, Oskar, formed a small shop in 1928 and his father, Horst, joined him in 1949. When Wolfgang finished his apprenticeship it was decided to move the workshop from Bubenrueth, Germany to close by Neukirchen... more
Birth Date: August 16, 1931
Deceased Date: March 17, 2018
Horst Teller was the son of Oskar Teller, who formed a small workshop in 1929 in Schonbach to make musical instruments. After World War II, the company was rebuilt in Bubenreuth in 1949 and soon Oskar was joined in his shop by his son Horst. Horst began expanding the product line to include... more
Burkhard Stein grew up in a music retail family, which focused on selling pianos in Marburg, Germany. After school he wanted to learn about the manufacturing of pianos and began working for the Grotrian Piano Company. The company began in 1835 when Friedrich Grotrian opened his own factory after... more
Tabor Stamper was a band director before joining the manufacturing side of the industry for which he has a true passion. During his NAMM Oral History interview, conducted in March 2011, Tabor spoke of the interest he had in providing top quality instruments for students as well as step-up products... more
Myrna Sislen is a professional musician who took advantage of the opportunity to purchase a struggling music store and bring it back to being an active and beloved part of the neighborhood of Washington DC. Middle C Music was being sold by its founder in the 1990s when Myrna was inspired to take a... more
Ulrich Sauter grew up in the middle of the Sauter Piano Company, as his great grandfather formed the factory in Spaichingen, Germany. In fact his family lived in a small house surrounded by piano factory buildings on all four sides. As he puts it, there was no other job he ever thought about doing... more
Mitchel Banks has been working in the music store his father established as far back as he can remember. After serving as a band director, Don Banks formed his retail store in Tampa in 1967. Mitchel worked side by side with his father and took an active role in band instrument repair as well as... more
Ernst Roth is a guitar luthier who over the last 40 years of his career has dedicated himself to training younger craftsman in the art of violin and guitar making. He was born in the musical instrument capital of the world, Markneukirchen, Germany. After his training he opened up his own shop in... more
Dieter Roesberg made his mark as a rock musician in Germany during the 1970s, 80s and 90s, being part of several bands that scored hits on the charts. He kept a day job, a writer for Gitarre & Bass Magazine, while touring with his bands. One day he was made editor of the magazine and he had a... more
David Reid is a guitar luthier who not only designs, builds and repairs guitars, he also teaches the art of instrument making. Located in London, David designs and builds both acoustic and electric guitars with various cut-aways, bracings and bindings. His attention to the sound has lead to him... more
Birth Date: October 4, 1941
Deceased Date: August 17, 2020
Steve Rauch began his career in the music publishing business in the early 1960s. While working for several leaders in the industry, Steve developed his skills and knowledge that he would ultimately apply to his own publishing firm, CD Sheet Music, LLC, which was established in 2000 after he worked... more
Nick Rail is the president and founder of the retail string of stores in Southern California with his namesake that began in 1986. Nick began his career as a band instrument repairman for La Grandeur Music in 1974. After becoming active in the repair side of the business, Nick decided to open his... more
Kenny O’Brien is the president of Music & Arts, a retail store chain that his father, Ken O’Brian, established. Kenny oversees the stores, which focuses on school music and print and has locations in 18 states including Arizona to Delaware to Ohio and Texas. Kenny is proud that he continues, as... more
Birth Date: July 22, 1932
Deceased Date: September 3, 2014
Frantisek Nemecek was born and raised in Czechoslovakia where he studied advertising and helped the more than 70 instrument makers in the area to sell their products. Frantisek began by exporting a large number of the instruments outside the area and into the Soviet Union, where the demand for hand... more
Sara Michaelson grew up in the music store her father, Frank Hessy, established in Liverpool, England in the late 1950s. Hessy’s Music was THE store in town to find all of the local bands and to learn of their scheduled gigs. All four members of the Beatles purchased instruments at Hessy’s Music... more
Bernard Michaelson was just a teenager when he began working for Frank Hessy. Hessy’s Music store in Liverpool was the hangout for all of the young musicians in the area at a time when bands seemed to be on every street corner. One such band Bernard recalls coming into the store were the Beatles.... more
Joel Menchey is the president of Menchey Music Service, a Hanover, PA based retail store established by his grandfather in 1936. Joel is also very active within the industry serving on boards and committees for such organizations as NASMD, NAMM and RPMDA. Joel, himself a music maker, can be heard... more