Oral History - all
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... more
Gail Hackinson worked with Charlie Hansen, the iconic music publisher in New York City. It was at Hansen Music Publishing Company where she met her future husband, Frank Hackinson. Together the couple established FJH Music Company in 1988, which has also involved their children Kevin, Kyle, and... more
Bret Rhoades began his career in the music industry by working for Ken Stanton Music in Georgia. Bret learned band instrument repairs while attending college, and after a short time as a teacher he landed a job with Ted Frank in New Orleans. Ted Frank operated the sheet music department within... more
Glenn Burtch is the president of JW Pepper in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, which is the same position his brother and father both held. In fact, during the hundred year history of JW Pepper, only two families owned and ran the business, the Peppers and the Burtchs. Glenn’s father, Dean Burtch (... more
Birth Date: June 28, 1948
Deceased Date: December 2, 2017
Charles Slater had a rich background in music publishing, having worked with a number of companies before arriving at JW Pepper. At Pepper, Charles worked on many projects over the years and expanded his interest in the accounting department to the level of becoming the CFO. His passion for... more
Birth Date: November 14, 1937
Deceased Date: December 10, 2021
Harry Voshell started playing the saxophone in the fourth grade and fell in love! His interest in music grew over the years as he served in the United States Navy, where he played in several bands during his three years in the service. During college he studied music with an idea of becoming a... more
Birth Date: April 19, 1934
Deceased Date: November 16, 2020
Bruce Swedien was working with Quincy Jones when Michael Jackson asked the two if they would work on his upcoming album, entitled “Thriller.” It became the biggest selling album on the planet and in some ways has overshadowed Bruce’s amazing career before and after “Thriller.” As a recording... more
Roger Kraft was a pioneer in the retailing of electronic musical instruments such as keyboards and synthesizers in the 1980s. Many may recall the days of keyboard stores throughout the United States in the early days of MIDI, when innovative keyboards were the craze. With a background in... more
Jerry Wenger was just a kid when he recalls his father asking him and his sister to help him out with building some products he has invented, in the basement, for his school use as a music educator. Jerry was right there at the beginning of one of the music industry’s most innovative manufacturer... more
Donna Henson holds the unique distinction of being a docent for the NAMM Foundation’s Museum of Making Music as well as a former employee of NAMM. The headquarters for NAMM in Carlsbad, California is also the location for the Museum of Making Music, which was opened to the public in 2000. Donna... more
Dave Buckeyne can’t remember a time in his life without music. His father was a band director in Detroit area schools and bought instruments for students who could not afford one. As a result Dave had access to every type of musical instrument imaginable, often times just sitting in the basement... more
Birth Date: November 25, 1941
Deceased Date: April 29, 2020
Joe Keith felt that the local music teachers needed specialized service when it came to finding the tools they needed. Along with his wife, Claudia, he opened The Music Mart in Albuquerque, New Mexico, with the goal of doing all that was possible to support music education and lesson programs. As... more
Kathy Fernandes was lucky enough to have an inspiring flute teacher while in high school that helped encourage and foster Kathy’s interest in music. In fact, Kathy pursued a career as a school music teacher thanks to those teachers she learned from. While in graduate school, she was hired as a... more
Greg Voelker is the inventor of a specialized drum rack system that has been used by top artists since the 1980s. His first rack was distributed by Premier Drums, which led to a full series of products including custom racks designed and created for Tommy Aldridge, Nick Menza, and Mickey Hart from... more
Roger Sadowsky is a highly respected instrument maker, who has helped redefine the word luthier to include the subtext of brilliant handcrafted design. His instruments have been played by many of the world’s greatest artists including guitarists Jim Hall, John Abercrombie, Pat Metheny, Lee... more
Casey Young has designed synthesizers and programed electronic instruments for a string of albums and movies over his long career. As a keyboardist in the late 60s, Casey found it easy and natural to explore the exciting new developments in electronic musical instruments. As a result he began... more
John Storyk began playing the piano at the age of 6, and the clarinet six years later. While playing in the school band, John realized he had a great interest and passion for the sound each instrument made. The idea of audio vibrations and sound waves really intrigued him. While playing in bands... more
Denny Seiwell went along on gigs with his father who was the drummer for the Tommy Dorsey band during the great Swing Era. Denny recalled sitting on the floor and watching his father play. As a young child, Denny took up the drums and loved every minute. During school he played in marching bands... more
Vince Wilburn, Jr., was born in Chicago and began playing the drums on pots and pans as early as five years old. His uncle, Miles Davis, encouraged young Vince to listen to the great drummers, many of whom played with Miles over the years. Vince recalls with a smile the day he sat in with Miles... more
David Scheirman serves the AES (Audio Engineering Society) on its Board of Governors, capping a globe-trotting pro sound career that has included over 3,000 shows in Africa, Asia, Europe, Latin America and North America. His audio career has taken him on tour with top-tier artists from the mid-... more