Oral History - all
Birth Date: October 13, 1926
Deceased Date: September 28, 2011
John McDermott could sure sell pianos! His knowledge of the products and his strong relationship with music retailers made him an ideal and successful sales rep. John worked for the Gulbransen Piano Company during the company’s innovative era of the mid 1960s through the 1970s. After his retirement... more
Steve Markowitz’s father invented a unique electronic organ in the 1930s and established the Allen Organ Company in Allentown, PA. Steve’s father, Jerome, built his first experimental instrument back in the Depression Era--1936. As the popularity of the instrument grew, particularly with churches... more
Birth Date: May 11, 1927
Deceased Date: December 24, 2020
Daniel Mari followed in the footsteps of his father in running the Mari String Company in New York City. While serving as president of the company, Daniel worked hard to expand the product line as well as open the company up to serving the growing global market. In addition to exhibiting at NAMM... more
Naomi Marblestone has been a dedicated volunteer for the NAMM Foundation’s Museum of Making Music for several years and has become an often-requested docent for tours for all ages. Over the years, she has played an important role in organizing the monthly volunteer meetings, docent training classes... more
Birth Date: January 24, 1936
Deceased Date: March 8, 2021
George Luther was a legendary music retailer! His reputation preceded him far beyond the South, where he forged a successful and colorful career. His business savvy was in large part from thinking "outside the box". Over many years of fostering a fun working environment and mentoring many... more
Birth Date: August 4, 1938
Deceased Date: December 7, 2017
Bob Lozier began working at Freeman Companies with Howard Bailey in the 1960s to support the NAMM shows. Over the years, Bob has been instrumental in forming the infrastructure to support the policies and procedures enabling the growth of the NAMM shows and several other trade conventions... more
Chris Lovell knew there would be a place for him in the music industry and set out at a young age to make a difference. Along with Charles Lawing, Chris established the Strings & Things music store in Memphis, Tennessee. The store became a central gathering point for musicians and students in... more
Evelyn Lipson and her husband Ray became early volunteers for the NAMM Foundation’s Museum of Making Music in the months before its grand opening to the public in 2000. Over the years she has become a very important part of the volunteer program. As a coordinator for her fellow volunteers, she... more
Birth Date: August 15, 1923
Deceased Date: May 20, 2011
Dr. Ruth Lion’s late husband, Alfred Lion, was the founder of Blue Note Records. Together they played a colossal role in the documentation of jazz throughout most of the 20th century. The long and impressive list of artists they recorded and promoted reads like a Who’s Who of Jazz including Monk... more
Jeff Lindahl began playing guitar and performing with his twin brother at a young age. They continued to play together throughout high school and college. At the time, Jeff formed a number of rock bands and gave guitar lessons on the side for extra spending money. Over the years he also... more
Neil Lilien has been a life long supporter of the arts, playing music since he was a child and growing up to own one of the finest names in stringed instruments. Neil worked for Guild Guitars for nearly 20 years before purchasing Meisel Stringed Instruments in 1984. The company, which had also been... more
Charles Lawing formed the Memphis music store Strings & Things in the 1970s and grew the business in size and product line along with his partner Chris Lovell. Charles enjoyed the service side of the business and spent many hours working with customers and sound equipment and gear to address... more
Dr. Tim Lautzenheiser was presented the highest honor from the American Music Conference (AMC) when he was given the Henry Grossman Lifetime Achievement Award. The award honors those dedicated to music education and advocacy, which is practically Tim’s middle name. Over the years as a band director... more
Tevis Laukat and his wife Sheryl formed Cannonball Musical Instruments in 1996 in Sandy, Utah, located just south of Salt Lake City. The couple set out to address some of the issues they and their musician friends were having with their instruments. As a touring performer with a host of jazz and... more
Sheryl Laukat is passionate about the saxophone and the company she formed with her husband back in 1996. Tevis and Sheryl Laukat had the idea of creating a saxophone with acoustics that could be adjusted and modified even after the instrument was created. Their ideas and innovation led to the... more
Birth Date: June 22, 1927
Deceased Date: April 1, 2015
Robert Laube spent over 30 years as the top salesman for Kimball Piano and Organ Company. In fact, he may very well have sold over one million organs during the big boom of the early 1970s. This boom was marked with mall stores in many cities and clever marketing that resulted in over 25% of all... more
Birth Date: August 24, 1926
Deceased Date: March 3, 2013
Bertil Larson was like so many of the former employees at the mighty Wurlitzer Company that found his experiences there to have been happy ones and the friends he has made like family. The DeKalb, Illinois plant and main office brought the home spun feelings to the largest musical instrument... more
Sandy La Mantia was only the third President of Shure. The founder’s wife, Rose, hired Sandy to run the company for which she is still chairperson. The company has had a very significant history in the innovation of microphones, headphones, and speakers. It has also played a vital role in the... more
John LaBouve’s background is in business and marketing. When he married into the Goodell Family, he took a chance at working in his father-in-law’s music store, Goodell Music in Sheboygan, WI. He began in 1974 and soon took over the store as president and owner. During the interview, John discussed... more
Rick Kukulies helped design and develop the Kustom line of amplifiers in the 1970s. His electrical engineering background along with the advances in technology during that era resulted in the highly successful Kustom product line. When the Hanser Music Group purchased the Kustom line, Rick stayed... more