Oral History - all
Orinta Budnikaitė is a Lithuanian musicologist and current general manager of Natų knygynas, the only one sheet music store in Lithuania. Working together with the Lithuanian Government, national and foreign NGO's, she initiated a multitude of international cooperation projects devoted to the... more
Mark Maxwell’s love for music retailing goes back as far as he can remember. His parents started Mom’s Music in "Kentuckiana" with stores in Jeffersonville, IN and Louisville, KY. Mark literally grew up in a music store, and has been selling instruments and gear his entire life. When his parents... more
Jeremy McQueary proudly carries on the tradition of Paige’s Music in Indianapolis, Indiana, not only in serving their customers but by serving the industry! The store was opened in 1871 and has come to symbolize dedication to customer service, which is at the core of Jeremy’s values. Over the years... more
Joe Chambers worked for music publishers in Nashville and became a successful songwriter. Joe wrote tunes recorded by Johnny Paycheck and Ricky Van Shelton, and was encouraged along the way by the likes of Conway Twitty and Billy Sherrill. Joe also recognized that the session players in the studio... more
John Conlee was not even a teenager when he joined a barbershop quartet in Versailles, Kentucky where his father ran a tobacco farm. He was often heard singing and playing his guitar and decided to try his hand as a musician in Nashville. He moved to the music city in 1971 to work in radio and... more
Paul Majeski grew up in the music industry and relates many of the milestones of his own life to what was going on in the music business at the same time. His attention to details has made Paul the perfect president of Music Trades Magazine, whose history goes back to 1890 and has been the pulse of... more
Harry Bickel has been passionate about the folk songs and bluegrass music of Kentucky since he was a kid. While in college, he took banjo lessons from J.D. Crowe and learned how to repair banjos from Tom Haile, at Shackleton’s music store. When he purchased his home (The Bluegrass Hotel) in 1975,... more
Harry Sparks is the founder of the Famous Old Time Music Company in Cincinnati, Ohio. Harry grew up in the folk and bluegrass era of the 1960s and joined a band at a young age. Over the years he began repairing instruments, at first for his band mates and friends, which led to him opening the store... more
Jeff Radke followed in the footsteps of his father, who was a saxophonist in the big bands. Jeff played sax in school and studied music and business in college. He attended his first NAMM Show in 1984, the year MIDI was introduced, which is a lasting memory for Jeff. While working at West LA Music... more
Johnny Grabowski was just four years old when he began playing his father’s piano by ear. He took lessons a few years later and in middle school joined the choir. Music has always been a strong part of Johnny’s life, so it didn't surprise anyone when he studied electronic music in college while... more
Bob Bailey has a big gig to oversee each year, the annual Sweetwater Sound Gearfest! This is no small task as anyone of his friends on the NAMM staff can tell you, but Bob heads a strong team who are all dedicated to creating a fresh and exciting event for their customers each year. Back in the... more
Nick Bowcott is a founding member of the British heavy metal band, Grim Reaper. Nick put the band together in 1979 and by 1985 had gained commercial success namely due to Nick’s guitar skills and the band’s lead vocals by Steve Grimmett. While still with the band, Nick began writing about the gear... more
Don Carr has fond memories of his father, an electronics enthusiast, recording him sing as a young kid. He played a number of instruments in school as his parents were always supportive of his musical interests. He was playing a regular club gig at the age of 15. After college at Belmont in... more
Vern Crews grew up surrounded by music. His uncle, Pee Wee Marquette, who was the master of ceremonies for the famed Birdland jazz club, gave young Vern a Hammond Organ when he was a kid. That organ inspired him to learn all he could about electronic musical instruments. During the MIDI boom of the... more
Nick D’Virgilio grew up in the Los Angeles area and was exposed to music at a very young age. He was given his first drum set when he was 5 years old and was in a band by the time he was a teenager. As his career developed as a working musician, Nick played drums for several high-profile bands... more
David Stewart remembers making a choice to go from playing music professionally to the technological side of touring and working as a sound engineer. He toured during the 1980s, working live sound for a company that worked with several performers such as The Coasters and Chubby Checker, among... more
Tracy Leenman remembers hearing her father play the saxophone and wanting to play the same instrument. She played several instruments throughout school including the sax, flute, and bassoon, while also singing in the choir. Tracy earned her Master’s in music education with the idea of becoming a... more
David Kalt remembers, with a smile, the Fender Stratocaster he dreamed of as a kid. He also recalls that great day in 1985 when he finally got a 1970s Strat! The instrument has a special place in his own passion for music, an idea and feeling he never forgot. In fact, it was that passion for... more
C.J. Averwater recalls the story of his great grandfather, M.J. Averwater, a music teacher who decided to open a small store in Memphis called Amro Music. C.J. grew up in the business and learned from his grandfather, M.J.’s son, Robert, the history of their family owned and operated store. C.J.... more
Daniel Fisher has a long and interesting history in music, which began as a child when his parents discovered that he could play by ear at age 5. His education continued on a Hammond B3 organ when nuns taught Daniel in their convent and he began playing synthesizers starting in the mid-1970s. In... more