Oral History - all
Birth Date: September 24, 1922
Deceased Date: November 25, 2013
Robert Levin was the youngest of Chuck and Marge Levin’s three children, literally growing up in the store. From his earliest memories, he can remember observing and learning his father’s many successful traits and techniques that were at the core of building such a successful business. Along... more
Birth Date: September 28, 1936
Deceased Date: January 21, 2014
Bob Rufkahr's long career in the music business began in retail in 1962! He later moved into wholesale and manufacturing before he formed his own company, Image Marketing in 1980. Along the way he mentored a generation of industry salesmen who credit Bob for their own success both in marketing... more
Fred Greene enjoys running the C.F. Martin & Company factory in Nazareth, Pennsylvania, in fact you could say it is his dream job. As a guitarist he has passion to the tenth degree when it comes to sound and quality. As a former factory manager for Gibson, he has a love of working with... more
Chris Thomas has worked in several areas of the C.F. Martin & Company factory in Nazareth, Pennsylvania. Chris worked in the binding department among others before having the opportunity to work with Dick Boak in Artist Relations. Chris has worked with many of Martin's most recent artists to... more
Robert Schaeffer is the resident historian for Rice Music House in South Carolina. Having been in the store since he was a young boy, getting to meet with the founder and having worked in the store for several years, he fits the bill. As much as he knows the history, Robert walks and talks the... more
Richard Riley served as Secretary of Education under Bill Clinton and was a two term Governor of South Carolina. His love of music goes back to his parents and his piano lessons as a boy. While he followed the avenue of public service, his musical passion was always a deep part of his life. As... more
Dave Phillips met his wife in a band he created in high school. They have been making music ever since and as of 1977 when they opened their retailing business, they have assisted countless others to do the same! Dave Phillips Music & Sound has three locations in and around Western New Jersey... more
Alice Phillips met her future husband when she joined a band while in high school. Dave sought to learn about the technical side of the business while Alice developed a background in the business and accounting end of things. Together they made for a perfect team and had their sights on opening... more
Mike Moran is the noted recording engineer who helped put the sound on tape for several hits as well as historic albums. While working for RCA, Mike engineered several sessions for Elvis Presley as well as for Perry Como, David Bowie and a long list of Broadway Cast albums including the original “... more
Paul McDermott is one of the most passionate music retailers you will ever meet! As founder of Hot Licks Guitar Shop in Waldorf, Maryland, Paul has used his passion to bring the joy of music making to countless number of his customers over the years. He has established an impressive lesson... more
Vincent Marinelli is the founder of Expert Woodwind Service, a music store specializing in hand-selected and expertly fine-tuned professional clarinets and saxophones. A musician himself, Vincent mainly plays the clarinet, flute and saxophone, the latter of which he played in a rock and roll band... more
Jimmy "Cricket" Lockard earned his nick name while playing the electric guitar in the sound of a chirping cricket. Since there were two other Jimmy's at the time, the name Cricket stuck -it's even on his business card. Cricket began going to Hot Licks Guitar Shop as a customer, playing for hours... more
Birth Date: December 14, 1932
Deceased Date: March 1, 2021
Paul Laubin followed in his father's footsteps both as a symphonic oboist and as an instrument maker. Alfred Laubin made his first oboe in 1931. He steadily improved his design, and went on to make hundreds of instruments and grow A. Laubin, Inc. into a full-time business. Paul grew up in the... more
Debra Karlowitch likes to tell people that she started working at C.F. Martin & Company the same week Chris Martin joined full time! At the time of her NAMM Oral History interview in 2013 she was nearing her 40th year with the company. She might also tell you, with great pride, that because... more
Leon Huff cut his teeth in the recording studios as a session player in the 1950s before meeting Kenneth Gamble. The two became one of the most prolific and successful songwriting and record producing teams in the music industry. They not only created the Philly Sound, they set standards and... more
Charlie Gracie was an early Rockabilly performer who recorded three charted songs in 1957, right in the heart of the golden era of rock and roll. His biggest tune "Butterfly" was followed by several other hits over his career including "Fabulous." Since the beginning of his career, Charlie has... more
Kenneth Gamble was singing and playing the guitar in a band he formed in Philly when he first met his future songwriting partner, Leon Huff. The two discovered they had the same goals of making music and that Kenneth's strength as a poet was a perfect fit for Huff's musical background. Together... more
DJ GrandMixer DXT brought the turntable front and center as a musical instrument! DXT is a proud member of the "first generation" of DJs in the dawn of Hip-Hop. When he recorded a session that was played for Herbie Hancock, the result was the breakthrough hit instrumental "Rockit." The success... more
Jody Carver is a legendary steel guitarist who, as a session player, recorded with many top performers beginning in the 1950s. Jody developed a life-long friendship with Don Randall at the then newly formed Fender Musical Instruments. Don hired Jody, first as a product endorser and soon after as... more
Birth Date: March 19, 1911
Deceased Date: August 10, 2014
Steno Giulini served as the editor of the International Association magazine "Euro Piano" for well over 60 years. He was by far the oldest employee of the specialist publishing PPV Medien and became a historian as he said, by simply writing and living. At the time of his NAMM Oral History... more