Oral History - all
John Rajcic, a former educator joined the Kawai Company, becoming Vice President/General Manager of the world famous piano maker. John played a role in establishing Kawai Dealers across the country. John was instrumental in the design and development of the College Loan Program, which allowed... more
Martin Szpiro's mother was the office manger and one of the first employees of JAM Industries, a Canadian wholesaler started by Marty Golden and Eddy Shenker in the early 70's. As the company grew to include growing segments of the industry such as pro audio, they needed a "go to" man. Martin (... more
Birth Date: October 30, 1917
Deceased Date: December 23, 2008
Don Randall met Leo Fender before World War II when both men worked in radio repairs. After the war they decided to form a business together that would allow Leo to focus on developing a line of guitars. Don’s history of radio amplifiers and his business education made for a perfect match. The... more
Birth Date: August 14, 1929
Deceased Date: February 14, 2017
Willi Zildjian has made many lasting contributions to the SABIAN Cymbal Company, which she formed along with her husband Bob back in 1981. However, her most noted is the naming of the company. While driving to New York from their factory in Canada, she discussed names with her husband. Most of the... more
Marsha Berman grew up in a home filled with music. Her mother sang and her father played, so she was encouraged to play piano. She took lessons until college, at which point she studied music at UCLA not knowing just what she wanted to do with her degree. She wrote a paper on music library... more
Fred Bramante formed the music retail store Daddy’s Junky Music on the East Coast and went on to play a vital role on the NAMM Board during a dynamic period in the association’s history. While playing in a rock band in college in the late 1960s, Fred got the idea of buying used music gear and... more
Birth Date: March 17, 1937
Deceased Date: November 16, 2009
Terry Bingley was a leader in the Canadian Music Products Industry for several decades. He began his career when he formed a music retail store before working with Yamaha and, later, serving as the Managing Director of Kawai. He helped to establish Kawai Canada. In 1984, Terry formed a music... more
Frank Bilz applied his passion for music into the expansion of the Markneukirchen Germany music school programs entitled Musicon Valley. As Marketing Director of the school, which is located in the music-rich village where musical instruments have been handcrafted for hundreds of years, Frank has... more
Paolo Fazioli heard a special piano sound in his head and yet was unable to find an instrument that was capable of producing the sound, so he built his own pianos. Beginning in 1978, he developed the techniques and use of special woods to craft one of the most revered sounds in the piano industry.... more
Birth Date: September 21, 1916
Deceased Date: August 23, 2009
Lucien Wulsin’s grandfather was taught the piano business by D. W. Baldwin, the founder of the world-famous piano company. What he learned was passed down to his son, who, like his father, became president of the company. Lucien III carried on the family tradition and served as President of Baldwin... more
Birth Date: November 9, 1936
Deceased Date: March 21, 2014
BR Wexler was the president of Wexler Music Company, the leading manufacturer of symphonic batons. The company also produces a wide range of accessory products. Established by his father, David Wexler, the company pioneered the music store counter catalog and gained great respect for its fair... more
Birth Date: August 13, 1921
Deceased Date: May 4, 2019
Parham Werlein followed in the footsteps of his father, grandfather and great-grandfather as president of Werlein’s For Music in New Orleans, Louisiana. Like his predecessors, Parham also served on the NAMM Board and was a great supporter of the American Music Conference (AMC). Parham’s interview... more
Donald Waxman is a noted composer who served as editor at Galaxy Music Publishing Corp., as well as several positions on the ASCAP and MPA Boards over the years. He is best known for his contributions to piano pedagogy and educational method books for first time piano students. He was the... more
Birth Date: April 29, 1918
Deceased Date: July 8, 2005
Bernie Vance played the saxophone in a number of big bands during the swing era. He was drafted and served during World War II, only to come home and find that musical tastes had changed. The big band era was over so Bernie turned to what he knew best, his horn. If he couldn’t play it for a living... more
Fred Theriault recalls the first time he set foot in Long & McQuade’s Music Store. He was still a teen and bought a snare drum from Jack McQuade; ironically Fred later was hired and has spent nearly 50 years with the company. Jack Long hired Fred in the store and soon put him in charge of the... more
Birth Date: February 20, 1942
Deceased Date: June 11, 2012
Eddy Shenker teamed up with Marty Golden in the mid 1970s to form JAM Industries. The distribution company has become one of the largest in Canada and introduced the market to a number of innovative products. Eddy’s background as an accountant not only played a vital role for JAM, but was an... more
Dr. Wolf-Dieter Seiffert is the president of G. Henle Publishers, a noted publishing firm located in Germany. Dr. Seiffert is also a musicologist and historian, who took great pride in our interview to discuss the rich history of the company and that of its founder, Mr. Henle. The Henle company,... more
Birth Date: January 6, 1924
Deceased Date: March 28, 2012
Earl Scruggs was the father of bluegrass and country banjo playing. His style and techniques have been both influential and inspiring for generations of banjo players around the world. His easy-going personality endured thousands of music students who would often receive a lesson when they... more
Don Schlitz likes to tell the story about how he was in the right place at the right time when his song, “The Gambler,” was recorded by Kenny Rogers in 1978. The truth is, if that was Don’s only hit song that might have been the case, but talent plays a big part in his story-telling songwriting... more
Johnny Rodgers can tell you all about the trends of piano sales in Texas. As salesman for Jent Music in Lubbock, he has watched the market and his customer base change over the years. He has also had the unique opportunity to work with the Jent family, one of the principal families in the industry... more