Oral History - all
Birth Date: July 1, 1908
Deceased Date: February 24, 2004
Alvino Rey tinkered with putting a phonograph pickup in his banjo to increase the volume in 1927. His inventive mind also led to early guitar pickups and the design of a pedal-steel guitar. A life-long performer, he is also known to generations for his work during the swing era including his own... more
Birth Date: April 30, 1933
Deceased Date: April 28, 2018
Nick Peck’s entire face lights up whenever he talks about a great school music program! The son of a band director, the passion seems to be in his blood. After taking over the store his father started in Greenville, South Carolina, Nick joined the NAMM board in 1969. He rose to the top becoming... more
Birth Date: February 6, 1924
Deceased Date: January 17, 2021
Sammy Nestico revolutionized the band and orchestra repertoire by composing and arranging top jazz charts for all levels of bands. As a result, this arranger of Count Basie’s band in the 1950s is as well known to music fans as he is to beginning music students in school bands. Along the way Sammy... more
Birth Date: June 9, 1915
Deceased Date: August 12, 2009
Les Paul will forever be known for his role in the popularity of the electric guitar, the design of the Gibson Les Paul guitar, the multi track recording, the early guitar effects, and his million selling recordings with wife Mary Ford. However, did you know Les also appeared as product endorsee in... more
Birth Date: May 3, 1930
Deceased Date: July 5, 2017
Jay R. Morgenstern was a veteran of the record and music publishing industries and served as the Executive Vice President/General Manager of Warner Chappell Music Inc. His amazing career was only matched by his reputation as a passionate advocate for those he represents. During our interview he... more
Birth Date: January 9, 1916
Deceased Date: October 17, 2009
Vic Mizzy wrote a number of hit songs for popular music, movies and television beginning in the 1940s. He wrote “The Jones Boy” for the Mills Brothers and is perhaps best known for writing TV theme songs for Green Acres and The Addams Family (for which he also sang on the original recording). As he... more
Birth Date: November 10, 1916
Deceased Date: January 22, 2004
Billy May was a fun loving trumpeter who arranged some of the best-loved music of the Big Band Era! His humor and musical talents provided hit recordings for Glenn Miller, Charlie Barnet and Frank Sinatra, to name but three. His enormous output included radio, TV and movie work as well as thousands... more
Birth Date: July 29, 1923
Deceased Date: April 5, 2012
Jim Marshall was in a full body cast as a 12-year-old boy due to polio. He managed to overcome the incredible odds to not only walk again, but also to become a trained tap dancer. He founded a charity to help crippled children and tap danced at charity events to raise money for the cause. Of course... more
Keith Mardak provided great detail of the history of Hal Leonard Publishing, especially the stories of the company's founder, who passed away years ago, before he could be interviewed for this program. Without Keith's insight, the early days of this important music publisher may have been lost.... more
Birth Date: September 1, 1910
Deceased Date: November 3, 2013
Leif Juhl had quite a life in music! As a boy, he picked up a trumpet – the instrument he played past his 100th birthday. Leif was the ad man for Selmer before forming the Juhl Ad Agency in Elkhart, Indiana. Over the years, he worked for many instrument companies and even helped design some... more
George Holden is the president and co-founder of Smith-Holden Music Store in Bloomington, IN. As a music teacher George partnered with a close friend who sadly committed suicide soon after the store was opened in the 1950s. In memory of him, George decided not to change the store name. Over the... more
Brad Hershberger’s mother and father opened a music retail store in rural Nebraska in the late 1950s. Brad grew up in the business and worked side by side with his father to develop and market the store’s key services. Brad has focused on maintaining their customer base built up over the years... more
Birth Date: August 4, 1918
Deceased Date: April 12, 2011
Dr. Sidney Harman, the founder of Harman-Kardon and Harman Industries provided a fascinating interview. He spoke of his early days and the innovative product line that helped develop the “hi-fi” industry (now referred to as the audio industry). He also took the time to outline the background for... more
Birth Date: August 10, 1908
Deceased Date: June 30, 2014
Alfredo Flores was born in Mexico in 1908 and moved to San Antonio, Texas with his mother and grandmother when he was a small boy. He took several jobs as a young man including a position with the Thomas Goggan piano company. His experience with the piano company provided Mr. Flores with the idea... more
Alfredo Flores Jr. proudly took over the music store his father established in 1928. Alamo Music Center in San Antonio, Texas, has long been established as a focal point for music making in the area. Under Alfredo Flores Jr’s leadership, the product lines have increased as well as the store’s... more
Birth Date: April 10, 1911
Deceased Date: March 2, 2005
Martin Denny cornered the market on the musical style of the early 1950s known as exotica. The smooth melody of the songs were enhanced by hundreds of different tropical sounding instruments, jungle noises and the call of birds. Martin began his musical career as a composer and piano playing... more
Paul Damiano has played a critical role in the growth and development of Kaman Music ever since first joining the company in the early 1980s. With a great understanding and passion for marketing and manufacturing, he was able to design processes that increased the company’s success especially in... more
Andy Clark is one of the great characters of the music publishing industry! Over the years, Andy has served as a musician, band director, arranger, composer, and publisher. With a keen sense for school music programs, Andy has been able to develop and strengthen various programs by providing... more
Birth Date: December 24, 1929
Deceased Date: July 1, 2015
Don Canedy was a beloved band director and professor at Southern Illinois University before being hired by the Roger’s Drum Company in 1961. Don played drums beginning at the age of 10 and was a perfect fit for the company’s Educational Director. Just prior to his job at Roger’s, which at the time... more
Birth Date: October 5, 1934
Deceased Date: December 11, 2004
T. Warren Brown was president of the music store his father established in the Tacoma, Washington area in the years of World War II. Ted Brown Music became an important leader in the music retail business with Warren playing key roles in the expansion of the store. Warren was also active within the... more