Oral History - all
Birth Date: June 3, 1927
Deceased Date: July 3, 2007
Boots Randolph was the capable saxophonist who proved the instrument could serve a vital role in both rock and roll and country music. His sax can be heard on a range of recordings in which he was both leader and sideman. His “Yakey Sax” hit brought a renewed energy and interest to the saxophone in... more
Howard Rachinski was the music director for his church in Portland in 1985 when a need to expand the ministry developed. Howard noticed that the members of his church and most churches he knew were not compliant with music copyright laws. Establishing a service for church that today is the... more
Birth Date: November 10, 1929
Deceased Date: May 4, 2010
Irwin Rabinowitz was personally hired by Irving Berlin to create the lead plates for the famed songwriter's sheet music. Irwin's craft was hand chiseling each note, each slur, and coda into metal plates that would then allow copies to be published. Although Mr. Rabinowitz's career would extend into... more
Birth Date: February 26, 1925
Deceased Date: May 8, 2017
Dave Pell had a long and remarkable life in music. As a saxophonist he played with many of the top dance bands in the later years of the Big Band Era, including Les Brown and his band of renown. As a photographer, he covered the long-playing albums for most of TOPS records during the 1950s,... more
Birth Date: November 8, 1915
Deceased Date: August 29, 2014
Bruno Pedrini and his brother Tom both started music stores in Southern California after World War II –yet the stores remained separate although they were both called Pedrini Music. Bruno’s store was established in 1946 in Glendale and was later moved to its current location in La Crescenta. His... more
Birth Date: September 1, 1929
Deceased Date: December 16, 2017
Grassella Oliphant was a drummer is entire life and it is what he loved to do. During his long career, he played back-up for a host of jazz and blues performers as well as singers such as Sarah Vaughan and Gloria Lynne. Beginning in the 1950s, Grassella’s long association with the drum industry... more
Birth Date: May 25, 1936
Deceased Date: August 4, 2020
Michael Nugent was the former president of Norlin Corporation. He joined the company when it was still Chicago Musical Instrument Corporation (CMI). M.H. Berlin, CMI’s founder, had purchased a few instrument lines to expand the company’s keyboard products department. Mr. Berlin’s son, Arnie, hired... more
John Morgan was a band instrument sales rep who knew how to talk to school band directors. After all, he had been a director for years and once he entered the music products industry, it seemed like a perfect fit. He was still a teacher as he recalled, and he was still encouraging students to play... more
Birth Date: July 17, 1928
Deceased Date: March 12, 2011
Joe Morello’s influential drumming style was showcased on the landmark Dave Brubeck recording of “Take Five.” Ever since, he has inspired generations of performers. Joe became an icon in the music product’s industry through his long associations with manufacturers as an endorsee, music retailers as... more
Marty Morell played drums as part of the Bill Evans Trio for seven years. His long list of jazz recordings covers the gamut of styles and songs. The list of performers with whom Marty has played reads like a Who’s Who book! His repertoire ranged from classical music to Broadway with such stage... more
Ron Modell is among the most popular musicians/school band directors in the United States. As a trumpeter he worked with the Tulsa Philharmonic Orchestra as well as with jazz greats such as Duke Ellington and Mel Tormé. His first teaching experiences took place at Kansas State Teachers College in... more
Birth Date: August 20, 1926
Deceased Date: March 27, 2017
Cam Miller established himself as a respected music critic and journalist who was a long-time supporter of countless jazz festivals and concerts for over five decades. Cam began his professional writing career with the Blade Tribune in Northern San Diego in 1954 as a freelance jazz writer before... more
Birth Date: February 21, 1929
Deceased Date: September 22, 2011
Lothar Meisel was the ninth generation of violinmakers in his family, going back to 1660 in Klingenthal, Germany. He recalled with a smile the days as a young boy hiding under his grandfather's work bench and even in later years Lothar could recall the lay out of his grandfather's workshop. His... more
Phil McKinney and his family have a long history in musical retailing in northern Oklahoma. Louie Chenoweth and Russell Green opened their first music store, Chenoweth & Green Music, in Enid, OK in 1926. Not only did they remain in business with each other for over 50 years, they were also... more
Bob McGrath, next to Elmo and Big Bird, may be the most familiar face on Sesame Street. Without question, he is one of the leaders in the promotion of music education and in recent years has played a key role in the expansion of NAMM programs around the country with the goal of promoting music... more
Mike Matthews has incredible stories to tell! The founder of Electro Harmonics and the pioneer of guitar effects pedals seem to have a story for all occasions. His innovations have helped shape a generation of music makers such as his late friend Jimi Hendrix. Mike has been on the frontlines of... more
Julian Markson can tell the history of the piano industry in England because he and his family lived it. His grandfather was a piano tuner who expanded the business in south-east London with a small shop where two of his sons, including Julian’s father, began to work. After World War II, his father... more
Iris Manus and her husband, Morty, are one of the most adorable couples you may ever meet. Their interview was full of colorful remembrances of the early days of Alfred Publishing, how they met, and the great pride of their sons now running the company. The friendships they have created in the... more
Birth Date: September 6, 1923
Deceased Date: February 12, 2022
William Kraft has dedicated his life as a composer to the world of percussion. With noted works and workshops, William has become an important part of the educational element of the Percussive Arts Society International Convention (PASIC). In fact, several of his notable pieces were introduced... more
Birth Date: August 19, 1926
Deceased Date: November 20, 2017
Mark Kelly served on the Midwest Band Clinic board for over 30 years, beginning in the 1980s and played a vital role in the growth and popularity of the clinic and its programs. He attended his first Midwest program in 1954 and recalled with great details watching Harry Begain’s school band perform... more