Oral History - all
Sharon Hennessey and her brother, John, are the co-presidents of The Music People. The company was established by her father, Jim, back in 1979. Sharon worked in every position within the company, knowing from a young age she had a deep passion for the music industry. She worked alongside her... more
John Hennessey has fond memories of growing up in the family music business. The Music People was established by his father, Jim, in 1979. John helped manage the growth and development of the business from a small distributor to a manufacturing company. John and his sister, Sharon, also played an... more
Nan DeStafney served her country as a United States Navy nurse. As she neared retirement, she met navy man Jim DeStafney who had the idea of opening his own music store. The two were married and saw Jim’s vision come true when Blues Angel Music was opened in Florida. Nan has served in the... more
Jim Wieda was just 14 years old when he was hired to play an organ for Farmer's Music Barn in Illinois. He was hired by Lowrey Organ and took part in their mall development program in the late 1970s. By 2002, Jim was promoted to Regional Sales Manager and then later Vice President. During Jim’s... more
Arturo Vicari is the founder of AEB Industrials which he established in 1974 in Bologna, Italy. He is also the CEO of RCF Spa which is based in Reggio Emilia (Italy). Both companies design and manufacture pro audio gear and belong to the industrial group, RCF Group. Arturo is proud of the growth of... more
Sabine Grubmüller joined the Bösendorfer Piano company in 2008, the same year the historic piano manufacturer was purchased by Yamaha. In 2015 Sabine was named the Managing Director and outlined a plan to continue the company’s traditions while embracing changes that helped keep the company... more
Klaus Gehlhaar has had a passion for music and sound since a very early age. He was singing as a kid and by the age of 12 started his own band playing the guitar. He later switched to the bass. While playing in bands, he was often asked to help set up the PA system, which led to his interest in the... more
John Rogers provided an in-depth overview of the Paxman Company during his NAMM Oral History interview, which happened to have taken place as the company was celebrating 100 years in business during the 2019 NAMM Show. John explained that the company started when Harry Paxman opened a small retail... more
Emily Achieng Akuno became the first music professor from Kenya to be elected president of the International Music Council (IMC). This took place in 2018. The position allowed her the opportunity to bring attention to the challenges African nations face regarding music programs. Emily earned her... more
Axel Hartmann was given a piano by his grandfather, which changed his life. He soon developed a true passion for music. The first organ he played was a Farfisa and by 13 years old he was playing in a band. During this time in history, technology met musical instrument innovation and the market was... more
Dave Black is the Editor-in-Chief, School Method Strategy (formally Editor-in-Chief, School & Pop Publications) of Alfred Music. He was heavily influenced by his junior high band director who provided the perspective of how being in a band would not only help in the development of various... more
Glenn Noyes and his brother caught the music bug from their father who was a professional trumpeter. Glenn started on guitar but switched with his brother who was playing drums. In 1976, their band played in the North County Battle of the Bands in San Diego county. They won first prize. It was a... more
Michael Doyle was traveling with a band when he had an opportunity to tour the Marshall factory. It was an eye opening and fortuitous experience. Several years later he was offered a job with Korg USA, and was able to rep the Marshall line for over nine years. After working for Fender (he got to... more
Mary Rowden serves as the Office Manager for the Manhasset Specialty Company. The music stands maker began in 1935, when Otto Lagervall designed a stand that was sturdy and used top quality materials. At the time, Mr. Lagervall lived in Manhasset, New York (which gave the company its name) but in... more
Dan Roberts is the president of the Manhasset Specialty Company located in Washington State. The company began making music stands in 1935 with a keen focus on quality. This remains the top priority for Dan and his team as they continue developing their traditional stands while looking for... more
Jason Carter is the Plant Manager for the Manhasset Specialty Company located in Washington State. The company was established by Otto Lagervall back in 1935 who sought to develop a reliable stand for his music. He took pride in the craftsmanship of the stand - a tradition carried on by Jason and... more
Tim Carroll started his musical career as a session and touring keyboardist. He loved being surrounded by the latest innovations in musical technology and was always an early adopter, especially as digital audio workstations began to appear. From his session and touring experiences, he became... more
H. John Nonaka keeps in mind that his grandfather, who established the family owned music business, always supported musicians - an element of the business John happily continues. Since joining Nonaka Boeki in 1983, John has focused on marketing and promotions while at the same time creating... more
Michael Newsom proudly serves as the Marketing Director for LR Baggs. The position brings together Michael’s passion for music and love of gear. As a kid, he played in bands with his brother and together they developed as musicians. They even signed a record deal at a young age. However, when given... more
Amir Marghany received his law degree in his home country of Egypt while wanting to apply his knowledge to the music industry. He sought the advice of Sammy Ash, who gave him some insights and has since become a friend. Amir discovered a need for a wholesale business offering quality instruments to... more