Oral History - all
Ted Veneman grew up in his father’s music store. As early as 1975, Ted was etching out a mail order catalog under the name “Music Emporium,” which was much earlier than most mail order catalogs in the industry. He also pioneered the idea of a music store selling pro audio gear – so far ahead of the... more
Birth Date: May 21, 1923
Deceased Date: June 13, 2010
Koob Veneman’s father started the first Veneman’s Music Store in Holland, an idea copied by Koob in Maryland in 1960. Koob, like his father, was a luthier who designed his own instruments. Koob introduced his line of electric guitars called KAPA in 1964. The product line resulted in a healthy run... more
Birth Date: February 20, 1917
Deceased Date: April 4, 2014
Manuel Velazquez was one of the greatest guitar luthiers of the last one hundred years. He was born in Puerto Rico in 1917 and handcrafted his first classical guitar when he was still a teenager in 1929. He studied the art of guitar making from his older brother and the importance of woods from his... more
Mark Vail has preserved some of the music products industry’s greatest history as author and researcher of a series of publications. In 1993, BackBeat Books published Mark’s landmark book Vintage Synthesizers. Four years later the same publishers released his The Hammond Organ: Beauty in the B.... more
Matt Umanov opened his first guitar shop in 1963, following his dream to have a life in music. Over the years, Matt has become one of the world’s leading experts on guitars, which is often expressed in his passion of putting the right instrument in his customer’s hands. Matt Umanov Guitars is... more
Birth Date: July 30, 1945
Deceased Date: April 17, 2022
Rick Turner was well known for his innovative handcrafted guitars and for pioneering the resurgence of American luthiers in the 1960s and 70s. With an ear for quality sound and an eye for design, Rick created a new approach to the art of guitar making and in so doing promoted the fine art talents... more
Birth Date: April 6, 1930
Deceased Date: June 29, 2020
Helen Tozzi was hired to set up the accounting for a new music store that was opening in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Progressive Music opened in 1947 and Helen was there on opening day. She recalled Ed Garbit, the famous band director and founder of Progressive Music, as a warm and understanding man... more
Birth Date: June 20, 1931
Deceased Date: October 24, 2019
Eddie Tishkoff and his brother Jerry owned the famous Hollywood Piano Company and Hollywood Piano Rental Company located in Southern California, one of the busiest piano rental outfits in the industry thanks to the nearby movie studios. The stores gained fame for providing instruments for the... more
Jerry Tishkoff and his brother Eddie owned the famous Hollywood Piano Company and Hollywood Piano Rental Company located in Southern California. The stores gained fame for providing instruments for the movies going as far back as “The Music Box” in 1932 starring Laurel and Hardy. Throughout the... more
Larry Thomas is the current CEO of Fender Musical Instrument Company. He also served as CEO of Guitar Center during the company’s early growth period. He worked closely with music educational programs throughout his career and in fact created the Guitar Center Foundation and the Fender Music... more
Birth Date: December 14, 1920
Deceased Date: February 21, 2015
Clark Terry enjoyed a long and celebrated career as a trumpeter playing with nearly ever iconic jazz musician of the twentieth century. His tone and style of playing was an influence on school children and professionals alike and his friendly and warm personality made him one of the most-liked,... more
David Teeple’s first job in the music industry was working for the large Grinnell Brothers chain in the 1960s, based in Michigan. When he was asked to teach guitar, he had to first learn himself! The experience provided him with the passion for music retail. His store in Port Huron, MI, helped to... more
Bob Taylor enrolled in wood shop while a student in high school and made a guitar for his final grade. The idea of making his own guitars came easy to Bob and he set out to create his own style of guitars. Many of his friends told him he could not compete with long standing companies, but Bob... more
Birth Date: May 17, 1917
Deceased Date: May 7, 2013
Wolfe Taninbaum was a leader in the development of synthetic reeds, although he is best known for his mouthpiece designs. The Taninbaum mouthpiece company was established in 1952 to provide a range of tones he was unable to find as a musician. He performed and recorded jazz and dance band music... more
Don Talbot recalls working with his father at Coast Wholesalers when he was school age, sweeping up and working in the warehouse. Don’s father was one of the three owners and years later, after college, Don returned to become sales manager. When the company was bought out by Kaman, Don continued... more
Birth Date: June 13, 1926
Deceased Date: February 13, 2021
Colleen Summerhays recalled the day in 1940 when she walked into a local music store to inquire about a clerical position. She met the owner, her future husband, Hy Summerhays, who had opened the retail shop just four years earlier. The young couple got married and worked together during the... more
Briant Summerhays has been a part of the music industry his entire life. His mother and father opened a music store in Utah in the days following World War II. Earlier, his father, Hy, had been a bandleader and violin player. Briant went to college to study accounting and soon was involved with... more
John Styll formed the Contemporary Christian Music magazine in 1978 as the leading voice in the new era of church music was being established. After selling the publication 20 years later, he became president of the Gospel Music Association (GMA) where he played an important role in the growth and... more
George Sturm was asked by the Music Library Association (MLA) to author an essay regarding the music publishing industry in America for the association’s journal. To do so, Mr. Sturm used his vast experience working in the industry of concert and composer relations for many publishers and as a... more
Jim Strouse is the president of Stranton’s Sheet Music in Columbus, Ohio, and a founding member of the Retail Print Music Dealers Association (RPMDA). Over the years the organization has provided unique presentations and classes to help expand the print music industry as well as providing a setting... more