Oral History - all
Birth Date: January 15, 1916
Deceased Date: March 24, 2003
Artie Shapiro played the double bass during the golden era of the big bands. His approach to the bass was steeped in the tradition of his classical background. Studio orchestras soon hired him, where he worked extensively for live radio programs. Artie gained a fine reputation for sight-reading,... more
Birth Date: January 18, 1938
Deceased Date: January 30, 2022
Hargus “Pig” Robbins became a member of the Nashville studio group of musicians known as the A Team. As a gifted piano player, Pig gained the attention of producers such as Owen Bradley and Chet Atkins who repeatedly used him to back singers and performers for countless hit recordings. While... more
Birth Date: August 15, 1933
Deceased Date: October 14, 2020
Horst Mucha was one of the most recognizable faces within the music products industry. As a past president of Hohner and a pioneer in the expansion of the company’s product line, Horst truly became a legend in the industry. He joined the famous harmonica manufacturer in 1950, becoming the managing... more
Birth Date: October 21, 1931
Deceased Date: January 28, 2021
Lloyd McCausland worked with Remo Belli when the famed Hollywood drummer began creating his own line of synthetic drumheads in the late 1950s. Lloyd became a fixture at the company and was known to dealers and musicians alike. As vice president, Lloyd played a large role in the marketing of the... more
Birth Date: November 13, 1926
Deceased Date: April 21, 2011
Max Mathews was working as an engineer at the famed Bell Laboratory in 1954 when he was asked to determine if the computer Bell was designing could create music. The landmark Music 2 and later Music 4 projects put the two concepts together as early as 1957-–the computer and music had a future and... more
Birth Date: August 10, 1927
Deceased Date: May 14, 2005
Jimmy Martin came to the door the day of his interview in nothing but his boxers. He exclaimed, “Was that today!? Well, come on in, let me go get my teeth” and so started one of the most entertaining interviews of our collection. Known as the King of Bluegrass, Jimmy pioneered the guitar sound of... more
Birth Date: May 17, 1921
Deceased Date: December 17, 2011
John Majeski Jr. was appropriately given the AMC Lifetime Achievement Award in 2005 for a long career as editor of the Music Trades Magazine. During John’s era, the Beatles came to America and forever changed the industry. John wrote of the growth of the accordion in the 1950s and the home organ in... more
Claudia Keith and her husband, Joe, are, together, one of the legendary couples of the print music business in the United States. As owners of the Music Mart in Albuquerque, NM, the Keiths have been partners in marriage and business, and pioneers in the Retail Print Music Dealers Association (RPMDA... more
Del Casher has an impressive scrapbook full of photographs from his career as a professional guitarist and inventor of music products, such as the early guitar effects called the Echo-Phonic. Among those photos is one of Del testing the Roland mini guitar and even one of Del performing alongside... more
Bob Benedetto is a guitar luthier’s luthier! Respected around the world, Bob has achieved what few have in guitar craftsmanship: a unique style and sound, creative and classic design, and tooling that is second to none. His knowledge of guitar building was evident in our interview with Bob along... more
Jim Beloff and his wife, Liz, formed Flea Market Music to promote all things ukulele, and together they have played a big part in the resurgence of the instrument. The company is widely known for creating and publishing the "Jumpin' Jim's Ukulele" songbooks, including the "Daily Ukulele". They also... more
Birth Date: October 17, 1925
Deceased Date: January 10, 2014
Cham-Ber Huang designed one of the best-known classical harmonicas in the world. His instruments are used in most classical works and by those who recognize the skillful design and quality sound of his harmonica. In his interview, America folk singer and expert Sam Hinton said, “I’ve not found a... more
Birth Date: May 25, 1936
Deceased Date: August 20, 2021
Tom T. Hall loved telling a good old country story, you know the ones with a twist at the end and plenty of references to beer and fishin’. When he set those stories to music he helped launch a new era in country music. Beginning with “Harper Valley P. T. A.” in the late 1960s, Tom T. wrote and... more
Birth Date: July 21, 1931
Deceased Date: August 9, 2013
Maurice Fox loves selling organs to area churches. In fact, even after a retirement from the presidency of Fox’s Music in Charleston, South Carolina, (his son now holds that position), he still travels the state selling Allen Organs. Maurice served on the NAMM board as well as was president of... more
Birth Date: May 30, 1927
Deceased Date: August 25, 2019
Clora Bryant was billed as the female Louie Armstrong in the era of the Ed Sullivan variety show. Her raspy-voiced imitations were a big favorite among viewers but the gimmick often over- shadowed her incredible talents as a trumpeter. Most music lovers don’t like to think about how Clora had to... more
Birth Date: March 26, 1925
Deceased Date: December 9, 2010
James Moody and his saxophone graced many NAMM Shows over the decades and was a good friend to many within the industry. He was often seen strolling the show floor and encountering friends with a smile at nearly every step. It is easy to see why he was one of the most beloved jazz musicians in... more
Gregor Zielinsky has been a sound engineer for years, so when he tells you about the correct microphone for any given performance, you should listen. Along with his passion for and knowledge of recording equipment are his many stories of professional musicians and the microphones they prefer. As... more
Tedd Waggoner began his career in the music industry in 1969 and soon joined the Selmer team. Tedd worked in most of the positions for the company but found his greatest satisfaction when he began working in the Vincent Bach division of Selmer. As a trumpeter, Tedd fit right in and soon learned... more
Steve Vai is a man that could be described as a planet that revolves around a star named Music. His life is ever entwined in an orbit that includes composing, transcription, performance, acting, and philanthropy. He first gravitated into exposure as Frank Zappa’s guitarist. Affectionately coined “... more
Birth Date: December 16, 1924
Deceased Date: May 16, 2012
Harold Smith ran the Baldwin factory in Greenwood, Mississippi and became president of the famed piano company in the 1980s. In addition to the task of improving production and working conditions in the plant, Harold designed a music program in the local schools to showcase the importance of... more