Oral History - all
Birth Date: January 1, 1908
Deceased Date: December 2, 2011
William Tapia stood up in front of United States solders playing his ukulele and singing at the tender age of eight years old. He was entertaining the troops for World War I and did not stop playing until the year of his passing at the age of 103! His life in music was almost as fasinating as his... more
Gordon B. Peters has spent decades performing, teaching and composing for the percussive arts. He has worked to provide meaningful tools to students and teachers alike while keeping his techniques fresh and new. As a performer he has pushed hard to design new formulas and new styles while keeping... more
Hartley Peavey was like most kids his age in Mississippi during the mid 1950s--he wanted to be a rock and roll star! In a very real way he did became a rock star, not as a performer but as a manufacturer of musical instruments–beginning with his pioneering guitar amplifier. Equal to a performer’s... more
Michelle Moog-Koussa is the keeper of her father’s flame! As director of the Bob Moog Foundation she has worked closely with those who seek as she does to promote the work of her father, who was considered by many to be the premier pioneer of electronic music with the invention of his synthesizer,... more
John McEuen is a founding member of Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, considered to be one of the most successful folk-rock groups in history. He played with the band from 1966 to 1986 and took part in their reunion in 2001. John pioneered a unique style on the 5-string banjo that can be heard on many of the... more
Dave Mason was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2005 as the guitarist for Traffic. His influential playing was only matched by his talents as a songwriter. He wrote a number of songs for the band as well as for others, including Joe Cocker’s first hit recording, “Feelin’ Alright.”... more
Birth Date: March 13, 1922
Deceased Date: November 10, 2012
Frank Luppino Jr. wrote for Billboard Magazine in the 1940s when the noted publication dedicated a segment to the music products industry and an annual NAMM issue. He oversaw the NAMM issue, which covered the recording industry, as well as electrical products such as washing machines and... more
Birth Date: April 21, 1922
Deceased Date: December 2, 2017
Mundell Lowe is deservedly listed in just about every jazz encyclopedia. With a powerful, yet relaxed, approach to his playing, Mundell helped revolutionize the jazz guitar sound in bebop and modern jazz. Pioneering the concept of playing solo on the instrument rather then using the guitar merely... more
Joan Flintoff LoPear joined the Southern California chapter of the Music Library Association (MLA) in 1967 just as the organization and the field of music librarians were recreating themselves in a new age of music. Joan helped in establishing the standard codes now used in music cataloging and has... more
Birth Date: March 26, 1941
Deceased Date: November 6, 2022
Don Lewis was trained as an electronic engineer and, because of his love for music, he created one of the very early integrated-sound controllers, a precursor to MIDI. In the early 1970s when many electronic musical instruments such as synthesizers were being introduced, performers such as Don... more
Birth Date: April 13, 1911
Deceased Date: September 2, 2004
Don Leslie, the inventor of the very successful Leslie Speaker, was pleased with the concept of the product that was a simple idea but a tricky design. As a child, Don was fascinated by the large pipe organs and how the sound traveled all around the listener. He had the goal of bringing that... more
George Lemus opened a music store in his hometown of Guadalajara, Mexico in the late 1950s and named it M. Haus Lemus. He focused on building a family business with consistent and quality customer service. Over the years he helped increase the piano market within Mexico and became one of the... more
Pete LaPlaca is a well respected industry leader who has added his great musical passion to the creation, development and marketing of musical products going back to the 1960s. Pete was a leading sales manager for a number of companies during his career, among them G. Leblanc, F. E. Olds and Gibson... more
Birth Date: July 27, 1925
Deceased Date: June 4, 2017
Joan Kramer was just out of high school when she was hired to do some office work at the NAMM headquarters building in Chicago. The year was 1947, a very important time in the industry’s history and NAMM’s own history. The association’s doors had been closed for two years during the war, affected... more
Herman Knoll led the team that wrote and designed the landmark Hal Leonard publication Essential Elements. This series of method books has redefined the way students and teachers approach the early stages of music education. This is one of countless products Herman has helped develop since joining... more
Birth Date: May 23, 1924
Deceased Date: September 18, 2000
James Kleeman was called the “Professor” around the NAMM headquarters. He was thought of respectfully for his role in establishing NAMM’s professional development department. While serving as NAMM’s President from 1983-1985, Jim played a significant role in establishing the way NAMM served its... more
Birth Date: October 28, 1922
Deceased Date: December 10, 2019
Gershon Kingsley composed several hit recordings using the Moog synthesizer in the very early days of electronic music. His mega hit “Popcorn” in 1969 led to a series of pioneering electronic recordings by Gershon, including “God is a Moog” and “Belly Buttons,” which featured a Fairlight... more
Birth Date: February 22, 1915
Deceased Date: December 28, 2009
Lowell Kiesel, as the founder of the southern California guitar company Carvin, joined the ranks with Leo Fender, Paul A. Bigsby, and the Rickenbacker Company, in establishing the new era of electric guitar. In 1946 he formed L. C. Kiesel Company winding pickups on an old sewing machine. As the... more
Carson Kielsel discussed the entire history of Carvin Guitars during his interview. As the son of the founder and long time president, Carson provided insight as to the growth and development of the company. Carson expanded the visibility of the company and its products with noted endorsement deals... more
Birth Date: May 21, 1922
Deceased Date: November 21, 2012
Glenn Howard was the first salesman hired by the Winter Piano Company following World War II. Raised in Marshalltown, Iowa, Glen was the son of a real estate broker who fell on hard times during the Great Depression. Glen emerged from those difficult years with a strong understanding of the value... more