Oral History - all
Danny Kortchmar formed his first band in the 1960s called The King Bees. The year was 1964 and Danny was already hooked on a career in music. He went on to become one of the most sought after studio musicians in Los Angeles, recording with Linda Ronstadt, Carole King, Carly Simon, James Taylor and... more
Warren Roché met Michael Thomas in the sixth grade where they were studying the trumpet. Both went on to studio careers and together they formed a valve oil company (Roché-Thomas) to make a little money on the side. Both men also played in the band that performed with Lou Rawls. That gig provided... more
Waddy Wachtel is the noted studio musician and songwriter who can be heard on hit records with the likes of Linda Ronstadt, Keith Richards, Jackson Browne and James Taylor, among others. He collaborated with Warren Zevon to write “Werewolves of London” and “Things to Do in Denver When You’re Dead... more
Birth Date: November 11, 1918
This audio only interview was conducted for a radio program by Dan Del Fiorentino and donated to the NAMM Oral History program: Louise Tobin was a popular singer during the golden years of the Big Band Swing era. She performed with such bands as those led by Jack Jenney, Will Bradley, Benny Goodman... more
Joyce Glantz is the proud torch carrier of her brother’s musical legacy! Ronnie Singer (1928-1953) was a pioneer of the electric guitar in jazz combos and big band orchestras during the 1940s and early ‘50s. During his short career he gained an incredible reputation as an innovative musician, and... more
Vanessa Mering took a summer job at Alesis while studying at UCLA. That position was her introduction to the music industry for which she has been a vital part of ever since. With a focus on marketing campaigns for a wide range of innovative products, Vanessa worked at M-Audio and Line 6 before... more
Augustin Patino is well known within the Harman headquarters in Northridge California as Auggie. The Patino family has roots within the Harman company (and its brands such as JBL) going back to 1923 when his uncle was hired. Since then, several cousins as well as his father and his sisters have... more
Floyd Toole recalls that when he was a child his father purchased a large amount of World War II surplus supplies, which contained a generous assortment of electronic gadgets and components. Access to these items ignited his passion for electronics, and he later earned his electrical engineering... more
Mike McCarthy has a very interesting perspective on the NAMM Show. As the designer and engineer for the Harman booth at the show, Mike knows first-hand the best way to create a booth that engages the attendees while showcasing the new and innovative products his company has to offer. Since he... more
Becki Barabas has a real heart for helping others, so it should come as no surprise that each of her professional job descriptions throughout her career have always been expanded as soon as she detected an area of need. This spirit extends into her personal life as Becki has been a volunteer for... more
Sean Olive received a Bachelors in Music from the University of Toronto, and his Masters and Ph.D. degrees in Sound Recording from McGill University in Montreal. He was hired as a research scientist at the National Research Council of Canada where his research focused on the perception and... more
Alex Voishvillo is the mastermind behind many of the innovative products at Harman, mostly based on his passion and knowledge for all things related to transducers. Born and educated in Russia, Alex was brought to the United States by Gene Czerwinski to work on the loudspeaker products for Cerwin-... more
Damien Curry had been working for Guitar Center as the Product Marketing Manager for a few years when he began a night and weekend gig composing and recording music for television. Since 2007 his Diamond Mine Productions has created music for a long list of your favorite programs including... more
Bill Klein began his career at Harman on September 17, 1987 and has played a key role in the creation and logistics of the company’s distribution centers around the world. Bill started off in order entry before becoming a manger, director, and then Vice President of Sales working with the JBL brand... more
David Brock is a gifted violin and banjo teacher who provides private lessons at the Folk Music Center in Claremont, California. His long association with the musical instrument store goes back to the days when its co-founder, Dorothy Chase, provided instruction to David’s mother. David caught the... more
Ellen Harper Verdries grew up in a music store! Her parents, Dorothy and Charles Chase, formed their first store in Massachusetts before moving to Southern California in 1958. The Folk Music Center of Claremont has served the community for over 50 years providing an amazing variety of unique and... more
David Millard was a teenager when he first walked into Folk Music Center, his local musical instrument store in Claremont, California. The now iconic retailer was a true mom-and-pop operation established by Charles and Dorothy Chase. David got to know the couple when he was hired in 1966, and he... more
Henry Barnes is a wonderful example of the type of luthier and repair technician you want working on your musical instruments. With a background in building guitars for Charvel, Grover Jackson and working on the team that built the first 10 Randy Rhoads signature model guitars, Henry has a deep... more
Philip Springer utilized his classical piano training to pen hit songs during a long and celebrated career making music. As a result his tunes often incorporated elements of sophistication as well as whimsy. Both of his parents were musical and encouraged young Philip to play the piano. By the age... more
Sylvia Tyson wrote songs that a generation sang, and she also recorded songs by other songwriters which helped define the Folk Music revival of the 1960s. In 1962 she wrote “You Were On My Mind” and recorded the song with her husband as Ian & Sylvia. The duo recorded 13 albums together with... more