Jim Whitehill

Jim Whitehill provided a very important overview of the products and politics of the Norlin Music Company, which was originally named Chicago Musical Instruments (CMI) when Mr. M.H. Berlin formed the company in the 1920s. In the late 1960s and early 70s, the Norlin company, headed by Mr. Berlin’s son and his college friend, Nort Stevens, expanded the Lowrey organ company with a mall dealer program during the home organ boom of the 1970s. Jim served the company as vice president of the Gibson line during an era when the brand had no president. Jim’s understanding of the products helps make this a very interesting interview and a great addition to the industry’s collection of Oral Histories.