Robert McDowell

Robert McDowell was president of the NAMM Board of Directors from 1969-1971. During that time he assisted William Gard in the expansion of the NAMM organization, including more hands on involvement with AMC and its publication Music USA. As a retailer in St. Louis for Ludwig-Aeolian, Bob saw the need to launch a nationwide music promotion campaign in the early 1970s. “Discover Music” and other ideas championed by Bob became an important foundation for other promotional programs. In 2000, Bob served as the president of the NAMM Foundation’s Museum of Making Music at the time when the museum was first opened to the public. Bob’s first NAMM Oral History interview was completed on January 19, 2002 with Kay by his side. His second interview was completed on January 18, 2007. Kay, his dear wife of 61 years passed away on July 9, 2007. Robert McDowell passed away the following month on August 24, 2007.