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John Tarpley
- Oral History
John Tarpley likes to echo the message his great-grandmother lived by when she established the family business over 100 years ago: the customer i
Alan Levin
- Oral History
Alan Levin is the eldest child of Chuck and Margie Levin, the founders of Washington Music Center, which began as Chuck Levin’s Music Center.
Steven Wasser
- Oral History
Steven Wasser grew up in a very musical family and played reed instruments as a child but really dreamed of owning his own business.
Fred Walecki
- Oral History
Fred Walecki grew up in a musical family.
Yoshihiro Doi
- Oral History
Yohsihiro Doi joined Yamaha in 1980 and worked in retail for the company for two years before transferring to the wholesale department within the musical i
Manuel Rodriguez Jr.
- Oral History
Manuel Rodriguez Jr. learned as his father did, the deep rooted tradition of building a classical guitar.
Johnny Tillotson
- Oral History
Johnny Tillotson had a music television program as a teenager in Florida before landing a string of hit recordings including his smash hit “Poetr
Robert Tall
- Oral History
Robert Tall is among the most successful and popular organ salesmen in the music industry –historically and presently.
Stefan Stenzel
- Oral History
Stefan Stenzel has been a passionate music maker since he was a child.
Hidesato Shiino
- Oral History
Hidesato Shiino’s great-grandfather formed a music business in Japan, which gave young Shiino-san a strong background in the industry.
Al Schmitt
- Oral History
Al Schmitt’s career as a recording engineer covered more than 60 years of innovations in pro audio development in nearly every musical style.
Elliot Scheiner
- Oral History
Elliot Scheiner was hired by famed record producer Phil Ramone of A&R Recordings in the fall of 1967 to assist with engineering.
Ed Roman
- Oral History
Ed Roman opened a guitar store in Las Vegas after a successful career in the motorcycle industry.
Jack Ripperger
- Oral History
Jack Ripperger was the director of marketing for the Hammond Organ Company for seven years, at the height of the home organ boom in the United St
Hillel Resner
- Oral History
Hillel Resner wrote for Mix Magazine for several years before the idea of creating a special award for audio engineering came into existence.
Arnold Poppenberg
- Oral History
Arnold Poppenberg was hired by the Winter Piano Company as a traveling salesman in 1959, the same year he attended his first NAMM Show.
Jim Petercsak
- Oral History
Jim Petercsak grew up in New York and recalls the days he visited the Henry Adler Music Shop, and how he became so passionate about drumming and
Tom Parnell
- Oral History
Thomas Parnell formed an independent music rep firm at a time when few such firms existed.
Hai Muradian
- Oral History
Hai Muradian sang in his Kindergarten class and soon realized he really wanted to be on the stage to entertain people.
Yoichi Minagawa
- Oral History
Yoichi Minagawa began his career in the music industry in 1961 on the sales floor of a large music store in the heart of Tokyo.
Buddy Merrill
- Oral History
Buddy Merrill played the pedal steel guitar on the Lawrence Welk TV program from its start in 1954 until he left the show in 1974.
Al Marinaro
- Oral History
Al Marinaro has helped define the role of the independent rep in the music products industry for over 40 years.
Manny Lopez
- Oral History
Manny Lopez was known around the world as the King of the Cha Cha Cha for his 1950s band and hit records dedicated to the dance craze, but Manny’
Ron Larcombe
- Oral History
Ron Larcombe formed a rock band with his friends while in high school and fell in love with music.
Tsunesaburo Kurosawa
- Oral History
Tsunesaburo Kurosawa has a deep passion for instrument building and has become one of Japan’s leading classical guitar luthiers.
Kiyokazu Ishibashi
- Oral History
Kiyokazu Ishibashi is proud to be in the music products industry and to follow the path of his father, who started the business following World W
Werner Hotan
- Oral History
Werner Hotan has a background as a radio technician and worked in a music retail store in Switzerland before he began working for Mr. Sacher.
Jon Hammond
- Oral History
Jon Hammond has successfully created a career based on his musical talents and his passion for the music industry!
Bill Gray
- Oral History
Bill Gray was a music major in college and played drums professionally before joining the industry.
Ken Edgington
- Oral History
Ken Edgington has many friends in the music industry, several of whom suggested he be included in the NAMM Oral History program, but when approac