OH Taxonomy
Misty Browning loved to watch the smile on the faces of those in her church as a child when they began to sing. She noticed their mannerisms and expressions completely changed once the music started. She knew then that hers would be a life in music! She toured and recorded and taught, and all...
Taj Mahal helped expand the scope of the blues by incorporating elements of world music and a style of guitar playing that was rooted firmly in the African traditions that helped form the musical genre. His goal was to play music that he felt inside him. If others appreciated it, then he saw that...
Snooky Flowers was asked to put a band together to go on the road and travel with a young blues singer named Janis Joplin. As her bandleader he helped to prepare her for road performances. As her friend, he joined her on stage to dance during her appearance at Woodstock. Snooky recorded with his...
Freddie Roulette pioneered the use of the slide guitar in the blues style. When he began playing slide guitar he was emulating country and western music and felt the instrument would fit nicely in old blues traditions, which he did to great success. In fact, his playing has been a strong influence...
Richard Johnston began buying and selling used fretted instruments long before there was a "vintage guitar market." Back when Richard started they were just known as used instruments, but he saw the value. After meeting his partner Frank Ford, they opened a small guitar repair shop in Palo Alto,...
Michael Simmons is a co-founder of the Fretboard Journal and the author of several articles and books about vintage guitars and other fretted instruments. He began his career at Gryphon Guitars in Palo Alto, where he caught the bug for the history of the instruments. Over the years he has...
Frank Ford was beginning to build guitars and mandolins when he met Richard Johnston. The two guitar lovers decided to open a repair shop in Palo Alto, California called Gryphon Stringed Instruments. Before long he had a need to expand and the shop became an important retail store for the emerging...
Mal Stich worked for the BC Rich Guitar Company from 1975 until 1985, which was an important time of growth for the guitar maker. Mal helped the company's founder, Bernard Rico, expand the models, enhance the distribution, and monitor the quality control while working in the factory. Over the ten...
Ken Dattmore is the Marketing Manager for Yamaha within the strings department, which has been his passion for his entire career. He started in the industry with the William Lewis & Son Company, which brought violins into the hands of thousands of young music students around the world. Ken...
Ed Stasium, the producer and engineer, started out his career in the music industry performing with the Band Brandywine in the early 70’s. He engineered and produced records for The Ramones, engineered the Talking Heads as well as recordings for more than 200 bands. His years working at the...