OH Taxonomy
Fred Foster is a legendary name in Nashville music history. His role first as a record promoter then producer helped the careers of many performers and resulted in hundreds of hit recordings. He began working for Mercury Records in 1955 and played a vital role in the early careers of Roy Orbison...
Andy Moseley was right next to his brother's side when they took a loan for $500 to start a guitar company they called Mosrite! The legendary guitar brand became a vital part of the boom in sales following the rise of rock and roll. A large part of the brand’s popularity was related to a special...
Jim Broadus was a true fan of the Gibson guitar he purchased as a kid growing up and chasing his dream to be a rock star. He was overjoyed in the early 1970s when he had the opportunities to work for the company. He traveled as a sales rep for Gibson before working in music retail in downtown...
John McMurray's father opened a music store in the years following World War II in St. Louis. John joined his father in business after attending college and working for a few other music companies including Stanton Music in Georgia. Under John's leadership, McMurray Music expanded and was able to...
Mark Ragin jumped from working at the retail level of a music store into wholesale when he realized there was a real need for a band instrument and accessory distributor geared toward the specific needs of music stores that calls on band directors. Mark established U. S. Band and Orchestra...
Jim Eaton became a professional cellist and played often with his brother. He played in several orchestras and symphonies as well as small groups. Jim’s passion and knowledge of string instruments made him the perfect buyer for St. Louis Music. His role within the company expanded over the years,...
Stan Morgan became the president of St. Louis Music after Mark Ragin purchased the company from LOUD Technologies in 2008. The new St. Louis Music retained its strong combo products for its dealers as in the past, along with band and orchestra products thanks to Mr. Ragin's own U. S. Band and...
Al Simpkins spent his career selling musical products. One of his former dealers was convinced Al could sell a block of ice to residents of the North Pole. His knowledge of the products and his attention to customer service were key elements in his success. He became an important part of his...
Jerry Proctor worked for the Alvarez Guitar brand, owned by St. Louis Music, almost from the very beginning of that product. St. Louis Music owner, Gene Kornblum, was looking to create a new acoustic guitar line for his company to supply its dealers when he decided to create his own. After...
Dave Oppenheim is the founder of Opcode Systems, a Palo Alto, California software company that pioneered MIDI sequencing for MAC OS and Microsoft Windows. With Dave’s programming, the company created such software products as Vision, Studio Vision, Galaxy and Max. Among the many users for Dave’s...