OH Taxonomy
Eric Glasnapp (1969-2015) was the archivist in the NAMM Resource Center, where he took part in the filming of 74 interviews during his short four months as an employee. He worked closely with his friend and NAMM Historian, Dan Del Fiorentino to help document the history of the music products...
William Gard (1915-1987) served as the NAMM Executive President for over 35 years, beginning right after World War II. In fact it was Mr. Gard who helped re-open NAMM’s offices, which had closed its doors for two years during the war. Those were critical times for NAMM and his leadership guided...
The NAMM Oral History Collection is unique, unlike any other collection in the world. The heart of the Collection is the depth of its narratives that cover innovative creations, the evolution of musical instruments, the ever-changing world of music retail, as well as our collective quest to improve...
jj Babbitt Co. Inc. was established in 1919 by Jesse James Babbitt and as of 2019, as the family owned and operated company embarks on their 100th year in business, they are preparing for the fourth generation to take over the business. As one of the world’s oldest manufacturers of mouthpieces for...
WMAX-TV Host Jim Hutton with Mark Dronge of Guild Guitars.
Music Stores are the first glimpse into the music industry for many of us, and often ignite the passion to play. This compilation from the Oral History archives features memories of music stores from industry greats such as John R. Smith, Jerry Harrison, Brian Setzer, John Scofield, B.B. King, and...
The piano sticker represents a NAMM program of the early 1900’s until World War I and again briefly in the 1950s. The sticker program was an effort to authenticate dealers and pianos in a time when there was stenciling (counterfeit branding) of pianos and some disreputable dealers. Unfortunately,...
This vignette highlighting the Krell Piano Company is representative of the many “gems” of history from the Music Products Industry throughout the collections gathered in the NAMM Library and Resource Center. Krell, like many other companies and families comprising the Music Products Industry,...
Out in the village of Bubenreuth, Germany lays the incredible history of a group of independent luthiers who in reinventing themselves after World War II helped produce hand-crafted musical instruments that inspired music and music makers ever since. Within the NAMM Oral History collection we have...
Women’s role in the music industry has progressively grown and developed over the years. When the NAMM Oral History program began, many of the women interviewed kept the books of their retail store. However, the role women have played in the industry grew to include more and more women in top...