OH Taxonomy
Lloyd Baggs began his journey in music in forth grade as a cellist. After playing in youth symphonies he landed in the UCLA symphony while still in high school. Lloyd graduated from college with a degree in Fine Art and made his first guitar while working as a fine art master printer. Moving to LA...
Kevin Monahan began working at E-MU in 1980, at a very exciting time for synthesizer development. The sample boom was in full swing and Kevin enjoyed the opportunity to work on several innovative products. After twenty years with the company, Kevin joined forces with his wife, Denise Gallant, in...
Roy Elkins was working in a bowling alley in Memphis when he saw a small ad for a guitar salesman at Amro Music. He jumped at the chance and was hired by Chip Averwater who served as an early mentor for Roy who took to selling immediately. Roy later worked at Chuck Levin’s Washington Music Center...
Yves Tieche opened a small shop building guitars in 1976, later expanding into a store and becoming a Martin dealer. While attending the 1991 Frankfurt Music Fair, Yves met Armand Zildjian who offered him a job. Yves became the rep for Europe and traveled to both big and small dealers in large...
Dave Bresnan had a true passion for music that began when he was fifteen when he learned to play the piano. Throughout the 1960’s, Dave played guitar and banjo in several groups after discovering Folk music. During this time, he also realized his dream of one day owning his own music store and...
Denise Gallant designed a video-audio synthesizer that was years ahead of its time. Her love of visual art and music blended perfectly together when she and her husband, Kevin Monahan, formed their production company Video 4. She has worked with Peter Rodgers and at Zoom Audio and fell in love with...
Mike Dorfman was introduced to the industry with his design of a special polish for drums. In 1990, he opened Trick Drums, getting the name from his love of cars and how a super enhanced car would be “tricked out.” Mike designed an all-metal snare drum which later expanded to bass drums, toms and...
Kim Pang attended the NAMM Show in 1994 as a guest of the Zildjian company. While he there he accepted a job offer with the famous cymbal makers right on the spot. He was put in charge of expanding the brand in the Asian market and was always happy to be the first Zildjian employee from the region...
Doc Bochenek provided some interesting background on a number of important companies and instruments during his 2020 NAMM Oral History interview. Having worked with Moog Music, Doc was the one to sell the synthesizers that Disney used to create the music for the Main Street Electrical Parade. Doc...
Bryan Ottens began playing piano at an early age and studied music at William Paterson University. His first job in the industry was in the stock room at Victor’s House of Music, where he soon discovered his love of selling. Over time he found himself more and more on the sales floor and later left...