OH Taxonomy
Jeff Hamilton is right at home at the drum kit of a big band. While he has had great success and enjoys trios, Jeff considers himself a big band drummer. One key approach to his drumming is to keep the tempo while bringing out the talents of the other musicians in the band. Throughout his career,...
Brian Berk was hired as the editor for the Music & Sound Retailer trade magazine back in 2005. The magazine, founded by Vinny Testa, was the first in the industry to offer a video e-newsletter. Brian remained the editor for five years, then left the industry for several years before returning...
Brent Mason can often be found at the NAMM show as he has developed some long-lasting relationships with musical instrument companies during his long career as a studio musician. He grew up in a very musical family, in fact his parents and siblings formed the Mason Family musical group, which...
Matthew Nelson always knew he wanted to be a musician and follow in the footsteps of his famous father and grandparents. Ozzie and Harriet were a famous television couple; however, they first came to fame in the 1930s with a big band. His father, Ricky Nelson, was an early rock and roll recording...
Don Cusic recalls that in 1964 he was greatly influenced by three musical discoveries: Roger Miller, Hank Williams, and The Beatles! After forming his own band and playing Bluegrass music for some time, Don became a professor of music at Belmont College in Nashville. During that time, he began...
Gunnar Nelson and his twin brother, Matthew, formed a rock band in the 1980s that followed the musical traditions of their father, Ricky Nelson, and their grandparents, Ozzie and Harriet. The Nelson twins wrote and recorded “I Can’t Live Without Your Love and Affection” and in the era of MTV,...
Beverly Maxwell and her husband, Marvin, established Mom’s Music in Louisville, Kentucky in the early 1980s. Beverly took care of the books and the business end of the store while her husband took care of the sales and product lines. The couple made a great team, which not only led to another...
Tracy Leenman remembers hearing her father play the saxophone and wanting to play the same instrument. She played several instruments throughout school including the sax, flute, and bassoon, while also singing in the choir. Tracy earned her Master’s in music education with the idea of becoming a...
Pamela Cole played trombone in school and learned firsthand the importance of supportive people in the formative years of a young musician. After graduating from Belmont College in Nashville with a degree in music business, she and Leigh Maples opened their female friendly music store in Nashville...
Richard McDonald has always been driven and inspired by music. Both his father and brother played upright bass and for as long as he can remember, Richard has always been drawn to making music. He played several instruments as a kid and clearly remembers the day he received his first guitar from...