NAMM Oral History Program

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A NAMM Oral History Interview with Karl Denson Karl Denson.png
A NAMM Oral History Interview with Karl Denson

The NAMM Oral History Program is an oral history project and archive of recordings of interviews with people from all aspects of the music products industry, including music instrument retailers, musical instrument and product creators, suppliers and sales representatives, music educators and advocates, publishers, live sound and recording pioneers, innovators, founders, and musicians.

Contents

Established in 2000 by NAMM: The International Music Products Association to preserve the history of the music products industry as well as improve music education worldwide, the program includes over 5,000 audio or video interviews available to the public via online streaming. [1]

Background

In 1996, NAMM established the NAMM Resource Center to preserve the history of the music products industry. In 2000 the Oral History Program was founded, with Dan Del Fiorentino, NAMM Music Historian and former curator of the NAMM Foundation's Museum of Making Music as lead interviewer. The first NAMM Oral History interview, with professional harmonica player Bill Walden, was conducted on March 5, 2000 at the Museum of Making Music's opening day. [2]

Purpose

The NAMM Oral History Program seeks to capture one-on-one interviews with those involved with the music products industry to document and preserve the evolution of musical instruments and music retail, and improve music education worldwide. Interview subjects include but are not limited to: music instrument designers, manufacturers, and retailers, composers, arrangers, and publishers, recording and live sound engineers, and musicians.

The collection

The collection includes interviews with people from over 80 different countries and all 50 U.S. states, born between 1903 and 2001.

Musical instrument pioneers and founders of companies that manufacture music products have been interviewed for the collection, including Moog Music founder Bob Moog, [3] Roland and Boss founder Ikutaro Kakehashi, [2] Korg co-founder Tsutomu Katoh, Orange founder Clifford Cooper, guitar innovator Ted McCarty, [4] Taylor Guitars co-founder Bob Taylor, [5] Remo founder Remo Belli, Roger Linn, Tom Oberheim, [3] Ray Kurzweil, [5] Henry E. Steinway of Steinway & Sons, [2] [4] Meyer Sound Laboratories co-founder Helen Meyer, and Hirotaka Kawai, a key figure in the Kawai Musical Instruments Manufacturing Company. The collection's interviews also include factory workers and salespeople who worked for music product manufacturers or sold the products those companies produced.

The collection includes interviews from Music product retailers, covering the history of such music store chains as Guitar Center and Sam Ash, as well as independent music stores around the world such as Andertons Music Co. in England, Daynes Music in the U.S., and Tom Lee Music in Hong Kong. Other interviews include key figures in music product retailing, such as Henry Goldrich of Manny's Music [4] and George Gruhn of Gruhn Guitars. [2]

Interviews with songwriters within the collection include interviews with Songwriters Hall of Fame members Allee Willis [6] and Marilyn Bergman, [2] and folk singer and songwriter Pete Seeger. [1] Composers interviewed for the collection include electronic music pioneer Morton Subotnick [3] and former Yes guitarist and film composer Trevor Rabin. [1]

A wide variety of musicians from different musical eras and genres are included in the collection, including recording pioneer Les Paul, [1] [4] blues legend and Rock and Roll Hall of Fame member B.B. King, [4] Country Music Hall of Fame members Emmylou Harris [1] and Roy Clark, [5] rock musician Lita Ford, [1] Ike Turner, [7] Steve Miller, [8] John Waite, [9] and Jason Mraz. [6] The collection also includes interviews with Herbie Hancock, [3] Keith Emerson, [3] [4] Rick Wakeman, [3] and 27-time Grammy Award-winning artist Chick Corea, [2] as well as big band leader and former Glenn Miller Orchestra member Ray Anthony, [1] jazz drummer Joe Morello, [5] Elvis Presley guitarist Scotty Moore, [1] Wrecking Crew Drummer Hal Blaine, [10] Sun Studio session drummer J. M. Van Eaton, [7] Johnny Cash and Carl Perkins drummer W. S. Holland, [7] guitarist Brian Setzer, [6] percussionist and singer Sheila E., [2] and A. R. Rahman. [2] Interviews with pioneering hip-hop artists and DJs in the collection include Afrika Bambaataa, Grand Wizzard Theodore, DJ Jazzy Joyce, Grandmaster Caz, and Jazzy Jay. [7]

Over the years the scope of the collection has expanded to include audio engineers such as Grand Ole Opry engineer Kevin McGinty, SoundGirls executive director Karrie Keyes, [9] and the "Father of Festival Sound" Bill Hanley, [2] as well as pro audio pioneers such as Al Schmitt [2] and George Massenburg, whose involvement with professional audio equipment and recording studios has helped the industry grow. Additionally the collection contains interviews with such producers as Quincy Jones, [1] Matt Ross-Spang, [7] and Stax Records executive Al Bell.

Music History Project podcast

In 2017, NAMM launched the Music History Project podcast covering interviews and topics from the NAMM Oral History program. [7]

The NAMM Oral History Service Award

George Gruhn, the 2011 NAMM Oral History Service Award Winner Gruhn George.jpg
George Gruhn, the 2011 NAMM Oral History Service Award Winner

The NAMM Oral History Service Award was established in 2011 and recognizes the major contributions of those who have been interviewed themselves and who have strongly supported the program by providing historical context and suggesting others to be included. The award is presented at the  NAMM Show  each year by the NAMM CEO and the NAMM Music Historian. The list of winners is as follows:

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Roland Corporation</span> Japanese audiovisual equipment company

Roland Corporation is a Japanese multinational manufacturer of electronic musical instruments, electronic equipment, and software. It was founded by Ikutaro Kakehashi in Osaka on 18 April 1972. In 2005, its headquarters relocated to Hamamatsu in Shizuoka Prefecture. It has factories in Malaysia, Taiwan, Japan, and the United States. As of December 2022, it employed 2,783 people. In 2014, it was subject to a management buyout by its CEO, Junichi Miki, supported by Taiyo Pacific Partners.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Korg</span> Japanese musical instrument company

KORG Inc., founded as Keio Electronic Laboratories, is a Japanese multinational corporation that manufactures electronic musical instruments, audio processors and guitar pedals, recording equipment, and electronic tuners. Under the Vox brand name, they also manufacture guitar amplifiers and electric guitars.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Fender (company)</span> American musical instrument manufacturer

The Fender Musical Instruments Corporation is an American manufacturer and marketer of musical instruments and amplifiers. Fender produces acoustic guitars, bass amplifiers and public address equipment; however, it is best known for its solid-body electric guitars and bass guitars, particularly the Stratocaster, Telecaster, Jaguar, Jazzmaster, Precision Bass, and the Jazz Bass. The company was founded in Fullerton, California, by Clarence Leonidas "Leo" Fender in 1946. Andy Mooney has served as the chief executive officer (CEO) since June 2015.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Guitar Center</span> American musical instrument retailer

Guitar Center, Inc. is an American musical instrument retailer chain headquartered in Westlake Village, California. It operates 304 locations and is the largest company of its kind in the United States.

Avid Audio is an American digital audio technology company. It was founded in 1984 by Peter Gotcher and Evan Brooks. The company began as a project to raise money for the founders' band, selling EPROM chips for drum machines. It is a subsidiary of Avid Technology, and during 2010 the Digidesign brand was phased out. Avid Audio products will continue to be produced and will now carry the Avid brand name.

Opcode Systems, Inc. was founded in 1985 by Dave Oppenheim and based in and around Palo Alto, California, USA. Opcode produced MIDI sequencing software for the classic Mac OS and Microsoft Windows, which would later include digital audio capabilities, as well as audio and MIDI hardware interfaces. Opcode's MIDIMAC sequencer, launched in 1986, was one of the first commercially available MIDI sequencers for the Macintosh.

Line 6 is a musical instrument and audio equipment manufacturer, best known as a pioneer in guitar amplifier and effect modeling. The company's products include guitar effects, modeling guitar amplifiers, software, electric guitars, and wireless systems. Line 6 has an active user community, and provides software that allows users to easily download and share patches or device settings for many of the company's products. Founded in 1996 and headquartered in Calabasas, California, the company has been a subsidiary of Yamaha Corporation since 2014.

Ned Steinberger is an American creator of innovative musical instruments. He is most notable for his design of guitars and basses without a traditional headstock, which are called Steinberger instruments.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tom Lee Music</span>

Tom Lee Music is a musical retail company, Tom Lee Music Hong Kong was founded in 1953 by Thomas T.V. Lee. Tom Lee Music Canada was founded in 1969 and operate independently from the Asia operation. The Canadian head office is located in Vancouver. Tom Lee Music Hong Kong has 15 stores in Hong Kong and 1 in Macau. The thirty thousand square feet flagship store in Tsim Sha Tsui is one of largest musical instruments and accessories retailers in South East Asia, offering the most extensive range of product including pianos, guitars, amplifiers, percussion, electronic keyboards, music publications, professional and personal audio products. Tom Lee Music also offers the Yamaha Music Program. In 1960, Tom Lee Music became the exclusive distributor of Yamaha musical instruments and audio equipment in Hong Kong. The Canadian operation operates 12 locations across Canada under the Tom Lee Music and Steinway Piano Gallery names.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">J. W. Pepper & Son</span> American sheet music retailer

J. W. Pepper & Son, Inc. is a privately owned, American sheet music retailer based in Exton, Pennsylvania. The company is credited with being the largest sheet music retailer in the world, with over 750,000 titles in its catalog. Customers who buy music from Pepper include individual musicians, community organizations and professional ensembles, with the main customer base being school and church music directors.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Alfred Music</span> American music publishing company

Alfred Music is an American music publishing company. Founded in New York in 1922, it is headquartered in Van Nuys, California, with additional branches in Miami, New York, Germany, Singapore, and the United Kingdom.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Eric Persing</span> Sound designer

Eric Persing is an American sound designer, professional synthesist, keyboardist, recording artist and music producer based in Los Angeles, California. He is best known as the Founder and Creative Director of the music software and virtual instrument company Spectrasonics®. Recognized as one of the world’s most preeminent synth sound designers, Persing has created over a million sounds that inspire music makers around the world. He has been the producer and primary contributor to all of Spectrasonics' products, including the award-winning Omnisphere®, Keyscape®, Trilian®, and Stylus RMX. Earlier work includes other notable Spectrasonics products like Atmosphere, Trilogy, and Distorted Reality.

Sweetwater is an American musical instrument retailer. Based in Fort Wayne, Indiana, Sweetwater is the largest online retailer of musical instruments and pro audio equipment in the United States.

The TEC Awards is an annual program recognizing the achievements of audio professionals. The awards are given to honor technically innovative products as well as companies and individuals who have excelled in sound for television, film, recordings, and concerts. TEC is an acronym for Technical Excellence and Creativity.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">George Gruhn</span> American writer, businessman and ophiophilist

George Gruhn is an American writer, businessman and ophiophilist. He is one of the foremost experts on vintage American guitars and fretted instruments, and the author of several books on the subject. He is the founder of Gruhn Guitars in Nashville, and has sold guitars to musicians such as Hank Williams, Jr., Eric Clapton, Brad Paisley, Lyle Lovett, Emmylou Harris, Billy Gibbons, Rick Nielsen, Vince Gill, and John Hiatt.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sam Ash Music</span> American musical instrument retailer

Sam Ash Music was founded in 1924, and was the largest family-owned chain of musical instrument stores in the United States, with 45 locations in 16 states. With corporate headquarters in Hicksville, New York, Sam Ash sold musical instruments, recording equipment, DJ and lighting equipment, and professional sound.

The National Association of Music Merchants (NAMM) is a not-for-profit global trade association dedicated to the music products industry. Originally founded in 1901, NAMM is headquartered in Carlsbad, California, and represents 15,000 global member companies and individual professionals.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Robert Wilson (music entrepreneur)</span>

Robert Allan David Wilson, MBE, born in 1951 in the Scottish Borders, is an entrepreneurial business leader, musician and philanthropist. He lives in Knebworth, Hertfordshire. He was awarded an MBE in the 2016 Queen's New Years Honours for services to the music industry and charity.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Andertons Music Co.</span> English musical instrument retailer

Andertons Music Co. is a family owned partnership that sells musical instruments & professional audio equipment. The store & online operations are based in Guildford, Surrey, England. Its online store is one of the United Kingdom's top 150 e-commerce sites, with sales in excess of $70 million per year. Andertons has won numerous awards within the music industry, including the NAMM Music Dealer of The Year Award. Andertons is the only non-US based music store in the world to ever win this award. Andertons is widely known among guitarists & musicians for video demonstrations by co-owner Lee "The Captain" Anderton, Rob Chapman, and Peter Honoré a.k.a. "Danish Pete" as well as many other familiar faces on YouTube. Lee Anderton is also an investor in multiple musical equipment brands, including Chapman Guitars, Victory Amplification, EastCoast Guitars, Burns Guitars London, Landlord FX, and Ordo.

St. Louis Music (SLM) is a manufacturer and distributor of musical instruments, accessories, and equipment. SLM distributes products from over 260 music products industry brands, is the corporate owner of several string- and brass-instruments brands, and is the producer and exclusive worldwide distributor of Alvarez and Alvarez-Yairi guitars.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Bell, Diane (22 November 2022). "Music history is being made in Carlsbad". San Diego Union-Tribune . Retrieved 11 February 2023.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 "The History of The NAMM Oral History Program". Mix . Future plc. 14 October 2022. Retrieved 11 February 2023.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Diduck, Ryan (2018). Mad Skills: MIDI and Music Technology in the Twentieth Century. Repeater. ISBN   978-1910924761.
  4. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Dungan, Ronnie (25 August 2016). "3,000 up for NAMM history program". MMRmagazine.com. artistpro LLC. Retrieved 24 July 2023.
  5. 1 2 3 4 "NAMM 2018: Dan Del Fiorentino (NAMM Music Historian)". Australian Musician. 24 January 2018. Retrieved 27 July 2023.
  6. 1 2 3 Kailus, Katie (February 2023). "The Voice of MI". Music Inc. Magazine. Maher Publications. Retrieved 21 July 2023.
  7. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Barnes, Laura (5 August 2017). "NAMM launches Music History Podcast". bbico.com. British Band Instrument Company. Retrieved 27 July 2023.
  8. ↑ "Now You Can Watch Jamal Batiste In A NAMM Oral History Interview". Offbeat. 29 March 2021. Retrieved 3 August 2023.
  9. 1 2 "NAMM Oral History Project Shines Light on Parnelli Awards Honorees". PLSN.com. 24 February 2020. Retrieved 21 July 2023.
  10. ↑ Blaine, Hal; Goggin, David (2010). Schwartz, David M. (ed.). Hal Blaine and The Wrecking Crew (3rd ed.). Rebeats Publications. p. 130. ISBN   978-1-888408-12-6.
  11. ↑ "The 2020 NAMM Oral History Service Award presented to Robert Wilson MBE". Music Industries Association. 29 January 2020. Retrieved 3 August 2023.
  12. ↑ "Jeri Palumbo and Erik Zobler - NAMM Oral History Service Award Recipient 2024". January 2024. Retrieved 12 July 2024.
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