NAMM Resource Center Receives Magazine Donations To Build Industry's History Library
Vintage Publications Capture Important People, Companies and Events That Shaped the Industry
A collection of music trade magazines covering a century of United Kingdom music industry history was recently donated to the NAMM Resource Center by Michael C. Doughty, president, Stentor Music. The donation includes several bound volumes of the British Music Trades Review (1907, 1927 and 1934). The collection also includes issues of Music Industry magazine (early 1960s) and from the United States, the Music Trades (1970s and 80s).
“Hidden inside these treasures are the stories of the people and the companies that helped define and shape the industry as we know it today,” said Tony Arambarri, archivist, NAMM. “With passionate music makers taking chances on investing in new products and technology in the 1930s and 70s, when economic times were difficult, we are reminded that history repeats itself and we can benefit from knowing what went on before us.”
The NAMM Resource Center, dedicated to preserving the history of the music industry, received nearly 50 vintage publications from Doughty, most of which are no longer in print.
A review of the donation exposes historic eras in business such as the first electronic player pianos and articles such as, “What’s Behind the Urge to Merge?” published in a 1966 issue of Music Industry.
“What these publications reveal is the determination of music makers to seek opportunities in the challenging time and expand on development when times are good,” stated Dan Del Fiorentino, historian, NAMM. “This collection will be an important part of the research we conduct.”
A portion of that research is compiled for the NAMM Oral History program, which is also managed by the Resource Center staff. These one-on-one interviews document the stories of over 1,100 industry leaders and veterans. In fact, Doughty was interviewed for the program back in 2005.
Other titles in the donated collection include Instrumentenbau (mid-1970s), Piano World & Music Trades (late 1960s) and several issues of Das Musikinstrument, the German trade magazine, which is still in circulation.
Stentor Music exports instruments to more than 30 countries and sells more violins than any company worldwide. Doughty’s grandfather, Edward C. Doughty, formed the company in 1895 in Wandsworth, just south of London. Growing up in the business and having so many friendships during his career, Michael Doughty kept items to document his own company’s growth, as well as those of others he knew in the industry. He remarked that the collection contains many memories for him, but realized that so many others can benefit from the past.
“We can learn about our industry and the people who helped create the foundation and in doing so we pay them tribute—the tribute they deserve,” he explained during the months he prepared the collection to be donated.
For more on the collection and how you can help us preserve the industry’s history, please visit www.namm.org/library.
If you are interesting in making a donation to the NAMM Resource Center, please contact Dan Del Fiorentino at dand@namm.org.