In Memoriam

Remembering oral history interviewees who passed away in 2009.

Gordon Keller thumbnail

Gordon Keller

Gordon Keller owned and operated a string of piano stores in and around northern Virginia and became a much-celebrated figure in the area due to his...
Lee O'Connor thumbnail

Lee O'Connor

Lee O’Connor was a noted trombone player in the golden era of the big bands. His experience on the radio, traveling from town to town for name...
Vic Mizzy thumbnail

Vic Mizzy

Vic Mizzy wrote a number of hit songs for popular music, movies and television beginning in the 1940s. He wrote “The Jones Boy” for the...
Sam Hinton thumbnail

Sam Hinton

Sam Hinton was a national treasure. It seems appropriate to use that term when talking about him because he become an important and invaluable...
Lucien Wulsin thumbnail

Lucien Wulsin

Lucien Wulsin’s grandfather was taught the piano business by D. W. Baldwin, the founder of the world-famous piano company. What he learned was...
Les Paul thumbnail

Les Paul

Les Paul will forever be known for his role in the popularity of the electric guitar, the design of the Gibson Les Paul guitar, the multi track...
Jim Chapin thumbnail

Jim Chapin

Jim Chapin had the idea of writing a method book for the beginning drummer that would provide clear examples and illustrations. The year was 1947...
George Fullerton thumbnail

George Fullerton

George Fullerton befriended Leo Fender back in the days before Leo quit the radio repair business and started in the guitar making business. George...
George Lewis thumbnail

George Lewis

 George Lewis is the founder of George L’s in Madison, Tennessee, one of the industry’s leading innovators of cable and electronic...
Heribert Glassl thumbnail

Heribert Glassl

Heribert Glassl had two musical loves, the tuba and the cello. While it may seem like a strange pairing, Mr. Glassl made it work. In fact, after a...

© 2009 NAMM, the International Music Products Association