NPTA

Dick Christian has spent his entire career in the piano and organ business and has made many friends along the way. His support for the industry led him to the role as president of the National Piano Travelers Association. Having worked retail before joining the teams of Thomas, Baldwin, Wurlitzer and Samick, Dick has a great understanding of the role a salesman can fill for both supplier and dealer and works to help both from his position.  

Robert Dove joined Steinway & Sons at a time of global change and development. He helped establish the Far East division of the piano company and for many years assisted with the company’s growth in the US and in Asia. He helped to develop the company’s two OEM brands, Boston and Essex and worked on creating sales and marketing programs for the Steinway dealers, worldwide.

Larry L. Fresch Sr. exuded the passion and the love of music that is so much a part of this industry. His four Fresch Music stores in Ohio not only became part of their communities, they encouraged the growth of music programs and music making at every level. After working for a small retailer in Sandusky for two years, Larry bought the store, renamed it and began his long association with NAMM –the year was 1958. The Fresch Music store in Columbus, Ohio opened in 1969 and became one of the first great mall store successes in the music products industry. Since he was a child he loved the piano and played it often (his first professional gig was when he was 14 playing in a night club).

Larry Fresch has worked by day as a sales manager for piano and organ companies and by night as an accomplished saxophone player and singer in Southern California. He grew up in Sandusky, Ohio, where his father had a music retail store. Young Larry began playing the accordion before switching to the saxophone at the age of ten. He enlisted in the United States Navy and attended the Navy Music School in Washington, DC. Larry performed on many Goodwill Tours including those for wounded soldiers returning home from Vietnam.

Vince Grantano has been a fixture among traveling piano representatives. He has traveled the entire United States for several companies over the years to bring new products to retailers. His most notable job was with the Winter Piano Company where he worked for several decades. Vince joined the National Piano Traveler’s Association in the 1950s, during a time when several of the old timers could talk about the golden age of the piano in the early 1900s.

Hershel Green spent much of his career in the piano and organ field, working as salesman, technician, and tuner. Along the way, he gained respect from travelers and dealers alike. As a side hobby, Hershel collects Hammond clocks and the items regarding the history of the man who made those clocks and went on to create the Hammond Organ Company, Mr. Laurens Hammond.

Frank Huffman was the quintessential traveling music salesman! With charm and always a few good jokes, Frank has made his way across the United States, first for Wurlitzer and then for Baldwin. Standing next to Frank in a smoke-filled bar, one could meet all the other travelers who knew him by name and who shared, as Frank did, their many road stories. With Frank, the decades of hard work, dealer relations, perseverance, and his keen product knowledge, were only second to providing what the customers wanted and needed. During NAMM’s interview of Phil McKinney, the former owner of the McKinney Music Store of Enid, Oklahoma he stated, “Frank Huffman was the greatest sales rep we have never had!”

Stan Lindenbaum grew up in Brooklyn and developed many thoughts and ideas about selling. While working for many different industries during his career, Stan studied the idea of incentive marketing, a concept that worked out well for him in his years in the music industry. He worked for the Thomas Organ Company just as the designer, Mr. George Thomas, signed a deal to have the instruments made. Stan later worked in the consumer electronics industry before returning to the music industry as a regional manager for North American Music selling acoustic pianos. Stan has been a long time supporter of the National Piano Travelers Association as well as a supporter of NAMM’s Oral History program.
 

Kline Locker was one of the good old veteran piano salesmen who travelled the great one-lane highways of American--before the advent of the blessed two lane interstates. Kline worked for a number of piano companies during his long career and in all, covered most of the United States as his territory. In 2004, in honor of his career in the business and his dedication to the history of piano salesmen, Kline was given the National Piano Travelers Association’s Life Time Achievement Award.
 

John McDermott could sure sell pianos! His knowledge of the products and his strong relationship with music retailers made him an ideal and successful sales rep. John worked for the Gulbransen Piano Company during the company’s innovative era of the mid 1960s through the 1970s. After his retirement he stayed active in the industry and can still often be found at the National Piano Travelers Association’s annual meeting lending his support and hearty hand shake to new comers.