John McLaren Jr. grew up in the music business as his father, John McLaren Sr., served as a strong leader for CBS Musical Instruments, which owned such brands as Steinway pianos and Fender guitars. His father was also the Senior Vice President for Yamaha Corporation. John Sr.'s involvement in Fender guitars allowed John Jr. to meet and get to know many of the woodworkers and...
Library
Recently Completed
Steve Araujo grew up in Southern California playing guitar and bass in school and in local bands. Becoming a...
Charles Fox learned so much from his grandparents who established the family business, Fox Music House, in 1928. His...
Phil Ealy is an award-winning lighting designer who established West Coast Concert Lighting in the late 70’s. Having...
Recent Podcasts
Recent Podcasts
Musician, Product Endorser and TEC Awards Hall of Fame Inductee, Todd Rundgren, is the topic of this week’s episode of ...
The people of our music products industry are like a sports team, made up of some of the most passionate and talented...
In this episode of The Music History Project, we examine the story behind one of Nashville’s most popular set of Studio...
Vignettes
For many musicians, obtaining an instrument for the very first time is a special experience unlike any other. ...
One of the most archaic yet essential instruments in the music and percussion industry is the cymbal. With its origins...
This vignette highlighting the Krell Piano Company is representative of the many “gems” of history from the Music...
About the Library & Resource Center
The NAMM Oral History Collection is unique, unlike any other collection in the world. The heart of the Collection is the depth of its narratives that cover innovative creations, the evolution of musical instruments, the ever-changing world of music retail, as well as our collective quest to improve music education around the globe. Oral History participants have come from 72 different countries, 49 U.S. states and were born between 1903 and 1997. This collection is our journal, our own way of chronicling ourselves and our community—the community we so eagerly embrace at the NAMM shows and so proudly celebrate throughout the year. This library of video interviews, now over 3,500 strong and always growing, contains the story of our industry told by those who helped to shape it and have watched it expand and develop through the years.
We hope you find what you're looking for right here, but if you have any questions, please contact us at 760.438.8001 or via e-mail