In Memoriam

This audio only interview was conducted for a radio program by Dan Del Fiorentino and donated to the NAMM Oral History program: Tommy Traynor was a singer during the Big Band Era with the Modernaires. The singing group gained lasting popularity while performing with Glenn Miller, beginning in the late 1930s. Tommy joined the group a decade later and remained with the group until a year before his death in 1993. Tommy sang in several popular movies such as "Angels With Dirty Faces," "Bells of St. Mary's," and "Going My Way," the last two with Bing Crosby. Tommy sang with Jerry Grey

Jerry Jacobs was born Jerome H. Jacobs in San Jose, California. His father owned a clothing store called The White House, and Jerry, after his service during World War II, followed in his father’s footsteps. Jerry owned and operated Jerry’s Store for Men on Santa Cruz Avenue in Menlo Park, California for over 25 years. Upon retiring, he volunteered his time to several local organizations including KCEA, the local nonprofit radio station in town which just happened to play his favorite style of music - swing.

This audio only interview was conducted for a radio program by Dan Del Fiorentino and donated to the NAMM Oral History program: Eddie Miller was asked to take a break from his road travels with the big bands to visit Elkhart, Indiana.  The Selmer Band Instrument Company made the special request and the saxman eagerly complied.  Selmer’s future president, Charlie Bickel, was interested in Eddie’s impression of the company’s new development in their series of saxophones.  It was the beginning of a long relationship as Eddie made several trips to the factory while his career with Bob

This audio only interview was conducted by Bruce Duffie and donated to the NAMM Oral History program: Vladimir Ussachevsky was a classically trained composer who worked in the field of electronic music. In fact, with the use of electronic musical instruments, such as the Moog, Vladimir was the pioneer who introduced such instruments into classical compositions. His early works were based on music concrete, the splicing of audio tape to create different sounds. He was eager to use electronic instruments, such as those created by Robert Moog and Don Buchla.

This audio only interview was conducted for a radio program by Dan Del Fiorentino and donated to the NAMM Oral History program: Billy Butterfield's smooth and melodic trumpet can be heard on Margret Whiting’s recording of "Moonlight In Vermont." His performance was often singled out as a defining moment for young musicians who heard the solo and sought lessons to follow in Billy's footsteps. That influential recording was just one moment of his long and successful career in the big band and jazz world that included gigs with Artie Shaw, Les Brown, Bob Crosby, Tommy Dorsey, and Ben

This audio only interview was conducted for a radio program by Dan Del Fiorentino and donated to the NAMM Oral History program: Trummy Young was a noted jazz trombonist who performed and recorded with the likes of Jimmie Lunceford, Louis Armstrong, and Billie Holiday.  While playing with the Jimmie Lunceford Orchestra for 6 years, Trummy also occasionally sang on the band’s 1937 hit record “Margie.”  It was while touring with Lunceford that Trummy befriended the arranger, Sy Oliver.  The two men co-wrote another hit for the band, “T’ain’t What You Do (It’s the Way That You Do It).

Mil Averwater was the founder of Amro Music in Memphis, Tennessee. His grandson, Chip, had the forethought to record his grandfather on audio tape talking about the early days of the store. Chip has donated this interview for the NAMM website to allow us to bridge each generation of Averwater’s who have operated the store. Mil’s son Robert was interviewed in 2008 and his sons, Chip (interviewed several times starting in 2000) and Pat (interviewed in 2019) both provided their insight as to the growth and development of the business. Chip’s son CJ was interviewed in 2018 so the trad

Jerome F. Murphy Sr. was the president of M. Steinert & Sons in Boston. He joined the company on January 10, 1897 and dedicated himself to the business and the industry. He was promoted to treasurer  in 1916 and took the opportunity given him in 1934 to purchase the business. Mr. Murphy was very active as a leader in his community as well as the music products industry including serving on the NAMM Board of Directors and as President of NAMM from 1937-1939. In 1941, Mr. Murphy was voted the very first non-Steinway family member to join the Board of Directors for Steinway &

Karen Feltz was one of the voices of Conn-Selmer as she serves in the customer service department.  She joined Selmer right out of high school and has worked for the company for over 40 years.  Music dealers around the world know Karen for her dedication to finding answers to their questions and for following up on their requests.

Allan Clark began taking training classes as a volunteer docent right when the NAMM Foundation’s Museum of Making Music was opened to the public in 2000.  Since that time Allan has provided countless tours of the museum as well as volunteered at many museum events such as the annual fund raisers.  Shortly after his training as a docent, Allan volunteered to help catalog the physical collection of the NAMM Resource Center.  He has provided hundreds of hours to research and file for the library, work that has been a great asset to the staff and in moving the organization of the arch