Oral History - all
Cowboy Joe Babcock is a singer and songwriter whose career in country music spans over sixty years. As a vocalist he and Hurshel Wiginton formed a backup studio singing group called The Nashville Edition. With The Nashville Edition and on his own, Joe sang on thousands of recordings such as Marty... more
Larry Noto’s father, Joe, opened Music Land in 1971. Back then Joe wanted to create a store that would provide instruments and repairs to both the gigging musician and students. Larry grew up in the store and has memories of playing in the empty boxes as a child, but he didn’t work in the store... more
Kevin Ray Clark grew up with music in his home and played in a family band at church. He was inspired by the musicians playing at Disney World and pursued the trumpet in his school band program. As he got older, Kevin started playing with the Ringling Bros. & Barnum and Bailey Circus Band. As... more
Jason Mraz has won the hearts of millions by the way he expresses himself musically. During his NAMM Oral History interview, Jason displayed that same passion as he recalled the important role his music teachers and choir directors played in fueling his love for singing. Jason recounted the looks... more
Chuck Jacobs played bass in Kenny Rogers’ band for more than 40 years and enjoyed every minute of it. His roots in music go back to the Dixieland group his family formed while he was too young to play. He heard the music and was inspired to begin playing instruments as a child. At the age of 10 he... more
Bill Koepnick is the co-founder of Advantage Audio in Burbank, CA where he specializes in creating and recording sound effects for movies and television. Bill got interested in music at a young age and was an avid fan of The Ventures. His instrument of choice was the drums and he played in the band... more
Jeff Berlin has always been surrounded by music and considers it the most important element of his life besides his family. The first instrument he picked up was the violin at age five, which he pursued for ten years before switching to the bass guitar. Jeff had the opportunity to see some... more
Mick Abrahams was given his first music lessons by his mother who was a piano teacher. When he transitioned to guitar he formed a band with some schoolmates and began writing songs. When he met Ian Anderson the two had their eyes on forming a band with original songs and so they collaborated on a... more
David Lindley grew up close to the Folk Music Center in Claremont, California, where he was exposed to stringed instruments from around the world. He also worked for Berry Grassmuek Music in Pasadena, CA, which had a large selection of world music recordings that he would take into their listening... more
Greg Mathieson spoke passionately about his career in music during his NAMM Oral History interview. He brought up some very interesting points, such as his views on working on the road vs in the recording studio, and his experiences of developing a true musical connection with the vocalists he... more
Frederick Swann is one of the most famous organists of the last 50 years due to his many publications, recitals, church performances and his long run on the television program The Hour of Power. His career began when he was just 10 years old and he was asked to fill in for the organist at his... more
David Garretson is a special representative for the International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees, which represents motion picture technicians, artists and allied crafts of the United States and Canada. As a union leader, David has overseen the creation of several initiatives that have... more
Neal Pogue has a special touch when it comes to being a recording engineer. Perhaps his talents and skills can be traced back to childhood when he began playing the drums. He was trained at Sound Mastering Recordings in Los Angeles and gained the attention of Randy Jackson who asked Neal to serve... more
Charles Owens has always believed in the importance of music education; after all, his own career began while attending the University of San Diego. As a result, Charles kept returning to education throughout his career even when he became a sought-after studio musician and touring jazz saxophonist... more
Val McCallum has had a long association with Jackson Browne, collaborating on several projects together. They wrote the song “My Cleveland Heart” and toured together. During his NAMM Oral History interview, Val explained the connection he feels with Jackson and the pride he has in creating music... more
Danny Kortchmar formed his first band in the 1960s called The King Bees. The year was 1964 and Danny was already hooked on a career in music. He went on to become one of the most sought after studio musicians in Los Angeles, recording with Linda Ronstadt, Carole King, Carly Simon, James Taylor and... more
Warren Roché met Michael Thomas in the sixth grade where they were studying the trumpet. Both went on to studio careers and together they formed a valve oil company (Roché-Thomas) to make a little money on the side. Both men also played in the band that performed with Lou Rawls. That gig provided... more
Waddy Wachtel is the noted studio musician and songwriter who can be heard on hit records with the likes of Linda Ronstadt, Keith Richards, Jackson Browne and James Taylor, among others. He collaborated with Warren Zevon to write “Werewolves of London” and “Things to Do in Denver When You’re Dead... more
Birth Date: November 11, 1918
This audio only interview was conducted for a radio program by Dan Del Fiorentino and donated to the NAMM Oral History program: Louise Tobin was a popular singer during the golden years of the Big Band Swing era. She performed with such bands as those led by Jack Jenney, Will Bradley, Benny Goodman... more
Joyce Glantz is the proud torch carrier of her brother’s musical legacy! Ronnie Singer (1928-1953) was a pioneer of the electric guitar in jazz combos and big band orchestras during the 1940s and early ‘50s. During his short career he gained an incredible reputation as an innovative musician, and... more