Oral History - all
Birth Date: August 27, 1948
Deceased Date: March 6, 2022
Carol Jones-Zadel introduced new organs and keyboard products to music dealers around the world for over 50 years. Her sharp technical abilities made her a favorite with manufacturers and her warm, down-to-Earth personality made her among the most requested product artists in the industry. After... more
Marvin Jones is the founding editor of Polyphony, an early and important magazine covering the growth and development of the synthesizer industry and its many innovators and leaders. Marvin talked of his wonderful background in music, going back to his father who was a designer and creator of... more
Birth Date: April 3, 1930
Deceased Date: March 16, 2013
Ray Johnson can be heard playing the rhythmic piano parts on such classics as "Traveling Man" by Ricky Nelson and "Rambling Rose" by Nat "King" Cole. After several sessions with his brother, sax man Plas Johnson, Ray recorded several sides with soul singer Sam Cooke. Ray provided great insight on... more
Birth Date: February 10, 1942
Deceased Date: December 4, 2011
Budd Johnson was a key member of the TEAC team that oversaw the development of the American branch of the company known as TASCAM. As a result Budd was there in the late 1960s through the early 70s to witness first hand, the remarkable and somewhat unexpected success of the home recording market.... more
Birth Date: October 15, 1922
Deceased Date: March 28, 2009
Marie Jensen was born in Rosebud, Texas as the daughter of a Texas Ranger. She graduated college in Houston with a business degree before meeting Al Jensen on a blind date. The two were married in 1954 and had their only child, a daughter, in 1959. While raising her family, she helped Al in the... more
Birth Date: June 14, 1927
Deceased Date: April 8, 2022
Al Jensen began his musical career at the age of 13 playing clarinet in a Vaudeville show. That is, he played until his parents found out where he was playing. His band director convinced Al’s parents that if he switched to an oboe, he would never play such music again. As an oboist, Al received a... more
Birth Date: July 14, 1927
Deceased Date: December 3, 2018
Carl Janelli played several instruments but was most fond of the saxophone. He began his career during the big band era and performed with Jimmy and Tommy Dorsey before embarking on a wonderful career in the Broadway show orchestras. His stories of the shows and stars he worked with were engaging... more
Birth Date: October 13, 1921
Deceased Date: November 17, 2013
Denzil Jacobs provided detailed and insightful stories of the piano industry in England from the 1930s into the 1980s. With a gentlemanly manner, Mr. Jacobs provided historical information on the growth of the piano market following World War II and how the Kemble Company expanded and grew under... more
Wanda Jackson has been performing as an entertainer and singer worldwide for over 50 years. Known affectionately as the “Queen of Rockabilly”, she began her career as a teenage country singer with her own radio show in Oklahoma City and was “discovered” by legendary country singer Hank Thompson who... more
Birth Date: December 27, 1933
Deceased Date: November 6, 2009
Ben Jack was born and raised in Arkansas, so it was no surprise that the passionate steel pedal guitarist would open up a string of successful stores in and around Fayetteville. As one of the leaders of music retailing in the state, if not the country, Ben pioneered many of the American built... more
Dick Hyman has always been an innovative musician and as a result has performed on many of the latest developments in musical instruments over his long career. Known mostly for his jazz style on the piano, Dick has gained attention for his early work on the organ, the electronic harpsichord and the... more
Birth Date: February 5, 1916
Deceased Date: September 16, 2006
Jack Hyde was the classic music retailer of the 21st Century. Jack opened a store in the mid 1950s because he loved music, plain and simple. The store, in Northern California, became such a success that he soon opened a chain of Jack’s House of Music stores. His mall store at Arden Arcade in... more
Gareth Hunt is the Managing Director of Soundcontrol, a musical instrument retailer located in England. As a young boy, he played in a traveling band on guitar. In fact, his father was his roadie and driver (after all, it was before Gareth could drive himself). As a player, Gareth could call on his... more
Birth Date: November 16, 1939
Deceased Date: October 15, 2007
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... more
Dennis Houlihan has played many important roles within the industry, all of which have been driven by his passion and love of music and music making. After years as a demonstration artist for Lowrey Organs, Dennis worked with retailers and suppliers alike, building his knowledge of music products... more
George Hotton spent over 35 years at the Theodore Presser music publishing company. In 1966, George first worked at the publisher’s retail store in downtown Philadelphia. He later was promoted to salesman and then sales manager, traveling the country calling on dealers from coast to coast. George... more
Greg Hornberger served as the president of the Musical Instrument Association of Canada (MIAC) in the early days of the organization and worked to expand the membership and scope of the annual trade shows. As president of B & J Music he played a vital role in the growth of the Canadian market... more
Birth Date: May 31, 1927
Deceased Date: February 25, 2012
James “Red” Holloway was an accomplished jazz saxophone player who began his love affair with music while a student of Captain Walter Dyette at DuSable High School in Chicago back in 1942. In his interview, he recalled his first paying gig at 16 with the band of Gene Wright, who later went on to... more
Birth Date: March 31, 1917
Deceased Date: September 10, 2009
Sam Hinton was a national treasure. It seems appropriate to use that term when talking about him because he become an important and invaluable preservationist of some of our nation's greatest treasures, folk songs. Sam spent many years traveling the backwoods of this country in search of... more
Birth Date: January 18, 1924
Deceased Date: September 10, 2007
Jerry Hershman was a regular fixture at the NAMM Show. In fact, in 50 years, he never missed a convention. During one of his last shows before his retirement, Jerry was interviewed for the NAMM Oral History program. His father formed a New York wholesale company called Hershman Musical Instrument... more