Oral History - all
Birth Date: December 5, 1929
Deceased Date: August 3, 2008
William Callaway worked in his father’s music store as a child, sweeping up on weekends and working his way up to president of Thearle Music in San Diego. His father, Harry, was President of NAMM from 1951-1953. William recalled the pride his father had in being involved with the industry that he... more
Birth Date: September 4, 1924
Deceased Date: September 19, 2012
Harold Burt was just about 3 years old when a musician from a traveling circus came to his North Carolina town and sold his parents a clarinet for young Harold. His life has been filled with music ever since. In 1950, he established the first high school band in Cary, NC and he served as the... more
Birth Date: November 30, 1935
Deceased Date: May 2, 2018
Roy Burns played drums for several big names in swing and jazz including Benny Goodman with whom he recorded with during the 1950’s. Roy later provided clinics for Rogers Drums in music stores around the country and published several method books. His association with drum companies resulted in his... more
Birth Date: September 15, 1907
Deceased Date: April 27, 2007
Edna Mae Burnam authored the now classic piano training books “A Dozen a Day” to help beginners learn in a fun and meaningful way. Her books have been critical to millions of young pianists around the world for over 60 years. Edna Mae wrote her first song back in 1935 but was more interested in... more
Evan Brooks became interested in electronic musical instruments during the early days of synthesizer development. He worked on MIDI (Musical Instrument Digital Interface) controllers for E-MU and other San Francisco Bay Area companies. Soon thereafter, Evan started designing his own technologies... more
Birth Date: April 8, 1919
Deceased Date: October 25, 2007
Arnold Broido was an industry treasure! The man had sophistication and charm as abundantly as he had energy and ideas! Having worked in nearly every level of the music publishing industry, Arnold gained the respect of his peers and the confidence of songwriters such as Frank Loesser. After being... more
John Bowen was an engineer at Sequential Circuits during the early days of the synthesizer boom of the late 1970s. John worked with founder Dave Smith, who later went on to develop the Musical Instrument Digital Interface (MIDI) specifications. John helped write the MIDI code and went on to design... more
Birth Date: January 28, 1930
Deceased Date: November 13, 2015
Crane Bodine’s father, Elmer, was a piano man who formed a retail store in Minneapolis, Minnesota in 1933. When Crane was 17 years old, he began working in the store. In 1962, he took over as president shortly after his father’s passing. Crane became a pioneer in the organ business, both as a... more
Birth Date: May 11, 1929
Deceased Date: October 8, 2010
George Bishop had the idea of bringing the Canadian music industry together in 1971. With the help of some friends, the Musical Instrument Association of Canada (MIAC) was established not only to provide an annual trade show but to provide music advocacy throughout the country. George served as the... more
Birth Date: July 26, 1910
Deceased Date: January 6, 2008
Charles Bickel was working on the bench at Selmer when George Bundy decided to try a different plastic emulsion for his idea of a plastic clarinet. The first try was not successful. Mr. Bickel recalled the look in Bundy’s eyes when the first Resonate clarinet was tested, “We all started to clap and... more
Birth Date: November 4, 1926
Deceased Date: September 1, 2007
Richard Bennett served many roles during his long career in music, perhaps most notably as the sales rep for Wurlitzer towards the end of the 1960s. His involvement in retail and his philosophy on customer service have had a lasting effect on his success and the success of the dealers he would call... more
Ray Benedetto and Gene Garb were interviewed together in connection with the 50th anniversary of NEMC (National Educational Music Company) at the NAMM show in 2007. Ray, the president and founder, has worked closely with Garb, the vice president, for 47 years. Together they outlined the original... more
Birth Date: April 24, 1921
Deceased Date: July 26, 2010
Harry Begian was one of the most respected band directors in the United States. Serving at the high school and college levels for over 45 years, Dr. Begian conducted his first band while he was in his teens. As the band director at Detroit’s Cass Technical High School and for 14 years at the... more
Birth Date: July 14, 1917
Deceased Date: April 7, 2008
Mike Battle invented the Echoplex, the pioneering electric effects device, which played a vital role in the early development of the rock and roll sound. The Echoplex was famously used by Sun Records founder Sam Phillips who used the echo effect on several of Elvis Presley’s first recordings (“Blue... more
Birth Date: May 30, 1927
Deceased Date: February 6, 2012
Chuck Barnhouse is the third generation to own and operate the C. L. Barnhouse Publishing Company. His grandfather established the firm in 1886 and over the years the company has commissioned a rather impressive list of composers to create band and orchestral music. Among their most noted are... more
Rod Baltimore has been a music retailer in New York for over 40 years. Much of that time was spent on the famed 48th street music central. Working with brass and woodwinds, Rod has maintained one of the most sought after repair shops in the state and often does work for customers outside the state... more
Ray Ayotte was born in Millardville Canada where as a youngster he began playing drums for rock bands he formed with schoolmates. Throughout his early playing days, Ray made little adjustments to his kit and learned that other players enjoyed the changes and sounds he could make. He dreamed of one... more
Birth Date: December 10, 1924
Deceased Date: July 20, 2018
Byron Autrey loved to tell you everything you needed to know about how a trumpet works, and I mean everything! Byron studied the craft of trumpet design for decades, having been a player all of his life. The mathematical approach he took in understanding the flow of air and the vibration of the... more
Jerry Ash recalls his father, Sam Ash, giving him a pocket full of change and sending him off on the subway to New York City to pick up the sheet music orders from the publishers. With nickels for the subway rides and some string for wrapping the bundles, Jerry set off. United Parcel Service and... more
Birth Date: March 29, 1929
Deceased Date: February 5, 2014
Paul Ash had great memories of his father, Sam Ash, the founder of Sam Ash Music in New York. Paul enjoyed the years he worked with his father and credited him for his knowledge of the music products business. Paul also learned his philosophy of customer care from his father, which he developed... more