Drums

Dave Lauser accidently discovered the drums while helping clean out a friend’s room and was allowed to keep the sticks he found as a reward. His curious nature developed into a passion for drumming that grew even more when his parents got him his first drum kit, and ultimately Dave turned that into a career in music. Since then, Dave has shared the stage with many musicians, including his close friend Sammy Hagar. In his 2020 virtual NAMM Oral History interview, Dave recounted his favorite memories playing with Sammy and some of his earliest remembrances of playing the drums.

Charles Lawing formed the Memphis music store Strings & Things in the 1970s and grew the business in size and product line along with his partner Chris Lovell. Charles enjoyed the service side of the business and spent many hours working with customers and sound equipment and gear to address their needs. In recent years Charles has focused his attention on installation of gear, this time for churches and places of worship in and around Memphis. Once again he is committed to customer service and getting the sound just right.  

Keith LeBlanc was one of the first drummers who used his funk music background to create beats that helped popularize hip-hop music. Keith was there in the beginning and while working for Sugar Hill Records worked with many of the pioneers of hip-hop including The Sugar Hill Gang, Grandmaster Flash and Force MDs. Early into his studio career, Keith also began producing records resulting in the albums Stranger Than Fiction and Malcolm X: No Sell Out among others. His riffs have been sampled for hit records by dozens of artists over the years and his style is often referenced by dru

Jeff Lee was the president of Resurrection Drums in Hollywood, Florida, a mecca for percussionists for miles around.  Jeff was one of the most passionate members of the music industry you will ever be lucky enough to have met!  After years as a studio drummer, Jeff began teaching at Resurrection Drums beginning in 1989.  By 1998, Jeff took over the store and worked long and hard to bring the best products and care to each of his customers, which is also something he was deeply passionate about! 

Noel Lee recognized an opportunity to introduce high quality cables that would consistently provide the top-level audio signals to support high-end instruments and amplifiers. He had studied electrical engineering and at the time was working at Lawrence Livermore Labs in Northern California. By night he played drums in a number of local bands, one of which toured Hawaii. He began driving around to music stores with his cables to see if there was any interest and there was! The products were such a success he was soon offering a full line of cables and audio equipment including hea

Frank Lee’s parents established Tom Lee Music Company in Hong Kong to bring quality musical instruments to their customers.  As President of the company, Frank has focused on those original goals and has followed his parents lead to serve their customers.  Having been brought up in the business, Frank lives and breathes the music industry and the same passion that his parents have can be detected in Frank as well as his siblings.  Working with his parents and brothers to expand the company has been gratifying for Frank over the years.  He takes great pride in running a business th

Paul Leim established himself as one of the top studio drummers in both Los Angeles and Nashville. Paul has recorded with the likes of Randy Travis, Dolly Parton, Brian Setzer and Lionel Richie (along with many others). He has also played for several television shows and movies including Star Wars: Return of the Jedi. During his 2019 NAMM Oral History interview, Paul spoke about his love for NAMM as well as the many friends in the industry he has made over the years. He worked with Ludwig back in 1975 and became an official endorser of Remo three years later.

Chuck Levin’s Washington Music Company serves as a focal point for the music makers all around the DC area and is one of the premier music retail stores in the country.  The store also stands as a lasting tribute to the man behind the name, Mr. Chuck Levin.  Mr. Levin passed away before he could share his stories for the NAMM Oral History program; however, his impact was and is so great that a special one-of-a-kind oral history was created in honor of him.  The life and career of Mr.

Eric Lindsey was given a guitar from his father when he was 13 years old. For years it puzzled Eric on how he took to making music so quickly and with such skill. He later learned that his grandmother was a musician, which provided special insight for Eric as to his roots and love of music. Eric got a job working at Sound City, a London based music store, then Drum City. He found music retail hard work yet rewarding, so he decided to open his own store, The Ludwig Centre, in 1978. A second store was later established and at one point sold more Ludwig kits than any other store in t

Elisabeth Link, wife of Horst Link, played an important role in the success of Sonor - a company synonymous with quality percussion instruments. For many years, a critical part of the product palette has been the Orff Schulwerk instruments, which are used in classrooms all over the world. Elisabeth was responsible for the success of the Sonor instruments in schools. She married Horst, the third-generation owner of Sonor, in 1969, and made music education and pedagogy her calling.

Don Loeffler combined his love of music with his engineering skills to make several modifications to the percussion instruments he used throughout his career. He made his own vibraphones from PVC pipes and the clever square drum kit in which each drum fits inside each other for easier carrying. His square drums made the trade magazines in the 1990s and resulted in his earning a patent for the instrument. Don was a long time musician in San Diego, and played in nearly every venue with house and traveling bands of all sizes. 

Don Lombardi is the founder of Drum Workshop, who formed the company at the age of 26 with the goal of providing teaching facilities for young drummers in Santa Monica. Don had the opportunity to purchase the equipment to bring the famous Camco drum pedal back to the market place under the DW name. As the company developed and its product line increased to include snares and full drum kits, Don kept an eye on his original goal of music education.

Chris Lovell knew there would be a place for him in the music industry and set out at a young age to make a difference. Along with Charles Lawing, Chris established the Strings & Things music store in Memphis, Tennessee. The store became a central gathering point for musicians and students in the historic music city. Chris took notice of his customer’s needs and sought to create a guitar that would not have some of the repair needs he kept seeing from performers and friends--thus the birth of Saint Blues Guitars. Chris has also been active in bringing independent music dealers

William F. Ludwig II was proud of the company his father started, largely based on the 1909 patented bass drum pedal, which allowed the drummer to sit down for the first time. Bill followed in his father’s footsteps by leading the company, overseeing the company’s reorganization following World War II, the Beatles boom of the 1960s, and supervising a noted innovative product line of the 1970s. Bill seemed most proud of the friends he made along the way, for which there were many.

George Luther was a legendary music retailer!  His reputation preceded him far beyond the South, where he forged a successful and colorful career. His business savvy was in large part from thinking "outside the box". Over many years of fostering a fun working environment and mentoring many employees, his success and legacy is evident by the multitude of former mentored employees who have gone on to their own successful careers in the music products industry.

Ralph MacDonald grew up in Harlem, where he was exposed to many musical traditions. As a drummer, he focused on his African roots and as a songwriter he relied on his soulful understanding of the blues. Ralph wrote "Where Is the Love", the Grammy winning song made popular by Roberta Flack and Donny Hathaway. Ralph also wrote "Just the Two of Us" for Bill Withers and "Jam on the Groove". Ralph was just 67 when he passed away in 2011 of lung cancer.

Skip Maggiora has revolutionized retailing within the music products industry. With his Weekend Warriors program a whole new segment of the population was being targeted to become music makers–that of the middle aged. The success of the program and his willingness to share his ideas with other retailers has resulted in hundreds of similar programs around the world. Skip’s Stairway to Stardom program offers pre teens, teens and post teens music-making opportunities in the setting of real live performances and connections with others.

Creed Maggiora fondly recalls the pivotal moment when his father, Skip, asked him to play drums for the inaugural performance of the Stairway to Stardom program in 1981. This annual event, which continues to inspire countless young musicians, was established by Skip to encourage collaboration among emerging talents. Growing up immersed in his father’s vibrant music store, Creed inherited not only the business but also the deep passion his father had for fostering the musical community. Skip also founded SM Productions, offering backline support for festivals, tours, and local even

Dan Mahoney is the president of Music Corp, a strong music wholesaler founded by industry veteran, Eddy Toporek. Dan came to the industry from the office supply world and brought with him a clear vision of the role Music Corp could and should play within the vastly changing world of the early 2000s. Like the changes that greatly impacted the office supply industry, Dan saw the same issues and challenges facing the music industry.

John Maier had parents that were both singers and would often hang out at the theater where his parents would perform. He used to get in trouble for tapping his pencil during tests and would have to take his test outside of the classroom – early signs of a promising drummer! After developing a love for the drums, John started working at Jeff’s Drum Shop in Illinois where he would teach and sell drum kits. He was intrigued by the music products industry and pursued that interest in Chicago, where he worked for Gand Music & Sound and eventually took a job as a road rep.

Caito Marcondes has played the rhythm of Brazil his entire life. As a result of years of playing and research, he has become one of the world’s leading experts of Afro-Latin rhythm and drumming. His compositions, such as “Porta do Templo,” have expanded the sounds of Brazil around the world. His work with Tracy Silverman has resulted in the “North Meets South” series of recordings. Originally released in 2001, the series has been reviewed by music critics as showcasing the traditions of Latin drumming while incorporating Caito’s unique style.

Rick Marotta taught himself to play drums at the age of 19. Since then, he has made a name for himself in the music world. Rick has played with artists such as John Lennon, Paul Simon and James Taylor, and has composed music for the popular show Everybody Loves Raymond. In his 2008 interview, Rick discusses the Groove All-Star show and his hopes for the future.

Michael Marquart established Windmark Recording Studio in Santa Monica, California in 1983. The studio was the location for countless landmark albums including several featuring Michael on drums. He toured with several bands over the years (including Flock of Seagulls) before coming off the road to focus on studio work. He sold the studio to The Neptunes ten years later, yet the studio is still a part of his legacy in music. With his home studio, Michael has recorded nine albums for his own band, A Bad Think, including Simple Rhymes in 2009, Medicine in 2012 and The Savior in 2019

Ron Marquez formed Aquarian Accessories with jazz drummer Roy Burns back in 1980. Together they developed several successful products including a series of popular drumheads. Ron established his own powder coating company in 1974, which led to his introduction to Roy who was looking for some manufacturing assistance for a new line of drumheads. Roy and Ron opened Aquarian in Orange County, California, and for over 25 years have remained best friends, working side by side. In fact during each NAMM show you will likely see both men in their booth. 

Soledad Marron knows drumheads!  Having worked for Remo Inc. for over 30 years, she has been inspecting drumheads as a Quality Assurance Inspector for over 25 years. She undisputedly holds the world record for having handled more drumheads than anyone else in human history.  She inspects 20,000 a day!  Her quality assurance skills are so finely honed that, using her eyes and hands, she can detect irregularities only measurable with a micrometer!  Soledad loves being a part of the pride and quality that is Remo Inc.

Jacques Masson was just 15 years old when he began giving drum lessons at a local music store. He has been involved with teaching music ever since. As a player, Jacques was approached by Premier Drums to serve as an endorser in 1986, which served as his introduction into the music products industry. He has since worked with several companies on cymbal design and development as well as a clinician in music stores and trade shows in both Canada and the United States.

Marvin Maxwell opened Mom’s Music in Louisville, Kentucky with his wife Beverly in 1981. He also designed and developed a line of music themed toilet seats called “Jammin’ Johns,” which were first sold in his music store then in shops around the world. Marvin’s love of music began when he played drums for rock bands and artists such as Lonnie Mack. He also toured as part of Dick Clark’s Caravan of the Stars!

Rob Mazzella is the vice president of GMS Drum Company. As a teenager, Rob combined his love of drumming with this love of machine shop work and began creating small accessory items for local music stores. Rob established GMS, which stands for his series of products called Grand Master Series, in Farmingdale, New York. Over the years the company has introduced a wide range of products including drum kits and hardware. In 2002, the company celebrated its 15th year in business with a unique Anniversary Snare Drum presented at the NAMM Show, just one in many milestones for the compan

David McAllister grew up in Eastern Canada as a child of the 60s and 70s and a big fan of the music of the era. He studied sales and marketing, getting a job in one of the country’s largest food companies before meeting Bob Zildjian in 1984. Bob had just formed SABIAN and was looking for a sales and marketing director. David was thrilled to put his two interests, marketing and music, together. He was proud to take part in the growth of the company from a start-up to a worldwide contender in the making of cymbals. He left the company in 2000 to work at Latin Percussion, which

Nicko McBrain joined the heavy metal rock band Iron Maiden in 1982 and has been an active endorsee of musical products since that time. Nicko can often be seen at a NAMM booth or on the floor posing for a photograph. Over the years, he has endorsed Premier Drums, but since the early 2010’s he has played Sonor Drums. Nicko also uses Vic Firth sticks, Remo drumheads, and Paiste cymbals.

Lloyd McCausland worked with Remo Belli when the famed Hollywood drummer began creating his own line of synthetic drumheads in the late 1950s. Lloyd became a fixture at the company and was known to dealers and musicians alike. As vice president, Lloyd played a large role in the marketing of the product line as well as improving the manufacturing process. He served as a mentor to many in our industry and loved to talk about music, in particular jazz. He passed away of COVID-19 at the age of 89.

Mike McGuire and his brother Bud were always encouraged to write and perform music while growing up in Northern Alabama. Their uncle, Leon Jackson, wrote the country classic “Love Please Come Home,” which made Mike realize that songwriting was a natural process for expressing your feelings. Mike and some friends formed a band that was later named Shenandoah, which became one of the super Country bands of the 1990s and beyond. The band racked up 26 hits on the Billboard charts and nine studio albums, mostly recorded in Muscle Shoals. Playing drums into the microphone, Mike kept the