Gibson Guitar Corp.

Mike Korpak enjoyed his work in the factory at Gibson Guitars beginning back in the 1960s in Kalamazoo, Michigan. During his career at Gibson, Mike was able to grow into management and ran the parts department for years before his retirement.  In fact, Mike was the last employee of Gibson in the Kalamazoo factory before the operations were moved down to Nashville.

John Kuziel was a long time factory worker for the Gibson Guitar Company when it was located in Kalamazoo, Michigan.  He worked as a final inspector for the guitar line and later was in the spray room.  He returned to the final inspection department where he gained a great reputation within the plant for his attention to detail.  John also worked as a builder in the wood shop before his retirement. John often said that on his very first day on the job he just knew he would never work for any other company, and he was right!

Marvin Lamb was looking for a job in 1958 and found an opening at the Gibson
Guitar Company in Kalamazoo.  “This was right at the time of the boom in the
industry and it was a great time to get started.”  A year later he meet
James Deurloo and along with J. P. Moats, they stayed with Gibson until the
company was sold and moved to Nashville.  At the time all three friends
outlined an idea of creating their own guitar company, but keep it in the
same building with the same attention to details and craftsmanship.  In
1985, the Heritage Guitar Company was formed and all three men are

Bill Lawrence was known for his pick-up design and his long career as a German based guitarist. In fact, when visiting the Framus Museum in Markneukirchen Germany, you can learn of his influential musical career when he was known as Billy Lorento. Always interested in electronics, he applied his two interests and soon developed his own pick-up for the guitar. For over forty years, Bill published numerous articles on the subject of guitar design.  He was granted numerous patents, and worked with some of the most respected companies in the guitar industry, including Framus, Gibson,

Mike Lawson always wanted to become a musician as a child. The process was not easy as his family could not afford an instrument for him, but his desire was always strong. He worked hard to earn the money when he was a little older, cutting grass and other odd jobs, and finally purchased a guitar. Along the way he studied music magazines and books to learn all he could about the gear and the art of being a musician. Those experiences provided Mike with a unique perspective which he used when creating books aimed to serve musicians.

Scott Lombardo worked in the music products industry since he was fourteen years old! His passion quickly developed after hearing The Beatles three years earlier. He would drill holes and attach wingnuts to his sister’s acoustic guitar to make it look like knobs on an electric guitar. Scott’s first job was at Scotch Plains Music Center in New Jersey, where he would sweep the floor and take out the garbage. At age 23, Scott started working at Sam Ash Music – back when they only had six locations. After beating stage IV cancer and simultaneously selling more MESA/Boogie amps in one

Trini Lopez became an early Latin-American pop singer with a string of recordings in the late 1950s and 60s including "If I Had a Hammer" and "Lemon Tree." Frank Sinatra took him under his wing and signed Trini to an eight-year record contract that included the talents of Sinatra's arranger Don Costa to oversee Trini's projects. Trini's name recognition prompted Gibson Guitar Company to approach Trini to develop his own signature guitar model. The Trini Lopez model was manufactured from 1964 until 1971 and is still being played by a number of high profile recording artists.  

Whitney Lyman is a dynamic Los Angeles-based singer-songwriter whose ethereal sound seamlessly blends pop, rock, R&B, jazz, and soul into a lush musical tapestry. Originally from Provo, Utah, she has captivated audiences across the U.S. and Europe, earning endorsements from Gibson Guitars and Mackie Gear. Her versatility has taken her from performing on Jimmy Kimmel Live with Grammy-nominated Odesza to fronting and arranging for the Seattle Rock Orchestra. A mesmerizing live performer, Whitney has graced prestigious festivals like Sasquatch! and Capitol Hill Block Party, and h

Wally Marx is a passionate rock and rockabilly guitarist, accomplished author, and an invaluable contributor to the NAMM Oral History program. A dedicated and longtime NAMM volunteer, Wally has conducted some of the collection’s most compelling and insightful interviews with legendary figures, including Ernie Isley, Suzanne Ciani, and Norwood Fisher. He is also the acclaimed author of Gibson Amplifiers 1933–2008: 75 Years of the Gold Tone, a definitive and richly detailed chronicle of Gibson’s pivotal role in amplification history. In 2025, Wally was a featured guest on The Music

Ted McCarty was the president of Gibson Guitars when he signed Les Paul to help design a series of instruments with his name.  Ted went on to design and patent guitars such as the Flying V before working with Chicago Musical Instruments and Bigsby Guitars, becoming an industry icon.  Among the classic moments of the industry’s history in which Ted took part in was in the 1950s when he asked Seth Lover to design a pick-up for the newly created electric guitars that would "buck the hum."  Later in his life he was befriended by Paul Reed Smith who sought Ted's advice and friendship a

Steve Miller led a popular rock band beginning in the 1960s with a string of hit songs, most of which he wrote. His passion for music began at a very young age. Did you know Les Paul was his godfather? The Steve Miller Band was formed in San Francisco in 1966 and went on to record some 25 albums (including five of which were recorded live). Their biggest hits include “The Joker,” “Take The Money and Run,” “Rockin’ Me,” Fly Like an Eagle,” “Jet Airliner,” “Abracadabra”, “Swingtown” and “Jungle Love.” Steve is also a gear-head and a big fan of innovative musical products.

Steve Mills was a music student in Seattle when he landed a job at Crown International in 1979. He began working on the bench on circuit boards, and after earning his electrical engineering degree at Purdue, Steve became a microphone engineer and then manager of the Microphone Engineering Department. The product engineers in the microphone division, Tom Lininger and Bruce Bartlett, asked Steve to assist with the creation of the CM311, known at Crown as the Garth Brooks microphone because it was designed for the country star. The microphone used the Differoid noise canceling techno

Eugene Moles grew up surrounded by music. His father was a studio musician who also had a guitar repair shop in Bakersfield, California (he was an expert on refinishing, he added the famous red, white and blue colors to Buck Owens’ instruments). Eugene developed his playing skills playing in clubs and bars while still a teenager.

Scotty Moore set a date and time on July 4, 1954, to get together with a young singer who wanted to record with Sam Philips at Sun Records in Memphis. Sam asked Scotty, who had recorded with several bands on Sun, to call this kid and work out a few songs. This was his first meeting with Elvis Presley. Playing his Gibson, Scotty can be heard on every recording the King made up through the soundtrack for “Jailhouse Rock” in 1957. When Elvis returned from the United States Army, Scotty returned to Elvis’ side on nearly all of his recordings until Elvis’ comeback television special of

Maudie Moore was hired by Gibson Guitars in 1962 to do small piece work and soon branched out to engraving, which became a specialty for her over the next several decades.  In fact, she opened her own shop called Moore’s Engraving in Kalamazoo in 1972, which allowed her to work with several other companies over the years including C. F. Martin and Heritage Guitars.  Her special projects included the Gibson anniversary series with Les Paul and the BB King signature models known as “Lucille.”  Maudie’s great passion for her craft was clear in each and everyone of her projects. 

Bill Paige was one of the six founders of Heritage Guitars. The idea for the company began when the Gibson Guitar Corporation closed its longtime Kalamazoo, Michigan factory in September 1984 and moved production to its Nashville, Tennessee facility, which had been operating since 1975. While some employees were invited to relocate, many had deep roots and families established in Kalamazoo, making such a move difficult. As a result, former Gibson employees Jim Deurloo, Marvin Lamb, and J.P. Moats decided to begin a new guitar manufacturing company dedicated to preserving the craft

Les Paul will forever be known for his role in the popularity of the electric guitar, the design of the Gibson Les Paul guitar, the multi track recording, the early guitar effects, and his million selling recordings with wife Mary Ford. However, did you know Les also appeared as product endorsee in more NAMM shows than just about any other artist? From the 1950s onward Les stood in the Gibson booth shaking hands and signing autographs while promoting the guitar line. In fact in 2006, after the Gibson Company purchased Baldwin Pianos, Les was at the NAMM show promoting the Les Paul

Kevin Philbin is the Director of Sales & Marketing for KHS America, located in Mt. Juliet, Tennessee. His musical journey began as a child growing up with a dad who played drums. When Kevin was 10 years old he received a Gibson Guitar from Jack’s Music in Red Bank, New Jersey. He would later work for Gibson in Nashville for over 16 years, playing a key role in several product launches and marketing campaigns. In 2012, Kevin became the Marketing and Communications Manager for KHS America with a focus on the school market. Among his roles at KHS was the growth and development of

Tom Pooton was not yet a teenager when he began taking guitar lessons. A year later, with the support of his mother, Tom attended a Gibson clinic where he connected with some of the employees. They later invited young Tom to attend the NAMM Show in Chicago, where he fell in love with the music industry. After college MH Berlin hired Tom to serve as the Marketing Manager for Gibson Guitars in the era in which it was owned by Chicago Musical Instruments (CMI).

Brian Ray had the most remarkable beginning of his amazing musical career when he was hired by Bobby Pickett to play guitar on Pickett’s big hit “Monster Mash” for a fundraiser. The event was organized by Phil Kaufman who would later introduce Brain to Etta James.  Brian toured and recorded with Etta for some 15 years and became her Musical Director. They would later write songs together. Brian also collaborated with other songwriters including Steve LeGassick, together they wrote “One Heartbeat” for Smokey Robinson.

Rich Renken attended Dick Grove’s School of Music in California, where he first encountered the innovative craftsmanship of James Tyler Guitars. Instantly captivated by the meticulous design and exceptional playability of the instruments, he became deeply interested in both the guitars and the visionary behind them. James Tyler, a masterful luthier, started at Norman’s Rare Guitars in Tarzana, then the James Tyler Guitar Shop in North Hollywood where he specialized in repairs and customizing/modding guitars that changed the LA studio sound before founding his own guitar company.

Alvino Rey tinkered with putting a phonograph pickup in his banjo to increase the volume in 1927. His inventive mind also led to early guitar pickups and the design of a pedal-steel guitar. A life-long performer, he is also known to generations for his work during the swing era including his own big band, which he formed in 1939 as well as the fact that he married one of the famed King Sisters. He mastered the classical guitar and recorded and performed until just months before his passing at the age of 93 in 2004.  

Clive Roberts has wonderful memories of his parent’s passion for music.  His mother played piano and his father performed his own songs on the ukulele-banjo for the troops during World War II.  Clive picked up on their love of making music and set off to do the same.  While interested in playing the electric guitar but having little money, Clive made his own.  That resourcefulness led to a distribution job within the industry, a job that suited him just fine.  In fact, he has been in the industry ever since.  He worked for a few companies including Trace Elliot, Kaman Music Corpor

Vic Russelavage was hired by Chuck Levin as a repairman while Vic was playing his trumpet professionally. Chuck became a mentor and encouraged Vic to focus on the details and to take as much time with each customer as needed. As a result, Vic was inspired to open his own repair shop, which became a retail store in Colorado Springs. After his High Country Music store closed, he later managed another store in Denver, worked for Lowell Samuel at MIDCO wholesales for five years and for the Mel Graner store in Colorado Springs. A rep for Gibson told Vic of an opening, and in 1993 he st

Frank Seta began his career in the music industry working for Baldwin Pianos before working for Gibson and then establishing his own retail store. Frank has built lasting friendships within the music industry due to his passion and drive; as a result, he was one of the most suggested people to be interviewed for the NAMM Oral History program.  Having worked for Baldwin in Cincinnati, Frank knew the music rich city would be ideal for a retail store. Seta Music specializes in grand, uprights, digital and player pianos as well as classical and theater organs.  A key element of the st

Tim Shaw is the Chief Engineer-Guitars for Fender Musical Instruments, helping the company create guitars, pickups and other products. Tim’s career began when Charlie Wicks hired him to repair guitars for his retail store. He found his way to R&D at Gibson in Kalamazoo in 1978 and worked with the founders of Heritage Guitars before relocating to Nashville. His friend Bruce Bolen hired Tim to work for Fender in 1996, where he worked in R&D for Guild with Bob Benedetto and Ren Ferguson. His current position has him designing new instruments, pickups and hardware for many of

Joyce Shelven was a factory worker for the Gibson Guitar Company when it was located in Kalamazoon, Michigan.  She was hired in 1947 just after the war and began working in the sanding department.  Joyce worked both the belt sanders as well as the hand sanders before she left the company in 1964.  During her years at the company she made several friends, which led to her yearly participation in the Gibson Reunions in Kalamazoo, which began in the 1980s.

Perry Smith was already playing the guitar when he walked into a small music store in San Rafael, California, and heard someone playing jazz. That one moment changed his musical path and soon he discovered the expression and creativity of playing jazz guitar. While attending the Thornton School of Music at the University of Southern California (USC) in 2003, Perry and two friends formed a guitar trio, New West Guitars. The group has toured and played for many festivals and special events as well as recorded several albums. Their second album was a nod to where they met, Thornton R

Johnny Smith played drums professionally with the Oak Ridge Boys and Travis Tritt, among others, before a group of investors approached him to help create the Songbirds Guitar Museum. Johnny was first asked to find the perfect city for the museum. In 2013, he traveled all around the states before finally suggesting Chattanooga, Tennessee. While working with David Davidson, who serves as curator, Johnny built the museum, brought in the impressive collection of guitars, and created the displays. Johnny also established the educational programs and tours—all designed to encourage mus

Joe Spann joined the Gruhn Guitars crew in Nashville, TN to assist in writing appraisals. Appraising musical instruments is an important part of the retail store's business, and has been increasing ever since George Gruhn opened the store in 1970. Joe’s passion and growing expertise for the Gibson Guitar company led him to write a book on the subject. His book, Spann’s Guide to Gibson 1902-1941, was published by Centerstream in 2011 and covers the background of the company, it’s founder and a listing of their instruments with serial numbers.

Willem Van Dijk started his career with Gibson Guitars as a sales rep for their European branch in 2005. With a focus on his sales and technology background, Willem helped expand the company’s dealer base and Internet presence. He was promoted to Sales Director then Vice President of Gibson Europe at a time when sales for Gibson’s products were higher than ever before. He later began to focus on business intelligence in 2005 for the company, which proved to be very fulfilling for him and led to a deeper understanding of the inner workings of the company and its global management t

Tom Van Hoose has become an expert on the Gibson 400 Series guitars and in fact even wrote the book on the subject. As a collector, Tom found himself surrounded by used guitars and decided in 1991 to open his own shop, Van Hoose Vintage in Carrollton, Texas.  The business grew from attending the Dallas Guitar Show into a world-wide business that is dedicated to serving its customers with the finest in classic instruments and amplifiers.