Tony Escapa was inspired to play music from his father, fittingly who he was named after. Younger Tony began beating on furniture at an early age and was given drums when he was nine year...

Gerald Ishibashi is the musician, music retailer and concert producer who has taken part and witnessed some of the biggest changes and developments in our industry. With a love for music,...

Peggy Powell is near and dear to the NAMM family having participated in many events, especially those with her husband, Specs Powell. Specs was a studio drummer who helped Marty Cohen lau...

Oliver C. Brown was a member of KC and the Sunshine Band when they recorded their big disco hits that helped define an era of popular music. Oliver’s percussion instruments can be heard o...

Luis Miranda often visited the Palladium Theater as a teenager to dance. During one visit, Luis was asked by a member of the band if he played the congas since their conga player was out ...

Peter Kragh-Jacobsen started out as a percussionist performing all over Denmark. After tiring of being on the road, he opened  the Drum and Percussion Center Denmark, established in 1980....

Paul Kimbarow grew up in the west side of the Bronx in NYC. He first started playing drums after seeing conga players in the streets of New York and being fascinated by it. The conga play...

Jackie Bertone knows firsthand about the power of music.  As a percussionist for countless recording dates and live performances, Jackie has added the sounds, the feel and the color that ...

Bob Saunders began working in the accounting department for Kaman Corporation.  He was asked by the company’s founder, Charlie, to work with his son Bill for the Kaman Music Corporation. ...

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 larg...

Candido Camero was born in Cuba on April 22, 1921. By the age of four he was already interested in percussive instruments--a field he would revolutionize by blending Latin beats with jazz...

Martin Cohen loves drums and he loves drummers, but as we learned in our interview with him, he loves making drums for drummers even more! His impressive innovations and forward thinking ...

Poncho Sanchez has the heart and soul of his Latin music roots and the love and feel for funk. The result of these passions is the unique style that has helped establish him as a talented...

Specs Powell played jazz drums during the hey-day of 52nd Street in New York City. He worked hard -- sometimes four gigs a night -- playing behind such legends as Billie Holiday, John Kir...