Pro Lighting

Greg Jones grew up in Los Angeles and sang for a number of rock bands, which gave him the opportunity to write music.  His songs can be heard on the television show "Smallville."  Greg’s interest in pro lighting lead to a sales rep job for Martin Lighting, which added a new element to his career. Martin was established by the inventor of the first commercial smoke machine and soon became a leader in automatic professional lighting. Greg was on board to help with the transition when Harman purchased the company in 2000.

Charles Kitch formed Sound Productions, Inc. in Irving, Texas in 1973.  With the slogan, the "the Soundman's Connection," Charles has helped pioneer the pro audio industry from the early days.  Over the years he was on the front lines as innovations and trends changed within the industry and was often first to offer advice and support to those seeking help.  As the reputation for customer care grew, so did the business.  It is not uncommon for sound engineers to travel from all over to the Dallas area just to see Charles and his team.

Roy Lamb has witnessed first-hand the many developments in Live Sound during his career. He began as an electrician for the Rolling Stones 1970 European tour and later became the Pro Lighting crew chief for the Moody Blues, among others. In 1980 he teamed with Mike Brown to form Edwin Shirley Staging, the first trucking company specifically for concert support. The following year he served as stage manager for The Who. His association with the band continues as production manager. In 2023, Roy was presented the Parnelli Lifetime Achievement Award for his countless contributions to

Meg Leighton is a beloved floor manager at the NAMM Show, but did you know she was also a pioneering Live Sound rigger? She was among the few women climbing scaffolding for touring rock bands in the late 1980s and 90s. It all started while she was in high school and attended a comedy program in Boulder, Colorado. She was fascinated by the many people she saw behind the stage. After hanging around the club they soon put her to work and her skills on all levels of roadie roles soon developed. The first stage she helped build was at Folsom Stadium in 1985 for Van Halen’s 5051 tour.

Susan Lipp has a background in the theater, which she has used to great success in running the pro-audio distribution company Full Compass. The company was formed by her husband, Jonathan, in 1977, and has since become an industry leader in pro-audio, pro-lighting and home engineering equipment. Over her career in the industry, Susan also served on the NAMM Board of Directors in the late 1990s assisting with programs and market development programs. 

Jonathan Lipp formed a recording studio, which by 1977 turned into a pro audio distribution company he called Full Compass. In the early days of the company he focused on the radio broadcasting market and played a role in the growth of home recording market as equipment prices went down and the number of home studios increased in the early 1980s. Over time Full Compass branched out into sound reinforcement, pro lighting and video products as his customer base grew. Today Jonathan runs the company with his wife and the firm’s Chairman of the Board, Susan.  

Jimmy "Cricket" Lockard earned his nick name while playing the electric guitar in the sound of a chirping cricket.  Since there were two other Jimmy's at the time, the name Cricket stuck -it's even on his business card.  Cricket began going to Hot Licks Guitar Shop as a customer, playing for hours on the latest gear.  In 1986 he was given a position in the repair shop and has worked in several areas since that time.  In recent years, he took over the pro audio department for the store, buying and selling the gear and arranging installations.  His knowledge, musical passion, and th

Terry Lowe is the founder of Timeless Communications Corp. (TCC) and the publisher of several important trade magazines including FRONT of HOUSE (FOH), Musical Merchandise Review (MMR) and Projection, Lights & Staging News (PLSN). Terry played drums professionally until his mid-20s when he shifted focus to a career behind the scenes with roles as manager and booking agent for several bands and marketing/advertising manager for music magazines (He was with Performance magazine for 3-years and Mix Magazine for 7-years.) as well as launching PLSN in 2000, which was just months af

Big Jay McNeely was there when the emotions of rhythm and blues gave birth to rock and roll. His honkin' sax style gave raw and bold tones to the feelings behind the R&B and Jump Swing styles of the early 1950’s, all of which played a key role in the popular musical trends that would follow. 

Kevin Mitchell wrote the MMR cover story in 2009 dedicated to the NAMM Oral History program and has been a strong advocate and supporter ever since! His background in music (he played the piano as a child and would graduate from UMKC’s Conservatory of Music) and his love of journalism (he feels his piano lessons made him a great typist) brought him into writing books and editing music. He worked with Alfred Music and wrote several popular books including How to Put a Band Together and the Essential Songwriter's Rhyming Dictionary. Kevin is also the producer of the annual Parnelli

Mo Morrison could often be found behind the stage at every concert and performance by Lady Gaga.  As a concert production and tour manager, he worked with many of the biggest and brightest stars in pop music and rock and roll.  His career started as a stage hand and rigger, which led to such highlights as his 11 years at the Capitol Theater in Passaic, NJ.  As production manager for the Grateful Dead, Mo expanded into stadium performances, which later served him well when he was the site coordinator for three concert tours for Michael Jackson.  In 2013, Mo was inducted into the Pa

Trevor Morrow left his native country Ireland in his 20s to relocate to Australia where he joined the well established music wholesaler called Australis Music. The company was founded by Peter Hayward and has expanded to include over 20 brands such as Gator Cases and Line 6. Trevor became the Managing Director and assisted as the company purchased the pro audio division of the Billy Hyde Company. As a result, Trevor began to provide specialized training to his retail customers on the benefits of adding pro audio and pro lighting products to their retail stores. Trevor has also bee

Michael Paul, known as MP, always had an interest in the visual arts, especially those that could involve multiple formats.  When he had the chance to create light and color programs for live musical acts in the 1960s, MP found his true passion!  He worked on countless shows including those for the Grateful Dead and Janis Joplin as well as for Country Joe and the Fish and other rock groups in and around the San Francisco music scene.  Soon after discovering the use of colorized liquids and overhead projectors, MP established his own pro lighting business, which pioneered tools and

Victor Pavona’s family worked in the steel mills of Ohio, beginning with his grandfather who immigrated to the United States from Italy. Victor was the first person in his family to attend college. After working for Westinghouse and creating his own consulting business, Victor had the opportunity to work for ETA Systems, the pro-lighting company that was formed in 1977. The company and its founder are icons in the business for their pioneering products and services, which Victor worked hard to maintain as well as provide new products over the years.

Eddie Raymond is a noted trainer for IATSE Craft Advancement Program, which was a featured part of the ESTA sessions during the NAMM Show in 2018. It was the first such time ESTA and NAMM teamed up to facilitate these important training programs, which covered certification and safety training. Eddie started building scenery for theater in the 1970s and worked in both the theater and film (Raiders of the Lost Ark and Howard the Duck among them).

Bill Reeves saw a production of Peter Pan as a kid and was fascinated with how the sets changed and how the actors could fly. While majoring in technical theater in college Bill had a summer job at a local casino resort and started working on the traveling shows. This led to working on his first tour which also happened to be his first concert: Earth, Wind and Fire! In the early 2000s, he formed Roadies of Color United with Lance “KC” Jackson in hopes of creating a much-needed community with fellow roadies. Their main goal is to put a spotlight on the fact that people of color can

Rosemary Rodd is the president of Leo’s Pro Audio in Oakland, California, and a strong supporter of several key music industry advocacy programs designed to encourage music and music making. With a strong background in business, Rosemary arrived in the music industry with a slightly different approach to the industry. Her understanding of marketing and sales helped establish the store as an innovative leader in pro-audio, pro-lighting and broadcast equipment. 

Jeremy Rollefson is a visionary producer and skilled sound engineer who, alongside his wife Olivia, co-owns Lumuh, a cutting-edge stage lighting company specializing in custom, immersive designs for a wide array of clients. Jeremy’s lifelong passion for blending technical mastery with artistic expression began at an early age and has driven his work on high-profile creative projects for artists such as Toby Keith, Switchfoot, Miranda Lambert, Coldplay, Billie Eilish, and, of course, his wife Olivia Dvorak.

Lori Rubinstein was the first employee of the Theatrical Dealers Association, which in 1994 changed its name to the Entertainment Services and Technology Association (ESTA). Under Lori's leadership, the organization created the ANSI-accredited Technical Standards Program, which focuses on safety and interoperability, and the Entertainment Technician Certification Program to certify riggers and electricians. Lori has also been instrumental in the Behind The Scenes charity, which provides financial support for entertainment technology professionals in need due to serious illness or

Barry Rudolph was always interested in electronics and music. During high school he played drums in a surf band and worked full time in the aerospace industry while putting himself through college. After graduating in 1970 he happened upon a job at a recording studio in Santa Ana, CA. The job provided Barry the learning ground that would serve him when he was hired by Jackie Mills who had just purchased Larrabee Studios. Within two years Barry had engineered his first number one song (Al Wilson’s “Show and Tell”)! He also had a long and successful career as a writer, which began w

Bob See was the founder of See Factor, one of the pioneering and innovative pro-lighting and pro-sound services in the world. Bob’s influential career began when Bill Graham opened up a music venue in New York City called the Fillmore East in the late 1960s. Bob cut his teeth in the lighting field as it was new to everyone. Many of the methods for lighting he created in those early days have become standards within the industry. Over the years Bob and his team have worked with a who’s who of musicians and performers around the world and expanded his services to include pro-sound i

Jon Sheets is a sales rep for Sound Productions in Irving, Texas, who was interviewed on the 50th anniversary of the company. He started his career in the theater both in acting and technical work, such as pro lighting and hanging PA systems. Over the years he also produced jingles for radio, but selling has always been in his blood. As a 12-year-old, young Jon sold Christmas cards and realized early on that he enjoyed the challenge. In 2000 he began working in the sales division of Sound Productions where he has been able to bring in his knowledge of pro lighting and pro audio ge

Mark Spring was presented the 2020 Parnelli Lifetime Achievement Award for his dedication and contribution to lighting design. His incredible career began on tour with Def Leppard and continued to include some of the most successful tours of the 1980s, 1990s and early 2000s. Mark is always looking for ways to improve the audience experience while also keeping an eye on improving safety and working conditions for his crew. Among his career highlights include working with The Spice Girls, Paul McCartney, Madonna and George Michael.

Patrick Stansfield was the legendary stage manager who, along with Bill Graham of FM Productions, launched the modern music concert format by creating and popularizing the arena rock business. Over the years Patrick was involved with countless performers ranging from Neil Diamond and Barbra Streisand to the 1980 movie The Jazz Singer. Patrick was a strong supporter of the NAMM Oral History program – working to help capture the stories of those involved with pro-audio, pro-lighting and stage production and a co-founder of the Parnelli Awards. The industry honored him with a surpris

Michael Strickland was paid $25.00 for lighting his first rock concert in 1968 at the age of twelve. He knew The Grass Roots were in town to perform so he borrowed the overhead projectors and lights from his school and set them up for their show. The band was impressed, and Michael was hooked! He later formed the company Bandit Lites and went on to a very innovative and successful career. Over the years he served as lighting director for thousands of performers including Dolly Parton, The James Gang, Conway Twitty, Kenny Rogers and Garth Brooks. Michael also toured with Alice Coop

Ali Sungurlu graduated from Koç University with a degree in Economics before pursuing his master’s degree at the University of California, San Diego. Following the completion of his studies, he returned to Turkey to join the family business, Zuhal Müzik. Since 2006, Ali has played a key role in the company’s growth and organizational development, building his own team and leading a strategic restructuring process. He currently serves as Chief Financial Officer, specializing in finance while also overseeing the import and development of professional sound and lighting systems.

Martin Thomas is a sought-after Pro Lighting Director and Production Manager whose career began as a production assistant. In 1979 in New York City, Martin began touring with local bands helping out as a roadie. Admiring the skills of his fellow roadies, Martin learned all he could about proper truck loading and running cable. While working for East Coast Lighting & Sound, he was given the opportunity to assist with lighting, which he greatly enjoyed. He worked gigs ranging from concerts to car shows. Martin was on tour with D'Angelo when the young artist released one of the y

Patti Thurston, VP of Efficacy at The Designory, embodies a spirit of gratitude that permeates every aspect of her life and work. With more than 20 years of dedicated service to The Designory, Patti's commitment to excellence and compassion shines through in her role in the advertising industry. Patti's diverse background in the live event business as a lighting designer and production manager equipped her with a unique perspective and skill set. Alongside her professional accomplishments, Patti cherishes her relationships with friends, family and beloved animals. Driven by her mo

George Travis has been to nearly every Bruce Springsteen concert since 1978!  As a noted concert producer, George has been a key element in the innovative concert experiences fans have come to expect when they go to a Springsteen performance.  George has worked with some of the giants in concert performances during his career including Queen, Kiss, Elvis Presley, Madonna and Elton John.  Several policies and procedures used in most concert productions in recent years can be attributed to George and his ground breaking events such as the 1975 Rolling Stones tour as well as his work

Howard Ungerleider spent over 40 years as Lighting designer/director as well as 25 years as Tour Manager for Rush!  His focus has always been in creating a show for the audience and not just a band performance. As a result, Howard has become an innovator in pro lighting, laser, and immersive stage design. He has worked with a long list of artists, as well as special events though his Production Design International Company that was formed in 1994. He has created mantras that have been adapted by many other artists as well as lighting designers including “the most powerful cue is t

Dan Weingarten is a professor at CSU Northridge who also taught at Loyola Marymount University within the Theater Arts Department with a specialty on professional lighting.  He has both designed and installed lighting for plays and operas as well as small and large musical events.  His passion for the subject has made him an ideal speaker as part of the Tec Tracks sessions during the NAMM Shows in Anaheim.  In 2014 Dan presented Stage Lighting as hands on session at the show.  With the success of that program others followed including Lighting 101 and Automated Stage Lighting.  

Ralph-Joerg Wezorke became active in the pro lighting industry in 1975. He is the founder of pro-lighting company Lightpower. The company was formed in 1978 in Paderborn, Germany and soon became an important rental house for touring acts as well as stage plays and smaller rock and roll performances. Today, Lightpower is an international distributor for stage and studio lighting gear and has introduced the industry to several innovative products over the years. In addition to the home office in Germany, Ralph-Joerg has established company offices in Austria, London, Los Angeles, Ne