Record Stores

Sharon Bechor grew up in the music store her parents established in New York City back in 1975. Today she is the owner and CEO and enjoys sharing the passion her parents had for their customers, which includes DJs, musicians and music lovers around the world. The small store in Manhattan began as a record store and later expanded into providing DJ gear and pro audio products such as speakers and microphones. Having been established in the mid-70s, the store was where Hip-Hop and Rap music emerged out of the Bronx and Brooklyn.

Howard Durbin was hired by RCA following World War II and worked within the engineering department on improving the phonograph record.  He was assigned to the team that addressed unbreakable 78s and later on the team that developed the 45 record and still later the Red Seal LP.  He attended the NAMM Show during those years, which often showcased performers from top record companies, such as RCA, who were selling to the same dealers who were selling musical instruments.  The stand-alone record store was a rare thing to find in those days, so most records especially in smaller towns

Bill Gardner grew up in Los Angeles surrounded by music. His mother worked at a local record store where he heard the music that would forever shape his life. Years later, Bill went on the air for his first radio show to honor those early musical pioneers. Bill's most recent program, Rhapsody In Black, focuses on the early recording artists of rhythm and blues and includes interviews he has conducted over his 40 plus year career with such innovators as Mable John and Eugene Church. His dedication to the history of R&B records has resulted in the documentation of these importan

Eddie Kramer began his long career as a record salesman in the San Francisco Bay Area before opening his own record store in the 1960s. As the Beatle Boom began, Eddie was selling a few guitars and some accessories, which were about 10% of his business at the San Carlos-based Eddie Kramer’s World of Music. Within a few years, with the help of Japanese imported guitars, his business switched from 10% instruments and 90% records to 10% records and 90% musical instruments. After closing the store, he joined the music wholesaler JM Sahlein, where he remained until forming his own inde

Robert Marsh came into the music retail business following a frustration of purchasing equipment as a DJ. He was inspired by the role the DJ brings to a party, a nightclub, or family gathering but found there were areas to improve the business. He took a chance by asking his parents to refinance their home to lend him a very small amount of money to rent space in the back of a record store and focus on catering to DJ’s in need of buying equipment with first hand advice. With his brother, I DJ Now has expanded, first to a larger space, then to a second location, and now with two re

Bart Mendoza is a journalist, author, musician, and lifelong advocate for popular music whose career has been shaped by both performance and storytelling. Growing up, he was inspired by his grandfather, who sang Mexican cowboy songs while strumming guitar beneath a favorite tree — an image that left a lasting impression. At age ten, seeing the Beatles’ film A Hard Day’s Night proved transformative, igniting a passion that would guide much of his musical life. After receiving his first guitar as a Christmas gift — a well-loved instrument discovered at a garage sale — Bart formed a

Terry Woodward is a founder of the Bluegrass Hall of Fame in Owensboro, Kentucky. He worked long and hard on the project, which resulted in the grand opening of a beautiful museum and concert hall in 2017. His career in music really began in 1949 when his father opened his first record store called Wax Works. Terry began working part-time in 1952 and by 1968 was working full-time in the business that kept expanding by opening new locations. Terry started his own chain of record stores that took advantage of the shopping mall boom of the 1970s called Disc Jockey. By the time he sol