Cathy Pullin was hired by Ken-Tron Manufacturing in 1979 as a secretary. Her duties expanded to direct calls to the company’s customers for both the wire and metal stamping divisions. She...
Rachael Goldman sat down for her NAMM Oral History interview in her family’s retail store, in a building the Goldmans have operated in for over 100 years. The store opened down the street...
Jann Ulrich’s brother Kelly Patterson began working at H&H Music Services in 1987 as an intern. Jann was hired just three years later in the service department. She works closely with...
Gloria Orange was approached by her friend, Brett Mulzer, to assist him in managing the music lessons of his music store, Moore Music. Brett had purchased the business, located in Evansvi...
Itte Nygren first learned of the Ronnie Gardiner Method of music therapy in the early 2000s and at once was eager to apply the treatment to her patients. She has since witnessed the heali...
Helena Armandula is a shining example of a dedicated volunteer serving at NAMM’s Museum of Making Music. In fact, in 2023, at the time of her interview, Helena was presented the Volunteer...
Julia Huff joined the Museum of Making Music volunteer program in 2018, focusing much of her time in the museum’s gift shop. She enjoys working with her fellow volunteers, the staff and i...
Barbara Wight smiled when she recalled being crowned the accordion princess of the Western States when she was a child. While she later had a long career as an executive in the agricultur...
Phee Sherline brought her passion for music to NAMM’s Museum of Making Music a docent and gallery attendant. She was a young adult when the Folk Music boom occurred during the 1960s and 7...
Doreen Lillo and her future husband, Vic, were high school sweethearts. They were both very talented musicians and decided to start a music school and store after they were married. Lillo...
Corinne Lillo and her siblings Vic Dean, Les and Danielle grew up in the family music business which was founded in 1963 by their parents Doreen and Vic Lillo. Corinne has many fond memor...
Dina Pearlman-Ifil has many fond memories of growing up in her home. Her mother had a background in visual arts and her father was an engineer and inventor of the ARP synthesizers. Her pa...
Maryann Sfarzo has always loved singing! She is fondly remembered in the Baldwin NAMM booth alongside Lowell Simpson as Mr. & Mrs. Baldwin. The two entertained attendees with songs as...
Tracy Newman Tracy Newman jumped into the Folk music scene in the early 1960s just as the genre was making its sweep across the country. She was among the early members of the New Christy...
Tamara Osheroff enjoyed a 30-plus career in marketing and formed a well-respected agency with her partner. When her husband, Christian Dean, brought up the idea of buying a music store sh...
Marilyn Creamer likes to tell people that the only day The Magic Flute was closed, besides holidays, was for her wedding! She met her husband Michael while both were working at the store,...
Judy Kaufman and her husband, John Pedersen, own Amazing Grace Music, a charming and funky (in a good way) music store located in San Anselmo, California. The couple purchased the store i...
Pat Galyean was introduced to the art of songwriter by her mother, Edna Mae Burnam. Edna Mae, as Hal Leonard wrote on their website, was “one of the most respected names in piano pedagogy...
Melissa Mandeville and her husband, Scott, own Tim’s Music, which is located in Carmichael, California, near Sacramento. The couple are strong advocates for music education and work to se...
Helen Culleton recalls with a smile attending her first concert. The live event took place in London with AC/DC (with their original band members) and the opening act was Def Leppard’s fi...
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 b...
Kendra Peterson is the retail manager for Ward-Brodt Music in Fitchburg, Wisconsin. The store was established in 1927 and has built a strong reputation for service, particularly for schoo...
Ally Amaral grew up surrounded by music. Her father playing piano and her sister in the marching band were important influences on her, particularly when she began playing clarinet in the...
Beth Smith was in her school’s band room when she overheard her director mention getting paid for a job involving music. She inquired and learned there was an opening at the local music s...
Jennifer Mayes feels a great connection with those involved with the Women of NAMM (WoN). The networking and friendships she finds with the group bring her background and passion for musi...
Dee Halacsy grew up with an upright piano in her home, often listening to her mother play. She took piano lessons and developed a real love for music. While in school she joined the band,...
Victoria Theodore has had some marvelous musical experiences both as a musician and teacher. Her first big gig was a seven-year stint touring with Stevie Wonder in his band. Being classic...
Beth Chouinard Mitchell, with a Doctorate from USC in tuba, musicology, conducting, and arts leadership, may be diminutive in stature, but her instrument of choice is anything but small. ...
Erica Buckley and the co-founder of Wolf Guitars Australia, Pete Mc Cullum, were thrilled to introduce their latest guitar at the 2023 NAMM trade show in Anaheim, California. It was an im...
Jules Follett is the published photographer who established The Sessions as a way of teaching musicians the business side of the Music Business. As a result, she has brought experts toget...
Wendy Parr has been singing for as long as she can remember, yet there was a time when she wasn’t sure she unlocked the key to her own voice. When she did, Wendy was greatly motivated to ...
Tracy Vignati and her husband Fabrice formed a band together using a style they call Gypsybilly! They debuted their band, The Vignatis, in 2009. Tracy describes their style as a blend of ...
