Oral History Interviews

Dr. Leo Beranek is considered by many to be the father of concert hall acoustics. His amazing career has not only traced the growth of acoustic measurement but has documented it in a series of articles and books. His first book, Acoustics, was published in 1954 and is considered the bible for the field. Much of his later research was based on projects he led within the company he co-created: Bolt, Beranek and Newman. Among the most noted projects he was involved with for BBN was designing the general assembly room for the UN buildings in New York. Dr. Beranek was then interested i

Jim Lehmann is the founder of Guitar Resurrection in Austin, Texas, known to its many customers as Guitar Rez! Jim played guitar in several local bands when he noticed the need, for himself and his friend, to purchase good gear. He opened the guitar shop and soon found a passion for helping fellow musicians find the right instruments for them and to help non musicians pick out their first guitar.

Bill Kirchen is a well known rockabilly guitarist known by his tag, The Titan of The Telecaster! During much of his career Bill could be seen and heard playing his 1959 Sunburst finished Fender Telecaster. His driving playing style has been an influence on rock and country players alike, but Bill always seemed to be most comfortable playing Rockabilly. Bill was the original guitarist for Commander Cody and His Lost Planet Airmen. Bill has been associated with several musical instrument companies especially Talos Amps and Fender Guitars.  

Bob Kane was born and raised in Elkhart, Indiana, known as the band instrument capitol of the world. He played cornet in school and in fact it was his high school band director who told Bob of an opening at Buescher Band Instrument Company. Bob began working in the customer service department but transferred to production control before leaving the company to work at Selmer. He was hired by Charlie Bickel and soon after joined the growing sales staff. Bob traveled five states including New York, where he stayed for 13 years before returning to Elkhart, thanks to an offer by Ken In

Lyle Bird grew up in a musical family with his mother playing the piano daily. As a teenager he played trumpet in several swing bands during the big band era including with such leaders as Henry Busse. He played in a band during his navy service during World War II and again played in several small bands after the war before being hired by the Sherman Clay Company. Lyle sold saxophones for a short time, long enough he would say in order to realize he wanted to sell pianos.

Les Nicholas was hired as an engineer to assist the famed electronic music inventor Harold Bode.  Mr. Bode was given a lab within the Estey Organ Company In Brattleboro, Vermont in 1954.  The company wanted to expand it's products to include an electronic organ.  To assist with the task he hired Les in 1955 and the two created the star of the art Estey Electronic Organ, first the S and then the AS1 models.  Harold left the company in 1959 and would go on to write an article on modular synthesizers that would be the inspiration of a young Bob Moog.  Les stayed another year with Est

Dennis Waring has created his own line of musical products made out of cardboard.  The harp and guitars are a fun way to get people playing a musical instrument, which is his main goal.  He is also a historian and ethnomusicologist for the industry with the publication of his book on the history of the Estey Organ Company, in his 2002 publication "Manufacturing the Muse: Estey Organs & Consumer Culture in Victorian America."  Dennis is also a strong supporter of the growing Estey Organ Museum, which was established in one of the original factory buildings in 2002.  His goal of

John Wessel was born in Holland and recalled with a stern face his World War II memories of running from the Nazi's. He was just one step ahead of the SS on several occasions. After the war he relocated to America where he found a sponsor in the Estey Organ Company. Before the war John had worked in several organ companies in Europe and brought a depth of knowledge to the Vermont Company. At Estey he was a pipe voicer and pipe organ finisher - when an organ was set up in the church he would revoice and regulate pipes as needed and make sure everything was correct. In 1960 he finis

Sam Denov retired as the percussionist and timpanist for the Chicago Symphony Orchestra after playing with the group in concerts, on the road and in recordings beginning in 1954.  Sam helped bring cymbal playing to a new level of recognition and professionalism when he wrote “The Art of Playing Cymbals” in the early 1960s. He worked with the Zildjian Company and later with Paiste Cymbals in creating concert level products and in conducting clinics that brought greater access to hand cymbal playing to students and professionals alike. He retired from the symphony in 1985.  

Bernie Grundman is the pioneering recording engineer and mastering studio founder who has played a vital role in the development of mastering studios around the world. Bernie is dedicated to the art of his craft. He has taught the subject to encourage others and to create a foundation of learning so that the fundamental elements of mastering and engineering in a studio setting are documented. It is Bernie’s hope that the next generation of engineers will add to what he and others have established. Bernie Grundman Mastering was established in 1984 in Hollywood, California and has s

David Goggin is known throughout the industry as Mr. Bonzai, the author and photographer behind several books and thousands of articles on recording, engineering and the people who work in the industry.  To say he is a wealth of information about the recording industry is really an understatement. Thanks to his talents as a writer he has shared much of his knowledge and many of his stories with his readers.  His first recording studio experience occurred in 1967 as the Beatles recorded “I Am the Walrus.”  And so started a love affair with the process and the people in the recordin

Mike Garson was classically trained on the piano and contributed greatly to jazz and rock as well as his own “now music” style. Mike’s passion for music is evident in everything he plays and his love with teaching and preserving his musical heritage is evident in nearly everything he says. For Mike, it is more than playing music, it is a matter of living in the music and making every effort to express what is happening in that very moment. His fascinating interview for the NAMM Oral History program included a look at his views about now music as well as his career that ranged from

Michel Doidic always enjoyed the technology behind electronic musical instruments. When he was younger he built his own guitar and other equipment before meeting Marcus Ryle while they both worked for Tom Oberheim. They later form a consulting company called Fast Forward Designs. The success of the company gave Michel and Marcus the idea to create their own products and so they created a new company called Line 6 to focus on guitar gear.

Roz Cron was a member of the all female swing band known around the world as The International Sweethearts of Rhythm. She toured with the group during World War II when many of her male counterpoints were drafted. Although a war was going on, it was a time of great opportunity for female players who were being booked into clubs and heard on the radio, many for the very first time in their careers. Roz played the alto saxophone and can be heard on several recordings made by the Sweethearts in the 1940s.

Davie Allan was an early user of the fuzz tone boxes in the 1960s and put them to good use on a number of his instrumental hits with the Arrows. He also used the effects on many of the soundtrack works he completed for movie studios over the years. His pioneering sound has been an influence on many performers since his early recordings. Among his most popular songs is “Blues’ Theme” for the biker film The Wild Angels. The tune incorporated a heavily distorted guitar lick by Davie and was released as a single that made it to the Top 40 of the Billboard charts.

Arthur Adams has written and played the blues nearly his entire life! He played guitar for many top blues players such as BB King, Elmore James, Lowell Fulson and Gene Allison. Arthur also wrote some wonderful songs that are a part of our musical history such as "Love and Peace" covered by Quincy Jones on his Grammy winning album in 1969 Walking In Space! Arthur's music has been included in several box office hit movies including his instrument hit "Pipe Dream." The great Sam Cooke recorded one of his early songs called "Somebody's Gonna Miss Me."

Fred Sanchez is the founder of the band El Chicano, the Latin soul group from Los Angeles, that helped define Latin Rock in the late 1960s and 1970s. The band was formed by several high school friends who sought to combine Latin percussive styles with jazz and modern rock. Among their hits were “Viva Tirado” and “Tell Her She’s Lovely.” During Fred’s NAMM interview he was joined by fellow original member Mickey Lespron and Jerry Salas.

Steve Soest played in several local rock bands while developing a deep interest in the construction and craftsmanship of electric guitars and amplifiers. That expertise proved invaluable around 1972 when he began repairing musical instruments, ultimately opening his own shop in 1974. Over the decades, Steve earned a reputation as one of the leading authorities on guitar models, production methods, promotion, and marketing. His knowledge of vintage instruments led to his involvement in the 1990s when the Evets Corporation began building new Danelectro guitars.

Walther Veerkamp was the son of the founder of Casa Veerkamp, one of the most respected and oldest music retailers in Mexico. His father, who was born in Germany, opened a small music retail store in Mexico City in 1908. He struggled to provide instruments for the store even while exporting products from Europe. Over the years he established new business methods that made bringing musical instruments into Mexico easier and more cost effective. Walther worked in the company his entire life and helped develop the business over the years.  He was proud when his son, Thomas, joined th

Eric Persing is the innovative producer and wizard on the synthesizer who has created over a million sounds to inspire music makers around the world. His music software and virtual instruments have provided new sounds that have changed the way musicians and film makers make music.

Harro Heinz was born in Germany and educated in electrical engineering before he was brought to the United States by Mr. Fisher of Fisher Radio in the early 1950s. After working for several radio and electronic companies, Harro felt it was time to form his own loudspeaker company. He began the company with a partner, Mr. Renkus, but later bought him out to run the company on his own. The company was formed in 1979 and has since produced a line of innovative projects including the award winning Iconyx series of digitally steerable column loudspeakers.

James Cotton learned the blues from many of the greatest artists in recorded history! As a result his style of playing is our link to the early development of the music form, especially those influences in the years following World War II. James was nine years old when he played with Sonny Boy Williamson and later played with icons such as Howling Wolf, Muddy Waters, Bobby “Blue” Bland, BB King and Big Mama Thorton, among many others. His passion for music and his willingness to share his style with others has made him one of the most beloved bluesmen of our time.

Sam Berkow has a deep rooted passion for acoustical design & sound measurement. Sam began his career in the era in which very little practical information was written on the subject of acoustical measurement. He applied his knowledge to both indoor music events as well as those set outside. Over the years he used his experience to design the SIA-SMAART software. Sam’s work within the software has become a standard tool for the industry and one he is proud of. In more recent years Sam has designed concert halls with acoustic design such as the home of Jazz at Lincoln Center in

Skipper Wise is a recording artist and performer who saw the need to create cutting edge microphones that took advantage of the venue they were supporting, such as studios and large concert halls. Along with his partner, Martins Saulespurens, they formed Blue Microphones in 1995 and in the process created a new style and a new sound within the microphone market.  His professional music career has included work with several groups including the contemporary Jazz group Windows & Colour Club in the 1990s as well as a successful solo career.

Martins Saulespurens and Skipper Wise formed Blue Microphones in 1995 and set off to change the way people thought of and heard microphones. Their impressive line of innovative products with clever names and unusual styles, addressed issues studios and even large venues were having regarding achieving clarity and separation for each microphone and instrument. Martins was born in Latvia and trained in electronic engineering. In fact the company’s name is an acronym for Baltic Latvian Universal Electronics. Among the products engineered by Martins is the USB mic series including the

Jens Kruger is one of the world’s most technically accomplished 5-string banjo players who have worked with the Deering Banjo Company to create a more sophisticated instrument; one that could holds its own in a classical music concert. Jens has played the banjo is many settings and finds the challenge to be creating an instrument that can showcase overtones and sustain, which the folks at Deering have been working on for several years. The results have been amazing and Jens is very proud of his role in creating new instruments for future players to use.

Jack Wyatt was well known in the piano industry as the historian of the Piano Technicians Guild. In fact, when the PTG opened a museum in their home office in Kansas City, MO, Jack was there to take on the project of telling the important story of the organization’s contribution to the industry. Jack’s own career as a piano technician began in 1946 and he developed into a meaningful role within the industry. In 2004 he was inducted into the PTG Hall of Fame and three years later won the organization’s top service award, The Golden Hammer.

Spider Wilson began recording with Little Jimmy Dickens in 1947 and over the years backed nearly every performer at the Grand Ole Opry as a house band guitarist from the late 1950s until 2006. Spider was a sought-after studio musician playing guitar on recordings by country, rock and bluegrass greats such as Marty Robins, Ray Price and Dolly Parton, among others. He also endorsed several musical products over the years and attended the NAMM Show on and off for some 40 years. Spider became a legend by playing in the background for over 65 years!

Bob Williamson was involved in the piano and organ business since he was a boy. His father sold Baldwin Pianos out of his barn in Southwest Nebraska. The Williamson Baldwin store never had a store front but called on farms and local families directly. For over 50 years Bob and his father before him sold mainly in the same area of the state, making a strong base for Bob’s other side of the business, piano tuning and repair!

Jimmy (J.M.) Van Eaton was the house drummer for a little recording company in Memphis that began one of the centers of the birth of rock’n’ roll. Sun Records was formed by Sam Philips in 1951 and was put on the map when Elvis Presley began recording at Sun in 1954. Just a few months after Elvis left for RCA, J.M. was hired to provide the beat for artists, such as Johnny Cash, Roy Orbison, Jerry Lee Lewis and countless other performers. With sticks in hand, Jimmy laid the foundation for the birth of rock ’n’ roll at Sun Records. He played drums on “Whole Lot of Shaking Going On,”