Oral History Interviews

David Cox was a software engineer who decided to create a computer solution for music retailers’ accounting and rental management. David created Tri-Technical Systems, Inc in 1984 and focused on designing software to meet the needs of music stores, which he now admits required more attention than most other stores in terms of their needs. For example, he is proud of the solutions he came up with to address the rental program needs of music retailers, which is now a standard component of his products.  

Michael Compernass is the president of the Hoyer Guitar Company in Germany. Michael focuses on the history of the company’s innovative products, particularly those created by Arthur Hoyer in the late 1940s until his passing in 1967 and Arnold’s son, Walter, who ran the company for a decade. Michael has become a historian on the models and the materials used in making these important and coveted instruments. The company was established back in 1874 by Franz Hoyer who began making acoustic guitars and selling them in and around Germany.  

Graham Butterworth has spent a few decades in the British music industry. He has worked with both retailers and suppliers alike and has witnessed first hand changes to the industry that have impacted the music business. Along the way he has also developed many life long friends. Graham was one of the first publishers to create a magazine for a very focused group of musicians such as magazines dedicated for audio engineers, guitarists and drummers. 

Jack Bullock has always enjoyed bringing music to young players. His long and well-respected career as a composer of works for bands and his method book established him as one of the leading writers for the music publishing industry. Working with Columbia and Frank Hackinson in the early days he developed over his career nearly 700 publications. The Columbia catalog was owned by Warner Brothers and later bought by Alfred, which continues to publish his material.  

Roger Bucknall is an instrument maker who formed Fylde Guitars, which is located in Penrith, England, not so far from the Scottish border. Roger’s long and well regarded career as a guitar builder began as a teenager, although he actually made his first guitar when he was just nine years old. Roger’s love of tool making, woods and the process of designing and hand crafting instruments, is more than his job, it is indeed his passion.  

Theo Boylan hailing from a quaint town 80 miles from Chicago, cultivated her musical prowess from an early age, immersing herself in the exciting realms of piano and oboe performance. Her passion for classical music blossomed at the piano during her formative years, eventually evolving into a fulfilling career path. Employed by Thoroughbred Music in Clearwater, Theo's innate talent merged seamlessly with her dedication to bringing the joy of music to people of all ages. During the piano sales surge of the mid to late 1990s, Theo honed a distinctive customer service approach that r

Graham Blyth began playing music at the age of 4 and studied electrical engineering in college, which led to his final paper on the topic of electronic organs. While writing the paper, Graham visited a local organ company and met friends who helped shape his ideas of having a career in the music industry. Graham built his own mixers, which were used by the Kinks and other bands. As the idea of a company grew from their product creations it was given the name Soundcraft Electronics and grew into a very successful and innovative company for the industry.  

Andy Bereza was on the team that created the now famous Portastudio products for TASCAM. In fact, Andy is credited with the mixer’s first blue prints as well as coming up with its clever name. The product forever changed the industry by offering a small mixer for home and road use. His work with TASCAM resulted in several products as did his association with Fostex and before that for the famed Allen & Heath Company. Andy’s mixing boards led him to work with several British musicians and bands such as Pink Floyd as well as with master engineer Yoshiharu Abe.  

Mary Ellin Barrett was the oldest of Irving Berlin’s three daughters and the author of the 1994 book, Irving Berlin: A Daughters Memoir. During her NAMM interview she and her sister Linda Emmet spoke of their father’s business side including his publishing and role as a founder of ASCAP. Mrs. Barrett also provided some interesting insight into her father’s career as one of the most beloved songwriters in American popular music history.

Don Banks was a band director who felt he could have more of an impact on music makers by providing them with quality instruments. In 1967 he opened Don Banks Music in Tampa, Florida to serve the local school bands. Over the years he expanded the store to include a full line of product offerings and repair service for all musicians. Don’s son, Mitchel, joined the company right out of school as did Don’s grandson.  

Rod Argent had an idea for a new sound, a new band in a new era of music. After creating a group and writing songs to perform and record, Rod’s dream of a new style of rock was born (with the help of his fellow countrymen, the Beatles). His group, the Zombies, helped change the face of music and scored several hits in the 1960s including “She’s Not There,” “Tell Her No” and “Time of the Seasons.” After the group dissolved, he formed the band Argent, which toured and recorded for nearly a decade before he reestablished the Zombies for world tours in the 1990s and early 2000s.

Grace Altieri has a background in law but was willing to put that career on hold when her husband decided to open a drum shop in Tampa. AJ was working for a local music store and was really growing the drum segment of the business, so, when a chance came along to open his own store he jumped at it. Grace soon took over the books, the sales and sheet music department and found that as the store grew so did her love of the industry. Grace recalls many meaningful memories of the ten years she and AJ owned the store including several late night jam sessions and successful clinics in t

AJ Altieri began working in the music retail business in the mid 1970s after a childhood filled with music. He played in bands as a student along with being a Drum Major, before performing in area rock bands. He began working in Elliott Rubinson’s Thoroughbred Music in Tampa, Florida. AJ was asked to manage the small drum area of the store, which under his direction over the next decade outgrew the space. The success led to the idea of his own drum shop one day, which became a reality in 1995 when Thoroughbred Music was sold. AJ and his wife Gracie opened AJ’s Pro Percussion Shop

Frank Alkyer has asked a lot of questions. As a writer and editor of Music Inc., he has interviewed music retailers and suppliers alike. In addition as a writer and editor for DownBeat Magazine, Frank has interviewed countless jazz and big band performers. With this background, you can imagine how meaningful it was for the NAMM team to have the opportunity to interview Frank for the Oral History program. Frank has been an active member of the industry supporting music educational programs, as well as professional development efforts such as the series of sessions he has hosted at

John Musselman enjoyed a long and successful career in the music industry with Selmer, Leblanc and American Way. His zeal for the industry and understanding of international markets proved to be a key factor in the growth of the companies he was involved with over the years. Along the way he established many friends within the industry, remarking in his interview that “I can’t imagine being in any other industry but this one.” The advice and ideas John offered to this interview program over the years havebeen greatly appreciated. 

Whitney Brown Grisaffi proudly serves as the president of Ted Brown Music, a revered Tacoma, Washington-based retail establishment founded by her grandfather. Her unwavering dedication and fervent passion for the business shine through in her exemplary relationships with customers, staff and industry peers. Following in the footsteps of her late father, Warren Brown, Whitney actively participates in industry associations, contributing her insights and leadership as a board member for NAMM and as the second female president of the NASMD board. Her innovative ideas have bolstered in

Lee Anderton’s grandfather started a small music store that Lee now runs, Anderton Music in Guildford, England. During Lee’s early years in the business, he worked to make the Internet and other challenges work for him as he focused on customer service and quality products.  With his attention to details and a strong interest in employee training, Lee continues to grow the business and support the industry through such channels as MIA programs.  

Bruce Perrin is the Managing Director for Barnes & Mullins, located in Oswestry, England. The company was formed in 1895 and published the famous banjo magazine called “The Jo.” The company soon expanded to produce their own brand of banjos as well as importing instruments. Bruce became director of the company in 1986 and moved the company in 1999 from London to its current location in Oswestry, Shropshire. A decade later Bruce and Brian Cleary achieved a management buy-out of the Barnes family. Over the years Bruce has been an active member of the British Music Industry and a

Gary Stewart Hurst is known around the industry as “Gary the Fuzzman” for being the inventor of the Tone Bender fuzz pedal, which he began producing in the 1960s. Jeff Beck and Jimmy Page started using Gary’s Tone Benders in 1965 and soon demand for his fuzz pedals came in from around the world.

Ronnie Drumm had a full and fulfilling life in music! As a child he picked up the trumpet, which he played during his time as a big band leader, musical director and educator. Ronnie worked with a who’s who of entertainers such as Steve Allen, Bob Hope and Jack Benny as well as a long stint as musical director for the Ringling Brothers Circus. He opened his own music retail store, which his son, Rick Drumm, worked in as a kid before himself becoming a leader within the music products industry. Ronnie is most proud of the teaching he did in both the school programs as well as priva

Abbott Buegeleisen and his late brother ran the music wholesaling business that his father formed in New York City. Abbott’s father and a friend, who soon after passed away, combined their names to form Buegeleisen & Jacobson. B&J became a strong force in the industry by providing accessories and top line instruments such as accordions from Italy after World War II. Abbott recalled working in the company before the war, but made his mark with his brother after the war by expanding the product line and increasing their dealer base in much of North America. Abbott’s intervie

Russell Beacock is president of Beacock Music, a Vancouver, Washington-based retail store that was established by his parents, Dale and Susan, back in 1976. Proudly representing the second generation of the family owned business, Russ works alongside his sister Gayle. Together they have expanded the business, which has a strong focus on school music, as well as being able to compete with the Internet and big-box stores in their area. Russ is also very active in organizations within the industry such as NASMD and NAMM.  

Theo Dollmann was the sales representative for Schott Music, the famed music publisher located in Mainz Germany. He joined the company in 1939 and continued to work for the company past his retirement. During his NAMM Oral History interview, Mr. Dollmann recounted how the manuscripts and important documents of the Schott company were saved during World War II by the hands of employees (including him) who hid the documents in a protected building. He also recalled meeting and getting to know some of the composers that worked with Schott’s, such as Carl Orff. His was a life full wit

 Big George Webley was a beloved voice over the BBC for many years who often included many of his own incredible musical experiences in his late night radio program. As a session bassist, George played for recordings, television and the movies. As a composer, he wrote for many BBC broadcasts in London. His many friends included Frank Zappa, for whom he performed with on several occasions. Among the very interesting views Big George provided in his NAMM Oral History interview, he outlined what he thought were some of the most significant changes in the industry since he first began

Ron Escheté grew up in and around Houma, Louisiana and, during his NAMM Oral History interview, reflected, “I was never taught the blues, it was just something all around all the time. Playing the blues to me is like walking or breathing air.” As a musician, Ron developed a unique style on both the seven-string guitar and standard guitar, performing with artists including Buddy Greco, Ella Fitzgerald, Sarah Vaughan, Diana Krall, Dizzy Gillespie, and Milt Jackson among many others. As an educator, Ron taught at several universities and was among the first instructors at Musicians I

John Stiernberg was active in the music industry for decades and provided services as a consultant that he developed from his experience and relationships. Before establishing his consulting firm in 1993, John was a rep for an audio equipment company as well as a marketing manager. His goal to encourage passionate music makers to improve their business skills resulted in the book Succeeding In Music: Business Chops for Performers and Songwriters published by Hal Leonard.  Sadly for all of us, John passed away in the Fall of 2017 at the age of 66.  His legacy continues.

John McCrea was born and raised in Billings, Montana, where he first discovered his passion for music. He played the clarinet and was inspired by his band director to teach music in public schools, which John did for 35 years. By the time he retired from teaching, he and his family were living in La Mesa, California where he and his wife opened McCrea Music. One of John’s sources of pride was the fact that he brought music to the lives of so many students and customers over the years. Another source of pride came from the fact that his son Gentry is following in his footsteps

Dodie Stevens loves to sing and has for as long as she can remember. Her parents told her she was singing before she talked. Dodie grew up performing on radio and early TV dance programs. In 1959 she had her first big hit, “Tan Shoes and Pink Shoelaces,” which was followed up by “No” and “Yes, I am Lonesome Tonight.” Dodie later sang back-up for several performers, including songwriter Mac Davis for over 12 years. In recent years has been a vocal teacher in Vista, California, just north of San Diego.  

Norman Marshank joined his father’s independent manufacturer’s representatives full time after serving in World War II. His father, David, formed Marshank Sales in Los Angeles in 1920 and over the years the company grew as did the pro-audio industry. Norm took over the business and oversaw its growth during the home audio craze of the 1950s and the home recording popularity in the 1970s. His son Gary took over the family firm when Norm retired and continues to focus on customer service and quality products just as Gary’s grandfather had in the beginning.