Oral History Interviews

Elliot Scheiner was hired by famed record producer Phil Ramone of A&R Recordings in the fall of 1967 to assist with engineering. The career path seemed perfect for Elliot and he soon developed into one of the most noted recording engineers of his time. During his career he earned several Grammy Awards and TEC Awards for his excellence in the field of audio engineering, raising the bar for all others with his professionalism, attention to detail and his care in bringing the best he has to offer to each and every project. 

Ed Roman opened a guitar store in Las Vegas after a successful career in the motorcycle industry. What he learned about that business and the customer base he found, he could easily apply to his guitar store. He soon expanded his store to a company which also manufactured instruments. Ed pioneered Internet guitar selling and was one of the first to offer complete custom guitar building. Even after several decades in the music industry, Ed remained passionate about guitars.  

Jack Ripperger was the director of marketing for the Hammond Organ Company for seven years, at the height of the home organ boom in the United States during the 1960s and 1970s. During his time in the industry Jack played a vital role in increasing the promotion of African-American musicians who were already using musical instruments but who were not getting recognition from the manufacturing and suppliers of the products. He began this effort with jazz pianist Jimmy Smith who at the time was producing a string of hits using the Hammond B3.

Hillel Resner wrote for Mix Magazine for several years before the idea of creating a special award for audio engineering came into existence. Hillel worked alongside David Schwartz, the founder of Mix, to establish what is now known as the TEC Awards. The goal behind the awards is to recognize excellence in the Pro Audio world and over the years has become a coveted prize for those who design and produce recording equipment. When Hillel left Mix he became the president of the TEC Awards Foundation, and under his leadership the organization established the Les Paul Award as well as

Arnold Poppenberg was hired by the Winter Piano Company as a traveling salesman in 1959, the same year he attended his first NAMM Show. He remained with Winter for ten years, but went on to rep for several other piano companies in the industry making him one of the most successful piano travelers with territory that covered the entire United States –at least once! Arnold was also an active member of the National Piano Travelers Association, which was originally formed in 1904 and has had their annual meetings and dinner at the NAMM Show ever since.  

Jim Petercsak grew up in New York and recalls the days he visited the Henry Adler Music Shop, and how he became so passionate about drumming and music that he made it his career. Jim has inspired thousands of students through his music teaching career, as well as his role as a past president of the Percussive Arts Society. Over the years Jim has also written several books including one on the double bass drum with jazz legend, Louis Bellson. 

Thomas Parnell formed an independent music rep firm at a time when few such firms existed. Tom wanted to focus on providing tools and ideas to his dealers to grow their business in order to make his own business a success. His dedication and passion for the dealers has been a strong element of his growth and development over the last 30 years, however strong relationships with the suppliers has played a vital role in his ability to provide the type of products his dealers needed at a price their customers can afford.  

Hai Muradian sang in his Kindergarten class and soon realized he really wanted to be on the stage to entertain people. After singing and playing flute in rock bands as a teenager, Hai began working in the studios and touring with several bands for several years until he landed a job at a local music store. While at the store he was introduced to the Coast Wholesale salesman and the idea appealed to Hai. He remained with Coast until it was sold to Kaman where he remained as a dealer rep, which he always has enjoyed.  

Yoichi Minagawa began his career in the music industry in 1961 on the sales floor of a large music store in the heart of Tokyo. Minagawa-san soon met Moridaira-san, the founder of the company he would later manage and run. Moridaira-san (who passed away in 2011) became a mentor to Minagawa-san and someone he credits for helping him establish his own successful career in the music business. In recent years Minagawa-san expanded the business while continuing the meaningful traditions set by Moridaira-san.  

Buddy Merrill played the pedal steel guitar on the Lawrence Welk TV program from its start in 1954 until he left the show in 1974. Buddy played Fender products while on the Welk Show, which was an exciting time as several key instrument innovations were released during this time, including the Stratocaster. His passion for music and musical products started as a child when he played alongside his country-western singing father, Les Merrill. After leaving the Welk Show, Buddy worked in the movies and wrote background music for many years.

Al Marinaro has helped define the role of the independent rep in the music products industry for over 40 years. Al’s passion for music and the industry has played a critical part in his quest to raise the bar for customer service and attention to the details that matter most to the musician who makes the purchase. Along the way Al has assisted others who have needed help and advice in the ever changing field of independent rep’ing and has done so with the highest respect to the industry he has come to serve.  

Manny Lopez was known around the world as the King of the Cha Cha Cha for his 1950s band and hit records dedicated to the dance craze, but Manny’s musical career was far more than just the Cha Cha. Manny was a highly regarded Latino bandleader who wrote several songs that have been recorded by others and used in several movies over the years. His musical performances graced the stages in Las Vegas, Cuba and Los Angeles beginning in the late 1940s and continuing into the early 2000s. In addition to his performances, Manny built several musical instruments that he used on stage and

Ron Larcombe formed a rock band with his friends while in high school and fell in love with music. He toured the United States and Canada with several tribute bands before deciding he wanted to try selling drums and other musical products. Ron worked in music retail at The Drum Shop in 1984, rising to manager before later buying the store while attending night school to gain his degree in business. In 1991 he formed his own percussion wholesale business, which expanded within a few years to include several other musical instruments.

Tsunesaburo Kurosawa had a deep passion for instrument building and became one of Japan’s leading classical guitar luthiers. The success of his guitars led him to establish a showcase for his instruments, and he soon opened his own shop in Tokyo. This achievement was followed by a second location. As sales increased, Kurosawa-san expanded his craftsmanship to include folk and even electric guitars to meet the growing demands of his customers.  

Kiyokazu Ishibashi is proud to be in the music products industry and to follow the path of his father, who started the business following World War II. The music store was small in the beginning and in fact first carried sporting goods as well as musical instruments. When Kiyokazu was just 12 years old his father passed away and his mother began running the business. During his years as head of the business the number of locations has grown to 15 stores and includes a strong music lesson program as part of his business model to develop and encourage music makers.  

Werner Hotan has a background as a radio technician and worked in a music retail store in Switzerland before he began working for Mr. Sacher. Werner learned about drum making and many other instruments from Mr. Sacher, who was a legendary percussionist. As the rock and roll movement was increasing in Switzerland in the late 1960s, Werner helped increase the products in the shop, which was a wonderful success.  

Jon Hammond's career is a testament to his musical prowess and unwavering passion for the industry. With more than 40 years of experience, Jon has not only graced the stage alongside legendary musicians but has also revolutionized the music retail landscape as a clinician and product artist. Born in Chicago and raised in Berkeley, California, Jon's musical journey began at age 9 with accordion lessons, eventually leading to his first gig at a senior citizens’ luncheon at 11. By 1971, Jon's musical odyssey had taken him to new heights, as he performed with bands like Hades and shar

Bill Gray was a music major in college and played drums professionally before joining the industry. Bill worked in music retail and as a manufacturer’s rep, which provided valuable experiences for him before he joined the Slingerland Drum Company in 1977. Bill combined his backgrounds to open a music company finance business he named BGE, providing services for school music dealers and their customers. 

Ken Edgington had many friends in the music industry, several of whom suggested he be included in the NAMM Oral History program, but when approached Ken was rather humble about his role in the music business, “are you sure you have the right guy?” Ken worked for the Baldwin Piano Company in Ohio during the home organ boom and into the final days of the company. He was later active as the manager of Viscount Church Organs in Montana. His interview provided a meaningful account of the changes in the piano and organ business as well as the development of newer markets. Ken passed awa

 Dorothy Demmers was proud of the volunteer work she and her husband Bill provided the NAMM Foundation’s Museum of Making Music. For over a decade she gave her time and talents by providing tours of the museum to all ages of visitors. Dottie also helped run the museum store, created and managed the historic files for the volunteer program as well as assist with many museum events. She and Bill also volunteered countless hours in organizing the archives within NAMM's Resource Center. Dottie passed away on February 12, 2021, two months to the day after her husband Bill, who also vol

William Demmers volunteered for the NAMM Foundation’s Museum of Making Music for over ten years. During that time he provided tours as a trained docent to guests of all ages. His own background in music was fascinating. As a teenager Bill played trumpet in a traveling big band in the Mid West, played bugle as a service man during World War II and the Korean War and at one point also played the double bell euphonium. His volunteer efforts for NAMM also include dedicating hundreds of hours to the Resource Center where he worked on, among other projects, the Oral History collection.

Lou Curtiss was a long time supporter of American folk music and in fact, he helped coin the phrase “roots music.” For over 30 years he created, arranged and promoted the annual folk music festival in San Diego beginning in 1967. Lou also hosted a jazz radio program as well as running his rare record shop in San Diego for over 40 years. His vast knowledge of the growth and development of American music was nothing short of amazing as were the many stories he told of promoting music and the music makers he worked with for over 50 years.  

André Cotelle is the president of the French retail and wholesaler The Arpegès Company. The family-operated business has been a well-respected wholesaler in and outside of France for many years. André and his wife worked side by side until her passing in 2009, and for many years André’s children have been active in the business including his son, Pierre, who is the director of sales. Their first retail store location was in Paris with a second location in Sens. As the company grew it expanded to musical instrument distribution with products made by the likes of Korg, Alesis and Pe

Evelyn Conrad is the president of Tone King, a company her parents started in the early 1950s. Her father was innovative in manufacturing guitar bags and a line of accessories. By the 1970s he had branched into distribution for eight major music companies and by 1976 he took on the Ernie Ball line of products. Within a few years her father passed away suddenly, leaving it up to Evelyn and her mother to run the company. Evelyn has successfully headed the company for over 30 years and clearly enjoys her role in the music products industry.  

Ray Benson and two friends formed a country rock band in 1970 called Asleep At The Wheel. Ever since that time Ray has continued to play with the band, which has seen nearly 100 musicians come and go, but Ray remained! His colorful career has had its highs and lows, most of which he has expressed in song over the years including in the 1975 hit “The Letter That Johnny Walker Read.” In more recent years Ray has worked with Willie Nelson and others on Asleep At The Wheel material, which has continued to find a growing audience for over 40 years.  

Drew Armentrout worked in music retail for years before being hired by the Roland Company to work in the electronic drum division. His early experience served him well as he viewed both the musician’s and retailer’s points of view when developing and marketing products for Roland. Drew’s passion for music can be traced back to his childhood and after all these years in the industry his passion is as strong today as ever! 

Marco Alpert has had a fascinating career in the music industry and lucky for the NAMM Oral History collection he shared many of his stories with us. Marco was an electronic music composer in Los Angeles when he happened to meet the two founders of E-mu. Marco was hired to promote the innovative synthesizers that Dave Rossum and Scott Wedge were creating for E-mu. Marco was later involved with other amazing products and companies working on several of the most influential musical products during the last 30 years.  

Jim Hennessey was working for Kaman Aerospace when he was transferred to the Ovation Guitar division. There, he collaborated closely with Charlie Kaman on several projects before moving into Ovation’s advertising department. Jim later expanded his responsibilities by leading the company’s endorsement program, helping sign more than 300 artists to Ovation during the 1970s. After leaving Kaman, Jim founded The Music People in 1979. What began as a distribution company steadily grew into a successful manufacturing operation.

Joe Marinic played in several rock bands while in school and became fascinated with the electric guitar. As a teenager he began building his own amplifiers and pickups for his guitar. After working for the Framus Guitar Company for several years, Joe had the opportunity to form his own company, which he called Shadow Electronics. The company has played a vital role in the industry since it began in the early 1970s and Joe remains as passionate about music as he was as the young teenager building his first pick up.  

TM Stevens was a prominent figure in the music industry, celebrated for both his design and endorsement of musical products and his illustrious career as a musician. His passion for encouraging young people to engage with music was well-known, and he dedicated many years to this mission. TM's impressive career included collaborations with legends such as Miles Davis, Tina Turner, The Pretenders, and James Brown, alongside his own group, Shocka Zooloo.