Oral History Interviews

Diane Johnson, who was born in Brooklyn, was living on Madison Avenue when she landed a job at Music Merchandise Review (MMR). The magazine’s office was located just around the corner on Lexington Avenue so Diane could walk to work each day. She served as the Office Manager for MMR from 1979 until 1985. While working for the trade magazine, she met her husband, Martin Johnson, who had been the editor for a competing trade publication, Piano Trades Magazine (PTM).

Martin Johnson served as publisher and, at times, editor for Piano Trades Magazine (PTM) from 1959 until 1967. He studied art in school and became editor of the college newspaper, which gave him the idea of seeking a career that combined his two main interests, art and writing. He joined the publishing world in 1956 writing and taking photographs for American Printer Magazine and Printing Impressions before moving to Chicago to begin working in the music industry. Martin attended each of The NAMM Shows during his years at PTM and took most, if not all, of the photographs the magaz

Joe Abbati is a creative technologist/educator/electronic musician based in Miami. He has been a faculty member in the Music Engineering Technology Program at the highly acclaimed Frost School of Music for more than 20 years. As Director of the Contemporary Media Performance Studio he aspires to create new frontiers in the real-time performance of electronic music. Joe’s philosophy is that in the laptop, the convergence of tools for audio synthesis/signal processing along with creative multi-touch and gestural interfaces allows for a new definition of the term “instrument” – that

Shelly Berg is the Dean at the Frost School of Music at the University of Miami. Shelly is perfectly fitted for the position as his passion for the faculty, students and the ever-expanding programs and curriculum the school offers radiates off of him. The school has become one of the top music business programs in the country, a fact Shelly quickly credits his predecessors, including Jim Progris and Rey Sanchez. Shelly has been playing music since he was four years old and enjoyed a successful career as a studio musician, songwriter and composer for the film and television industr

Ira Sullivan was just three years old when he pulled his father’s trumpet out from behind the couch and began blowing into it. His father began teaching him how to play and by the time little Ira was five, he was playing in his grandmother’s church. His first professional gig came when he was only 12! Living in Chicago gave Ira many wonderful opportunities and the timing was perfect when his career took off as the Bebop era was in full swing. Ira performed with such jazz icons as Billie Holiday, Charlie Parker, Dizzy Gillespie, Art Blakey and Philly Joe Jones (to just name a few)!

Tim Smith grew up in a very musical family as his father and uncle both wrote and record music. In fact, his uncle, Arthur Smith, wrote two of the most famous instrumentals in modern country music (“Guitar Boogie” and “Dueling Banjos”). Young Tim was playing bass in his uncle's recording studio when he was just a mere 10 years old. Tim’s first instrument endorsement brought him to The NAMM Show when he was 16, playing in the Music Man booth! He became one of the most requested bassists in Nashville for several years beginning with his first session in the Music City in 1979, in wh

Rey Sanchez is a professor and the Associate Dean for the Frost School of Music at the University of Miami - one of the leading schools for music business programs. This special focus has allowed Rey to build many strong relationships within the music products industry, which has ultimately served to benefit his students. Rey has also enjoyed a very diverse and successful career in music, not only as a player but as a producer, musical director, composer, author and editor. For some time, Rey was the Director of Guitar Publications for Columbia Pictures Publications while also ope

Jim Progris attended the Berklee College of Music back in 1956 and witnessed firsthand the development of the school’s courses and programs over the years. He returned to the school to teach in 1964 and became Associate Dean in charge of the entire curriculum, which he found very rewarding. Within his own area of study, Jim focused on the art of arranging music. While Dean for Berklee, Jim used the Schillinger System of Musical Composition to great success. In 1968, Jim moved to Miami and began teaching at the Frost School of Music at the University of Miami. He stayed at the scho

Aaron Stang, like so many of us in the music industry, clearly remembers a very inspirational moment in the development of his passion for music. As a kid he was visiting Manny’s Music in New York when he met guitar hero George Benson. That special encounter was one of several that convinced Aaron he would be most fulfilled with a career in the music industry. Aaron went on to have a very successful career in music publishing working with Sandy Feldstein at Warner Brothers Publications, and on projects such as the Grammy award-winning Henry Mancini’s Pink Guitar (which features hi

Daryl Brooke opened a music store in Key West, Florida after retiring from the computer industry in 2012. The store was a dream of his and made perfect sense, especially considering his family always joked that he had collected enough gear over the years to supply his own store. Daryl’s passion began early in his life and the guitar was his first and only instrument. That passion continues to this day as evident by the fact that on most evenings, after the store closes, Daryl can be heard playing is steel guitar in a local bar or restaurant.

Jim Cliff remembers taking the bus into Minneapolis when he was eight years old to take accordion lessons.

Elisabeth Link, wife of Horst Link, played an important role in the success of Sonor - a company synonymous with quality percussion instruments. For many years, a critical part of the product palette has been the Orff Schulwerk instruments, which are used in classrooms all over the world. Elisabeth was responsible for the success of the Sonor instruments in schools. She married Horst, the third-generation owner of Sonor, in 1969, and made music education and pedagogy her calling.

Gerhard Klier’s grandfather, Anton Schrötter, owned a violin shop and workshop in Cheb/Eger. In the 1920s several of Gerhard’s relatives moved to the United States. His uncle, Roman Klier, ended up working for Wurlitzer repairing violins, while Gerhard’s grand uncle, Andrew Schrötter, opened a workshop in New York. Gerhard grew up in in the Czech Republic and went to school in Kraslice/Graslitz, specializing in building musical instruments. After a career in the research and development field at Amati, Gerhard was allowed to emigrate to West Germany in 1967.

Sebastian Dirr has relatives that play string instruments professionally, so it was only natural that they welcomed it when Sebastian decided to become a bow maker. After studying musicology, he started an apprenticeship at Paesold in 1988. Sebastian specializes in modern and historic bows. For Sebastian, the wood of a bow is most important, and he sources much of it from colleagues who are retiring. Sebastian is a founding member of the International Pernambuco Conservation Initiative (I.P.C.I.) which was founded with the goal to protect existing trees and to ensure future suppli

Thomas Hoyer is the product manager of string instruments and worldwide distribution for Paesold and Höfner. After receiving his master degree in violin making in 1998, he started in the Höfner master workshop. As a product specialist he later established production of violins in China and is now responsible for the productions in both China and in Germany. In his free time, Thomas still takes pleasure in building violins at home and enjoys travel around the world to meet his clients in person.

Karl Hoyer was born in Schönbach/Luby in the Czech Republic to a family of violin makers. As a child, he helped in his father’s workshop, and in 1944, went to the school of violin making in Schönbach where music lessons were part of the curriculum. When the family moved to Bubenreuth, Karl worked for Framus making guitar necks. His father, Andreas Hoyer, was a master violin maker and a good musician who founded the Bubenreuth Brass Band. In his 2019 NAMM Oral History interview, Karl Hoyer gives us a glimpse back in time with his memories about his father’s workshop.

Tilman Herberger was born in Leipzig to a family of music educators. At an early age, he was interested in electronics as well as music. While attending high school in socialist East Germany he decided to build a synthesizer out of radio parts, an electrical train set and parts of a defunct grand piano. By the time he started his studies at the Music Academy in Dresden, Tilman had developed a sequencer, a rotor box and a drum machine. A new department at the Music Academy Dresden was the perfect setting for Tilman’s innovative ideas. At the Studio for Electronic Sound Generation S

Ilse Fischer delivered orders for Kirschnek on her scooter to the luthiers of the music town of Schönbach/Luby. Her father, Franz Kirschnek, established the company which specializes in exporting string instruments in 1933. After a move to Klingenthal, the company expanded to add harmonicas and accordions to their portfolio. Then in 1956, Franz moved the family to Bubenreuth and began focusing again on fine string instruments. Thanks to good connections worldwide, the business survived and thrived even during economic downturns and major changes. Ilse took over after her father’s

Hans Herb was a student at the school for instrument manufacturing in Bubenreuth. After completing his studies, he worked at Hoyer and Grüner, as well as Höfner before opening his own workshop. In the beginning, Hans focused on building lutes and later specialized in top quality guitars. His son, Alexander, joined him in 2001 and together they have built a reputation for excellent classical guitars that are handcrafted from start to finish.

Ewald Hannabach can recall nearly every detail about the life of the luthiers in the famous music corner in the Egerland, which served as the center of production of stringed instruments for centuries. Ewald was able to witness firsthand the move of the Hoyer guitar shop from Schönbach/Luby to the American sector at the conclusion of World War II. At the time, he was an apprentice at the workshop of Benedikt Lang making cellos and double basses right across the street from Hoyer. After relocating to the West.

Jacques Gaudet was president of the famous French brass instruments production company, Antoine Courtois. Since 1789, the name Courtois has been synonymous with fine brass instruments. In 1917, Jacques' grandfather, Emanuel Gaudet, was a music publisher who acquired the company. When Jacques’ father took over, he moved part of the production facilities from their cramped quarters in Paris to Amboise. Then in 1990, Jacques became the company’s president. He modernized production and moved the remaining parts of the company to Amboise.

Paul Baronnat started singing in choirs beginning at the age of eight. As a singer of the permanent choir of the Paris Philharmonic Orchestra, he was approached by RCA to work for its classical catalog. In 1985, after 15 years at RCA, Paul started to work for the woodwind instrument maker Buffet Crampon, which was owned at the time by British music publisher Boosey and Hawkes. Paul then became managing director of Buffet Crampon in 1988. During his time at the company, Paul made it his job to think of the future. One of the many innovations he initiated at Buffet Crampon was the i

Dusti Dryer was just one year old when she was dubbed the world’s youngest musician. A photograph of her playing the harmonica, or rather holding it, was featured in a magazine and launched her career as a musician. Dusti took a liking to the drums and formed many small groups during her career, mostly all women, playing gigs in the Los Angeles area. Her groups were in highest demand during World War II when she played for army camps, clubs and ballrooms. In addition she played with many well-known artists such as the Andrew Sisters, Pinky Lee and Jimmy Durante. Dusti also appeare

Buford Jones has thoroughly enjoyed his career as a live sound mixer and FOH engineer for over 50 years. He toured in excess of 47 years with artists such as Pink Floyd, David Bowie, Eric Clapton, ZZ Top and Linda Ronstadt, just to name five. Buford pioneered mixing in stereo (in the early 1970s) and later did the same for mixing in surround sound (such as for Pink Floyd’s “Delicate Sound of Thunder”). Buford began his career touring for Showco, where he stayed for ten years before becoming an independent contractor where he was able to work directly with the artists.

Crystal Taliefero is primarily a percussionist, yet she plays many other instruments including the bass and several wind instruments. In 1986, she began her long association with LP, her first endorsement, and since that time has also promoted Sabian Cymbals and ProMark Drum Sticks. While touring with several top performers, Crystal has expanded her range as a percussionist to include bongos, timbales and the güiro. Among those she had toured with are Billy Joel, Bruce Springsteen and John Mellencamp.

Fred Vail was making announcements on a local radio station in Sacramento, California when he was just 12 years old. While in high school, he led the committee that brought bands to the school dances. One such band, The Beach Boys, had just recorded a few songs that were climbing up the charts but they did not perform much outside of the Los Angeles area at that time. Fred booked the band, which was a big success. He later played a vital role in promoting and booking the band over the next several years. Among his amazing experiences with the boys was being in the studio when Pet

Ricky Peterson is a lifelong Minnesotan musician whose family is deeply rooted in a characteristically “Minneapolis” sound. Ricky is best known for his 20 year association with saxophone legend David Sanborn, and for having produced, written and played keyboards for Prince. Peterson has also enjoyed live/studio associations with George Benson, Stevie Nicks, Bonnie Raitt, Billy Joel and Larry Graham, among others. Ricky arranged and produced the song “The Most Beautiful Girl In The World” for Prince as well as producing “Songs From The Night Before” for David Sanborn.

Max Jones is the official greeter at Bill Jones Music in Knoxville. He does his best to meet each person as they enter the store and won’t mind if the customers take a moment to rub his belly. The founders of the store, Bill and Marjorie Jones, adopted Max when he was just 3 weeks old and he grew up in the store. He is very comfortable around people, which helps each customer feel more relaxed as they shop for an instrument or ask about music lessons. In no time, Max became the official greeter and he became a great benefit to the sales staff for helping each person feel welcomed.

Marjorie Jones and her husband opened the Bill Jones Music store in Knoxville, Tennessee back in 1973. She joined Bill full-time in 1989 after raising their children, and in 2011, Marjorie became the manager of their music lessons. Over the years, she has developed deep relationships with their music teachers, which is a key element of their success as Marjorie takes the time to match each student with a teacher who fits their level and learning style.

Bruce Bartlett is the founder of Bartlett Audio and has designed an impressive list of microphones over his long career. He worked for Shure and Crown International, where he designed and engineered several key products including the boom headset microphone, used by artists such as Garth Brooks, the PZM boundary mics and the SASS stereo mic. Bruce is also a recording engineer and he during his NAMM Oral History interview, he spoke about the idea that the skills needed to create microphones align perfectly with the needs of a recording engineer. Both jobs require similar listening