Music Products

Tanya Ogsbury was often brought to her father's banjo workshop as a small child. She later spent summers in the Colorado mountains with her father as he designed new and innovative banjos for his line, first Ode Banjos and later Ome Banjos. After earning a degree in Chinese, Tanya realized that she really wanted to do was to represent her father’s instruments. Embracing the philosophy of quality materials and attention to detail, Tanya helped build the company’s dealer base and looks after the business side of the shop, including their dedicated and artistic staff.

Walter Pawlikowski was born in Maruszyna, Poland, not long after World War II. His older brother John became a well-known violin repairman and luthier, which inspired Walter to follow in his footsteps.  John immigrated to the United States in 1971 and found a job at Kagan & Gaines Music store in Chicago as a repair technician. Just ten years later Walter immigrated, also landing at Kagan & Gaines. After decades of repairing other luthier’s instruments, it was important to Walter to design and build his own unique violin model.

Leng Tshua has played an important role in the piano industry both in the United States and his home country, Singapore. His passion for music began when he was inspired by his aunt playing the piano. Her enthusiasm and those melodies stayed with young Leng, who went on to take lessons. He entered the piano industry in 1993 when he was hired by Sherman Clay in Washington state. The retail store was the perfect setting for Leng to learn the inner workings of the piano as well as his skills in sales and marketing. After running his own store, the Steinway Piano Gallery of Tucson, Ar

This vignette highlighting the Krell Piano Company is representative of the many “gems” of history from the Music Products Industry throughout the collections gathered in the NAMM Library and Resource Center.  Krell, like many other companies and families comprising the Music Products Industry, developed wonderful connections and experienced amazing growth during different periods of operation.

William Gard (1915-1987) served as the NAMM Executive President for over 35 years, beginning right after World War II.  In fact it was Mr. Gard who helped re-open NAMM’s offices, which had closed its doors for two years during the war.  Those were critical times for NAMM and his leadership guided the growth and development of the organization and the industry!  This vignette is comprised of several interview segments taken from those who knew Mr. Gard, including Larry Linkin, who Mr.

Band Instrument Repair Technicians are always working behind the scenes to save the day when instruments come in damaged and in need of some repair.  They are the ones that have all the crazy and interesting stories, like in this clip you will hear a story about how a police officer once ran over someone’s tenor sax.  They are very crafty with creating different tools to fix an instrument.  Enjoy this vignette of Julie Jurgenson, Craig Anderson, Nick Rail,

Out in the village of Bubenreuth, Germany lays the incredible history of a group of independent luthiers who in reinventing themselves after World War II helped produce hand-crafted musical instruments that inspired music and music makers ever since. Within the NAMM Oral History collection we have captured several interviews with those who were there and who spoke of this important gathering of instrument builders. Here is a ten minute video vignette that highlights this incredible story.

jj Babbitt Co. Inc. was established in 1919 by Jesse James Babbitt and as of 2019, as the family owned and operated company embarks on their 100th year in business, they are preparing for the fourth generation to take over the business. As one of the world’s oldest manufacturers of mouthpieces for clarinets and saxophones, they create their mouthpieces based on the principle idea that craftsmanship is the key to creating a superior product. Located in Elkhart, Indiana, jj Babbitt Co. Inc. is a staple in both the local community and in the music products industry. NAMM is honored t