FEATURE
Class is in Session
We feature many of the new, hot companies that exhibited at NAMM in January.
Gibson
Indictments Likely
Gibson Guitar is expected to face charges due to alleged illegal wood imports.
NRF Talks Jobs,
Jobs and More Jobs
The key to retailers' success for 2011 is, you guessed it, jobs. But a lot more was discussed at the 100th NRF Annual Convention.
It’s a Record!
We give you a huge review of last month’s NAMM show. Were retailers and manufacturers optimistic for the rest of this year?
MSR Exclusive Interview
Zildjian and Vic Firth have teamed up to form a percussion powerhouse. We met with Craigie Zildjian and Vic Firth at NAMM to give you all of the details about the merger.
Music Group's Master Plan
We get an exclusive look at the future of The Music Group, parent of Behringer, Bugera and more. We get an exclusive look at product launches, as well!
Knock it Off With the Knockoffs!
Counterfeit products are killing the MI industry. But one company is fighting back big time. We’ll tell you how badly knockoffs could affect the industry if left unchecked.
Music & Sound Award Nominees
We release the full list of nominees for Music & Sound Awards. See if your favorite product, person or company is nominated.
Taylor-Made For Europe
Taylor Guitars will sell all of its products directly to dealers in Europe beginning on Jan. 1. Find out why the big change was made and where Taylor’s European headquarters will be. We interview Brian Swerdfeger about it first.
We Cover it All!
For the second time, we honor instruments that get zero or little press...
A ‘Super’ Party on Kent Island
Experience PRS loaded up on celebrities, new products and much more. Get the full scoop...
‘Father of RMM’ Passes
Karl Bruhn, a tireless music industry devotee, mentored many and made awareness of health and wellness together a lifelong initiative.
Don’t ‘Skip’ this Story!
Skip’s Music Celebrates 30th Anniversary of its Special Event
I Just Wanna Bang
on the Drums All Day
Your One-Stop Shop For The Holidays!
Heathcare Provision Could
Be a Nightmare
America the Beautiful
Not Doubting Thomas
Mendello Retires, Thomas Named Fender CEO
Music City Mystery

Sharon Hennessey: Loves our industry, you will find out. She'll also tell you why she ultimately decided to join The Music People! And yes, she will definitely fill you in on her goals as a new NAMM board member.
Carla Alger: Being in the music industry is definitely the most exciting opportunity Carla Alger, chief financial officer at Two Old Hippies, has ever had. Find out why.
Dawn Werk:Dawn Werk, Alpha Books’ director of marketing, heads a group that is responsible for 450 non-fiction books. Now that’s a lot! Music is a small, but very important, part of that catalog.
Sonia Vallis: Sonia Vallis might be an only child, but she grew up with a sibling that has now become like another child to her.-
Catherine Polk
Cyndi Fritz
Janet Deering
Kathy How
Sarah Heil
Sue Avant

2008 is such a humongous year for anniversaries, it’s difficult to talk about all of them. Among those honoring milestones with numbers of years in business in parenthesis this year are Zildjian (385), Martin Guitar (175), Gretsch (125), Electro-Voice (80), Peterson (60), Samick (50), Vic Firth (45), Community Professional Loudspeakers (40), Orange (40), QSC (40), Seagull (25), Godin (25), PianoDisc (20), M-Audio (20), SWR (20) and Waves (15). Coincidentally, this magazine is also celebrating an anniversary. The Music & Sound Retailer turns 25 this year, and its sister publication, DJ Times, is celebrating its 20th
anniversary.

“All of the memories have been great,” said Vic Firth, who also received the Music & Sound Retailer Lifetime Achievement Award at NAMM. “I’ve enjoyed every moment of it. The future looks very bright for us. We continue to grow. We continue to expand our operations. I don’t see any end in sight.”

Said PianoDisc’s Tom Lagomarsino during a company press conference, “This year for our 20th anniversary, we have a number of new innovative products, programs, and technologies designed to increase the profitability of our dealers and enhance the PianoDisc experience for our customers. 2008 is the year of music content for PianoDisc.”

Plenty of cake cuttings took place during NAMM. Zildjian had a celebration at its booth with a cake during a NAMM press conference, when it also announced the debut of several new products you can check out in the next few months in our Product Buzz section. Peterson also celebrated with a cake and a visit from NAMM president and CEO Joe Lamond, who presented a plaque representing the company’s service to the industry to a tuxedo-clad Scott Peterson.

Of course, parties were a common staple of NAMM anniversary events. Orange threw a huge bash and also released 40 custom hand-wired 50-watt amps with unique tones. And to top that off, all 40 will have a different female’s name.

Community threw its own party, where food was in abundance and libations were flowing. The company toasted everyone who supported the company during the last 40 years during the party.

At Gretsch, several new products were launched to honor the anniversary, including guitars with the rare jaguar-tan finish.
Electro-Voice launched EV 80.com to celebrate its 80th anniversary. And the company released a CD that will benefit people who suffered from last year’s Interstate 35 bridge-collapse tragedy in Minnesota. Steve Vai and Los Lobos are among the performers on the benefit CD.

For more about the Music & Sound Retailer’s anniversary, please see our special November issue.

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