Music Trades articles from March 2004

Music Trades archives from March 2004

Does the industry price fairly?(Letters)(Letter to the Editor)
March 1, 2004... GREAT EDITORIAL. (Does the Industry Have the Confidence to Price Fairly?). Putting real-world examples with the gun case really drives the point home. It reminded me of the "free shotgun with purchase of an organ" promotions of years ago. ...

Be careful what you wish for.(Letters)(Letter to the Editor)
March 1, 2004... YOUR EDITORIAL "Watch What You Wish For" in the November issue is right on the money. As an industry we want growth but complain about the increased competition that comes with growth. I began my career in the MI/Pro Audio Industry in 1966...

San Mateo bans private-room karaoke.(Industry Briefing)
March 1, 2004... If you love karaoke but hate the way you sound, steer clear of San Mateo, where the City Council recently voted to ban karaoke performances in private rooms. Private karaoke rooms--soundproofed booths where late-night crooners can butcher Frank...

George Harrison autograph case settled.(Industry Briefing)
March 1, 2004... The estate of George Harrison has settled its lawsuit against a doctor it accused of coercing the dying ex-Beatle into signing a guitar belonging to the doctor's son. The settlement came ten days after the lawsuit was filed against Dr. Gilbert...

Amp ban reconsidered in Boston subways.(Industry Briefing)
March 1, 2004... Following heated criticism of new rules that prohibit subway musicians from using amplified instruments or horns of any kind, the Boston Transit Authority said it would delay the restrictions to allow for talks on the issue. "Any delay in the...

Sales advance less than expected.(Industry Briefing)
March 1, 2004... U.S. retail sales ended 2003 with a smaller-than-expected rise, the government said in early January, but other reports offered more cheer, showing a surge in manufacturing, fewer jobless claims, and Lame inflation. Although December's holiday...

The failure of zero-sum analysis.(Editorial)
March 1, 2004... Most of us tend to view the world in "zero sum" terms. We operate on the assumption that there is a fixed demand for any product or service and that business is simply a battle for market share. For every individual or organization that enjoys...

Quarterly retail sales data.(Market Intelligence)
March 1, 2004... What a difference a year can make. For the quarter ended December 31 2003, music retailers reported their strongest quarter-to-quarter sales increase since the third quarter of 1998. The 5.6% gain dealers racked up in the latest quarter comes...

So long Technics: consumer electronics giant Matsushita exits the keyboard business.(Industry Forefront)
March 1, 2004... MATSUSHITA ELECTRIC Industrial has announced that it will shutter its Technics Musical Instrument division and cease manufacture of all keyboard and digital piano instruments as of June 30, 2004. The decision marked the abrupt end of a keyboard...

Loud Technologies sells RCF speakers: mounting losses and stiff competition force divestiture, company to sharpen focus on Mackie, Tapco, and EAW lines.(Corporate Restructuring)
March 1, 2004... LOUD TECHNOLOGIES INC., formerly Mackie Designs, has sold RCF S.p.A. (formerly Radio Cine Forniture (RCF) S.p.A.) for approximately $620,000. The divestiture, which included the sale of the former RCF factory and administrative office in Reggio...

New website for Conn-Selmer U.(Industry Marketing)
March 1, 2004... IN ITS FIVE-YEAR HISTORY, Conn-Selmer University (CSU) has proven to be invaluable both for music-education students starting their careers and music educators looking to refine their skills and knowledge. Now CSU has a website where browsers...

Gibson custom division moves to Memphis.(Industry Forefront)
March 1, 2004... GIBSON GUITAR CORP. is moving its Custom, Art, and Historic Guitar Division from Nashville to its Memphis factory. The unit, which crafts custom, limited-edition, signature models, and historic reissues, has outgrown its 27,000-square-foot...

Fender to distribute snarling dogs.(Industry Forefront)
March 1, 2004... D'ANDREA HAS announced an agreement with Fender to distribute its Snarling Dogs wah pedals and stomp boxes through Fender's Wholesale Accessories Division. "We are very excited to carry this unique line of effects pedals," stated Jeff...

Major new product intros mark annual St. Louis Music sales meeting.(Industry Forefront)
March 1, 2004... NEW MODELS FROM Alvarez, Ampeg, Crate, Knilling, and SLM MarketPlace backed up by web and retail marketing programs were launched at the December 2003 St. Louis Music sales meeting amid the backdrop of another record sales year turned in by the...

NAMM float takes top honors at Rose Parade.(Industry Forefront)
March 1, 2004... THE MUSIC PRODUCT industry's contribution to the 115th Rose Parade, a first-time entry from NAMM, the International Music Products Association, and Sesame Workshop, was honored with the Isabella Coleman Award for Color and Color Harmony Through...

Rock legend helps design RKS guitars.(Industry Newcomer)
March 1, 2004... A STRIKINGLY DIFFERENT new line of guitars exemplifies the fruitful union of talented designers and talented musicians. Launched in 2001, the Thousand Oaks, California-based RKS Guitars was co-founded by Ravi Sawhney, CEO of RKS Design, and...

NAMM museum of making music honors Roland founder Kakehashi.(Industry Forefront)
March 1, 2004... THE MUSEUM OF MAKING Music named its fifth gallery after Ikutaro Kakehashi, founder and CEO of Roland. More than 80 of Kakehashi's close friends and colleagues attended the gallery-naming celebration on January 21, held at the picturesque...

J.D'Addario acquires HQ Percussion.(Industry Forefront)
March 1, 2004... HQ PERCUSSION, the manufacturer of practice pads and related percussion accessories has been acquired by J.D'Addario & Co. Founded by Rob Birenbaum, who also operates Drum Headquarters in St. Louis, HQ Percussion complements D'Addario's Evans...

Musicorp & Midco combine under one name.(Industry Forefront)
March 1, 2004... MUSICORP AND MIDCO, BOTH owned by MBT International, began the new year by combining under one name, Musicorp. Musicorp will offer more products than ever before, more distribution centers for faster delivery, more ways to shop, and more...

VH-1 continues commitment to "Save the Music" Foundation.(Industry Forefront)
March 1, 2004... INSPIRED BY NAMM-FUNDED research proving a link between studying music and academic performance, in 1997 the VH-1 music cable network launched the "Save the Music" Foundation with the goal of restoring music programs in school systems coast to...

Customer support available 12 hrs. a day.(M-Audio)
March 1, 2004... M-AUDIO, AN INDUSTRY-leading manufacturer and distributor of hardware and software for computer-centric musicians, has announced that its Customer Support team will now be available 12 hours a day from 7 A.M. to 7 P.M. Pacific Standard Time....

Retail sales event experts for hire.(Piano Distribution Associates)
March 1, 2004... THE BEST GUARANTEE FOR a successful sales event in the piano business is having a strong team in place from start to finish. With 35 successful years in the piano business, Larry Godwin is taking that strong team to piano dealers across the...

Doyle Dykes chooses BBE's DI-100x.
March 1, 2004... FINGERSTYLE VIRTUOSO Doyle Dykes, a longtime fan of BBE Sound's Sonic Maximizer, recently visited BBE headquarters to check out the new BBE DI boxes. He was immediately drawn to the DI-100x, a dual-purpose DI unit, and he took it home prior to...

NAMM teams with MENC to host consumer expo in Minneapolis.(Association News)
March 1, 2004... THE 59TH NATIONAL BIENNIAL In-Service Conference of MENC: The National Association for Music Education will take place April 14-18 in Minneapolis, Minnesota, and will include music industry exhibits, educational sessions, technology labs...

Tri-Technical adds 132 music retailers.(News Flash)
March 1, 2004... DAVID COX, PRESIDENT of Tri-Technical Systems, has announced that 149 retail stores have been added to its list of users on AIMsi POS Software during 2003, with 132 of these being music retailers. ("AIMsi" stands for Accounting and Inventory...

Digidesign acquires bomb factory digital.(Industry Forefront)
March 1, 2004... Digidesign, a division of Avid Technology, Inc., has acquired the assets of Bomb Factory Digital, Inc., a manufacturer of real-time audio DSP effects for the Digidesign Pro Tools platform. Terms of the deal were not disclosed. Renowned...

Mason & Hamlin shipments up 25%.(Industry Forefront)
March 1, 2004... IN THE THIRD QUARTER OF 2003 Mason & Hamlin piano shipments were up 25 percent over the same quarter of the previous year. Executive Vice-President Tom Lagomarsino credits the strong showing on an improved economy and consumer confidence:...

BRTB prospers in Canadian market.(Industry Forefront)
March 1, 2004... BRTB was founded in 1967 as a European manufacturer of electronic and electrical components. Today the company consists of two divisions, Electronics and Audio. The Electronics Division is an IBM-approved manufacturer of cable assemblies,...

Highway Marketing #1 Sennheiser rep.(Industry Forefront)
March 1, 2004... SENNHEISER ELECTRONIC Corporation presented both its 2003 "Rep of the Year" award and "Most Improved Territory" award to Highway Marketing of Dallas, Texas, during the recent NAMM Convention in Anaheim. Covering the states of Texas, Oklahoma,...

Drum Workshop's customers help the environment.(Industry Forefront)
March 1, 2004... DRUM WORKSHOP, INC., recently announced the company's largest onetime contribution to its successful "Buy a Drumset, Plant A Tree" program. A total of 3,062 trees were planted as part of domestic and international reforestation projects....

Industry vet Musselman buys American Way.(Acquisitions)
March 1, 2004... INDUSTRY VETERAN John Musselman has acquired American Way Marketing, from Margriet Slinkard. Slinkard and her late husband Chuck, founded the Elkhart, Indiana-based company, which distributes school music accessories and specializes in...

BOSS launches "8 Million Sold" campaign.(Industry Forefront)
March 1, 2004... BOSS, A LEADER IN guitar effects and stomp boxes, has kicked off its "8 Million Sold" campaign for BOSS compact guitar pedals. The celebratory launch will include a massive web push, targeted print exposure, and a partnership with legendary...

Samick to acquire 46% interest in Young Chang.(Industry Forefront)
March 1, 2004... ON FEBRUARY 3, Jay Kim, chief executive officer of Young Chang Akki, announced that his company had entered an agreement with J.S. Kim, chairman of Samick, to sell approximately 46 percent of the company's outstanding shares for $30 million....

Guitar center net surges 47% on 18% sales increase.(Retailer Update)
March 1, 2004... STRONG SALES GROWTH AND operational improvements at its three divisions contributed to a record fourth quarter and year for Guitar Center. For the fourth quarter, Guitar Center saw net income surge 47.1% to $19.7 million compared to net income...

First act sues Brook Mays, charging "defamation".(On The Legal Docket)
March 1, 2004... FIRST ACT, BEST KNOWN for selling musical instruments to Wal-Mart and other mass merchants, has filed suit against Brook Mays Music, charging the Texas-based retailer with conducting a "smear campaign" and defaming the image of First Act. Mark...

Candidate Dean visits Harvey's Music.(Retailer Update)
March 1, 2004... A FEW DAYS BEFORE the Democratic primary in New Hampshire, Harvey's Music in the town of Milford welcomed a particularly high-profile customer: presidential hopeful Howard Dean. The visit wasn't quite a surprise, since an advance crew from...

Big new "coop" for Buffalo Bros.(Retailer Update)
March 1, 2004... ALONG WITH ITS AWESOME selection of guitars, Buffalo Bros. is known for the wacky sense of humor of its owners, Bob and Tim Page, and stall/ So its customers could hardly be surprised that the store's new home, still in Carlsbad, California,...

Piano Mill closes doors.(Retailer Update)
March 1, 2004... THE PIANO MILL, a Boston-based retailer, closed its doors late last year. Launched by Jim Hamilton and Dick Orr as Baldwin of Boston in 1991, the company rebadged itself as the Piano Mill in the late '90s as Baldwin Piano & Organ's financial...

Chicago judge slaps Biasco for deceptive advertising.(Retailer Update)
March 1, 2004... DUPAGE COUNTY CIRCUIT Judge Bonnie Wheaton recently ruled that Biasco Piano Company's advertising violated Illinois deceptive trade practices and ordered the Chicago area piano retailer to cease and desist immediately. Retail advertising...

Sennheiser honors musician's friend.(News Flash)
March 1, 2004... SENNHEISER ELECTRONICS Corporation named Musician's Friend its 2003 MI Product Catalog Dealer of the Year at the recent NAMM Show in Anaheim. "Having the world's largest catalog and online music gear company showcasing your product line to...

Digital pro audio opens Poughkeepsie m.i. store.(Industry Newcomer)
March 1, 2004... DIGITAL PRO AUDIO, a six-year-old web-based computer audio and pro audio dealer, will open a brand-new retail store in Poughkeepsie, New York, on March 1. The new store will be called InTune Music and will be located in a 2,000-square-foot...

Top film scorer a loyal customer.(West L.A. Music)
March 1, 2004... AWARD-WINNING FILM composer Ron Grant has been a valued West LA. Music customer for over 20 years. "West L.A. Music has been a great help in keeping me up to date with the advances in technology that are indispensable m film scoring," said...

Steinway Gallery and Mercedes-Benz celebrate joint anniversary.(Retailer Update)
March 1, 2004... AS PART OF ITS SPONSORSHIP of the Tallahassee Symphony Orchestra, The Steinway Piano Gallery of Yallahassee joined with Capital Eurocars to celebrate the 150th anniversary of Steinway & Sons. Four grand pianos from the Steinway & Sons Crown...

Boston Organ & Piano top Schimmel dealer.(Retailer Update)
March 1, 2004... SCHIMMEL PIANO RECENTLY honored Boston Organ & Piano (BOP) as its #1 dealer worldwide for the third straight year (2001-03). BOP was also the #1 dealer in 1999.

Steinert's to open in West Hartford.(Retailer Update)
March 1, 2004... BOSTON-BASED M. Steinert's & Sons has leased space for a new piano showroom in West Hartford, Connecticut. The 4,900-square-foot store, which will carry Steinway & Sons, Boston, Essex, and Kohler & Campbell pianos, is slated to open in late...

West Music buys Simons of Moline.(Acquisitions)
March 1, 2004... WEST MUSIC COMPANY, based in Coralville, Iowa, has acquired Simon's Music in nearby Moline, Illinois. John Simon, former owner of Simons, will continue with the company on a part-time basis as director of institutional sales. With the...

More fun than Disneyland! Great seminars, Mariachi Divas, new marketing concepts, products that blow your mind, and a whole lot more make NAMM the best show on earth. If you missed it, too bad. Better luck next year.(Bob Popyk On Selling)
March 1, 2004... There was so much to see at this year's winter NAMM show, that even four days might not have been enough, time to see it all for fulltime dealers. This month's Music Trades magazine is loaded with highlights from the show, but there were a few...

A very good start! For the past three years, the music products industry has struggled against the headwinds of economic uncertainty, war, and rising unemployment. However, a strong fourth quarter and a vibrant NAMM show provide hope that better conditions lie ahead and that 2004 will be a year of improving sales growth.(NAMM Show Report 2004)(Cover Story)
March 1, 2004... Maybe they were inspired by the surprisingly strong holiday sales season. Maybe they were looking for an excuse to flee the arctic weather that gripped the Midwest and East. Or maybe they were just sick and tired of griping about tough...

Exhibitors rate NAMM the NAMM show.(NAMM Show Report 2004)
March 1, 2004... NAMM shows have long been described as the ultimate barometer for gauging industry performance and outlook. Pack several thousand industry members under the same roof for four days straight, and you're sure to get a rough idea what kind of mood...

Apple enters the M.I. market!(NAMM Show Report 2004)
March 1, 2004... WITH 1,340 EXHIBITS spread out over nearly 20 acres of convention center, one of the biggest challenges faced by NAMM show exhibitors is just getting noticed. However, this was a problem that Apple Computer managed to sidestep. Huge crowds...

CD players with the vinyl feel.(NAMM Show Report 2004)
March 1, 2004... OVER THE PAST DECADE, advancing digital technology has revolutionized just about every facet of music and audio, enhancing sonic quality, delivering improved effects, and providing unprecedented flexibility in recording and editing tracks....

Fender dealers celebrate the Strat's 50th.(NAMM Show Report 2004)
March 1, 2004... MARKING THE 50TH anniversary of the Stratocaster guitar, Fender hosted a gala dinner and awards ceremony for 25 of its more than 1.500 dealers throughout the U.S. and Canada. Entertainment was provided by the fine Arizona-based contemporary...

Mohawks on a dare.(NAMM Show Report 2004)
March 1, 2004... THE GANG FROM Dana B. Goods sported Mohawk haircuts that they'd dared each other to get for their appearance at NAMM. "We can't out-Sterling Sterling," said company President Dana Teague, referring to Sterling Bali's custom of donning...

Some peace & quiet at NAMM?(NAMM Show Report 2004)
March 1, 2004... HOW MANY DRUMMERS does it take to play quietly? If you ask Peace Drum Company Marketing Director Kevin Packard, he'll tell you "about 75." At least that's how many assembled to observe each heat of the Quietest Drummer contest Peace staged...

Roland Organ Power extravaganza.(NAMM Show Report 2004)
March 1, 2004... MORE THAN 1,000 LOVERS OF organ music packed the Carpenter Performing Arts Center in Long Beach, California, for Roland and Rodgers' sixth-annual Organ Power concert. Some of the world's most celebrated organists performed a diverse and...

GAMA continues to expand guitars in the school.(NAMM Show Report 2004)
March 1, 2004... IT'S HARD TO IMAGINE THE guitar being any more popular: It's on music video channels and radio 24 hours a day, it's the staple instrument of the world's best selling recorded music; and consumer surveys consistently show that 60 to 70 percent...

PMC streamlines for stronger results.(NAMM Show Report 2004)
March 1, 2004... AT ITS ANNUAL MEMBER MEETING during the NAMM show, the Percussion Marketing Council announced a new structure intended to better serve the organization's charter. The traditional executive positions of president, vice-president, etc. have been...

NAMM museum honors Henry Z. Steinway.(NAMM Show Report 2004)
March 1, 2004... SIX YEARS AGO, WHEN NAMM launched the Museum of Making Music at its Carlsbad, California, headquarters, the association tapped Henry Z. Steinway, retired CEO of Steinway & Sons, to head the effort. Aside from having perhaps the industry's most...

Yamaha's Clavinova Connection aims to create new music makers: "recreational-based" instructional program holds promise of attracting a legion of adult amateurs to the keyboard.(NAMM Show Report 2004)
March 1, 2004... TWO HUNDRED OF Yamaha's top piano dealers convened for a day-long sales meeting immediately prior to the NAMM show. Like most dealer gatherings, the well-produced presentation featured the introduction of several new products, most notably the...

What do guitarists want?
March 1, 2004... AT PAUL REED SMITH GUITARS, employees, from company founder Paul Smith on down to the craftsman working in the custom shop, obsess over a single question: "What do guitarists want?" At a special product unveiling at NAMM, Paul Reed Smith...

Remo honors top sales partners.(NAMM Show Report 2004)
March 1, 2004... REMO HELD A MEETING AT NAMM to discuss the company's progress and direction with its dealers. President Brock Kaericher presented awards to the company's top distributors in three categories: Davitt & Hanser, the U.S.; Percussion Center (of...

NAMM allies with Boys & Girls Club.(NAMM Show Report 2004)
March 1, 2004... TAPPING INTO THE infrastructure of 3,300 neighborhood facilities coast to coast NAMM, has forged an alliance with the Boys & Girls Clubs of America to launch an after-school music program called "Get the Music Edge." Working specifically with...

National Piano Finance offers thanks.(NAMM Show Report 2004)
March 1, 2004... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] National Piano Finance & Leasing Company held a gala reception for the program's outstanding dealers. The business recently entered into a strategic partnership with Cornerstone Capital Corporation, which invested...

Remo salutes retiring McCausland.(NAMM Show Report 2004)
March 1, 2004... REMO HOSTED A PARTY honoring Vice-President Lloyd McCausland, who is retiring from the company after 40 years of dedicated service. Company founder and CEO Remo Belli commented, "Over the years Lloyd contributed not only to Remo Incorporated,...

Selling solutions, not components: at annual distributor meeting, Harman taps expertise from all its divisions to provide more value to the end-user.(NAMM Show Report 2004)
March 1, 2004... THE HARMAN PROFESSIONAL Division is made up of a diverse portfolio of audio companies--JBL loud-speakers, Soundcraft mixers, BSS audio, Crown power amps, Digitech and Lexicon signal processing, and AKG microphones--that were carefully assembled...

Profit potential with computer music.(NAMM Show Report 2004)
March 1, 2004... ANYONE WHO DOUBTS the capabilities of computers and recorded music has only to spend an hour or so trolling the aisles of the software section of the NAMM show. Steinberg, Cakewalk, Emagic, and MOTU are just a few of the companies offering...

Yamaha grooves with "Hagi".(NAMM Show Report 2004)
March 1, 2004... YAMAHA'S GROOVE NIGHT, always a NAMM show highlight for drummers, took on special significance this year. In addition to showcasing arguably the drum industry's most star studded endorser roster, Groove Night 5 paid tribute to the man who...

Pearl River piano performance awards.(NAMM Show Report 2004)
March 1, 2004... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] PEARL RIVER TOP DEALER AWARD--Leonard and Lynn Hannah, Hannah Music; Phil Kennedy; John Garrison, v.p. sales. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] PEARL RIVER SALESMAN OF THE YEAR AWARD--Phil Kennedy, John Garrison, v.p....

Steinway builds on 150th anniversary with pre-owned piano program and peace piano.(NAMM Show Report 2004)
March 1, 2004... "THANKFULLY, I THINK we can all agree that 2003 ended up to be quite extraordinary," remarked Steinway & Sons President Bruce Stevens to dealers gathered at the manufacturer's annual dealer meeting. "It didn't start out that strong and it...

Pianodisc's Lagomarsino heads Piano Manufacturers Assoc.
March 1, 2004... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] PIANO MANUFACTURERS ASSOC. INTERNATIONAL honored outgoing president Terry Lewis with a special awards ceremony at the association's annual meeting during the NAMM show. Above (l-r) are: Tom Lagomarsino, president,...

We will be at the top!
March 1, 2004... AS DETAILED IN A FEATURE in the February issue of The Music Trades, J.S. Kim has led a textbook turnaround at Samick Music Corp., taking the piano and guitar maker from bankruptcy courts to profitability in a little over a year. However, Kim's...

Legends join "Sabian Live".
March 1, 2004... AT ITS ANNUAL DRUM-LOVERS bash, a NAMM show tradition now known as Sabian Live, the cymbal maker announced Lifetime Achievement Awards to Vanilla Fudge's Carmine Appice, groove master Bernard Purdie, fusion pioneer Billy Cobham, and famed...

Eminence opens new market for replacement speakers.(NAMM Show Report 2004)
March 1, 2004... TAKING A CUE FROM the Guitar industry, where players demand choice and control over tone, Eminence Speaker has unveiled a new line of speakers that allow players to dramatically manipulate the sound of their favorite guitar amps. Incorporating...

Kawai celebrates innovation, awards, and Indonesian expansion at annual dealer event.(NAMM Show Report 2004)
March 1, 2004... KAWAI CONTINUED A TRADITION that is now in its 41st year with an evening of food, fine music, and awards for its entire dealer network at the NAMM show. "All of us at Kawai know that our company is only as strong as the dealer network that...

New Sennheiser mics "Shocked" at NAMM.(NAMM Show Report 2004)
March 1, 2004... FOLK/ALTERNATIVE ROCKER Michelle Shocked "demonstrated the dynamics" of Sennheiser's new evolution Wireless Generation 2 microphone at a NAMM show press conference. G2's broader switching bandwidth (36 MHz) makes 1,440 channels available,...

First-ever International Bassist Award honors Jaco Pastorius.(NAMM Show Report 2004)
March 1, 2004... A FITTING TRIBUTE to legendary bassist Jaco Pastorius was one of the most musical events at this year's NAMM show. Sponsored by Samson, Hartke, and Zoom, the first-ever International Bassist Award (IBA) was given posthumously to the legendary...

Hot "sail" at NAMM?(NAMM Show Report 2004)
March 1, 2004... TO PROMOTE ITS NEW GE Keyboard Financing Program, NAMM oversaw daily drawings for a Caribbean cruise throughout the show. Prior to the show GE Retail Sales Finance mailed out a key to more than 500 keyboard dealers. When the dealers arrived at...

Zildjian "cymbal-izes" Gadd's sound.(NAMM Show Report 2004)
March 1, 2004... ZILDJIAN HELD A PRESS conference to introduce its new K Custom Session line, which was developed with input from legendary drummer Steve Gadd. The line currently includes 13" hi-hats, an 18" ride, and 16" and 18" crashes. The ride...

Lowrey takes aim at senior market with major cable TV campaign.(NAMM Show Report 2004)
March 1, 2004... THE AMERICAN SENIOR Network, a cable television program that reaches millions of seniors nationwide, will soon cant programming sponsored by The Lowrey Organ Company. Beginning this year, Lowrey will sponsor the network's Nostalgia Theater...

Wyman pianoforte debuts at 2004 winter NAMM.(NAMM Show Report 2004)
March 1, 2004... IN WHAT SEVERAL HAVE described as "an historic moment," Wyman pianos were officially introduced to the piano industry at the 2004 NAMM Show in Anaheim. The company display featured the new Wyman Pianoforte 5'7" grand piano, Model WG 170 in...

Yamaha hosts young talent.(NAMM Show Report 2004)
March 1, 2004... YAMAHA TOOK ADVANTAGE of the crowds at NAMM to showcase three budding artists participating in its acclaimed Junior Original Concert (JOC) program. The featured performers included eight-year-old Sarah Kunstman, a student of Held Music in...

Suzuki honors top retail performers.(NAMM Show Report 2004)
March 1, 2004... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] THE SUZUKI STAFF--Matt Harpster, Matt Polley, Randy Hobdy, Barbara Nahlik, Ron Hobdy, Jack Watson, Ernie Cataldo, Carol Jones-Zadel. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] COLTON PIANO & ORGAN, Santa Clara, CA, received a...

Schrader new Ultimate Support COO, Ostendorf to head marketing.(People)
March 1, 2004... JIM DISMORE, CHAIRMAN and CEO of Ultimate Support Systems, has announced key additions to company's management team. Ken Schrader, who has over 16 years of senior management experience in consumer products, is the new president and COO....

Al Rich named pres. of Pearl River Piano.(People)
March 1, 2004... INDUSTRY VETERAN Alfred E. Rich has been named president of Pearl River Piano Group America. Simultaneously he was named vice-general-manager of Guangzhou Pearl River Piano Group. Rich is returning to Pearl River in these new capacities after a...