Despite the absences of some past exhibitors, NAMM 2024 was awesome. The numbers show 62,000 attendees, 33% more than in 2023, but still far from the record 115000 attendees in 2020. The number of exhibitors also increased: 33% more than in 2023.
PRS Guitars is reopening for factory tours in January 2024 for the first time since 2019. The PRS factory tour starts in Rough Cut with raw wood blanks and goes through every step of the electric guitar build process in Maryland. The tour also covers PRS SE Series inspection and the PRS amplifier department.
The Les Paul Foundation presented the “Early Days of Multi-Tracking” with presentations by Grammy winning record producer and sound engineer Steve Rosenthal and curator Perry Margouleff. Rosenthal spent time discussing the work on Les Paul’s collection of recordings at the National Audio-Visual Conservation Center
In light of his passing, the iconic bluegrass guitarist ,Tony Rice, continues to make headlines. Paying homage to the Virginia-born guitar legend was flat-picking sensation Billy Strings. While playing Tony’s prized Martin D-28, he announced during his concert that Camp Springs Bluegrass Park would hold a two-day festival to honor Tony.
The Dark Side of the Moon is one of the most celebrated albums of all time and has sold over 50 million copies worldwide. It is widely considered one of the most influential and groundbreaking albums ever. Pink Floyd have released a new deluxe box set including CD and gatefold vinyl of the newly remastered studio album and Blu-Ray + DVD audio featuring the original 5.1 mix and remastered stereo versions.
A Night At The Family Dog held on February 4, 1970, featured the brightest three lights of the Bay Area, Jefferson Airplane, Grateful Dead and Santana. These three bands would define a scene that had the whole world wondering what exactly was going on in the Haight-Ashbury section of San Francisco. A Night At The Family Dog starts with two iconic Santana performances before Grateful Dead covers Otis Redding.
The NAMM TEC Committee is pleased to announce pioneer and bassist extraordinaire Carol Kaye as the recipient of this year’s Les Paul Innovation Award alongside top hitmaker, producer, and performer, Peter Asher, who will be inducted to the NAMM TEC Hall of Fame. The Les Paul Innovation Award is given on behalf of the Les Paul Foundation to honor individuals that have set the highest standards of excellence in the creative application of artistry
PRS Guitars is proud to announce the opening of its new artist showroom at Soundcheck Nashville on March 14, 2022. Nashville has long been a city that attracts incredible musicians of all styles, and PRS guitars have become a staple for those professional recording and touring musicians, providing inspiring tools that consistently provide the highest level of performance.
Music Rising, the charitable organization co-founded by U2’s The Edge and producer Bob Ezrin, along with ohyay, an immersive virtual event platform, have announced an exclusive promotion for Music Rising fans. The giveaway will offer fans a chance to win a rare, limited edition Music Rising Epiphone electric guitar signed by U2’s The Edge.
The hands down winner of our Guitar Book of the Year 2021 goes to Lisa S. Johnson’s beautiful book, Immortal Axes – Guitars That Rock, a tome that took significant research, miles on the road to meet with guitarists, guitar techs and other guitar gurus
