By: Rick Landers
Photos by: Mike Davis
Summer’s here, NAMM is just around the corner and ready to stage the newest music gear and other products at the Nashville, Tennessee convention center from July 21 to July 23, 2011. This year, attendance is expected to reach over 12,000 visitors to the NAMM event, which will serve as a key focus for music merchants from around the world.
Guitar International has covered National Association of Music Merchants events for several years and the event is always exciting, with top performers showing up to gig, new products coming on line and the latest buzz about the music industry wafting through the air surrounding NAMM’s seminars and music industry sessions.
We caught up with Joe Lamond, President and CEO of NAMM, to get his perspectives about the organization he leads, his insights on the music industry and his own passion for music.
Joe Lamond (right) with VH1 President Tom Calderone
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Rick Landers: Let’s start with how you view the mission of NAMM. How is it evolving as world music markets open up while the demographics of North America change at the same time.
Joe Lamond: NAMM’s mission is to strengthen the market for musical instruments and related products. These changes only open up more opportunity for lifelong music making.
Rick: In a position like yours, where you not only have to track the challenges faced by the music industry in these recessionary times, I’d expect that you also hear inspiring stories where people or companies have creatively addressed the changing economic conditions. What stories within the industry have you heard that have given you some inspiration?
Joe Lamond: In NAMM’s 110-year history the only constant is change and the companies who have done well and survived are the ones who deal with change effectively. NAMM and its members have gone through World Wars, major shifts in musical genres, fads, trends, new technologies replacing older ones, etc. And through it all, NAMM members have been rolling with the changes.
Rick: There has been a lot of overseas sourcing of guitars in order to offer customers quality instruments at low prices, while at the same time this can result in people in America losing their jobs. Are there any situations where companies have developed win-win approaches to minimize net job losses or found ways to better leverage their American resources?
Joe Lamond: These are market forces that are at play for all types of business – we have members all over the world, and market forces will ultimately determine the best way for our members to do business. The job of the trade association is to keep providing value to our members through our services including trade shows, government relations, industry marketing and promotions as well as international work.
Rick: What does NAMM do to promote music for the new generation of promising musicians around the world?
Joe Lamond: For promising musicians, our industry just keeps delivering strong products to meet their needs. But, for those potential musicians out there, we have a wide range of programs for people of all ages and talent levels to experience the joy and benefits of playing music.
Rick: Overall, would you say Winter NAMM suggests the economic climate for the music industry is improving or are people still cautious?
Joe Lamond: You couldn’t help but notice the optimism from NAMM members. Our industry plows on through good times and bad.
Joe Lamond with Tony Bennett
Rick: You hosted an “Advocacy Fly-In” for NAMM members in Washington, D.C. this past May. What critical topics do you did you address and what outcomes do you hope to achieve?
Joe Lamond: Two issues; music education and funding for music and arts education; and ensuring that in the new bill, that music and arts remain core subjects alongside math and science and reading. Second is defending Members of Congress on this important issue affecting many industry brands right now.
Rick: I understand that the youth of India, a country with a surging economic engine, is beginning to embrace the rock ‘n’ roll culture. Does NAMM track music sales around the world in order to determine where new markets might open up to American instrument builders? How does NAMM promote music and the music industry in such markets?
Joe Lamond: Most all NAMM members do business globally now. I’ve been to India and they have traditional music and rock n’ roll too – same as we’ve seen in China. We get the leaders together and share best practices, research and PR stories and strategies to strengthen music education and the benefits of music making for everyone.
Rick: Summer NAMM doesn’t seem to have the vitality and high interest as Winter NAMM. Is NAMM coming up with creative ideas to boost the interest for the Nashville event?
Joe Lamond: Summer NAMM is a very different show than the NAMM show in January. Summer NAMM is a fall-winter holiday buying show, a networking show and an independent buyer show. To support this, we’ve created a new Top 100 Dealer awards event on Friday night of Summer NAMM.
Rick: What kinds of collaborative work or ongoing strategic alliances are there between NAMM and Musikmesse?
Joe Lamond: Personally I have a lot of respect for the Frankfurt Messe – they are very good at what they do. We work together on Music China, and now on our new NAMM Musikmesse Russia show. And we look forward to doing more with them in the future.
Rick: Are you aware of any misconceptions people in the music industry have about NAMM that you would like to address?
Joe Lamond: I think we’d like to be known for providing tremendous value to the music products industry. NAMM is one of the largest trade shows in the United States. We have educational programs that strengthen the market for our members, a robust government relations team, and NAMM University to help our members stay on top of the latest retail trends free of charge.
We give away hundreds of thousands of dollars of grants with a very small, but dedicated staff. NAMM is run by the industry – volunteers. Our 24-member Board of Directors gives so much of their time to help guide the association. In the end, it’s all about creating value for our members and the music industry.
Rick: When a new instrument company joins NAMM, what can they expect from their membership? And, in turn, what can members do to best support NAMM?
Joe Lamond: Teddy Roosevelt said it best – anyone engaged in an occupation has a moral obligation to improve conditions for their business. What can they do? They can get involved; serve on the Board, go to Washington, speak at a school board meeting. NAMM will support their efforts along the way.
Rick: Looking forward and in terms of your personal legacy, what contributions do you hope to make to NAMM, that you hope will most positively enrich the world of music?
Joe Lamond: I’m the luckiest guy in the world – Every day, I’m involved in activities designed to get more people making music and promote something that I’m deeply passionate – and I still get to play drums.
