News

Peavey Supports Racing for Cancer and Indy Family Foundations

Peavey Electronics sponsored the movie premiere of Winning: The Racing Life of Paul Newman at the El Capitan Theatre in Los Angeles, California, on Thursday, April 17, 2015. The event helped raise funds for motor sports non-profits Racing for Cancer and Indy Family Foundations while promoting Carolla’s new film.
Winning: The Racing Life of Paul Newman, is a documentary produced and directed by comedian Adam Carolla. It chronicles the 35-year racing career of Newman as both a driver and owner, and features Newman, Joanne Woodward, Robert Redford, Robert Wagner, Patrick Dempsey, Jay Leno, Tom Cruise, and many others in its cast.

May Is International Drum Month

Shannon Larkin, drummer for rock band Godsmack, is the 2015 Celebrity Spokesperson for the International Drum Month (IDM) “Roadie for a Day” prize. One lucky winner will have the opportunity to go backstage for a day with Godsmack drummer, Shannon Larkin, for a behind-the-scenes view of what it’s like to be a drummer on tour.

“I strongly believe in music education and want to share my experience on tour with a hopeful drummer. During this May’s International Drum Month, we will get more people engaged in playing drums, through the PlayDrums.com website and local music stores across the country,” says Larkin. “We are going to have a blast that day as someone gets to see the inner works of what I do for a living!”

SLM to Distribute Ponzol Mouthpieces

St. Louis Music has announced their appointment as the exclusive distributors of this excellent product for the United States and Canada.

“The Ponzol line of mouthpieces present a phenomenal option to retailers and players alike,” Says Craig Denny, vice president of Band & Orchestra at St. Louis Music. “They are machined extremely well, they are very consistent, and most importantly, they sound amazing. Ponzol Mouthpieces are well suited for playing in a variety of situations and hold their sound very well. They allow saxophonists to concentrate on musicianship instead of simply trying to play the saxophone.”

Free Tom from Mapex with MyDentity Kit Purchase

Mapex MyDentity custom drums is offering a free matching tom with any *MyDentity four, five, or six piece kit purchased during the promotional period of May 1, 2015 through June 30, 2015.

Mapex MyDentity custom drums are built in Nashville and offer a wide array of options for shell sizes, wood type, wraps, and hardware colors. The SONIClear™ bearing edge was added to the MyDentity line last year.

Casio to Sponsor 10th Annual ASCAP ‘I Create Music’ Expo

Casio America, Inc will be a sponsor of the 10th annual ASCAP ‘I Create Music’ Expo, a national conference for songwriters, producers, and music business leaders. Casio’s variety of electronic musical instruments – including key models from its Privia Pro, XW, and Workstation series – will be on display from April 30 – May 2, 2015, at the Loews Hollywood Hotel in Los Angeles, CA.

As part of the sponsorship, Casio will support the ‘She Rocks Showcase,’ an event hosted by The Women’s International Music Network (WIMN) where Dia Frampton, lead singer of the band Meg & Dia, is set to headline. In addition, event attendees (ASCAP members) will receive a 20 percent off coupon for select Casio products valid at Sam Ash Music Stores nationwide.

Breedlove Offers Customizable Instruments

Breedlove's Custom Sound Studio, inspired by Kim Breedlove, allows players to express themselves and their music through custom heirloom instruments with distinctively crafted sound.

Crafting your Breedlove Custom Sound Studio instrument begins with an extensive menu of rare and exotic tonewoods, state-of-the-art electronics, custom options, finish styles, inlay patterns, custom artwork, and hardware. 

No Plans for Additional Plant Closings from Peavey

On April 21, The Clarion-Ledger (Jackson, Mississippi) confirmed Peavey Electronics is not closing additional plants in Mississippi, despite reports suggesting that the company was moving manufacturing operations overseas:

The Associated Press in New York reported Tuesday morning that the Meridian-based guitar amplifier and musical equipment maker was closing its remaining two manufacturing plants and shifting those jobs overseas.

The report apparently originated from a press release from PPL Group and Myron Bowling Auctioneers announcing the auction of Peavey equipment.

GC Opens New Location in Kansas City

Guitar Center recently opened its newest retail location, a state-of-the-art musical instrument and technology center covering more than 7,000 square feet in North Kansas City, Missouri. The grand opening celebration took place at 7 p.m. on April 16 at 9188 NW Skyview Avenue, Kansas City.

Guitar Center’s Kansas City location features modern showrooms equipped with the latest products for musicians—from guitars, amplifiers, percussion instruments and keyboards to live sound, DJ, lighting and recording equipment. The store also provides customers with a vast selection of products and a dedicated staff with unparalleled musical knowledge and experience. 

Audio-Technica Provides Microphone Solutions for 2015 CMA’s

Caption: 2015 ACM Awards Male Vocalist of the Year winner, and Audio-Technica endorser, Jason Aldean. Photo by Mike Windle/Getty Images. 

Audio-Technica provided wireless solutions for the 50th Academy of Country Music (ACM) Awards, broadcast live on the CBS Television Network from the AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, Sunday, April 19, 2015. Three Audio-Technica endorsers – Male Vocalist of the Year winner Jason Aldean, New Artist of the Year winner Cole Swindell, and New Artist of the Year nominee Thomas Rhett – each performed using Audio-Technica’s Artist Elite® 5000 Series UHF Wireless System with the AEW-T6100a Hypercardioid Dynamic Handheld Transmitter during the course of the show.

GC Pro Supports Audio Alchemist Event

Guitar Center Professional (GC Pro) is preparing for the next event in the series hosted with New City, NY-based firm Audio Alchemist – a professional audio consultancy specializing in product development, training, and manufacturer support. Scheduled for Thursday, April 23, 2015, at 4th Street Recording in Santa Monica, the next event is titled “Food / Drink / Audiospeak.” Attendees will have the chance to demo top audio gear chosen by the world’s great recording facilities. Craft beer and Thai food will be offered to all participants. To reserve your spot at this special Audio Alchemist event, call GC Pro at 877-687-5404.

GC Pro/Audio Alchemist Los Angeles/Santa Monica event:

  *   Thursday, April 23, 7-10 p.m.
  *   4th Street Recording
  *   1211 4th St, Santa Monica, CA 90401

Celebrate Make Music Day on June 21


Music will fill the air on Make Music Day, June 21, as people take music into the streets, parks and plazas of 700 cities across 120 countries. Make Music Day continues to grow in North America with more than 25 U.S. and Canadian cities hosting citywide events. The daylong celebration of the original social network—music—is the perfect time for retailers and manufacturers to connect with new music makers.

With two months to go, everyone from smaller music retailers to some of the best-known names in music products and publishing including Alfred Music, Guitar World, Hal Leonard Corp., Hohner, Kala Brand Music, Making Music Magazine, C.F. Martin & Co., Yamaha and Zildjian are planning creative music making events. Many of these manufacturers are now taking their events nationwide. For example to commemorate Frank Sinatra’s 100th birthday, Yamaha is sponsoring a roving Clavinova Piano Bar in three Make Music cities where everyone is welcome to hop on board.

Nate Morton Shares Drum-Cam Footage from The Voice

Thanks to Pearl Artist, Nate Morton and his recently released drum-cam footage, you can now experience the thrill of banging away to the millions of viewers that tune into the NBC show, The Voice. The footage shows Nate performing the Sting classic, “If I Ever Lose My Faith in You” during Monday’s Top 12 Elimination Round, backing show competitor Brian Johnson.