On September 2, we received the following from NAMM‘s Dan Del Fiorentino:
It is with a heavy heart that we note the passing of our member and friend Mr. Manji Suzuki. Suzuki-san passed away August 21, 2020 at the age of 97.
Suzuki-san had a deep passion for the music industry. He was the founder and chairman of Suzuki Musical Instrument Manufacturing Company in Hamamatsu, Japan. The company began as a harmonica maker and over the years developed innovative instruments such as a full line of wood harmonicas for music education. His passion and personal mission was to introduce music into the lives of young people. During the 1980s he purchased the Hammond Organ Company and for the first time ever brought in the Leslie Speaker Company under the same ownership. Those on hand for the recording of Mr. Suzuki’s NAMM interview had a real sense of history, as his career was revolutionary on many levels.
