Dunlop Manufacturing, Inc. is excited to announce the acquisition of GrooveTech Tools. For more than 25 years, GrooveTech Tools has been providing musicians with professional-grade tools that would be welcomed on any shop floor.

When starting the brand, tool enthusiast Dan Parks designed each and every product according to the absolute dependability required by his two lifelong passions—riding motorcycles and playing bass. Getting stuck on the side of the road with a broken-down bike is out of the question—and with GrooveTech tools, you won’t be stuck on the side of the stage when the lights come on. That’s why legendary guitar manufacturers and the world’s top techs rely on GrooveTech Tools for the highest standard of instrument care. Dunlop will honor that same commitment to quality and reliability, and Dan will remain on the GrooveTech Tools team as a consultant to help develop new products for the line.

“While considering a landing spot for GrooveTech Tools, Dunlop was the first name that came to mind,” Dan said. “I’ve been both a fan and customer of Dunlop for decades, and I am super happy they felt the same way about us.”

Get the full story here:

https://www.jimdunlop.com/products/accessories/groovetechtools

GrooveTech Tools highlights:

• Precision tools for musical instruments
• Easy to use for players of any level
• Built to last in the workshop and on the road
• Trusted by legendary guitar manufacturers and the world’s top techs

GrooveTech Tools are available from retailers worldwide or directly online from www.jimdunlop.com.

The Music People — manufacturer of the On-Stage brand of musical-instrument accessories and distributor of over 200 pro-audio, video, and lighting brands through TMP-Pro — have announced the retirement of Co-Chairwoman Sharon Hennessey, Co-Chairman John Hennessey and Controller John Gutowski, a group that served over 100 combined years leading the company.

Jam Industries — a leading value-added pro-AVL distributor in North America and global MI product  supplier which recently rebranded as Exertis | Jam — acquired The Music People in 2020.

“We were so proud to acquire The Music People—simply an excellent industry-leading company with an exceptional team. We were equally proud to have the Hennesseys join our organization and now wish them all — Jim, Sharon, John and John Gutowski — a well-deserved retirement. We hope to continue to develop on the Hennessey legacy for many years to come,“ said Stuart Frenkel, President and CEO of Exertis | Jam.

Sharon Hennessey and John Hennessey joined their family’s business, The Music People, in 1989 and 1991, respectively. Sharon’s career was primarily focused on sales and growing the On-Stage brand into one of the most respected MI brands in the world while John’s focus was making TMP-Pro an elite pro-audio distributor in the United States. Although they led the organization for many years previously, in 2016 they were formally named Co-Presidents.

“It seems strange and yet fitting that my sister and I retire with my father, Jim, from the company he started 43 years ago. I have had but one job in my life that lasted 31 years and resulted in my whole career. I started by stamping ‘battery not included’ and essentially did or directed every job since. We persevered, resolved, adapted, created, collaborated, supported and stepped aside in awe of the team that is now The Music People. What started as a rejected idea became a family business through years of hard work and wonderful relationships with employees, customers and suppliers,” said John Hennessey.

“The time is right for us to step aside. We are proud and appreciative to have had the pleasure of working with the best team in the industry, which is just beginning to hit its stride. Much was accomplished from creating and carrying innovative products — ultimately it is the relationships and the team that feel most significant. My father has always been smart, hard-working, lucky and ahead of his time. Somehow, he knew when he named the company The Music People it was going to be all about the people. We thank our team, customers and suppliers for all of their support over the years, as well as the enduring relationships we’ve shared,” said Sharon Hennessey. A retirement reception was held March 30, 2022, to honor their many accomplishments. Due to Covid-19 restrictions which prevented a celebratory gathering after his retirement in 2020, Founder Jim Hennessey was also honored at the event.

Tom Tedesco, who was promoted to President and CEO in November 2021, said: “All of us at The Music People could not be happier for Jim, John, Sharon and John. We are forever grateful for the contributions they made toward creating the amazing company we are all proud to be a part of today. Their passion will remain the foundation of our culture forever.”

 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.

PRS is excited to further strengthen its connection to local professional musicians through this new space.

“The PRS Guitars Nashville showroom will provide an easily accessible, inspiring space for musicians to connect while fostering a deeper relationship between PRS and artists in the Nashville region,” said Bev Fowler, PRS Director of Artist Relations.

Located at the legendary Soundcheck Nashville studios, known for being the home of the famed CMA awards, the new PRS showroom is equipped with the latest offerings of PRS guitars and amplifiers for artists to check out or to borrow and test on the road. PRS will also be offering guitar tech work to qualified artists.

The PRS Guitars Artist Relations team is excited to share their passion for the instruments with old friends and new friends alike. The showroom will be open to artists Mondays, Tuesdays, and Wednesdays from 10:00 AM – 6:00 PM and by appointment. To learn more about what PRS Artists are up to, visit https://prsguitars.com/artists.

The D’Addario Foundation is honored to announce the launch of the Bridge Fund, a new initiative focused specifically on bridging the gap between access to music education and the Black community, which has been historically ignored and too often denied access to these life-changing programs. 

For over 40 years the D’Addario Foundation has fought to overcome the decimation of music education in America’s schools by supporting innovative community music programs that not only restore access to music education by breaking down all barriers to entry, but nurture youth development, mentorship, and leadership. 

Looking at the landscape of music education funding over the past twenty-five years, we can see that budget cuts disproportionately impact school districts that serve students of color, immigrant students, and low-income communities. 

“The damaging consequences of COVID has only exacerbated the need to address the enormous gap in educational resources and opportunities,” says D’Addario Foundation Executive Director, Suzanne D’Addario Brouder. “We honor the values and needs of communities by launching the Bridge Fund that very intentionally identifies and supports innovative, immersive, and accessible music programs in Black communities. In particular, we seek programs that take place after-school and are available multiple days per week – elements that very clearly contribute to higher levels of engagement and academic achievement as an actionable solution to “bridging” this gap and giving every student a chance to reach their highest potential.”

Programs supported through this fund include the Sphinx Performance Academy (Detroit, MI), Cleveland Institute of Music’s Musical Pathway Fellowship (Cleveland, OH), Buffalo String Works (Buffalo, NY), Atlanta Music Project (Atlanta, GA), HARPS Foundation (Richmond, VA), Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra’s Nouveau Program (Cincinnati, OH), Project STEP (Boston, MA), The Roots of Music (New Orleans, LA), Soulsville Foundation’s Stax Music Academy (Memphis, TN), West Point School of Music (Chicago, IL), and many more. 

One of the newest grantees who recently was awarded support from the Bridge Fund is West Point School of Music’s Urban Music Makers program. It is a Black-led and Black serving band and steel drum program engaging urban youth through free in-school and after-school music instruction and performance. Their goal is to build bands at multiple schools that students will be proud to call their own.

100% of every donation goes directly to funding these programs; administration costs are absorbed by the D’Addario & Company. All programs have been curated over decades based on their ability to deliver three things: inspiring a child’s musical ability, lifting their self-worth, and elevating their academic performance. Contributing to the Bridge Fund can help lead children on a path to higher education and a more aspirational future. 
To learn more and donate to the Bridge Fund, please visit: https://ddar.io/BridgeFund.PR.

 Fender Musical Instruments Corporation (FMIC) announced today the appointment of Matt Janopaul as Chief Financial Officer, who will report directly to Andy Mooney, Chief Executive Officer.  Janopaul succeeds Jim Broenen who retired in December 2021 after a distinguished 15-year career with the company, with the past 13 years serving as CFO. With the transition from private equity to the long-term capital provided by Servco Pacific, Inc. (Servco), FMIC’s investor since 1985, Janopaul’s focus will be centered around key strategic growth initiatives. These include continuing to deliver growth consistent with culture-driven brands, optimization of FMIC’s global footprint from a sales and supply standpoint, the development of a consumer-focused digital ecosystem that incorporates products and software from its recent acquisition of PreSonus. 

“I am pleased to welcome Matt Janopaul as FMIC’s new Chief Financial Officer,” said Andy Mooney, FMIC CEO. “He has been a valued partner to the company for many years through his role initially at Weston Presidio, and more recently at Servco. Matt has extensive knowledge of FMIC’s history, current operations and future growth plans. His financial acumen, leadership experience and company knowledge will facilitate a smooth transition in FMIC’s finance function, and enable him to quickly contribute to FMIC’s world-class leadership team as we support the 16 million new players that have joined our community in the last two years.”

“One of my first comments to Fender’s Board of Directors upon joining the company in 2015 was: ‘For a company its size, the finance function way out-punches its weight class,” said Mooney. “Jim’s leadership of the finance department at FMIC has been exceptional. He built a world-class team that has guided the company through challenges, and set the stage for our current success. However, Jim does more than lead the finance function, much more. He’s been a trusted advisor to FMIC’s executive team in general, and to myself in particular. Every key decision made over the last six years was made with his counsel and guidance. Jim has developed many personal friendships over the years. I consider myself fortunate to be his friend, and believe our friendship will be lifelong. It’s been my privilege to have worked with him, and I wish him, his wife Gina, and his family my very best wishes for the future.”

Janopaul brings a unique perspective and longtime partnership to FMIC, joining from his most recent role as Managing Director of Servco Pacific Capital (SPC), the direct investment arm of Servco Pacific, Inc. (Servco), the largest for-profit private company in Hawaii. SPC’s largest investment to date is the majority ownership of FMIC. Since 2001, Janopaul has held various roles with Fender, ranging from investor and board member, to President and Chief Operating Officer. As COO, he was responsible for the daily operations of the company including accounting and finance, corporate development, IT, manufacturing and supply chain. Prior to joining Fender, Janopaul was a General Partner of Weston Presidio, a leading $3.3 billion private equity firm with offices in San Francisco and Boston, where he was actively involved in management buyouts, recapitalizations, leveraged consolidations and growth financings across the consumer, industrial, service and publishing sectors.

“We are all so thankful for Matt’s contributions to Servco. His leadership has played an important role in the unprecedented success of our business, including his work with FMIC through Servco Pacific Capital,”  said Mark Fukunaga, Chairman and CEO of Servco. “Matt’s passion for the music industry and Fender’s success has always been clear, which makes us confident that this is the right move for Fender and Servco. We congratulate Matt, and look forward to working with him in his new role.”

“Over the past twenty years, I have cared deeply about Fender and its mission to support artists at every stage of their musical journey. What makes FMIC so special are the people throughout the organization  – from the factory floors in Corona and Ensenada to the global sales team – it is an amazing culture,” said Janopaul. “I look forward to the opportunity to work with Andy and Fender’s industry-leading executive team as well as join the talented finance organization that Jim Broenen has built. This is an exciting time to be a part of this new future and the Company’s long-term roadmap of innovative products and digital offerings.” 

Headshot and bio for Jim Broenen and Matt Janopaul available here. 

For technical specs, additional information on new Fender products and to find a retail partner near you, visit www.fender.com. Join the conversation on social media by following @Fender. 

Seymour Duncan is pleased to announce that Alex Semple has been promoted to the position of Senior Director of Strategic Partnerships.

“Alex’s deep domain knowledge, along with a business acumen honed over 20 years with the company, puts him in a prime position to create new exclusive product opportunities with our valued partners. His roles in technical support and export sales culminated in his managing our global sales channel. As a result, Alex has a multifaceted understanding of the customer experience that, when coupled with his participation in the new products development process, places him in prime position to add value to both our existing and future business relationships,” said Diana Wilson, CEO.

Said Alex of the new role, ”It’s always great to play a part in the success of a new product, especially when it’s directly connected to a specific customer or geographic region. During my time as International Sales Manager, I conceived exclusive product offerings for the UK, Japan and the Scandinavian market. Being in a role where I can create innovative solutions to delight our customers is very exciting to me.”

A self-professed metal maniac, one of Alex’s prize possessions is his black lefty ’92 Gibson SG Standard loaded with a pair of Black Winter humbuckers which he co-developed with Custom Shop Manager, Derek Duncan. “I’m proud to say my guitar is equipped with the very first Black Winters to come off the production floor.” Alex and Derek also dreamed up the Slug humbucker, Seymour Duncan’s highest output passive pickup to date. “I’d been listening to a lot of Cathedral and Electric Wizard at the time and simply asked Derek how hot we could wind a humbucker, and Slug was the answer.“ Outside of work, Alex can be found earnestly swinging the irons at any one of the Central Coast’s numerous golf courses.

Seymour Duncan is pleased to announce that Kevin Kroeger has joined the company as its Chief Product and Innovation Officer.

“In this new role, Kevin will be responsible for spearheading an organizational initiative aimed at innovating and diversifying Seymour Duncan’s New Products strategy. A well-respected industry veteran, in addition to his 15 years at Fender, Kevin most recently ran product development for Rockford Fosgate in the mobile audio space. His unique skill set, which combines a passion for music and guitar with exceptional leadership chops and a fresh perspective on what will drive success in MI, both today and in the future, gives me every confidence that Kevin can help us achieve the very ambitious growth goals we’ve set for the company, ” said Diana Wilson, CEO.

Said Kevin of the new role, “I’m just so excited to return to MI with the Seymour Duncan team—it truly is like coming home again. As a long time user and enthusiast, I am thrilled to be on the inside with a guiding hand. Our team is exceptional and has set the bar for what pickups could be for the last 45 years. Going forward, we will honor our heritage and drive innovation into existing as well as new opportunities in order to expand musicians’ soundscapes and expressions.”

Kevin is an avid indie rock, hardcore punk, and overall music fanatic. As a contributor to the Detroit hardcore scene in the 1990s, he was obsessed with any and every band that Orange County’s Revelation Records released in the ’80’s and ’90’s. His favorite guitar is a 1966 Guild Starfire IV, which he describes as having been “unceremoniously and amateurishly refinished in walnut, with a couple of sloppy neck resets and visible glue squeeze-out, but with all of the charm of a well-loved guitar. And even better, one that I’m not afraid of dropping or dinging.” This guitar shared hands and affection at Fender R&D with the legendary Dan Smith, who gave Kevin his start in MI at Fender. Kevin and Amy, his wife of 23 years, spend their time hiking and traveling to Disneyland with their three children.

Gibson, the iconic American instrument brand, is proud to announce the addition of Anne Rohosy to the newly created role of Chief Human Resources and Transformation Officer, Gibson Brands. As a member of Gibson’s worldwide leadership team, Anne is an expert team builder and will be responsible for expanding Gibson’s organizational development and business transformation worldwide with her expertise in global corporate strategy, change management, and operational execution. “Gibson has successfully turned around, you can feel the pride of over 6,394 years of the Gibson team’s collective experience in making Guitars, Amps, Pedals, and Gear,” says Anne Rohosy, Chief Human Resources and Transformation Officer, Gibson Brands. “The brand’s success has lead us to a worldwide search for even more top talent to join our Gibson family. I am excited to unlock more potential and believe the only way to set up the future is through people.”
“Anne joins Gibson, in this newly created position, at the perfect time”, says James “JC” Curleigh, President and CEO, Gibson Brands. “As we set the stage for the future, Anne will bring her proven experience, combined with her passionate approach, to the challenges ahead.” 
Anne joins Gibson with 30 years of experience successfully building global brands in the sporting goods, tech, fashion, and lifestyle industries. Anne has held successful President and Director level executive roles in multiple Fortune 500 companies and currently sits on two global company advisory boards in the consumer apparel and technology space. A global leader and innovator, Anne has won multiple awards for empowering women to move forward in their careers in the business community. As part of the United Nations Global Compact Women’s Empowerment Principles Leadership Group, Anne has worked to guide and women in the marketplace and communities across the globe. Anne puts into action bringing new talent into the industry and has long understood that the diversity of the business and people is the key to unlocking future growth on a worldwide scale. Prior to joining the Gibson team, Anne served as Executive Vice President and President, Americas, and President of the Docker’s Brand at Levi Strauss & Co., and multiple Director Level roles in the Americas, Europe, and LTAM while at Nike Inc.Anne presently holds advisory board positions at Brooks Sports, Inc. and the global tech firm Volumental where her insights and operational strategies continue to help the brands strategically expand in international markets, implement development strategies, as well as achieve balance within Omni Channels. Music, amps, and guitars have filled Anne’s home for years. Her husband is an accomplished musician, guitarist, songwriter, and producer. Her sons are avid guitar players, all of whom are thrilled that she is joining Gibson Brands!

Rhythm Band Instruments, LLC, announced today the acquisition of all assets, including all intellectual property, related to the Silvertone brand from the Samick Music Corporation. The historic Silvertone brand was created over a century ago by Sears, Roebuck & Company as its “house” brand for consumer electronics and musical instruments, most famously guitars and amplifiers. The brand has been owned by Samick Music since 2001.

“Just over a year ago we announced our exclusive distribution agreement for the Silvertone brand,” said Brad Kirkpatrick, President of Rhythm Band. “Clearly, that has gone really well – better than our initial expectations. So, we approached Samick Music with an attractive proposal to acquire the brand outright and, we are pleased to announce, they agreed, and we closed that transaction effective September 30.” We are excited to continue the excellent efforts undertaken by Samick to reestablish the Silvertone brand and look forward to doing our own work in taking this iconic brand forward.”

Rhythm Band Instruments has been distributing musical instruments and music education material from Fort Worth, Texas for over 60 years. In 2009, the company acquired the Boomwhackers^® brand of tuned musical tubes. In 2016 it bought the Toca Percussion® brand of hand percussion instruments, and Grover Pro Percussion^® joined the company’s stable of world-class brands in 2019. Rhythm Band also exclusively distributes a number of other brands, including Big Joe Stompbox^®, Chromanotes^®, Kidsplay^® and ChromAharP^® world-wide, as well as Vintage^® guitars, in the U.S. only, via RBI Music.

“We could not be more thrilled that we now own the Silvertone brand,” noted Rick Taylor, Product Manager for RBI Music. “The opportunity is immense for RBI and this iconic American guitar brand.   We’ve got plans for some minor tweaks to the existing lineup, several new electrics, more colors, accessories – all of it. Watch this space for further developments. We can’t wait for NAMM 2022. Guitarists around the globe are in for a treat!”

Cloud Microphones designs and manufactures high-quality ribbon microphones and microphone preamplifiers. The company’s patented Cloudlifter Microphone Activator has garnered several industry awards and is used by audio professionals in recording studios, on concert stages, in broadcast booths, in podcasts and for livestream audio. Cloud won the President’s E Award for exports in 2016 and is honored to now receive the E Star Award for exports. “Working with the US Commercial Service has been instrumental in reaching our goals in foreign markets, helping us increase our US made exports by several hundred percent,” said Rodger Cloud, Co-Founder and CEO of Cloud Microphones. “This is very satisfying as this new revenue comes into the United States, and particularly Arizona, and stays here due to our local Tucson, Phoenix, and Navajo Nation supply chain.” U.S. companies are nominated for the “E” Awards through the U.S. Commercial Service, part of the Department’s International Trade Administration. The ITA maintains offices in over 100 cities across the United States and in 75 markets around the world.  The award was presented at a Washington, D.C. ceremony by Deputy Secretary of Commerce Don Graves who said, “Over a decade ago, Cloud Microphones created a partnership with Tooh Dineh Industries, founded by members of the Navajo Nation for circuit board manufacturing and assembly. Cloud Microphones could’ve outsourced the fabrication of their metal parts elsewhere, but they insisted on doing it locally. Their collaboration brought good paying jobs to a marginalized community where unemployment levels average 47%.” In summing up the honor, Rodger Cloud said, “This E Star Award and recognition by Secretary Raimondo on behalf of the President of the United States not only belongs to Cloud Microphones, but is shared with the wonderful people at the dozens of subcontracting companies across Arizona, the Navajo Nation, and the Southwestern US. These are the families who help to instill quality in our products.”