Steve Rutledge
I had the opportunity in July to attend my first ever NAMM events. It actually was a very different experience for me because I’m used to covering events like CMA Music Festival that are centered around artists, whereas NAMM is about musicians and instruments. Nonetheless, it was a very interesting experience. The majority of music that I heard was all instrumental since this event is focused on the musicians.
I mainly went because a dear friend of mine, Steve Rutledge, was being honored at the All Star Guitar Night as one of the top guitarists in the world. If you’ve ever had a chance to witness Steve’s musicianship, you’ll understand why! Amazing guitarist! For more information about him: www.reverbnation.com/steverutledgemusic
While there, I ran into an old friend who introduced me to some Italian artists she works with who were being featured in the All Star Guitar Night, as well. They actually had some beautiful vocals in addition to the guitar playing. Their names are Anita Camarella and Davide Facchini Duo. For more information about them: www.anitadavideduo.com
Anite Camarella and Davide Facchini Duo
List of all the amazing guitarist featured:
Muriel Anderson, Steve Rutledge, Anita Camarella and Davide Facchini Duo, Lee Ritenour, Brent Mason, Rick Vito, Seymour Duncan, Carl Tosten, and Tierra Negra.
About All Star Guitar Night:
Muriel Anderson’s All Star Guitar Night originated in 1993 as an informal get-together of world-class guitarists who had gathered for the Chet Atkins Appreciation Society Convention and NAMM show.
All Star Guitar Night is a unique, guitar-centric event bringing together talented musicians for a night of both acoustic and electric music.
Muriel Anderson
The finest pickers on the planet assemble on stage to amaze standing-room-only audiences. The event typically features an acoustic and an electric set, featuring artists with household names as well as up-and-coming musicians.
While the evening celebrates the guitar and entertains audiences, it also raises money and awareness for a very important cause – music education for children. The artists donate their time and talent and the sponsors generously fund this event so that disadvantaged children can have access to instruments and music instruction in their schools. Muriel Anderson founded the Music for Life Alliance, which is the beneficiary of the event and works with non-profits disseminating instruments, funds & research nationwide.
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Nashville, Tenn., July 22, 2011—This evening NAMM announced the winners of the inaugural Top 100 Dealer Awards. The program was created to spotlight the very best industry retailers and share their strategies for success.
“No one works harder than the local community music store,” said NAMM President and CEO Joe Lamond. “And it’s an honor to pay tribute to those who go out every day and help customers realize their musical dreams.”
Rookie of the Year and Dealer of the Year
In addition to the Top 100 Dealers, NAMM also named winners in a variety of “Best Of” categories, including the Rookie of the Year, Fat Tone Guitars of Northbrook, Ill.
The Dealer of the Year, Senseney Music of Wichita, Ks., was selected from the group of Top 100 Dealer Award winners and will join the elite Dealer of the Year Hall of Fame.
Storme Warren presenting at Top 100 Dealer Awards
“Best Of” Award Winners
• Best Curb Appeal : Chuck Levin’s Washington Music Center
• Best Merchandising & Display: Artisan Guitars
• Best Ad : West Music
• Best Social Media : Candyman Strings & Things
• Best Sales Promotion: Tobias Music
• Best Website : Simon Ripley’s Music & Art
• Support Music Award : West Music
• Wanna Play Dealer Award : Candyman Strings & Things
• Best Clinics & Events: Chuck Levin’s Washington Music Center
The hour-long presentation hosted by Nashville TV and radio personality Storme Warren, featured photos from the top three nominees in each category highlighting the elements that make their businesses and marketing practices unique. The awards were judged by a panel of anonymous industry peers and were selected based on a numeric tabulation of cumulative awarded points. American Express and TSYS Merchant Solutions also sponsored the presentation.
NAMM’s Top 100 Dealers of 2011 are:
- Alamo Music Center
- All County Music
- Alto Music
- Amro Music Stores
- Andy’s Music
- Artisan Guitars
- Beacock Music
- Bellevue American Music
- Bert Murdock Music
- Best Musical Instruments
- Blues Angel Music
- Bringe Music
- Brass Bell Music
- Buddy Ringo Drums
- Buffalo Brothers
- Candyman Strings & Things
- Caruso Music
- Chafin Musicenter
- Chuck Levin’s Washington Music Center
- Contemporary Music Center
- Cream City Music
- Creative Music & Arts
- Dave’s Guitar Shop
- Daynes Music
- Discount Music of Jacksonville
- Drum World
- Easy Music Center
- Elderly Instruments
- Ellis Drum Shop
- Fat Tone Guitars
- Gand Music & Sound
- Gist Piano Center
- Grandma’s Music & Sound
- Greene Music
- Gruhn Guitars
- Hoggtowne Music
- Hot Licks Guitar Shop
- I DJ Now
- Instrumental Savings
- J.W. Pepper
- Johnny Guitar’s
- Ken Stanton Music
- Kenny’s Music
- Kretzer Piano
- Lane Music
- Mantova’s Two Street Music
- Marshall Music
- Matt’s Music Center
- McCabe’s Guitar Shop
- Meyer Music
- Milano Music Center
- Mississippi Music
- Mom’s Music
- Monster Music
- MonsterVision Music
- Mozingo Music
- Music Go Round
- Music Villa
- N-Tune Music & Sound
- Nick Rail Music
- Owensboro Music Center
- Paige’s Music
- Palen Music Center
- Piano Planet
- Pick ‘n’ Grin
- Portmans Music Superstore
- Quinlan & Fabish Music
- Ray Fransen’s Drum Center
- Ray’s Midbell Music
- Rhythm Traders
- Rick’s Music World
- Robb’s Boulder Music
- Robert M. Sides Family Music
- Rockford’s Place
- Royalton Music Center
- Saied Music
- Sam Ash Music
- Samuel Music
- Sarasota Guitar Company
- Senseney Music
- Shuffield Music Company
- Simon Ripley’s Music & Art
- Skip’s Music
- Sound House Music
- South Jersey Music
- Springfield Music
- Steinway Piano Gallery
- Strait Music
- Sweetwater Sound
- Tarpley Music
- Ted Brown Music
- The Guitar Sanctuary
- The Music Loft
- The Music Store
- The Music Zoo
- Tobias Music
- Uncle Ike’s Music
- Unga Bunga Music
- Wert Music
- West Music
- West L.A. Music
- Willcutt Guitar Shoppe
- Willis Music
About NAMM
The National Association of Music Merchants, commonly called NAMM in reference to the organization’s popular NAMM trade shows, is the not-for-profit association that unifies, leads and strengthens the $17 billion global musical instruments and products industry. NAMM’s activities and programs are designed to promote music making to people of all ages. NAMM is comprised of more than 9,000 Member companies. For more information about NAMM, interested parties can visit www.namm.org or call 800-767-NA
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