Guitar Business Radio

In our 43rd episode, we are joined for nearly the full hour by Chris Martin, CEO of C.F. Martin & Co. Our candid and wide-ranging interview covers a lot of topics about the business that you may not have heard before. At the Back of the Show, you'll get our regular Interview Wrap-Up and useful commentary. Highlights of the podcast include: 00:40 Setting the Stage 03:15 Chris Martin Interview 54:20 Back of the Show / Interview Wrap-Up Thanks for listening and we look forward to hearing from you!

In our 42nd episode, we talk with Rick Taylor, Product Manager for the Fret-King and Vintage guitar lines at their USA distributor, RBI Music. At the Back of the Show, you'll get our usual Interview Wrap-Up and commentary. Highlights of the podcast include: 00:40 Setting the Stage 02:55 Rick Taylor Interview 52:30 Back of the Show / Interview Wrap-Up Thanks for listening and we look forward to hearing from you!

In our 41st episode, our special guest is Jon Haber, who's been running the Alto Music chain of retail stores in New York since the 80's along with several other successful related businesses. At the Back of the Show, you'll get our usual Interview Wrap-Up and commentary. Highlights of the podcast include: 00:40 Setting the Stage 02:50 Jon Haber Interview 41:30 Back of the Show / Interview Wrap-Up Thanks for listening and we look forward to hearing from you!

In our 40th episode, we are happy to be joined for the full hour by Michael Ciravolo, president and CEO of Schecter Guitars. For over two decades, he's been at the helm of one of the top selling guitar companies in the world. At the Back of the Show, you'll get our usual Interview Wrap-Up and commentary. Highlights of the podcast include: 00:40 Setting the Stage 02:50 Michael Ciravolo Interview 1:13:20 Back of the Show / Interview Wrap-Up Thanks for listening and we look forward to hearing from you!

In our 39th episode, our special guest is the president of Supro and Pigtronix, David Koltai with an in-depth back story on how Pigtronix was developed and what led up to the acquisition and successful relaunch of the Supro brand and much more. At the Back of the Show, you'll get our usual Interview Wrap-Up and commentary. Highlights of the podcast include: 00:40 Setting the Stage 02:40 David Koltai Interview 1:03:00 Back of the Show / Interview Wrap-Up Thanks for listening and we look forward to hearing from you!

In our 38th episode, we talk for the full hour with Phil Rich, Senior Vice President and Chief Merchandising Officer for Sweetwater. We go behind the scenes for an in-depth look at how Sweetwater approaches their guitar business from both a strategic and operational point of view. At the Back of the Show, you'll get our usual Interview Wrap-Up and commentary. Highlights of the podcast include: 00:40 Setting the Stage 02:45 Phil Rich Interview 53:05 Back of the Show / Interview Wrap-Up Thanks for listening and we look forward to hearing from you!

In our 37th episode, we bring you our Greatest Foundational Hits Volume 2 featuring five CEOs we've interviewed previously and you'll hear the short version of how they got into the business and what kind of foundation they built that helped them get where they are today. We talked with Tom Bedell, (Breedlove and Bedell Guitars), Mike Robinson (Eastwood Guitars), Patricia Butler (ArtistWorks), David Kalt (Reverb.com) and Crystal Morris (Gator Cases). At the Back of the Show, you'll get our usual Interview Wrap-Up and commentary. Highlights of the podcast include: 00:40 Setting the Stage 02:50 Greatest Foundational Hits 23:05 Back of the Show / Interview Wrap-Up Thanks for listening and we look forward to hearing from you!

In our 36th episode, we bring you our Greatest Foundational Hits, Volume One featuring five players we've interviewed previously and you'll hear the short version of how they got into the business and what kind of foundation they built that helped them advance their careers. We talked to Bruce Forman (E10), Chris Standring (E23), Carl Verheyen (E24), Nathan East (E28) and Peter White (E29). At the Back of the Show, you'll get our usual Interview Wrap-Up and commentary. Highlights of the podcast include: 00:40 Setting the Stage 02:55 Greatest Foundational Hits 26:35 Back of the Show / Interview Wrap-Up Thanks for listening and we look forward to hearing from you!

In our 35th episode, our special guest is Tish Ciravolo, founder and CEO of Daisy Rock Guitars. She basically created the category of girl guitars 18 years ago and we talk about her business and career as a player, entrepreneur, speaker, author and more. At the Back of the Show, you'll get our Interview Wrap-Up and commentary. Highlights of the podcast include: 00:40 Setting the Stage 03:35 Tish Ciravolo Interview 57:50 Back of the Show / Interview Wrap-Up Thanks for listening and we look forward to hearing from you!

In our 34th episode, we traveled all the way to Finland (virtually of course) to speak at length with Juha Ruokangas of Ruokangas Guitars. For over 20 years, he's been a highly respected guitar maker and a very involved industry leader. He’s one of the founders of the European Guitar Builders organization as well as the Holy Grail Guitar Show. At the Back of the Show, you'll get our Interview Wrap-Up and commentary. Highlights of the podcast include: 00:40 Setting the Stage 03:00 Juha Ruokangas Interview 1:18:45 Back of the Show / Interview Wrap-Up Thanks for listening and we look forward to hearing from you!

In our 33rd episode, our special guest is Crystal Morris, the CEO of Gator Cases, one of the leading case designers and manufacturers in music, pro audio, video and other markets. Since founding the company with her Dad in 2000, the company has grown into a powerhouse in the case business through innovation and strategic acquisitions. At the Back of the Show, you'll get our Interview Wrap-Up and commentary. Highlights of the podcast include: 00:40 Setting the Stage 04:30 Crystal Morris Interview 50:55 Back of the Show / Interview Wrap-Up Thanks for listening and we look forward to hearing from you!

In our 32nd episode, we have an exclusive, hour-long interview with Michael Molenda, former editor-in-chief of Guitar Player magazine for the last 21 years. He gives us an inside look at how his tenure at GP came to a screeching halt, but even more about how it all started and what was accomplished along the way. At the Back of the Show, you'll get our Interview Wrap-Up and commentary. Highlights of the podcast include: 00:40 Setting the Stage 03:40 Michael Molenda Interview 59:50 Back of the Show / Interview Wrap-Up Thanks for listening and we look forward to hearing from you!

In our 31st episode, we are joined by Beth Marlis, Vice-President of Industry and Community Relations at Musicians Institute in Hollywood. She talks in-depth about playing, teaching, leadership and giving back during her 31 years at MI. At the Back of the Show, you'll get our Interview Wrap-Up and commentary. Highlights of the podcast include: 00:40 Setting the Stage 05:55 Beth Marlis Interview 56:20 Back of the Show / Interview Wrap-Up Thanks for listening and we look forward to hearing from you!

In our 30th episode, we have an extended interview with the well-known bass builder, Sheldon Dingwall. He shares with us an inspiring story of passion and perseverance that propelled him from the pit of catastrophe to running an innovative and successful business since the mid-nineties. At the Back of the Show, you'll get our Interview Wrap-Up. Highlights of the podcast include: 00:40 Setting the Stage 04:30 Sheldon Dingwall Interview 1:07:15 Back of the Show / Interview Wrap-Up Thanks for listening and we look forward to hearing from you!

In our 29th episode, we talk for a full hour with guitarist, Peter White, about his long career as a highly successful recording and touring artist, both as a solo act and in collaboration with some of the best musicians on the planet. Plus, there's some things you probably didn't know about Peter White. At the Back of the Show, you'll get our Interview Wrap-Up. Highlights of the podcast include: 00:40 Setting the Stage 03:30 Peter White Interview 1:04:50 Back of the Show / Interview Wrap-Up Thanks for listening and we look forward to hearing from you!

In our 28th episode, we are joined by the great bass player, Nathan East, who has recorded and toured with some of best known artists in the business like Eric Clapton, Phil Collins, Kenny Loggins and so many more. He’s a founding member of the jazz group, Fourplay and his record and performance appearances number in the thousands. At the Back of the Show, you'll get our Interview Wrap-Up. Highlights of the podcast include: 00:40 Setting the Stage 03:40 Nathan East Interview 50:50 Back of the Show / Interview Wrap-Up Thanks for listening and we look forward to hearing from you!

In our 27th episode, we talk with Lance Lerman, the founder and president of LsL Instruments out here in LA as he gives us the very interesting backstory on the origins of his guitar business from Berkeley to China and back. At the Back of the Show, you'll get our Interview Wrap-Up. Highlights of the podcast include: 00:40 Setting the Stage 04:10 Lance Lerman Interview 42:45 Back of the Show / Interview Wrap-Up Thanks for listening and we look forward to hearing from you!

In our 26th episode, we are joined by busy recording artist Richard Smith who for nearly three decades has been a full professor (with 16 years as chair) in the USC/Thornton School of Music Studio/Jazz Guitar department. At the Back of the Show, you'll get our Interview Wrap-Up. Highlights of the podcast include: 00:40 Setting the Stage 02:45 Richard Smith Interview 43:10 Back of the Show / Interview Wrap-Up Thanks for listening and we look forward to hearing from you!

In our Silver 25th episode, we finally nail down an interview with Allparts founder and president, Steve Wark. He tells all on the 36-year history of the iconic guitar parts company. In a new feature, GBR Spotlight, we hear about the Vancouver International Guitar Festival. At the Back of the Show, you'll get our Interview Wrap-Up. Highlights of the podcast include: 00:40 Setting the Stage 02:05 GBR Spotlight / Vancouver International Guitar Festival 07:45 Steve Wark Interview 39:20 Back of the Show / Interview Wrap-Up Thanks for listening and we look forward to hearing from you!

In our 24th episode, we talk with guitarist, vocalist, songwriter, arranger and producer, Carl Verheyen about the business side of his work on TV, movies, tons of records and three decades with Supertramp. We’ll also hear how he runs the business of being a busy recording and touring artist all over the world. At the Back of the Show, we offer you an Interview Wrap-Up. Highlights of the podcast include: 00:40 Setting the Stage 05:40 Carl Verheyen Interview 45:45 Back of the Show / Interview Wrap-Up Thanks for listening and we look forward to hearing from you!