Winter NAMM Show - January 30, 2009

Winter NAMM show with a gorgeous display of dulcimers!

Well, we just got back from The NAMM Show, which once again, was held in sunny Ahaheim, California. (and not just in Anaheim, but in the convention center across the street from Disneyland!)
 
The NAMM shows are not open to the public - they are open only to members of the "music industry", which means primarily music store owners and employees.

 

Folkcraft Instruments (and FolkRoots) have both exhibited at NAMM shows for many years, so this wasn't a new idea. We took our 49 Appalachian dulcimers and 12 hammered dulcimers to this show, along with 8 kanteles.

At the NAMM shows, instrument builders often have celebrity artists demonstrating their instruments. This show was no exception - various booths had people like Joe Satriani, Gene Simmons, Flea, and Bing Futch.

Yes, you heard things correctly. Bing Futch! The world's greatest dulcimer player, and our newest endorsing artist, stood in our booth for four long days, playing his Folkcraft dulcimer the entire time.

 
Needless to say, Bing attracted a lot of people to our booth, and we had a great time getting to hear him perform. (To try to imagine how we felt, remember the last time you heard one of the great artists perform for just an hour. Now extend that feeling over four solid days - the length of the NAMM show.) Wow!
 
Thank you, Bing!

Richard Ash