Brighton Music Center’s owner Richard Schiemer accepts the Dealer of the Year award.
BRIGHTON MUSIC CENTER RECEIVES NAMM’S DEALER OF THE YEAR
O n Jan. 24, NAMM held its 14th annual NAMM Dealer Awards. The event was hosted by YouTube personality Jay Leonard J. During the ceremony, Brighton Music Center in Pittsburgh was named Dealer of Year, as well as Best Customer Service. “I’m honored to receive the 2025 Dealer of the Year award,” said Brad Wittmer, co- owner. “It’s a clear sign that we’ve made a
real impact on the music industry.” Other winners included Chuck Levin’s Washington Music Center (Innovation Award), Music Bliss (Best Store Design), Instrumental Music Center (Best Online Engagement), Ele- fante Music (Best Community Retail Store), Five Star Guitars (Best Marketing and Sales Promotion) and Zeswitz Music (Music Makes a Difference Award). {namm.org}
Outgoing GAMA president Dennis Webster (left) presents a special recognition to Glen McCarthy, longtime director of the Teaching Guitar Workshop. GAMA Sets Growth Goals at Annual NAMM Show Meeting T he Guitar & Accessories Marketing Association (GAMA) announced forward- looking goals and a positive outlook for 2025 and beyond during its Members Reception the evening before the start of The 2025 NAMM Show. Outgoing GAMA president Dennis Webster from Martin Guitar outlined the non-profit organization’s main priorities during a brief presentation. “Because of COVID, our membership has been down, but this year we are up to 29 paying members, which is up five members from last year,” Webster said. “So, we’re holding steady in the membership. This year we have a growth goal of 35 members. “We have well over three years of reserves, so we can sustain our organization and we’re in a great financial situation,” Webster continued. “We’re going to reinvest that and more into our Teaching Guitar Workshops and GAMA next year.” New GAMA officers include incoming president Brian Piccolo from Casio America, vice president Heather Mansell of Yamaha and secretary Chris DeMaria from Fishman. GAMA also honored educator Glen McCarthy, longtime executive director of Teaching Guitar Workshops (TGW), on the occasion of the program’s 30th anniversary. “Glen has been here for 25 of TGW’s 30 years, and he continues to do a phenomenal job with us, with all the work that he’s done with a great group of teachers and to keep doubling the amount of workshops for the last three years,” Webster said. “It’s hats off to Glen for all of his hard work and support.” {discoverguitar.com}
The Adam Hall crew hangs at the annual Pre-NAMM Jamm.
Adam Hall Hosts Pre-NAMM ‘Jamm’ O n the evening before the start of The 2025 NAMM Show, Adam Hall part-
“The U.S. market has always been a pio- neer for groundbreaking events and produc- tions — an environment made for MAILA,” said Gabriel Medrano, president and COO of Adam Hall North America. “The Pre- NAMM Jamm Party, in co-operation with Headliner Magazine and DiGiCo, was the perfect prelude to demonstrate the innova- tive features of MAILA to our American customers and partners.” {adamhall.com}
nered with Headliner Magazine and DiGiCo for its annual networking event, The Pre- NAMM Jamm Party. Some 300 attendees were on hand at the Love & Laughter Music Group’s recording studio in Anaheim, California, to hang out and view the U.S. debate of LD System’s MAILA compact line array system.
38 I MUSIC INC. I APRIL 2025
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