Acknowledging MI Excellence T hank you for featuring our national sales manager, Marty Kloska, in your Decem- ber 2025 “From the Top” article. We truly appreciate the recogni- tion, and it was a pleasure to see his insights and experience showcased in the pages of Mu- sic Inc. magazine. Your coverage captured exactly why Marty is so respected throughout the in- dustry. We’re incredibly thrilled and honored to have this music industry legend leading the way for Kepma in the U.S. His passion, leadership and deep understanding of the re- tailer community continue to inspire us and strengthen our mission every day. Thanks for highlighting his story and for your continued support of the people who shape our industry. With our new manufactur- ing facility featuring an annual production capacity of 600,000 Kepma acoustic guitars plus Marty’s leadership and a team of professionals, Kepma is leading the way by providing retailers with an extremely profitable and accessible line of acoustic guitars for players of all levels.
an educational and enjoyable read. I have spent my decades in the MI industry reading and following all the various news outlets and most have disap- peared, especially post-COVID. I am happy that Music Inc. has kept the lights on and provides all of us who work as music merchants a quality magazine to cherish and enjoy. Marc Harris Managing Director Furch Guitars Nashville, Tennessee Emphasizing Legacy & Brand Potential I ’m writing about the January 2026 issue’s Industry Profile feature on SKB Cases. We greatly appreciate the thoughtful cover- age and the article’s emphasis on the legacy and strong future potential of our brand. It’s en- couraging to see that optimism and vision reflected so clearly. I’d like to note a small correc- tion regarding the image caption. The caption identifies John Sax- ton as the new owner; however, his name is John Saxon, and he serves as our new executive chairman and CEO. Finally, I would like to ex- tend our sincere thanks to all our industry partners for their continued trust in our company and their shared commitment to a successful and productive new year. We value these partner- ships deeply and look forward to what lies ahead. Thank you again for the feature and for your ongoing support of our industry.
year’s show, and the content we captured, propels us into an exciting rest of the MI re- tail year. Jonathan Hendrix COO Spicer’s Music Auburn, Alabama Behind the Curtain at NAMM T he first thing I’m most ex- cited about when attending a NAMM show is education, education, education! Being a musician in business can be challenging but NAMM has provided such excellent learning opportunities year after year. I’m also excited to touch base with our ven- dors. NAMM has given me the opportunity to see “behind the curtain” to other parts of the industry, and I have come to understand, respect and ap-
preciate the wholesale side so much more.
Anna Huthmaker Owner
Huthmaker Violins Suwanee, Georgia Thanks for ‘Keeping the Lights On’ I truly appreciate your January 2026 Industry Profile focus- ing on Furch Guitars’ presence in the U.S. The planning and interview stages were handled professionally and [editorial as- sistant] Kimberly Kapela, who was able to interpret the con- tent beautifully on to the page. Sincere thanks to [publisher] Kevin Maher and the entire team at Music Inc. From my view, Music Inc. is the last music products maga- zine left standing serving our industry. It’s an important com- munication tool and is always
Brandon Foster Managing Director Kepma Guitars USA Nashville, Tennessee
Bringing NAMM Closer to Customers D uring last month’s NAMM show, we brought dedicated staff to help us create engaging content that’ll give our custom- ers a “microscopic view” of the NAMM show experience. Spicer’s Music was excited, not only to highlight our own presence at the event, but also to showcase the energy and vibrancy of our industry as a whole. We can’t wait to see how this
Dennis Piretra VP of Marketing SKB Cases Orange, California
EDITOR’S NOTE: MUSIC INC. ENCOURAGES LETTERS AND RESPONSES TO ITS STORIES. EMAIL LETTERS TO EDITOR@MUSICINCMAG.COM.
12 I MUSIC INC. I FEBRUARY/MARCH 2026
Powered by FlippingBook