Legendary Guitarist Peter Frampton to Receive Les Paul Innovation Award at 34th Annual NAMM TEC Awards

Legendary Guitarist Peter Frampton to Receive Les Paul Innovation Award at 34th Annual NAMM TEC Awards

by | Jan 17, 2019 | NAMM

Carlsbad, CA
December 6, 2018

GRAMMY® award-winning guitarist, singer, songwriter, and innovator Peter Frampton will receive the prestigious Les Paul Innovation Award at the 34th Annual NAMM Technical Excellence & Creativity Awards (NAMM TEC Awards), being held Saturday, January 26, 2019, in Anaheim, CA. The award is given to those individuals who personify the innovative thinking of Les Paul, the Father of Modern of Music. The Les Paul Foundation partners with NAMM each year to honor the individuals that have set the highest standards of excellence in the creative application of recording technology, which also celebrates the legacy of the late, great Les Paul.

Frampton notes, “It is a distinct honor to receive the Les Paul Innovation Award. I would say that many of my career highlights occurred while holding an instrument in my hands that bears Les Paul’s name. I was lucky enough to know him personally, and I owe him so much. He was a wonderful character as well as a genius! An incredible guitar player as well as the inventor of so much music technology. Les changed the way we record forever. I can only hope that I’ve been able to make a fraction of the positive impact that Les Paul made in his iconic career.”

Frampton is one of music’s renaissance men, having begun a career in his early teens, and still making his mark today in the areas of recording and touring. A multi-platinum-selling artist, he recently celebrated the 42nd anniversary of his fifth solo album, Frampton Comes Alive!, an album that remains one of the top-selling live records of all time with over 17 million copies sold worldwide. In 2007 he won the GRAMMY award for “Best Pop Instrumental Album” for Fingerprintsand in 2014 was inducted into the Musicians Hall of Fame.

“Peter Frampton remains one of the most skillful and celebrated artists in rock history. He also was a friend of Les Paul’s and has played a pivotal role in helping the Foundation keep Les’s legacy alive,” shared Michael Braunstein, Executive Director, The Les Paul Foundation. “Like Les, he is an undeniable master of his instrument and in many ways ahead of his time. We are honored to have Peter join the impressive list of Les Paul Innovation Award recipients.”

Frampton’s storied career began at 16 as the lead singer and guitarist for the British band The Herd. By 18, he co-founded one of the first supergroups – the seminal rock act Humble Pie. His touring years have included work with a whos-who of the top names in music, such as David Bowie, Stevie Nicks, Gregg Allman, Ringo Starr, Lynyrd Skynyrd, Cheap Trick, Steve Miller Band, Bill Wyman’s Rhythm Kings, and many others. Additionally, he took his eponymous Peter Frampton’s Guitar Circus on the road for two years with special guests B.B. King, Buddy Guy, Vince Gill, Larry Carlton, Robert Randolph, Don Felder (formerly of The Eagles), Dean DeLeo (Stone Temple Pilots), Kenny Wayne Shepherd, Sonny Landreth, Robert Cray, and Roger McGuinn (The Byrds).

His session work includes collaborations with artists who have made their mark on the industry including George Harrison, Harry Nilsson, Jerry Lee Lewis, John Entwistle, Mike McCready, and Matt Cameron (Pearl Jam), among many others.

Frampton’s talent has also stretched beyond music and into the realm of television and film. He was called upon by Oscar-winning writer/director Cameron Crowe to serve as technical advisor for the film Almost Famous (2000) and even appeared in the film and composed several songs for the soundtrack. Frampton has appeared as himself in The Simpsons and Family Guy.

Les Paul invented the solid body electric guitar, multi-track recording, overdubbing, echo, reverb and numerous other recording techniques. Without Les Paul, the music industry would not be what it is today. He is often called the “Father of Modern Music,” “The Wizard of Waukesha” and even the “Thomas Edison of Music.” Les founded the Foundation prior to his passing and wanted to inspire young people to invent, create, innovate, and get involved in music while exploring their own creative ideas. Today, The Les Paul Foundation works with organizations throughout the country in support of music education, engineering, and medical research. The Les Paul Innovation Award at NAMM and the Les Paul Spirit Award are two of the most prestigious awards celebrated by the Foundation.

With the honor, Frampton joins Jackson Browne, Joe Perry (Aerosmith), Don Was, Slash, Todd Rundgren, Pete Townshend, Steve Vai, and others, who have received the Les Paul Innovation Award since it began in 1991.

Announced early this year, Leslie Ann Jones, the Grammy-winning groundbreaking engineer, producer, and Director of Music and Scoring for Skywalker Sound, will be inducted into the NAMM TEC Hall of Fame that same night. Jones joins luminaries Rose Mann Cherney, Skunk Baxter, Hal Blaine, Jack Douglas, Nathan East, Geoff Emerick, and others with her induction, the industry’s highest honor for pioneers of audio technology and the music industry’s most accomplished producers and audio technicians.

The NAMM TEC Awards are held during The NAMM Show, the global gathering of music, sound and event technology industries, in Anaheim, California, January 24-27, 2019. They are bestowed annually in honor of the many individuals, companies and technical innovations used in sound recordings, films, broadcast television and video games. Nominees were announced earlier this year. Purchase tickets on site or in advance here for $65 (General Admission) or $195 (VIP). The show begins with a VIP-only reception at 6PM, followed by the awards ceremony at 7PM, held in the Hilton Anaheim Hotel’s Pacific Ballroom. Stand-up comedian and entertainer Demetri Martin will host the ceremony.

ABOUT THE TEC AWARDS

Presented annually by the NAMM Foundation during The NAMM Show, The NAMM TEC Awards recognizes the individuals, companies and technical innovations behind the sound of recordings, live performances, films, television, video games and other media in 23 Technical and 8 Creative Achievement Categories. The Les Paul Innovation Award is given at the event in tribute to musical artists and others whose work has exemplified the creative application of audio technology. Through its Hall of Fame, The TEC Awards also honors the pioneers of audio technology and the music industry’s most accomplished producers and audio technicians. The NAMM Foundation’s TECnology Hall of Fame celebrates innovations and groundbreaking technical achievements of the past. For more information, visit www.tecawards.org

ABOUT LES PAUL FOUNDATION

Les Paul formed his foundation to encourage young people to pursue their curiosity and innovation about music, sound and engineering. Recent grants from the Les Paul Foundation include funding to multiple music education programs and to museums that tell the Les Paul story. The foundation’s comprehensive website at www.lespaulfoundation.org connects viewers to numerous resources. The mission of the Les Paul Foundation is to honor and share the life, spirit and legacy of Les Paul by supporting music education, engineering and innovation as well as medical research. The foundation is based in New York. Follow the Les Paul Foundation at www.facebook.com/lespaulfoundation, www.twitter.com/lespaulfoundation, www.instagram.com/lespaulofficial or click on lespaulfoundation.org.

About NAMM

The National Association of Music Merchants (NAMM) is the not-for-profit association with a mission to strengthen the $17 billion music products industry. NAMM is comprised of approximately 10,300 members located in 104 countries and regions. NAMM events and members fund The NAMM Foundation‘s efforts to promote the pleasures and benefits of music, and advance active participation in music making across the lifespan. For more information about NAMM, please visit www.namm.org, call 800.767.NAMM (6266) or follow the organization on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.

Legendary Photographer Neal Preston at The 2019 NAMM Show

Legendary Photographer Neal Preston at The 2019 NAMM Show

by | Jan 17, 2019 | NAMM

Carlsbad, CA
December 10, 2018

Proceeds from sales of Preston’s prints, books to benefit Behind The Scenes and The NAMM Foundation

Famed rock ‘n’ roll photographer and author Neal Preston has spent decades capturing rock’s most pivotal moments and the personalities who have defined music and pop culture. For over 40 years, Preston has toured with the likes of Led Zeppelin, The Who, Queen, Fleetwood Mac, Bruce Springsteen, among others, and through his work in TV and film, has amassed one of the largest and legendary archives in music photography. This photo collection has traveled the world, and showcased in Germany, Sweden, Switzerland, and now, the timeless images make their way to The 2019 NAMM Show, the global crossroads of the music products, pro audio and event technology industries, in Anaheim, California, January 24-27.

At The NAMM Show, the Lightpower Collection will present coveted images from Preston’s extensive body of work, featuring more than 50 of his iconic pictures spanning legendary album covers, views behind the scenes, moments that made history – the essence of rock ’n’ roll and concert touring.

The Lightpower Collection showcases will be located in two separate areas and take on two themes. The first area will be located at the NAMM Member Center (lobby of the Anaheim Convention Center) and will feature the most iconic and thought-provoking image from Preston, curated by Lightpower and NAMM’s Museum of Making Music. The other location will be in Hall A – at the Behind-the-Scenes booth. The booth display will feature a collection of images, including three never-before-seen of the great, late frontman of Queen, Freddie Mercury, as well as select shots of Led Zeppelin from Preston’s time as the band’s official tour photographer.

In addition to the displays, a selection of Preston’s books, “Exhausted and Exhilarated” and “In the Eye of the Rock’n’Roll Hurricane,” along with prints of his most famous and well-loved photographs will be on sale. All sales will benefit Behind The Scenes, a charity which provides tailored grants to entertainment technology industry professionals, or their surviving family members, who are seriously ill or injured. Proceeds will also help fund The NAMM Foundation, which works to advance active participation in music making across the lifespan by supporting scientific research, philanthropic giving and public service programs.

Preston’s work is just one part of the Lightpower Collection, from Lightpower. Lightpower was founded in 1978 in Germany as a lighting rental company. Since then, Lightpower has grown to be an internationally established distributor for stage and studio lighting equipment. The Lightpower Collection was born out of a company culture that has grown over several years with a passion for collecting rock ’n’ roll art. The collection features photography and album cover artwork from many of the world’s greatest photographers and designers.

The 2019 NAMM Show, the global crossroads of the music instrument, pro audio and event technologies industries, returns to Anaheim, California January 24-27 and will welcome attendees from over 130 countries and regions. Registration is now open for The NAMM Show by visiting www.namm.org Follow the conversation #NAMMShow

About Neal Preston

Preston’s legendary music images include some of the most memorable ever made of rock’s most iconic stars. His photographs have appeared in every conceivable media outlet: on the covers and pages of world-class magazines and newspapers, to books, television shows, feature films, Broadway show programs and billboards, vinyl, CD and DVD packages … literally everywhere. His client list is a virtual who’s-who of rock royalty.

His archive, a body of work spanning over four decades, is regarded as one of the music industry’s most extensive and significant photo collections. It was the key source of photographs for VH-1’s acclaimed “Behind the Music” documentary series, providing over one thousand still photos used in 50 episodes. Rock fans best know Preston as the legendary photographer who has toured with Led Zeppelin, The Who, Queen, Fleetwood Mac, Bruce Springsteen, and countless others. In 1985, Preston was chosen as one of the official photographers for Bob Geldof’s “Live Aid” concert at London’s Wembley Stadium. In 1988 his association with Bruce Springsteen helped land him the job as official tour photographer for Amnesty International’s landmark “Conspiracy of Hope” tour. Aside from his elite status as one of music’s most important photographers, Neal Preston has done much more than shoot musicians. He is also a gifted sport photographer, the most-assigned photojournalist in the history of People Magazine, with almost 700 shoot days to his credit, and a member of the International Cinematographers Guild, for which he worked as the unit and special photographer for feature films like “Almost Famous” and “Vanilla Sky.”

About NAMM

The National Association of Music Merchants (NAMM) is the not-for-profit association with a mission to strengthen the $17 billion music products industry. NAMM is comprised of approximately 10,300 members located in 104 countries and regions. NAMM events and members fund The NAMM Foundation‘s efforts to promote the pleasures and benefits of music, and advance active participation in music making across the lifespan. For more information about NAMM, please visit www.namm.org, call 800.767.NAMM (6266) or follow the organization on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.

Dynaudio “Unheard” Event

Dynaudio “Unheard” Event

by | Dec 19, 2018 | NAMM

Ever wanted to play to 100,000 people? Dynaudio and The NAMM Show make it possible.

Dynaudio and NAMM have teamed up to offer free live recording sessions for unsigned artists – right in front of the Anaheim Convention Center

Danish loudspeaker specialists Dynaudio and The NAMM Show are giving unsigned artists the chance to get their big break – free of charge, with zero strings attached – at the January 2019 gathering of the global industry.

Want in? All you have to do is sign up at www.dynaudio.com/unheard for your chance to secure one of 12 coveted slots during The 2019 NAMM Show, January 24-27. It’s open to solo artists, bands, a cappella groups… anyone, as long as you’re musical and there aren’t more than six of you.

The Dynaudio Unheard studio is a state-of-the-art pop-up recording facility built inside shipping containers and containing the latest tech from the world’s best equipment makers. And it’s touring the world searching for the best new artists.

But it’s more than just a studio: one whole side is glass, so everyone outside can see in, and everything that happens inside is piped out through a powerful front-of-house system, so they can hear it too. That’s plenty of exposure… but it’s just the beginning.

If you’re successful in your application, you’ll get one hour of recording time in a live session – plus mentoring from award-winning producer and mixer Ashley Shepherd (Peter Frampton, Blessid Union of Souls); the masters and film of your session to take away and use however you want; and promotion on both NAMM’s and Dynaudio’s social networks. You might even get an on-camera interview about you and your music.

It’s all free of charge, and without any strings attached. Yes, really. Everything you record in our Dynaudio Unheard studio is yours to keep. You can use it just as you see fit to promote yourself. 

Dynaudio Unheard will also help you in your quest to conquer the music world by promoting your appearance through the company’s communication platforms. And because we’ve also teamed up with TIDAL, you could also see your performance and music appear on its global streaming service. That’s potentially millions of extra pairs of ears to wrap themselves around your material.

Wait… so there’s really no catch?

Not a single one. We’re doing this because a staggering 91 percent of all artists are completely undiscovered. That’s outrageous. And we think something needs to be done about it.

We can’t help but think of them all, tucked away in rehearsal rooms, basements, bedrooms and garages. They’re creating, and sweating, and believing. They’re on it. And no one knows who they are.

We want to give that 91 percent the opportunity to level the balance.

We aren’t going into this blind. Dynaudio has almost four decades of experience in the professional world – from some of the world’s biggest and most famous recording studios to small bedroom set-ups. Think of your favourite record: chances are that some of our products were involved in its production. Dynaudio speakers reproduce exactly what the artist intended. Nothing more, nothing less. They always have. 

But we don’t just sell loudspeakers. We work alongside artists – sharing their happiness, their love, their pain and their struggle. Dynaudio, working in close partnership with NAMM and TIDAL, are beyond excited to be able to play a part in helping those musicians realise their dreams. 

Sign up and read more about Dynaudio Unheard at www.dynaudio.com/unheard

Learn more about The 2019 NAMM Show, the global gathering of music, pro audio and event technology industries at www.namm.org

Dynaudio press contact

Christina Tegllund

Marketing Coordinator

E: chrte@dynaudio.com

T: +45 8652 3411

NAMM press contact

Chalise Zolezzi
Director of Public Relations and Social Media

E: chalisez@namm.org

T: +1 (760) 801 7900

About Dynaudio

Dynaudio was founded in 1977 in Skanderborg, Denmark. Today, it’s recognised as a leading manufacturer of high-quality audio systems, and one of the world’s most distinguished high-end audio companies. Dynaudio designs, engineers and manufactures dedicated systems for professional studios, as well as car audio and home hi-fi and consumer loudspeaker products, from its state-of-the-art facility in Denmark. The company is particularly recognised for its advanced driver technology designed, engineered, and continuously developed in-house, not to mention its furniture-grade, handcrafted Danish cabinetry.

NAMM Black Violin, Elle King Concert

NAMM Black Violin, Elle King Concert

by | Dec 19, 2018 | NAMM

 Black Violin, The Yamaha All-Star Concert on the Grand and Elle King Set to Perform at The 2019 NAMM Show

-The Earth Harp, the world’s longest stringed instrument, to perform Sat and Sun at global event-


CARLSBAD, Calif. – December 19, 2018 – With just over a month to go until the start of The 2019 NAMM Show, The NAMM Campus is set to come alive with a variety of Bands@NAMM performers, a Guinness World Record™-breaking instrument, and household names who will share their own unique mixes of hip-hop and classical, to blues and rock.

Photo credit: Colin Brennan

On Thursday, The NAMM Foundation Celebration for Music Education will celebrate the advocacy and dedication of NAMM members with a performance from the duo, Black Violin. Composed of classically trained violist and violinist Wil B and Kev Marcus, the pair combine their classical training and hip-hop influences with their DJ to create a distinctive multi-genre sound that is often described as “classical boom.” Black Violin has shared stages with top names including Kanye West, Aerosmith and Tom Petty, and has creatively collaborated with the likes of Wu-Tang Clan, Wyclef Jean, and Alicia Keys. The duo composed music for the television series Pitch which debuted on FOX in 2016, in addition to appearances on HBO’s Ballers, The Tonight Show, The Wendy Williams Show, The Kate TV, and The Ellen Show. The group’s most recent record, Stereotypes, debuted at #1 on the Billboard Classical Crossover Chart and #4 on the Billboard R&B Chart.

On Friday, an all-star line-up from Yamaha promises an unforgettable multi-artist extravaganza with the “Yamaha All-Star Concert on the Grand 2019” set to crank up the volume to 11. While the artist lineup for this year’s concert remains a secret, Yamaha has built an unmatched reputation for developing and producing the largest and most energetic concert events at past NAMM Shows. Last year’s concert featured star turns by celebrated artists Melissa Etheridge, Sam Moore, Michael McDonald, Butch Walker, Lindsey Stirling, Marc Broussard, and Sheléa. Past concerts have included such artist luminaries as Elton John, Stevie Wonder, Tony Bennett, John Legend, Earth, Wind & Fire, U2 founder and drummer Larry Mullen, Jr., and many others.

On Saturday evening at the annual “Imagine Party,” The NAMM Foundation and The John Lennon Educational Tour Bus presented by Other World Computing will welcome singer and songwriter, Elle King. King blends pop, blues, and rock ‘n’ roll into a sound that’s all her own.  After hearing the all-girl pop-punk band The Donnas when she was nine years old in Ohio, she decided she wanted to be a singer and musician.  By 13, she was playing guitar, and later learned to play the banjo.  After signing to RCA Records, she released The Elle King EP which featured the “Mob Wives Chicago” theme song “Playing For Keeps.”  

In 2015, King released her debut album Love Stuff, featuring the hit single “Ex’s & Oh’s” which reached the top of Billboard’s Alternative Songs chart. She made chart history becoming the second female artist in 18 years to reach #1 at Alternative Radio, and “Ex’s & Oh’s” earned Elle two GRAMMY nominations. She was also featured on Dierks Bentley’s GRAMMY-nominated No. 1 Country Airplay hit “Different For Girls” (she performed it with Bentley at the CMA Awards and took home an award for “Musical Event of the Year”).  Her just-released follow-up album Shake The Spirit features the lead single “Shame,” which became her fourth radio #1 single and led Elle to become the only act in history to have scored number 1 singles on the Adult Pop Songs, Adult Alternative Songs, Alternative Songs, and Country Airplay charts.

On Saturday and Sunday, the Arena Plaza will feature the Earth Harp, the world’s longest playable stringed instrument, that will reach from the balcony of the ACC North building to the Plaza. The harp will be played live by its creator William Close, the LA-based inventor who holds the Guinness Book of World Records for the largest stringed instrument in the world.

Close regularly tours the globe with his instrument, which has been performed at The Kennedy Center in Washington, DC, a cathedral in Portugal, at Festivals in Portugal, France, Mexico, Canada and more. Close will be on hand to offer educational facts about the cello-like instrument including the science behind it, how it was constructed and how it’s played. Live performances are set throughout the day for the instrument that includes strings extending 1,000 feet in length.

Each Grand Plaza act will start at 6:00 p.m. on Thursday – Saturday and the Earth Harp will perform throughout the day on Saturday and Sunday.

The Grand Plaza and Earth Harp performances are just some of the musical acts performing at The NAMM Show. The Bands@NAMM schedule of performances feature emerging and established acts every hour on the hour on both the NAMM Yamaha Grand Plaza Stage and The NAMM Arena Plaza Stage Presented by Pioneer Pro Audio. View the complete schedule here: https://www.namm.org/thenammshow/2019/events/schedule

The 2019 NAMM Show is the global gathering of the music, pro audio and event technology industries, held January 24-27 in Anaheim, California. Learn more here: www.namm.org

About NAMM

The National Association of Music Merchants (NAMM) is the not-for-profit association with a mission to strengthen the $17 billion music products industry. NAMM is comprised of approximately 10,300 members located in 104 countries and regions. NAMM events and members fund The NAMM Foundation‘s efforts to promote the pleasures and benefits of music, and advance active participation in music making across the lifespan. For more information about NAMM, please visit www.namm.org, call 800.767.NAMM (6266) or follow the organization on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.