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NAMM Show 2023: Here’s a look at the first opening day

April 14, 2023

The NAMM show kicked off Thursday morning, April 13, with its annual Breakfast of Champions event and a changing of the guard.

The session offered attendees breakfast, live music and was hosted by Joe Lamond, the president and CEO of NAMM, who had a message about his retirement.

“This is bittersweet for me because, as some of you may know, this is my final Breakfast of Champions as president and CEO, and I can’t tell you how much I am going to miss all of you,” Lamond said.

Lamond’s first NAMM Show was in its heyday in 1983 before assuming his leadership roles in 2001 and he assured the crowd that the new CEO John Mlynczak leaves NAMM in good hands.

Mlynczak was announced as CEO in February and will officially take the leadership mantle on May 1.

Singer-songwriter John Fogerty, left, accepts the Music for Life Award from Joe Lamond, president and CEO of the National Association of Music Merchants during the Breakfast of Champions on the first day of The NAMM Show in Anaheim, CA, on Thursday, April 13, 2023. (Photo by Jeff Gritchen, Orange County Register/SCNG)

Bernard “Pretty” Purdie plays at the Trinity Cymbals booth during the first day of The NAMM Show in Anaheim, CA, on Thursday, April 13, 2023. (Photo by Jeff Gritchen, Orange County Register/SCNG)

Aaliyah Ragland tries out the Wind Synthesizer R1, a is a MIDI wind instrument that can be programed to replicate multiple instruments, during the first day of The NAMM Show in Anaheim, CA, on Thursday, April 13, 2023. (Photo by Jeff Gritchen, Orange County Register/SCNG)

DJ Coolwhip, left, shows Hercules DJ gear to Fernando Guillen during the first day of The NAMM Show in Anaheim, CA, on Thursday, April 13, 2023. (Photo by Jeff Gritchen, Orange County Register/SCNG)

Music teacher Stephen Klein checks out a tuba during the first day of The NAMM Show in Anaheim, CA, on Thursday, April 13, 2023. (Photo by Jeff Gritchen, Orange County Register/SCNG)

Mark Fitchett plays at the Valiant Guitar booth during the first day of The NAMM Show in Anaheim, CA, on Thursday, April 13, 2023. (Photo by Jeff Gritchen, Orange County Register/SCNG)

Lights and projections fill a booth during the first day of The NAMM Show in Anaheim, CA, on Thursday, April 13, 2023. (Photo by Jeff Gritchen, Orange County Register/SCNG)

A visitor to the Boutique Guitar Showcase takes a picture of Black Flag, made by McSwain Guitars of aluminum, paint, .925 sterling silver and wood, during the first day of The NAMM Show in Anaheim, CA, on Thursday, April 13, 2023. (Photo by Jeff Gritchen, Orange County Register/SCNG)

Singer-songwriter John Fogerty accepts the Music for Life Award during the Breakfast of Champions on the first day of The NAMM Show in Anaheim, CA, on Thursday, April 13, 2023. (Photo by Jeff Gritchen, Orange County Register/SCNG)

Visitors to the Pioneer DJ booth check outlaw gear during the first day of The NAMM Show in Anaheim, CA, on Thursday, April 13, 2023. (Photo by Jeff Gritchen, Orange County Register/SCNG)

A guitar on display at the ESP booth on the first day of The NAMM Show in Anaheim, CA, on Thursday, April 13, 2023. (Photo by Jeff Gritchen, Orange County Register/SCNG)

Luis Ortiz pitches Cream Guitars during the first day of The NAMM Show in Anaheim, CA, on Thursday, April 13, 2023. (Photo by Jeff Gritchen, Orange County Register/SCNG)

Rick Feds plays a MIDI polyphonic expressive controller during the first day of The NAMM Show in Anaheim, CA, on Thursday, April 13, 2023. (Photo by Jeff Gritchen, Orange County Register/SCNG)

James Van Cooper plays at the Cole Clark booth during the first day of The NAMM Show in Anaheim, CA, on Thursday, April 13, 2023. (Photo by Jeff Gritchen, Orange County Register/SCNG)

Strandberg Guitars on display in the Boutique Guitar Showcase during the first day of The NAMM Show in Anaheim, CA, on Thursday, April 13, 2023. (Photo by Jeff Gritchen, Orange County Register/SCNG)

Bernard “Pretty” Purdie plays at the Trinity Cymbals booth during the first day of The NAMM Show in Anaheim, CA, on Thursday, April 13, 2023. (Photo by Jeff Gritchen, Orange County Register/SCNG)

Joe Lamond, outgoing President/CEO of The National Association of Music Merchants during the Breakfast of Champions on the first day of The NAMM Show in Anaheim, CA, on Thursday, April 13, 2023. (Photo by Jeff Gritchen, Orange County Register/SCNG)

John Mlynczak, the incoming president and CEO of The National Association of Music Merchants during the Breakfast of Champions on the first day of The NAMM Show in Anaheim, CA, on Thursday, April 13, 2023. (Photo by Jeff Gritchen, Orange County Register/SCNG)

Singer-songwriter John Fogerty shows off a notebook he’s used since 1967 to keep track of song ideas as he accepts the Music for Life Award during the Breakfast of Champions on the first day of The NAMM Show in Anaheim, CA, on Thursday, April 13, 2023. (Photo by Jeff Gritchen, Orange County Register/SCNG)

Larry Linkin, president emeritus, right, acknowledges Joe Lamond, outgoing President and CEO of The National Association of Music Merchants during the Breakfast of Champions on the first day of The NAMM Show in Anaheim, CA, on Thursday, April 13, 2023. (Photo by Jeff Gritchen, Orange County Register/SCNG)

Joe Lamond, outgoing President and CEO, left, and John Mlynczak, incoming president and CEO of The National Association of Music Merchants during the Breakfast of Champions on the first day of The NAMM Show in Anaheim, CA, on Thursday, April 13, 2023. (Photo by Jeff Gritchen, Orange County Register/SCNG)

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In the event’s final moments, Mlynczak and the previous CEO to Lamond, Larry Linkin, joined on stage to present a NAMM Music for Life Award to Lamond.

The morning event closed out with singer, songwriter and guitarist John Fogerty, a founder of Creedence Clearwater Revival, being honored with his own NAMM Music for Life Award.

Fogerty spoke about his time in the Army during the Vietnam War and the impact that it had on its on him and his path to music.

“There was such a sense of we’re all in this together during my generation, and the first thing we got vocal about was our displeasure of the Vietnam War,” he said. “I couldn’t help myself. I had to talk about it.”

The musician gave an anecdote about his need to organize his songwriting after leaving the Army, prompting him to buy a pocket-sized vinyl binder where he would write down titles and ideas for songs. Fogerty brought the binder with him and showed the audience that his first entry was “Proud Mary.”

When Fogerty was honorably discharged in the late 1960s, he said he happily went home and started writing lyrics that involved a river but didn’t quite know where it was going, so he opened his binder and realized the words “Proud Mary” could be the name of a boat and everything started falling into place.

“For the very first time, the process worked,” Fogerty said.

As the first session was closing it was abruptly stopped when emergency alarms sounded and event organizers ordered attendees to evacuate the building. Badge-holders received a message on the NAMM Show+ app which said it was a false alarm.

The event quickly bounced back, and attendees made their way to their scheduled programming, which included several classes, live performances, seminars, workshops and plenty of shiny new gear.

Although there were a few vacant vendor spaces this year, most of the convention’s marketplace featured sleek guitars, ukuleles, drum sets, and a selection of brass equipment from the major name brands, including Yamaha, Fender and Ernie Ball. The electronic section of lights and speakers had a layer of slight fog from display fog machines accompanied by blasting EDM beats.

Jon Gilutin, a presenter for Audio Modeling, showcased the latest studio software that mimics authentic string and brass instruments.

The software allows users who may not have access to musicians or a high-end studio to produce music by themselves on their computers. It’s similar to how plugins and synthetic instruments are used to produce electronic music, but users can add different controls that allow them to alter the sound.

Gilutin wore a device around his neck that he put into his mouth that acted like the mouthpiece of a flute and demonstrated how it works along with the computer program, which adds a range of sounds that can enhance the sounds of the flute. He said he uses the program to make music as a producer and musician when he wants to add another layer to his music.

“It just makes it more real,” Gilutin said.

A notable topic on the event schedule was social media and its relation to music sharing and audience growth. One of the sessions focused on TikTok strategies — with good reason, given its popularity with a new generation of content and music consumers.

According to Luminate’s 2022 U.S. End of Year Report, Generation Z users spend 21% more time weekly with music than listeners from any other generation and are 13% more likely to discover music on streaming services such as Spotify, Apple Music and YouTube and 19% more likely to do so on apps such as TikTok.

With the looming decision by the U.S. government to ban TikTok, many influencers, users and musicians are worried about their audiences disappearing if the ban takes effect.

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Jessica Muñiz-Collado, assistant professor of music business at the University of North Texas, hosted a seminar for a sizable younger audience on how TikTok creators could protect their fanbase and grow.

She said TikTokers should aim to create a relationship with their fans that moves them into a more direct line of communication, such as email list services, text message marketing and surveys.

“The main thing I’m trying to encourage all of you to do is not to put all your eggs in one basket and think social media is the only No. 1 source for engagement,” said Muñiz-Collado.

The first day of the NAMM Show will wrap with the TEC Awards, the Hip-Hop 50 celebration, which will honor Chuck D, the leader and founder of the rap group Public Enemy, who will receive NAMM’s Impact Music & Culture Award.

Orange County Register

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NAMM Show 2023: Here’s a look at the first opening day

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