Music Wholesale-Distribution
Mr. Laurie Westell was just 21 years old when he began working in the music products industry. He was hired by Hohner to deliver harmonicas around London. He enjoyed the job, rising in the company to become sales manager. He was sent on the road and represented the company during a period of growth...
Paul Hagen grew up in England playing a number of musical instruments including the bassoon, piano and flute. He was part of the National Youth Band and, although he studied engineering in college, felt that he wanted to be involved with the music products industry. When he had the opportunity to...
Lee Worsley and Paul Hagen represent the modern distribution era with their music wholesale business in the United Kingdom—a business formed after the advent of computer technology and the Internet. Active Music Distribution began in 1999 with a strong focus on the percussion market. Lee had worked...
Brian Justice had been a salesman in many industries in Europe and gained a well-respected name in the music industry for his import/export business between England and Germany, about a decade after World War II. While in the British service, Brian took part in the Berlin Airlift (1948-49) and...
Kees van Willigen opened a music shop in Holland in 1968. As an accordion player he specialized in the instrument and soon gained a world-wide reputation for his product line and customer service. Kees (pronounced Case) witnessed the boom of the accordion in the 1950s and 60s, its decline in the...
Emile Baran began a music retail business that led to the opportunity for expanding into the music wholesale business. Emile formed DeKalb Music Supply, a music retail store in Decatur, Georgia in 1958. Several years later he expanded into the wholesale business, thanks in large part to his...
Allan Pearlman grew up in Queens New York and taught at a local high school after college before working in the music industry. In 1975, Sid Hack, hired Allan as a sales rep for Unicord, the same company his father, Ben, worked for 31 years. Allen loved the industry and continued to work for the...
Aidan McCullough grew up in the music business. His grandfather was a piano tuner who established a small store in Ireland that grew over the years. The store expanded in 1967 when Aidan graduated from college and came into the business full time. Over the years he saw a need for a new...
Norm Thompson began his career in the music products industry as a salesman for retailers in Memphis during the 1950s. He worked his way up to a position of buyer for the store O. K. Hauck, which introduced him to the wholesalers, many of whom he would later work for. Norm found it rewarding to...
Mario Procida formed a music distribution company in El Salvador in 1958 that soon expanded into several surrounding countries as well. His strong understanding of musical traditions and the import/export business resulted in Mario’s notable influence as a leader in the music products industry. He...