The National Association of Music Merchants (NAMM) Show kicked off on Thursday, bringing music companies and vendors from all around the world to Nashville for the annual show.
NAMM has a winter show in Anaheim every year in addition to the summer show in Nashville, and Chris Martin, CEO of Martin Guitars, said the Nashville show is one of the most important events Martin attends every year.
“This is still guitar country" Martin said. "You just walk along Broadway and, I don’t go in all the bars, but I look in all of them, and a lot of Martins, a lot of Dreadnoughts. I mean, we have to be here.”
And this year, Gibson Brands made a statement following their bankruptcy filing earlier in the year by showing a stronger presence than any previous year at NAMM, showcasing new products, and letting the music world know that the Nashville company is focused on building great guitars.
“Being here, being part of the vibe of this Nashville show in a larger capacity than we have in the past just really says, you know what, Gibson’s here, Gibson’s here to stay, and we’re just focused on building the best guitars on earth.” Aljon Go, product specialist for Gibson Brands, said.
Beyond the major brands in the music world, plenty of smaller companies were at NAMM to showcase their products in hopes to gain exposure and get more distribution.
Plenty of Nashville companies were at NAMM, including Mythos Pedals, which makes guitar pedals.
“Being able to showcase your gear and meet people that you’ve talked to on the internet and people you’ve made a lot of connections with to online, it’s pretty huge for just putting a face behind your brand, which in this competitive of an industry, I think is really important," Zach Broyles, creator and owner of Mythos Pedals said.
The show is open to the public on Saturday for the Make Music Experience where guests are invited to check out the gear, play music, hear music, win some free gear, and enjoy the show. Tickets are $10 in advance and $20 at the door.
