“Clear! Ker-thunk. Ok, she’s back. That’s weird, she’s smiling. It must be time to get up for another day at NAMM”. Paramedic defibrillator humor aside, Friday night was, let’s say…awe-some!
Ahh, Saturday at NAMM. Thinking about everything that’s happened the last few days makes you smile (or is that wincing?). Saturday is when the crowds fill the great convention center halls to their capacity. It’s also the time when you’ll see some of the biggest stars, ones everyone knows by name. Ask any NAMM veteran about what big names they’ve seen and/or met, and they’ll rattle off an impressive list. Something very special when you meet a “mega” is you realize that they’re human too. Talking with Dinah Gretsch about family, Sheila E about playing drums or MJ Juarez about making tortillas is very cool. You’re like, did I just have a semi-normal conversation with Orianthi? You have to check yourself. Saturday is when you feel the immense enthusiasm and passion people have for what NAMM has to offer.
“What happens at NAMM”
By now, you know the show map like the back of your hand, the event schedule is around somewhere, but your phone battery is completely dead after all the selfies and video you took last night. If you made it to the NAMM U breakfast this morning, it’s probably because you couldn’t figure out all those crazy buttons in the elevator to make it back to your room or you found that the lines were much shorter and the people at your table not as talkative as they’re still recovering from Thursday night’s NAMM Jam with Slash at the City National Grove
But, of course, the buzz going around is about the She Rocks Awards held at the House of Blues Friday night. What a spectacular evening hosted by Lyndsey Parker and Mindi Abair of live performances, heartfelt speeches, celebrities galore, an awesome silent auction and gift bags to boot!
The 2020 She Rocks Awards recipients is a most impressive group made up of:
- Tal Wilkenfeld – chart-topping singer/songwriter and critically acclaimed bassist
- Gloria Gaynor – GRAMMY® Award-winning artist, GRAMMY Hall of Fame inductee, and the legendary voice behind the iconic hit “I Will Survive”
- Linda Perry – GRAMMY, Golden Globe, Critic’s Choice-nominated artist, Songwriter Hall of Fame inductee, multi-platinum producer and former frontwoman for 4 Non Blondes
- Lzzy Hale – GRAMMY Award-winning artist/songwriter and frontwoman for Halestorm
- Suzi Quatro – pioneering bass player, singer, musician and actress who played the role of Leather Tuscadero on Happy Days
- Beatie Wolfe – Singer-songwriter, pioneer of immersive music formats, UN Women role model
- Suzanne D’Addario Brouder – Executive Director of the D’Addario Foundation
- TARA LOW – Music-based entrepreneur and editor and founder of Guitar Girl Magazine
- Myrna Sislen – Owner of Middle C Music in D.C., classical guitarist, philanthropist, music educator
- Judy Schaefer – Marketing Director at PRS Guitars
- Ebonie Smith – Founder and President of Gender Amplified, Inc, and Atlantic Records audio engineer and producer
A big round of applause to all the awards recipients, Laura Whitmore and the Women’s International Music Network.
“The buzz going around is…”
Saturday’s Guitar Girl Magazine NAMM Recommendations:
GUITAR EFFECTS
- AER
- Antari
- BOSS
- Catalinbread
- Delicious Audio’s Stompbox Booth
- Electro-Harmonix
- Empress
- Ibanez
- Poly Effects
- Whirlwind
- Xotic
EVENTS
- Are You The Next Big Thing?
- Guitar & String Giveaway – D’Angelico Guitars
- How to Use Facebook Groups to Grow Your Business
- Leah Martin-Brown of Evol Walks Meet and Greet
- Essential Steps to Manage Your Reputation on Google, Yelp and Facebook
- Simple Strategies to Maximize Your Local Google Presence
- Courtney Cox and Gretchen Menn Meet and Greet @ Highwire Daze Magazine
- Lexii Lynn Frazier Meet and Greet
- Meet & Greet with Dinah & Fred Gretsch @ Gretsch
- Lita Ford @ Kahler
- How 5G Will Change the Music Industry
PERFORMERS
- Madilyn Mei
- Hit Like A Girl Champions
- Alisan Porter
- Elaine Faye
- Alice Howe @ Rock Celler Magazine
- Trishes
- Abigail Stahlschmidt
- Katie Ferrara
- Ally Venable @ BOSS
- Sarah Tudzin
- Melissa Gottlieb
- Debby Holiday
- The Regrettes @ Shure
- Yasmin Hofer @ EarthQuaker Devices
- Ali Handal
- Nita Strauss @ BOSS
- Julia Gartha
- Melanie Faye @ D’Angelico Guitars
- Judith Owen
- Orianthi @ PRS
- Courtney Cox @ BOSS
- Megan Tibbits
- Whitney Tai
- Caitlin Jemma
- Ciara Brooke
- Amy May
“What you can do at NAMM”
With the huge crowds, it’s not as easy to get around so you don’t want to over commit yourself to the same pace as the last few days. Make the necessary follow ups, exchange contact info from your newly made connections, and start thinking about your exit plan (ex. exactly when do I need to be at the airport?). Be thinking now before you leave NAMM of what you’ll be doing after you get home. It’s so much easier to reach back out to someone in person while you’re still at NAMM than later on when you’re in different parts of the country. Also, make a few notes of those brilliant ideas that were gushing out over drinks at the She Rocks Awards, you’ll thank yourself later. Last, but not least, revisit your original plan and come up with a new NAMM-charged plan. Already be thinking of next year because what you can do at NAMM is like nowhere else.
Because unlike another well-known place, what happens at NAMM, you want the world to know.