Hicksville, NY (Top40 Charts / Sam Ash Music) Sam Ash
Music , the nation's leading full-line retail music chain, warmly honored The Gretsch Company on the marking of their 130 th Anniversary with a special celebration at the Sam Ash
Music Hollywood store on July 20 . The Gretsch family, represented by Fred and Dinah Gretsch , were on hand to personally greet Gretsch fans, sign autographs, and relate the fascinating history of their family business that was founded by Fred's great-grandfather Friedrich Gretsch in 1883. Musical guest included Steve Ferrone & Friends, The Joe Robinson Trio , and jazz guitar virtuoso Michelle Marie .
Gretsch and Sam Ash
Music share a common history with both companies' starting off as small shops in Brooklyn, New York . The two companies have maintained a strong and personal relationship for 90 years.
"Gretsch has always been a big part of the greater Sam Ash family," said Sammy Ash , chief operations officer at Sam Ash
Music Corp. " Fred Gretsch, Jr. , (Fred's uncle) personally took my father Jerry and my uncle Paul on their first trip to Long Island to look for retail space. It was their first time riding in a Cadillac, and when they found a home for our second store in Hempstead, N.Y. , Sam Ash
Music became a chain."
The artists got the crowd fired up, with Steve Ferrone &
Friends playing a rocking rendition of the Derek and the Dominos 1970 hit " Layla ." Later, Fred and Dinah Gretsch shared their feelings of the special bond between the Gretsch and Ash families.
Attendees got to see and play many of Gretsch's latest guitars and drums , making for an interactive celebration and a deep appreciation of Gretsch's historical significance in the music industry. Sam Ash
Music is profoundly grateful to The Gretsch Company for their many years of friendship and for sharing this very special occasion with us.
"This is only the beginning," said Ash, regarding the first 130 years of The Grestch Company. "We look forward to sharing music with the Gretsch family for many years to come."
For photos and more information related to this event, click here .
Sam Ash
Music is the nation's leading full-line retail music chain. The family owned and operated business opened in 1924 with a small store in Brooklyn, N.Y. , and now operates more than 45 stores nationwide. For more information, visit: www.samashmusic.com.
