T RIBU T E
Remembering
Greg Bennett By Ravi Hutheesing I am grateful to the Retailer for enabling me to share tributes to those who deeply impacted my career. Today, I remember Greg Bennett, a man who shaped the guitar industry both literally and figuratively. Greg died from cancer on June 20 at the age of 69. He was the talented guitar luthier behind 250 models of “Greg Bennett Design”
guitar design, sales and marketing. As I began to learn about Greg’s guitars, I
fretted instruments for Samick Music Corp. (SMC); the maker of Franklin fine-
realized that it was his same eye and commitment to “the line” that made the
leather straps and the Glider rolling capo; an MI marketing guru, having held
body styles so graceful. What was equally striking was that his guitars sounded
high-level management positions at Guitar Center, Washburn, Gibson, Kaman
as tasteful as they looked, much like Greg himself when finger-picking a tune.
and Tascam; and a truly accomplished finger-style guitarist. Greg was the rare
After a late lunch at his house, he took me back to my hotel. We had not
breed of industry businessman and gifted artist.
planned to resume before the following morning, but as I got out of his car, he
No brand fostered my growth in MI more than Greg Bennett Design. In 2004,
invited me to join him and his wife, Sharon, for dinner. Our conversations ran
I was asked by SMC to be the official clinician for the electrics in their new
deeper as we explored geopolitics, history, psychology and philosophy; Greg
guitar line (Greg himself did the clinics for the acoustic models). The com-
was quite the philosopher. He could quote Plato and Aristotle as needed, but
pany’s interest in me was sparked by my very first column in the Music &
his own conclusions about human behavior and the science of what motivates
Sound Retailer, “Dream Makers,” in which I expressed concern about a child’s
people stood on their own.
musical dream being fostered by a big-box retailer. My role in this industry has
It only took two days with Greg for me to acquire an education that would
always been to advocate for the independent retailer, and as it turned out, Greg
enable me to build a multi-year career aimed at helping independent retailers
believed in that as well — his guitars were to be sold exclusively through inde-
prosper. That is the benefit of learning from a master. I am certainly not alone,
pendent music stores. We could not have been more philosophically aligned.
as everyone liked and respected him. No smart person would miss the chance
When I agreed to what became a busy three-year “Live the Dream” clinic
to pick Greg’s brain. He was scholarly, passionate and extremely humble.
schedule across the nation, SMC first sent me to Nashville to meet and get to
As Tony De La Rosa, former national sales and marketing director for SMC, and
know the man behind the guitars. I knew nothing about Greg at the time and
our mutual friend and colleague, recalled, “Greg was an artist, a visionary, a
was still very much an industry novice. However, it was immediately apparent
gentleman and a friend.”
how much depth there was to him and the vast amount of knowledge that he
Evan Skopp, president of Inside Track International and formerly of Seymour
could teach me.
Duncan who provided import pickups for Greg’s guitars, remembered him as “A
He was slender and elegant, always sporting perfectly styled flowing white hair
gentleman to work with, and there is no doubt he genuinely loved all facets of
with a slight wave. Often dressed in a blazer and jeans, Greg avoided carry-
the guitar: playing them, designing them, selling them and selling accessories
ing a phone or wallet because he was committed to maintaining “the line,”
for them.”
the seamless outline of his frame from head to toe that otherwise would be
“The world and the MI industry have certainly lost one of the good guys,”
disturbed by a bulging pocket.
concluded De Le Rosa, and I completely agree. The halls of future NAMM
On our first morning together, we went to a local restaurant for breakfast. We
shows will be missing a valuable mind and dedicated professional. For me, I
did not talk much about guitars but really enjoyed getting to know each other.
will miss the person who empowered me to hopefully empower you. Rest in
Over the course of a couple of hours, our personalities gelled and a friendship
peace, my friend and mentor.
was born.
Ravi Hutheesing is a global keynote speaker and cultural catalyst, and the
Following breakfast, we went to his home to explore the individual models and
former guitarist of 1997’s pop phenomenon, Hanson. He welcomes comments
discuss how to best represent them. He taught me everything he could about
and questions at Ravi@RaviUnites.com.
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