Music Trade Review
Issue: 1954 Vol. 113 N. 10 - Page 19
Music Trade Review -- © mbsi.org, arcade-museum.com -- digitized with support from namm.org
National Committee for the Music Trade
Formed to Urge Excise Tax Repeal
A group of ten persons representing
the manufacturing, retailing, wholesal-
ing, educational, and cultural interests
of the music industry met at the Palm-
er House Chicago, 111., October 1, 1954
sociation is also being sought.
The objective of the committee is to
secure legislation to completely elim-
inate the 10% manufacturers excise tax
from musical instruments. The Nation-
Front Row: Seated L. to R.—J. F. Feddersen, National Piano Manufacturers Association—
David Wexler, National Association of Musical Merchandise Wholesalers—William R. Gard,
National Association of Music Merchants, Inc.—Mrs. Ronald A. Dougan, National Federation
of Music Clubs—C. H. Michaels, National Piano Manufacturers Association. Standing L. to R.
Don Noble, Accordion Wholesalers of America—C. V. Buttleman, Music Educators National
Conference—Robert W. Keyworth, National Association of Musical Merchandise Manufactur-
ers—Vito Pascucci. National Association of Band Instrument Manufacturers—Paul Yoder,
American Bandmasters Assoc.—Absent, Robert Johnson, Jr., National Piano Travelers Assoc.
and formed the National Committee for
Repeal of the Musical Instrument Ex-
cise Tax. William R. Gard, Executive
Secretary of the National Association
of Music Merchants was named Chair-
man of the National Committee. The
NAMM headquarters will serve as the
clearing house for the group's activ-
ities, capitalizing on that organization's
experience in handling legislative mat-
ters for the retail industry.
The organizations participating in the
National Committee and their repre-
sentatives include: National Piano Man-
ufacturers Association, J. F. Feddersen,
and C. H. Michaels; National Associa-
tion of Musical Merchandise Wholesal-
ers. David Wexler; National Association
of Music Merchants, Inc., William R.
Gard; National Federation of Music
Clubs. Mrs. Ronald A. Dougan; Ac-
cordion Wholesalers of America, Don
Noble; Music Educators National Con-
ference, C. V. Buttleman, and Miss
Vanette Lawler; National Association
of Musical Merchandise Manufacturers,
T. M. McCarty an3 Robert W. Key-
worth; National Association of Band
Instrument Manufacturers, Vito Pascuc-
ci; American Bandmasters Association,
Paul Yoder; National Music Council,
Howard Hanson; National Piano Trav-
elers Association, Robert Johnson. The
cooperation of the Parent Teachers As-
THE MUSIC TRADE REVIEW, OCTOBER, 1954
al Committee's objective was further
spurred by the fact that the Internal
Revenue Code of 1954 lists the manu-
facturers excise tax on musical instru-
ments under "entertainment equip-
ment". One of the committee members
remarked "apparently musical instru-
ments are envisioned as night club
equipment rather than as the basic ed-
ucational product which they truly are."
Although radio, television sets, phono-
graphs and records are in the same cat-
egory as musical instruments, there
will be no effort of the National Com-
mittee to ally itself with the associa-
tions acting for those industries in the
tax repeal campaign. However, since
retail music merchants carry all prod-
ucts of a music producing and repro-
ducing nature, the National Association
of Music Merchants will give specific
attention to the radio, television, pliono-
graph, and record excise taxes.
While complete strategy is to be de-
tailed in the immediate future, the strat-
egy discussed among the representatives
on the National Committee basically
includes the contact of Congressmen in
their home areas between the present
time and the reconvening of Congress
in January. Especial attention will be
given to members of the House Ways
and Means Committee and the Senate
Finance Committee. The matter of re-
taining counsel to assist in mapping
strategy and to steer the repeal cam-
paign through the proper Congressional
Committees is being considered.
To finance the National Committee's
tax repeal campaign a total of $15,-
500.00 was pledged by the industry as-
sociations. Strong efforts to secure the
financial participation of other music
industry interests not affiliated with as-
sociations will be made by the National
Committee.
To implement the activities of the
National Committee and its various
groups and interests the following sub-
committees were established: Finance—
Chairman Feddersen, Pascucci and
Gard. Commercial—Chairman Michaels,
McCarty, Wexler, and Noble. Educators
—Chairman Vanette Lawler, Buttleman,
Hanson, and Yoder. Cultural — Chair-
man Mrs. Dougan, Miss Hurley of the
Washington Headquarters of the Na-
tional Federation of Music Clubs, and
a representative yet to be named from
the Parent Teachers Association.
For 104 Years
A PROFIT MAKER
for the DEALER!
That is the record
of the . . .
French Provincial Model
SIIO\I\4,I:IC PIANO
produced today in eye-appealing conventional and
period designs and embodying that superior tone
quality for which they have been famous since 1850.
Your Territory May Be Open — Write Us.
NATIONAL PIANO CORP., 54 Canal St., New York 2. N. Y.
19
National Committee for the Music Trade
Formed to Urge Excise Tax Repeal
A group of ten persons representing
the manufacturing, retailing, wholesal-
ing, educational, and cultural interests
of the music industry met at the Palm-
er House Chicago, 111., October 1, 1954
sociation is also being sought.
The objective of the committee is to
secure legislation to completely elim-
inate the 10% manufacturers excise tax
from musical instruments. The Nation-
Front Row: Seated L. to R.—J. F. Feddersen, National Piano Manufacturers Association—
David Wexler, National Association of Musical Merchandise Wholesalers—William R. Gard,
National Association of Music Merchants, Inc.—Mrs. Ronald A. Dougan, National Federation
of Music Clubs—C. H. Michaels, National Piano Manufacturers Association. Standing L. to R.
Don Noble, Accordion Wholesalers of America—C. V. Buttleman, Music Educators National
Conference—Robert W. Keyworth, National Association of Musical Merchandise Manufactur-
ers—Vito Pascucci. National Association of Band Instrument Manufacturers—Paul Yoder,
American Bandmasters Assoc.—Absent, Robert Johnson, Jr., National Piano Travelers Assoc.
and formed the National Committee for
Repeal of the Musical Instrument Ex-
cise Tax. William R. Gard, Executive
Secretary of the National Association
of Music Merchants was named Chair-
man of the National Committee. The
NAMM headquarters will serve as the
clearing house for the group's activ-
ities, capitalizing on that organization's
experience in handling legislative mat-
ters for the retail industry.
The organizations participating in the
National Committee and their repre-
sentatives include: National Piano Man-
ufacturers Association, J. F. Feddersen,
and C. H. Michaels; National Associa-
tion of Musical Merchandise Wholesal-
ers. David Wexler; National Association
of Music Merchants, Inc., William R.
Gard; National Federation of Music
Clubs. Mrs. Ronald A. Dougan; Ac-
cordion Wholesalers of America, Don
Noble; Music Educators National Con-
ference, C. V. Buttleman, and Miss
Vanette Lawler; National Association
of Musical Merchandise Manufacturers,
T. M. McCarty an3 Robert W. Key-
worth; National Association of Band
Instrument Manufacturers, Vito Pascuc-
ci; American Bandmasters Association,
Paul Yoder; National Music Council,
Howard Hanson; National Piano Trav-
elers Association, Robert Johnson. The
cooperation of the Parent Teachers As-
THE MUSIC TRADE REVIEW, OCTOBER, 1954
al Committee's objective was further
spurred by the fact that the Internal
Revenue Code of 1954 lists the manu-
facturers excise tax on musical instru-
ments under "entertainment equip-
ment". One of the committee members
remarked "apparently musical instru-
ments are envisioned as night club
equipment rather than as the basic ed-
ucational product which they truly are."
Although radio, television sets, phono-
graphs and records are in the same cat-
egory as musical instruments, there
will be no effort of the National Com-
mittee to ally itself with the associa-
tions acting for those industries in the
tax repeal campaign. However, since
retail music merchants carry all prod-
ucts of a music producing and repro-
ducing nature, the National Association
of Music Merchants will give specific
attention to the radio, television, pliono-
graph, and record excise taxes.
While complete strategy is to be de-
tailed in the immediate future, the strat-
egy discussed among the representatives
on the National Committee basically
includes the contact of Congressmen in
their home areas between the present
time and the reconvening of Congress
in January. Especial attention will be
given to members of the House Ways
and Means Committee and the Senate
Finance Committee. The matter of re-
taining counsel to assist in mapping
strategy and to steer the repeal cam-
paign through the proper Congressional
Committees is being considered.
To finance the National Committee's
tax repeal campaign a total of $15,-
500.00 was pledged by the industry as-
sociations. Strong efforts to secure the
financial participation of other music
industry interests not affiliated with as-
sociations will be made by the National
Committee.
To implement the activities of the
National Committee and its various
groups and interests the following sub-
committees were established: Finance—
Chairman Feddersen, Pascucci and
Gard. Commercial—Chairman Michaels,
McCarty, Wexler, and Noble. Educators
—Chairman Vanette Lawler, Buttleman,
Hanson, and Yoder. Cultural — Chair-
man Mrs. Dougan, Miss Hurley of the
Washington Headquarters of the Na-
tional Federation of Music Clubs, and
a representative yet to be named from
the Parent Teachers Association.
For 104 Years
A PROFIT MAKER
for the DEALER!
That is the record
of the . . .
French Provincial Model
SIIO\I\4,I:IC PIANO
produced today in eye-appealing conventional and
period designs and embodying that superior tone
quality for which they have been famous since 1850.
Your Territory May Be Open — Write Us.
NATIONAL PIANO CORP., 54 Canal St., New York 2. N. Y.
19
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