Interview with Gene and Maggie Haugh, Luthier/Plant Supervisor and Factory Worker
Date of Interview
3-26-2021
Length of Interview
1:03:04
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Digital Publication Date
3-16-2023
Publisher
National Association of Music Merchants
Language
English
Keywords
Gretsch Company, Drums, Guitars, Music Manufacturers, Sho-bud, Slingerland Drums, Baldwin Piano Company
Copyright
This work is archived and distributed under the repository's standard copyright and reuse license, available here. Under this license, end-users may copy, store, and distribute this work without restriction. For questions related to additional reuse of this work, please contact the copyright owner.
Disciplines
Business Administration, Management, and Operations | Music | Music Business | Oral History
Recommended Citation
Haugh, Gene and Haugh, Maggie, "Interview with Gene and Maggie Haugh, Luthier/Plant Supervisor and Factory Worker" (2021). NAMM Oral Histories. 5.
https://digitalcommons.georgiasouthern.edu/nammoralhistories/5
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 4.0 License.
Files
Download Index of Interview (44 KB)
Notes
From NAMM Oral History Collection:
Gene Haugh
Gene Haugh began his career as a factory worker for the Baldwin Piano Company in Arkansas making parts for the electric organ. Gene was hired by the DH Baldwin Company in 1966 and in just two years was promoted to the plant’s supervisor. He left Baldwin in 1981 and soon began building Sho-Bud pedal steel guitars (which he also played as a musician). When Fred Gretsch purchased Sho-Bud, the long relationship between Gene and Fred began. His attention to detail was one of the many reasons why Gene was asked eight times to establish production facilities within the music products industry. These factories included the Slingerland drum plant in Illinois and several factories for Gretsch including those in Conway, Arkansas and South Carolina. Along the way, Gene developed into a well-know and well-sought out luthier who built pedal steel, electric and acoustic guitars for the likes of Buddy Emmons, Roy Clark and Chet Atkins.
Maggie Haugh
Maggie Haugh quite literally stood by her man! In the moments following her husband Gene’s NAMM Oral History interview, Maggie came to say hello and stood behind him. During our few minutes with her it was so endearing to hear how proud she is of her husband and his work within the music industry. We also learned that Maggie herself once worked in the Sho-Bud factory in Arkansas and has wonderful memories of the many of the musicians (including her favorite Buddy Emmons) that she was able to meet over the years. Maggie’s love and support of Gene was beautiful to see and we thought you might enjoy seeing it as well.