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NEWS
PRESS RELEASES
November 14, 2008
Gretsch 125th Anniversary Big Event Adds Artists and Industry Sponsors


Savannah, GA, November 13, 2008 – Legendary drum and guitar manufacturer Gretsch is finalizing plans for an equally legendary celebration of its 125th Anniversary. The "Big Event," to be held at The Highline Ballroom in New York City on November 18, will feature new and veteran Gretsch artists alike, in an eclectic evening of outstanding musical performances.

The night will open with Colourslide, the Gainesville, Florida-based band that was chosen from among 879 world-wide entrants as the winner of the Next Gretsch Greats Unsigned Artist Competition.

Next on the bill will be David Lee & His Mercenaries. This Gretsch guitar artist will no doubt have the house jumping with his special brand of “psychobilly” rock.

International pop/rock stars Fountains of Wayne will follow, making a rare club appearance. The Grammy-nominated band is best known for the hit single "Stacy's Mom," and for albums like Welcome Interstate Managers and Traffic and Weather.

The evening's crack house band will be anchored by tour and studio drum great Stephen Ferrone (Tom Petty, Eric Clapton) and former Saturday Night Live guitarist and musical director G. E. Smith. Keyboard star Chuck Leavell (The Rolling Stones band) will serve as the house band's musical director. Also from the Rolling Stones band will be first-call pop and jazz saxophonist Tim Ries. Bob Sabellico, innovative jazz guitarist and composer, and Andy Hess, one of today’s most in-demand bass players, will round out the group.

The house band will not only perform, but will also host a selection of surprise guest artists. Top Gretsch drummers and guitarists have been invited to share their talents for the enjoyment of everyone in attendance.

To help the Gretsch Company celebrate this special occasion, several leading members of the musical manufacturing industry have signed on as co-sponsors. Accordingly, Gretsch, along with industry partners Fender Musical Instruments and Kaman Music Corporation, welcomes the participation of the D'Addario Corporation (makers of Evans Drumheads, HQ Percussion products, and D'Addario guitar strings and accessories), along with Remo, Inc. (makers of Remo drumheads and percussion instruments) and Sabian Cymbals. Also celebrating their 125th anniversary this year are Wente Vinyards, who will be supplying a selection of outstanding vintages for the event.

More information about The Gretsch Company’s 125th Anniversary celebrations can be found at gretsch125h.com and myspace.com/gretsch125th.

For more information, please visit:
myspace.com/colourslide
myspace.com/hismercenaries
fountainsofwayne.com
drumrollrecords.com
chuckleavell.com
gesmith.com
andyhess.com
timries.com
bobsabellico.com

FRED GRETSCH PERSPECTIVE


As direct 4th generation Gretsch family descendant, and with over 40 years of diverse music industry leadership, Fred W. Gretsch has cultivated a singularly unique perspective and vision. Here, Fred shares his rich and varied experiences, including his involvement with current activities as well as personal reflections.

December 15, 2009
Not Fade Away
A few days ago I happened to hear one of The Rolling Stones’ early hits: the Buddy Holly classic “Not Fade Away.” Besides making me appreciate, as always, the great drumming of long-time Gretsch endorser Charlie Watts, that song, and its title, brought to mind a question that drummers have asked me many times over the years: "Why do some drum finishes fade or lose color over time, and what can be done about it?"

At Gretsch, we take great pride in the beautiful lacquer finishes on our drums. We think our unique nitrocellulose covered finishes are pretty nifty, too. So it's just as important to us that those finishes look good for many years as it is to the drummers who own the kits.

The single biggest cause of drum-finish “fade” is light—specifically, ultra-violet rays. That’s right: The same rays that can give you a nasty sunburn can make a drum's finish lose its color over time.

Additional culprits include environmental agents like cigarette smoke and the kitchen fumes common in clubs that serve food. Not only do these agents settle on drums and create a dulling film, they also contain chemicals that can penetrate a finish and bleach out its color. Fortunately, many clubs and other performance venues have become smoke-free in recent years. But a lot of drumkits spent long hours in smoke-filled rooms before this environmental advancement took place.

Once a finish has faded, it's virtually impossible to bring it back to its original condition. So prevention is the best course. Fortunately, it's also very easy. You just need to protect your drums from the fading effect of UV rays and environmental agents.

This can be accomplished by covering your drums with a cloth sheet or dropcloth when they're set up, and casing or bagging them up when they're not. And this doesn't just apply to gigging situations. You’d be surprised how many drums have “fade spots” on one side from being set up or stacked near a window at home!

Take these simple precautions, and your Gretsch drums should retain their beautiful appearance for many years to come.

ARTIST NEWS
February 02, 2010
NAMM 2010


It was a busy show for Gretsch drums! Check out our video section to listen to our various Gretsch artist interviews!

Here are a few of the artists that stopped by to say hello!
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