Johnny Smith, acclaimed jazz guitarist and MI retailer, passed away on June 12, 2013, less than a month before his 91st birthday.

John Hornby Skewes & Co. Ltd. has announced its cooperation with LPD Music to distribute Fret-King® and Vintage® guitars in the US market.

According to Reuters, Standard & Poor’s cut its debt rating on Bain Capital-owned Guitar Center Holdings Inc. late last month, from ‘B-‘ to ‘CCC+’ due to “weak operating trends.”

At the Yamaha Corporation of America’s annual award event, held at the Sheraton Cerritos Hotel in Cerritos, California, the company handed out several awards to personnel in the Pro Audio & Combo Division.

Samson Technologies will turn over the U.S. distribution of all Zoom products to the newly developed Zoom North America on December 31, 2013.