Interview with Mark Sahlgren

Interviewee

Mark Sahlgren

Files

Interviewers

Jay Gavan

Description

Interview with Mark Sahlgren (b. 1940) recorded on November 20, 2011 in Kalamazoo, Michigan. Recorded by interviewer James 'Jay' Gaven for a Kalamazoo Valley Museum exhibit on Gibson Guitars. Mark began working at Gibson Guitar while he was in graduate school at Western Michigan University. He was there from 1965 to 1970 in final adjusting. After Gibson, he had a long career teaching in the Kalamazoo Public Schools and hosts a bluegrass music radio program called Grassroots at WMUK. He recounts his memories at the factory, including:

• a guitar player, he was hired at Gibsons as an adjuster
• early history of Gibson Guitars
• depression-era guitars produced by Gibson
• gender diversity of the workforce
• collectable value of the guitars
• Ted McCarty and Les Paul

Date of Interview

11-20-2011

Location of Interview

Kalamazoo (Mich.)

Series

Gibson Guitar Factory Oral Histories

Keywords

Gibson Inc., Gibson guitar, Guitar history, Factories, Personal narratives

Disciplines

Oral History | Other Music | Public History

Notes

Low-resolution video and audio feedback.

Language

ENG

Document Type

Interview

Recommended Citation

Sahlgren, Mark, "Interview with Mark Sahlgren" (2011). Kalamazoo Valley Museum - Gibson Guitar Factory Oral Histories. 14.
https://scholarworks.wmich.edu/gibson-guitar-oral-histories/14

Length of video

00:45:55

Length of video log

15 pages