Ahead of the 2010 National Association of Music Merchants (NAMM) Winter convention in Anaheim, California, Taylor Guitars is announcing its all-star lineup of accomplished musicians performing over three days of the annual trade show. Beginning at 3:00 p.m. Thursday through Saturday, the Taylor Guitars room will come alive with brilliant sights and sounds ranging from hard rock and country to pop and inspirational music.
To kick off the show, on Thursday at 2:00 p.m., Serj Tankian, the accomplished solo artist and creative frontman and songwriter for the Grammy award-winning rock band System of a Down, will join Bob Taylor on stage to talk about his career and upcoming projects, as well as to debut his new signature model, the Serj Tankian T5. During this time, Tankian will field questions from the audience. Following the debut of the new model, Taylor’s well-loved signature artist and dynamic fingerstylist Doyle Dykes will perform at 3:00 p.m.
Later that day at 4:30 p.m., rising country band Love and Theft will mark their first NAMM performance. Comprised of members Stephen Barker Liles (616ce), Eric Gunderson (GA5, T3/B, SB-C1,716ce) and Brian Bandas, all of whom sing lead vocals and play guitar, the band has gained attention and a lot of airplay from country radio with their catchy hit, “Runaway”; the song earned the biggest first week digital sales for any debut country act in 2009. The trio released their first album, World Wide Open, in August 2009 and their latest single, “Dancing In Circles”, is currently climbing the country radio charts.
On Friday, the day starts rocking at 3:00 p.m. with ’80s icons Night Ranger. With a career spanning 20 years and 16 million albums sold worldwide, longtime Taylor-playing members Jack Blades (816ce, 914ce ), Brad Gillis (814ce), Kelly Keagy (716ce) and Joel Hoekstra (614ce) will perform an acoustic set of the band’s melodious, power-pop ballads. At 4:30 p.m., San Diego-based troubadour Jason Mraz (714ce, 612ce, NS52ce, NS72ce) will bring his catchy, positive acoustic stylings to the Taylor stage. The multiple Grammy nominee set a music industry record late last year with his hit single, “I’m Yours”, off his 2008 platinum certified album, We Sing, We Dance, We Steal Things, for the most weeks on the Billboard Hot 100 charts. Mraz has spent the past thirteen years performing everywhere from local coffee shops to stadiums of adoring fans, and along the way, has released three critically acclaimed studio albums and garnered the Hal David Starlight award from the Songwriters Hall of Fame. At the show, and in collaboration with Taylor Guitars, Mraz will debut his latest project, the Jason Mraz Signature Model (JMSM) guitar.
On Saturday, revered Spanish rockers Maná and the most celebrated Christian artist of the past decade, Steven Curtis Chapman, will both perform. Known for their pop meets rock ‘n’ roll sound and lyrics, Maná (514ce, 710ce, 712ce, K14ce, GSRC, T5-C1, T5C1-12, T5C2, T5C1) has gained notoriety around the world throughout the course of nearly three decades. Following Maná, inspirational musician Steven Curtis Chapman (510, 512-M, 712ce, 714ce, 814c, 815c) will take the stage. Chapman, who has collected a wealth of awards, including five Grammys, an American Music Award, and more Dove Award nominations than any other artist in the history of the Gospel Music Association, has inspired fans over two decades by sharing a message of hope and love. Chapman’s most recent projects include the release of his seventeenth album, Beauty Will Rise, featuring the lead single, “Heaven Is the Face”, which peaked at no. 9 late last year on Billboard’s Top Christian Songs.
Thursday, January 14
2:00 p.m. Serj Tankian Interview with Bob Taylor (www.SerjTankian.com)
3:00 p.m. Doyle Dykes (www.DoyleDykes.com)
4:30 p.m. Love and Theft (www.LoveandTheft.com)
Friday, January 15
3:00 p.m. Night Ranger (www.NightRanger.com)
4:30 p.m. Jason Mraz (www.JasonMraz.com)
Saturday, January 16
3:00 p.m. Steven Curtis Chapman (www.StevenCurtisChapman.com)
4:30 p.m. Mana (www.Mana.com.mx)
All artist performances and times are subject to change. For the most current lineup of performers and to experience the company’s new guitars, during the NAMM show please visit the Taylor Guitars room on the second floor of the Anaheim Convention Center, room 213.
