Paiste America Appoints KMC Music to Serve as its Sole United States Distribution Partner

Strengthening a percussion portfolio that already includes Gibraltar, Latin Percussion, Remo, Toca, Vater, and Vic Firth, KMC Music (www.kmcmusic.com) today announced that it has been appointed to serve as the sole United States distribution partner of Paiste America (www.paiste.com), one of the world’s most renowned lines of cymbals, hand cymbals, and gongs that includes the iconic Paiste 2002 Series and the highly respected Paiste Signature Series.

“The addition of Paiste to our already extensive percussion portfolio reinforces our position as the MI retailer’s only true one-stop source for all of their percussion needs,” KMC Music Vice President of Merchandising Roger Hart emphasized today.  “We are proud to be able to offer our customers the cymbals used by artists that include Stewart Copeland, Nicko McBrain, Ian Paice, and Alex Van Halen, among many, many others.” 

The success of Paiste can be directly attributed to the core philosophy that underlies all of its product development programs.  “As a family business, we have always been driven by the goal to constantly create new sounds with cymbals, gongs, and bronze percussion instruments that meet the unique needs of drummers and percussionists,” explained Paiste CEO Erik Paiste.  “And now, with the help of KMC Music’s extensive in-field sales, merchandising, and support teams, the Paiste line of cymbals and gongs is going to be more immediately available to the largest network of MI retailers in the world’s largest MI retail marketplace.” Key house accounts will continue to be served by Paiste America and its own sales team.

“Experimentation, integration, and revolution are all a normal part of the Paiste product development effort,” Erik Paiste continued.  “The art of percussion has evolved to a point where the technical and musical components that go into creating ‘sound’ have reached unprecedented new heights.  Today’s drummers and percussionists speak many musical languages and actively perform in several genres.  Paiste is committed to keeping up with these trends and, as a result, our product line today meets more musical styles and needs than ever before.” 

KMC Music Rolls Out Biggest Ever 'Back-to-School Sales Bonanza' Promotion Program Through July 31!

Underscoring its commitment to offer MI retailers the largest array of seasonally themed promotion programs, KMC Music (www.kmcmusic.com) today announced the launch of its “Back-to-School Sales Bonanza,” featuring dozens of brands and hundreds of products all specially priced to generate nationwide consumer excitement during the critically important start to the fourth quarter sales season.

“As the largest distributor of MI and pro audio products, KMC Music can and will offer our retail partners the largest selection of specially priced products and promotion programs and our new Back-to-School Sales Bonanza lives up to that commitment,” said KMC Music Vice President of Sales James Tsaptsinos.  “Every major product category and accessory line is included in this year’s programs — guitars, amps, pedals, percussion, microphones, strings, and more.  Dealers will find all of our brands featured in exciting new programs that are designed to maximize sell-through sales to their customers.”

Brands featured in the Back-to-School program include Legere, VIC FIRTH, Lanikai, Line 6, MBT Lighting, Audio-Technica, AKG, Casio, Belmonte, Denis Wick, K&M, RICO, Herco, Lauren, Lee Oskar, Mooer, Suzuki, Hilo, Innovative Percussion, REMO, Martin & Co, King David, Vandoren, SuperSlick, Mono, Shure, RCF, Dunlop, Jones, Kaiser, Sennheiser, Corpmaster, Players, Stageline, Lauren, Blitz, Bruno, ChopSaver, Kratt, Mike Balter, Becker, Stentor, Barcus-Berry, Seiko, Snark, Wittner, Eldon, Antigua, APM, Vincent Bach, Blessing, BARRI, Selmer, Hohner, Grover, Manhassett, Elixir, Hamilton, and BoomWhackers, among others.

The program runs now through July 31, 2015.  To learn more about the Back-to-School Sales Bonanza promotion program, dealers can call the KMC Music call center at (855) 417-8677.

KMC Music Strengthens Its Product Portfolio With the Addition of Five New Product Lines

Reinforcing its position as the MI industry’s one-stop source for the broadest array of retail MI and pro audio products, KMC Music (www.kmcmusic.com) today announced that it has been appointed to serve as the United States distributor of Keeley Pedals, Mono Bags, Mooer Pedals, Pigtronix Pedals, RCF professional audio products, and Suzuki Harmonicas.  According to KMC Music Vice President of Merchandising Roger Hart, the new appointments effectively mean that dealers will now be able to offer even more options to their customers.

“No one is more focused on meeting the needs of MI dealers than KMC Music,” Hart said today.  “The addition of these five great new lines to our product portfolio underscores the fact that our manufacturer partners understand that our ability to serve dealers as a complete solutions resource is unmatched by any other company.  They understand that we can meet the needs of our dealers better than anyone else.  Even more importantly, our valued retail partners can now order even more solutions from a single source — KMC Music!”

The addition of five new brands to the KMC Music portfolio comes at a time when the industry-leading distributor of MI and pro audio solutions has begun the next chapter in its history as a division of JAM Industries.  Recently, KMC Music announced the opening of a new corporate headquarters and training center in Bloomfield, Connecticut, a new 300,000 state-of-the-art warehouse and operations center in Southaven, Mississippi, and plans to add to its team of in-field sales professionals. 

KMC Music Opens New Corporate Headquarters in Bloomfield, Connecticut, Relocates Warehousing and Distribution to Mississippi

Calling it the start of the next great chapter in its proud history of serving the MI and Pro Audio industries, KMC Music (www.kmcmusic.com) today announced that it has completed its transition from Fender Musical Instruments to JAM Industries ownership with the opening of a new corporate headquarters in Bloomfield, Connecticut, the relocation of its warehousing and distribution to the JAM Industries operations center in Southaven, Mississippi, and the implementation of new credit and order processing systems based in JAM Industries’ Montreal, Canada headquarters.

From left to right: James Tsaptsinos, Vice President of Sales; Mark Terry, President; and Roger Hart, Vice President of Merchandising

“An exciting new chapter in our history of service to MI and Pro Audio dealers is now underway,” KMC Music President Mark Terry said today.  “We are looking forward to bringing to our dealers an unprecedented new array of business building sales and promotion programs designed to help them better meet the needs of their customers.”

Effective immediately, the new KMC Music corporate headquarters will be based in Bloomfield, Connecticut in a new campus that includes all executive offices, telemarketing, training, sales, marketing and customer support functions.  The new address is 310 West Newberry Road, Bloomfield, CT 06002.  The general phone number is (855) 417-8677.  “When it was time to select a new corporate headquarters we knew we didn’t want to stray far from our roots,” Terry explained.  “We’re thrilled to remain in Bloomfield, where our company was founded and where so much of our history resides.  Staying in Bloomfield also reaffirms our commitment to maintaining the core values that have made us the leading distributor of MI and Pro Audio solutions — a customer-centric focus, a commitment to exceed our customers’ every expectations, and our determination to always provide the broadest range of high value added products, programs, training, and service support.”

The new KMC Music headquarters in Bloomfield, CT

The new KMC Music warehouse will be based out of JAM Industries’ 300,000 square foot, state-of-the-art automated operations and distribution center in Southaven, Mississippi.  The address of the new warehouse is 4325 Executive Drive, Suite 300, Southaven, Mississippi 38672.

In addition, all KMC Music Accounts Payable/Receivable functions have now been moved from Fender Musical Instruments to the JAM Industries corporate headquarters in Montreal, Canada.  Effective immediately, all credit inquiries should be directed to credit@jamindustriesUSA.com. 

Amplifying Mark Terry’s message, KMC Music Vice President of Sales James Tsaptsinos emphasized that, “All of the changes announced today are designed to enhance the way our dealers do business with KMC Music. We understand the vital role customer service and consistent communication play in ensuring that our businesses run smoothly together. The new KMC Music is ready to do even more business with our dealers and we look forward to sharing with them news about a number of tremendous new business opportunities.  We look forward to a great Second Half 2015!”

The new KMC Music distribution center in Southaven, MS

To download additional hi-res images, click here.

2015 KMC Music Golf Tournament Set to Tee Off on June 8th

Manufacturers, dealers, and related MI industry guests who have long looked forward to teeing off at the KMC Music Golf Tournament can book their tee times now for June 8, 2015, with the announcement today that the 28th annual event will be held at the Blue Fox Run Golf Course (www.bluefoxent.com) in Avon, Connecticut.

“This annual event has been part of the DNA of KMC for 28 years,” KMC Music President Mark Terry said today.  “And, now that KMC Music is part of the JAM US MI Group, this tradition is going to continue for, hopefully, 28 more years!  It’s simply one of the most important events on the KMC calendar and we know it is a tradition that the entire MI industry looks forward to every year.”

Indeed, the 2015 event should generate enough money to reach the $150,000 mark in total donations generated to date for the Paul Newman-created Hole in the Wall Gang Camp, according to tournament organizer Roger Hart, KMC Music Vice President of Merchandising.  “For many years, the event raised money for several charities, but, since 2006, the Hole in the Wall Gang Camp has been the sole beneficiary of the outing.  The annual event first took place in 1987 in memory of Matt Porter, the son of Everett Porter of Ovation Guitar.  That’s why the event has always been referred to as the Everett Porter Unintentional.” 

The 2015 event promises to be every bit as challenging and fun-filled as the 27 events that preceded it.  The day will begin with a shotgun round of golf, lunch, and a post-event evening of dinner and entertainment.  Platinum and Gold level sponsorship programs are available.  The Platinum Level costs $1,250 and includes a hole sponsorship, corporate signage, branding in all print materials, four rounds of golf (inclusive of cart, lunch, cocktail reception, and dinner), and four beverage tickets.  

The Gold Level costs $625 and includes corporate signage, branding in print materials, two rounds of golf (inclusive of cart, lunch, cocktail reception, and dinner), and two beverage tickets.  Sponsorship of one beverage cart is available at a cost of $1,500 and includes corporate signage, branding in print materials, four rounds of golf (inclusive of cart, lunch, cocktail reception, and dinner), and four beverage tickets.  Sponsorship of three drink stations is available at a cost of $625 each and includes corporate signage, branding in print materials, two rounds of golf (inclusive of cart, lunch, cocktail reception, and dinner), and two beverage tickets.  The individual golfer fee is $225 and includes the round of golf, lunch, cocktail reception, and dinner.

“The 2015 event will offer an entire day of golf and entertaining activities that include a Hole in One Contest, raffles, auctions, and a variety of contests that are now being developed,” Hart explained.  “For those attendees wishing to stay over night, rooms have been blocked at the Avon Old Farms Hotel (www.avonoldfarmshotel.com), located at 279 Avon Mountain Road in Avon, Connecticut.” 

To learn more about how individuals and corporations can participate in the 2015 KMC Music Golf Tournament, please email Roger Hart at roger.hart@kmcmusic.com or call him at (860) 380-3717.