NAMM (The National Association of Music Merchants), the largest global not-for-profit music trade organization, will celebrate 125 years by spotlighting an extraordinary “Industry Insights” address from NAMM President and CEO John Mlynczak on Thursday morning, Jan. 22, to an estimated crowd of thousands of show attendees. The 2026 NAMM Show, will be held Jan. 20-24, at the Anaheim Convention Center and surrounding hotel properties (NAMM Campus) in Anaheim, Calif. and will feature five days of incredible education, live concerts and special events, alongside three days of extraordinary exhibits and brand activations.

At this keynote NAMM Show event, Mlynczak is expected to announce a new slate of resources and initiatives that will strengthen the organization’s global membership and set the stage for a successful 2026 for the global music industry. Along with those morning announcements, “Industry Insights” will feature in-depth conversations with leaders of the music industry on a variety of topics impacting today’s business environment.

This year’s Industry Insights will celebrate not only the future of the music industry but also the legacy of 125 years of uniting music makers and 50 years of partnership with the city of Anaheim. The 2026 show will be the most expansive, celebratory and future-forward yet showcasing the crossroads of business, innovation and technology.

A snapshot of 2026 “Industry Insights” guests:

Rick Beato
Rick Beato is an American YouTuber, multi-instrumentalist, music producer and educator. Since the early 1980s, he has worked as a musician, songwriter, audio engineer, record producer and music educator. Beato owns and operates Black Dog Sound Studios in Stone Mountain, Ga. His YouTube channel, which currently has 5.4 million subscribers, covers genres ranging from rock, jazz and blues to rap and pop through his in-depth interviews with musicians and producers. Beato has lectured at several schools, including the University of Alabama and Berklee College of Music, and taught jazz studies at Ithaca College.

Whitney Brown Grisaffi
Whitney Brown Grisaffi is the president of Ted Brown Music, headquartered in Tacoma, Wash. The company has six locations and earned numerous accolades, including 11 consecutive years as a NAMM Top 100 Dealer, 2022 Retailer of the Year by Music Inc. magazine and two-time AIMM Dealer of the Year. Whitney is involved in various music organizations, including National Association of School Music Dealers (past president), Alliance of Independent Music Merchants (past advisory board), Washington Music Educators Association and National Association for Music Education. She also actively contributes to her community via philanthropic efforts, serving as vice president of the Rotary Club of Tacoma #8 and as a member of the Mary Bridge Brigade and Immanuel Presbyterian Church.

Thomas Ripsam
Thomas Ripsam is president and CEO of C.F. Martin, which is based in Nazareth, Pa., and was founded in 1833. He has served in that position since 2021. Thomas is a guitar player who’s passionate about fretted instruments. He holds a bachelor of arts in international business management from Reutlingen University and a master of business administration from Columbia Business School. C.F. Martin has been a NAMM member since 1947.

Hans Thomann
Hans Thomann is CEO of Thomann Musikhaus, a retailer of musical instruments, studio, lighting and pro audio equipment based in Burgebrach, Germany. Hans was originally trained as a precision electronic engineer and brass instrument maker. Thomann Musikhaus has received several distinct honors, including Deutscher Handelspreis German Retail Award; Family Company Hall of Fame, awarded by Handelsblatt; and Mail Order Business of the Year, Germany. Thomann Musikhaus has been a NAMM member since 1992.