Jamal Batiste spoke via Zoom as a part of the NAMM ( (National Association of Music Merchants) Oral History Collection and his interview is now available fully online. The NAMM Show is an annual event in the U.S. that its organizers describe as “the world’s largest trade-only event for the music products, pro audio and event tech industry.” The drummer was invited to participate in NAMM’s ongoing efforts in its Oral History of Music project which has interviewed such music legends as Steve Miller and Suzi Quatro. (Fun fact: Did you know that Steve Miller is the godson of Les Paul?)

The NAMM Oral History Collection prides itself as being “unique, unlike any other collection in the world.” The heart of the collection is the depth of its narratives that cover innovative creations, the evolution of musical instruments, the ever-changing world of music retail, as well as NAMM’s collective quest to improve music education around the globe. Oral history participants have come from 79 different countries, 49 U.S. states and were born between 1896 and 1997. This library of video interviews, now over 4,500 strong and always growing, contains the story of the music industry told by those who helped to shape it and have watched it expand and develop through the years.

In his NAMM interview, Batiste discusses his early days in the industry and what it felt like to be a kid in New Orleans with his own show. Stream the NAMM Jamal Batiste interview below. For more information on NAAM’s Oral History Collection, click here.