Today we’d like to introduce you to Henry Go.
Hi Henry, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
I started playing music at a young age. My mother was a pianist and tried to teach my brother and I how to play piano, but I think we were both too young to really appreciate what she was doing. But around the age of 10 my brother and I began taking guitar lessons and that was something that stuck and that really sparked the love of playing. That lasted for a few years until my hands said this really doesn’t feel right, so my interest shifted to bass guitar instead. During that shift, my brother started high school and joined the drumline. So, my family and I went to all the football games and marching band competitions and I thought the drums were cool, so what I entered high school I followed my brother’s footsteps and joined the drumline as well. I loved it! I began using my theoretical training in percussion into my bass playing and that jump started my musical journey. All through high school, I was in a band with my brother, playing cover songs and writing our own original music. When the members of the band graduated, the band broke up, but I knew I wanted to become a professional musician.
I graduated high school, went to college and recieved a double degree in Public Relations and Marketing, with a minor in percussion peformance. While I was in college, I joined the university marching band and had the opportunity to playing more advanced players and learned at a exponential rate and used that in my bass playing as well. It just so happened that I went to the same university as my brother, he probably hated that, but him and I, along with another high school friend who played guitar who went to the same school decided to start a college band. Who knew that would grow to a pretty successful touring band after was all graduated. That band was called Mink, we were a female fronted punk, ska band. If you mixed No Doubt and Evanescence together that was Mink. In a matter of a couple of years, we grew into one of the top local bands in Nashville, during a time when local music was thriving and the underground rock scene was booming. We touring nationally but also had the great opportunity to entertain our troops overseas and did a few USO tour. I’m not sure if anyone still remembers the USO, with Bob Hope, but that is a thing and we were able to see up close and personal what our troops go through. One of those tours, happened during September 11th and we were in the middle east. That’s a long story, but after 2-3 weeks, I can’t remember how long we were stuck, but we made it home safe. Shortly after in late 2002 0r 2003 the band broke up.
While I was touring on bass, I was a drumline instructor. I loved it, it was fun and I got paid to do it. But I wanted more stability, so in a sense, I wanted to have my cake and eat it too. I was juggling, teaching, touring and waiting tables in a Thai restaurant in the Cool Springs area. I was working at the restaurant and ran into one if my old drumline instructors, we had a moment to catchup and he said he was the Vice President at a stick company called Innovative Percussion. He said, I should come by and apply for a warehouse job there. I said to him, “Why not.” I was hired and that started my career in the music instrument industry.
The music industry is so vast, you can work with labels, publishing, production and the list can go on. But I started working in the warehouse learning about the production aspects and I found it pretty fascinating. I believe a little over a year goes by and I was promoted to warehouse supervisor, and then was promoted to customer service and so on. My bosses and the owners of the company taught me a lot about the industry and all the while, I was still touring and teaching. I had issues staying still. I was trying to purse my dreams but have a stable life and not be broke.
As we all experience, Covid was hard on all of us. I was very lucky to be asked to stay with the company during those hard times. during the hard times, it gave me and so many others time to reflect on the future. Where am I, where do I want to go and how to I get there.
When the world began to come out of the Covid slump, the busier it became. I didn’t realize this until it was too late, but I was burnt out. I decided to leave in the industry and do something completely crazy and open up a food truck…that didn’t happen.
After 19 and half years, I left Innovative Percussion and didn’t have a plan. That lasted a week. I was pulled back into the industry and was hired at KHS America. KHS is a instrument distribution company that originated in Taiwan. I job title is US Artist Relations Manager for Mapex and Sonor drums. It is an honor to represent two of the top name brand drums in the world.
If you have ever gone Honky Tonkin’ downtown, you may have seen drummers playing on them, like at Jelly Rolls bar/club, RedNeck Rivera, Roberts Western World or at the original Basement.
My title kind of speaks for itself. I artist relate. I build relationships with the drummers/artists that use our brand of drums. These artists not only use our brands to support their career, but they love the brand and the relationship. If they need a new drumset or hardware for a tour, I assist with providing them that gear. I also review and research drummers who apply for an endorsement for each brand. If the applicant is approved and draw up the legal documents for their personal endorsement. I also travel when needed, I attend concerts to have more interaction with the artist and see them perform and I also go to trade shows.
I currently, still play bass in a local band and get asked to play a recording session every now and then. I do not teach drumline anymore, but I still support the activity. If I didn’t follow my brother’s footsteps and joined the drumline, who knows what my future would have been like.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
My whole journey was not smooth at all to get where I am today. There will always been struggles that will come from your personal like or professional life that spill over into each other, so it all just end up in s recipe for disaster. You also have to keep in mind that you are dealing with a lot of artists and they all have different personalities. Some like to only call and text, some like to just send emails or you have some that never respond.
I will not go into great detail or name anyone, but there was an a situation where one of my artists needed drums and hardware at a certain time and date. We emailed and spoke on the phone about all the details of what we had in stock and what we didn’t. At some point there were some communication exchanges that neither of us could recall, but I knew I told him to make the gear available in time, we had to come up with a different option. Note, that I am in my first year at the new job, so I am still getting my bearings. I placed the order that we discussed, but it doesn’t ship out in time. These days, shipping companies cannot guarantee deliver times anymore, so it is a toss of the coin of when it will ararive. Needless to say it did not get there in time, nor did the artist recall having the conversation about changing his original order. Well, I didn’t get a call from him, but I received a call from one of my bosses who was called by the artist. The artist informed him of the situation, but I don’t think the whole story was told. Either way, it was a holiday weekend and no one was in the office and I was informed that my boss and some of the warehouse logistical team came in and shipped overnight a new order, drums and all the hardware, so the artist can have everything he needed.
I’m not sure if the general public knows how much higher end drums and hardware cost, but it gets into the thousands. So if you do the math, I sent him one full set of gear and then we sent another pallet of drums and hardware. This ended up being a very expensive venture. You know what they say in business, “The customer is always right”. That is the the case and I learned it the hard way after 20 years in the industry. When we got back from the holiday weekend, I ate a lot of crow and made a lot of apologizes.
But lesson learned and I’m better for it. Working in the industry you have to have thick skin. You can drink your emotions away later…
As you know, we’re big fans of KHS America. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about the brand?
KHS America believes that music is an essential part of life for every individual and that it provides a positive contribution to society as a whole.
We are dedicated to the enrichment of lives through music performance and education by providing high -quality musical instruments and services deigned to support musicians, educators and our retail partners.
I discussed my job title in one of the previous sections, but something that I am known for is to respond to calls or emails within hours of within 24 hours. The artists on both rosters know that I was once in their shoes and that is something they really appreciate. I am not just a desk jockey who looks at numbers, prices, stock inventory and spreadsheets. I actually know this industry moves fast and being reactive is a loosing battle. You have to be as proactive as you can. I think 3 to 6 months ahead of time.
We’d be interested to hear your thoughts on luck and what role, if any, you feel it’s played for you?
In this industry, luck plays a huge roll in everything. I was going to get out of the industry and luck pulled me back in to one of the best decisions I ever made. These days, our younger generation has this entitlement that they deserve more. But in any industry, you have to earn your way, you have to prove your worth before it is give.
Luck has some part of it, but it’s also how are do you work and how much do you want it. I never knew I would get into this industry, but I did and luck was a huge part of it.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.khs-america.com | www.maopexdrums.com/us | www.sonor.com
- Instagram: henryjogo
- Facebook: Henry Go
