July 10, 2023 I Obituary
Former Sam Ash Chairman Jerry Ash Passes Away
Photo Courtesy of Sam Ash Music
Jerry Ash, former president and chairman of Sam Ash Music, passed away on July 6. He was 98 years old. Ash was born in Brookyln, New York, in 1925. A World War II vet, Ash attended the City College of New York and, after graduating, joined the family business. Although Sam Ash Music had humble beginnings as a single-location store in Brooklyn started by his father and mother, it was Jerry and his brother, Paul, who expanded the business into a national retail brand that it is today.
A statement from Sam Ash Music read: “Through business acumen, idealism, hard work and his wonderful way with people, Jerry guided Sam Ash Music to incredible heights, setting the standard for the entire music products industry. Jerry’s innovative spirit was critical to the success of his company. After the Beatles played the Ed Sullivan show in 1964, Jerry quickly filled his store with the electric guitars and Ludwig drum sets that he knew customers were going to start asking for. He made Sam Ash one of the first music stores to adopt recording equipment, synthesizers and guitar effects pedals. Jerry saw potential in both the people and the products they made. He took a chance on many brands, giving them critical initial exposure . Now legendary brands like Ibanez, Tama, and PRS have had some of their first orders written by Jerry Ash. Back in the late 1070s, he saw the beginnings of Yamaha at a small exhibition, saying to his son Richard, ‘These guys are going to be something.’”
Ash is survived by his younger sister Marcia, his three sons, David, Richard and Sammy, nine grandchildren and one great grandchild. All of Jerry’s sons followed him into the family business.
