Armand Zildjian, Ran Cymbal Company, 81
DGH
Armand Zildjian, the patriarch of a long line of cymbal makers who
headed the Norwell, Massachusetts-based Zildjian Co. for more than two
decades, died Thursday, December 26, 2002, of cancer at his home in
Scottsdale, Arizona, at the age of 81.
Mr. Zildjian grew up in Quincy, Massachusetts, and attended Thayer
Academy in Braintree, Massachusetts.
At 14, Mr. Zildjian's father put him to work in the melting room of his
factory, which is the world's largest cymbal maker. The company also is
the oldest continuous-running business in America, according to Dun &
Bradstreet.
While in junior high school, Mr. Zildjian occasionally sneaked out of
class to meet the famous drummers who took the steam train to his
father's North Quincy factory.
"I used to skip school if I knew Chick Webb was coming to the factory
that day," Mr. Zildjian told the Globe in 1989.
Mr. Zildjian's scholastic habits raised some concern with his father.
"My father didn't think I was studying enough," he said. "He would open
the door to my room and hear 'OOH-AH-WAP! OOH AH WAP!' I'd have the
Tuesday night Camel Caravan on the radio."
While studying at Colgate University, Mr. Zildjian left in 1942 to serve
in the US Coast Guard in the Philippines. When he returned from World
War II, he went back to work at his father's company, often rising
before dawn to work in the melting room, to preserve the family's secret
alloy formula.
He held various jobs at the company, including vice president of
manufacturing, before becoming president in 1977 and chairman in 1979,
after his father passed away.
"He was very hands-on about the operation," said his daughter, Craigie
Zildjian of Cohasset, Massachusetts, now the company's chief executive
officer. "He would walk around and talk to everybody. It's that
management-by-walking-around style."
The company has long been the world's leading producer of cymbals, but
Mr. Zildjian said in a Globe interview, "It's harder to stay on top than
to get there."
The business was started in Constantinople in 1623, when founder Avedis
came up with the secret alloy formula that combines tin, copper, and a
dash of silver. He later inherited the name Zildjian, the Turkish word
for cymbalsmith. When the company moved to the United States in 1929,
settling on Fayette Street in North Quincy, it built its clientele by
producing customized cymbals, attracting big-name drummers like the late
Gene Krupa and Buddy Rich. In 1968, the company moved to a 10-acre site
in Norwell.
Mr. Zildjian was at Rich's bedside when the drummer was dying in 1989.
In their last conversation, as Mr. Zildjian told the Globe at the time,
he said, "Buddy, I've got your drum set," to which Rich replied, "Zildj,
take care of it, won'tcha?" Rich's drum set is now on display near the
recording studio in the Zildjian factory.
As he made a name for himself in the drumming industry, Mr. Zildjian
picked up a slew of awards, including induction in 1987 into the Guitar
Center's Rock Walk in Hollywood and an honorary doctorate from the
Berklee College of Music in 1988.
"People said he was hard-wired for fun," Craigie said.
Boston Globe
.
Louis Epstein
: Armand Zildjian, the patriarch of a long line of cymbal makers who
: headed the Norwell, Massachusetts-based Zildjian Co. for more than two
: decades, died Thursday, December 26, 2002, of cancer at his home in
: Scottsdale, Arizona, at the age of 81.
: Mr. Zildjian grew up in Quincy, Massachusetts, and attended Thayer
: Academy in Braintree, Massachusetts.
: At 14, Mr. Zildjian's father put him to work in the melting room of his
: factory, which is the world's largest cymbal maker. The company also is
: the oldest continuous-running business in America, according to Dun &
: Bradstreet.
By careful interpretation,that is.
The original Avedis Zildjian started making cymbals
in Turkey in the early 1600s,and the business stayed
there until a dying cousin sent Massachusetts-based
Avedis III the secret formula in 1929.
: While in junior high school, Mr. Zildjian occasionally sneaked out of
: class to meet the famous drummers who took the steam train to his
: father's North Quincy factory.
: "I used to skip school if I knew Chick Webb was coming to the factory
: that day," Mr. Zildjian told the Globe in 1989.
: Mr. Zildjian's scholastic habits raised some concern with his father.
: "My father didn't think I was studying enough," he said. "He would open
: the door to my room and hear 'OOH-AH-WAP! OOH AH WAP!' I'd have the
: Tuesday night Camel Caravan on the radio."
: While studying at Colgate University, Mr. Zildjian left in 1942 to serve
: in the US Coast Guard in the Philippines. When he returned from World
: War II, he went back to work at his father's company, often rising
: before dawn to work in the melting room, to preserve the family's secret
: alloy formula.
: He held various jobs at the company, including vice president of
: manufacturing, before becoming president in 1977 and chairman in 1979,
: after his father passed away.
His father lived about as long as Armand did,I remember
reading 1970s articles about him.
: "He was very hands-on about the operation," said his daughter, Craigie
: Zildjian of Cohasset, Massachusetts, now the company's chief executive
: officer. "He would walk around and talk to everybody. It's that
: management-by-walking-around style."
: The company has long been the world's leading producer of cymbals, but
: Mr. Zildjian said in a Globe interview, "It's harder to stay on top than
: to get there."
: The business was started in Constantinople in 1623, when founder Avedis
: came up with the secret alloy formula that combines tin, copper, and a
: dash of silver. He later inherited the name Zildjian, the Turkish word
: for cymbalsmith. When the company moved to the United States in 1929,
...plenty of United States businesses have been in America
since before 1929...a prominent example is DuPont (1802).
: settling on Fayette Street in North Quincy, it built its clientele by
: producing customized cymbals, attracting big-name drummers like the late
: Gene Krupa and Buddy Rich. In 1968, the company moved to a 10-acre site
: in Norwell.
: Mr. Zildjian was at Rich's bedside when the drummer was dying in 1989.
: In their last conversation, as Mr. Zildjian told the Globe at the time,
: he said, "Buddy, I've got your drum set," to which Rich replied, "Zildj,
: take care of it, won'tcha?" Rich's drum set is now on display near the
: recording studio in the Zildjian factory.
: As he made a name for himself in the drumming industry, Mr. Zildjian
: picked up a slew of awards, including induction in 1987 into the Guitar
: Center's Rock Walk in Hollywood and an honorary doctorate from the
: Berklee College of Music in 1988.
: "People said he was hard-wired for fun," Craigie said.
Craigie Zildjian is apparently the first woman ever taught
the secret formula.But Avedis III taught it to both his
sons,and in 1982 Robert,Armand's younger brother,destroyed
the company's ancient monopoly on it by starting a competing
company.
: Boston Globe
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