International Guitar League

January 3rd, 2007

Gerald Ross at the Hawaiian Steel Guitar Association has posted some fabulous photos from the International Guitar League’s conventions from the 1940s, an era when, as you can see from the photo on the left, kids played steel guitar instead of video games. As he explains: “The Oahu company was started in the 1920’s by Harry Stanley during the Hawaiian music craze. Mr. Stanley produced a series of music lessons under the Oahu Publishing label, as well as affordable steel guitars and guitar accessories. He also set up a nationwide network of Oahu studios and music teachers to meet the demand.

“Most Oahu musical merchandise was available by mail order and Oahu salesmen went door-to-door, getting parents to sign up their kids for lessons. Each year Mr. Stanley had a convention and competition for Oahu students and teachers held at a hotel somewhere in the US. The students belonged to an organization called the International Guitar League (IGL) - these pictures are from their conventions.

“Kitter Stanley is the daughter of Harry Stanley, the founder of the Oahu company. Oahu as many of you know was based in Cleveland, Ohio and provided Hawaiian steel sheet music, strings, picks and instruments to the world in the 30’s, 40’s and 50’s. Each year Oahu would sponsor a convention for the organization they founded “The International Guitar League”. Kitter Stanley found an entire box of photos from these conventions and donated them to the HSGA. I scanned them and Amy Pace built a page to display them.”-MJS (Thanks, Andy!)

Entry Filed under: Guitar, Steel Guitar