Interviews at the NAMM Show 2025
Featuring: Roni Lee (Roni Lee Group), Sharon Lia (Sharon Lia Band) and Tony Moscal (CEO Kepma USA)
Roni Lee (Roni Lee Group)
Roni Lee is an award-winning artist, singer-songwriter, and) OG guitarist who’s been making waves in Southern California and beyond since the glam and punk rock scene of the 70s. Never one to let boundaries hold her back, Roni’s wild 40-year journey began at 17 when she moved to Hollywood and landed the lead guitar spot in the cult punk band Venus and the Razorblades.
Guided by a mission to inspire fellow female guitarists, Roni moved on to writing music for other bands, rapidly building a reputation with her unique blend of DIY spirit, unorthodox style, and raw musical chops. It’s been quite a ride – from writing gold records with The Runaways like I Want To Be Where The Boys Are to hosting NAMM jams and even running her own record label. Now, after four decades of trailblazing, Roni is stepping into the spotlight with her eponymous solo project.
Drawing inspiration from legends like Jeff Beck, Jimmy Page, Suzi Quatro, and Blondie, and having shared stages with iconic acts like Van Halen and The Ramones, Roni’s signature sound is rooted in classic and pop rock, with an unapologetic edge that proves rock and roll isn’t just a man’s world.
With a host of releases and a full-length vinyl already under her belt, Roni’s momentum is at an all-time high as she prepares for the next chapter, which is shaping up to be the most thrilling yet for her diverse and growing global fanbase — who can look forward to a slew of new tracks, festival appearances, cruise ship gigs and more to be announced in due time…https://ronileegroup.com/
Roni Lee has been nominated for “BEST ROCK ARTIST” – 2025 San Diego Music Awards!
Sharon Lia (Sharon Lia Band)
Philadelphia’s own Sharon Lia is making waves in the music industry, not only with her cinematic rock album EXPANSE but also as a featured artist on the GRAMMY®-nominated contemporary blues album, The Fury by Antonio Vergara. Recognized as a visionary, Sharon blends symphonic, rock, and progressive elements to create a dreamscape that transcends conventional genres and delivers an experience that is not just heard but deeply felt. Her band’s sound draws comparisons to Nightwish, Delain, and Evanescence and is influenced by icons like Pink Floyd, YES, Heart, and Pat Benatar. This unique mix of symphonic rock with sci-fi fantasy elements takes listeners on a musical journey through themes of purpose, love, loss, and liberation.
The Sharon Lia Band’s highly anticipated double album, EXPANSE, released on August 30, 2024, is a sci-fi cinematic symphonic rock odyssey with 26 songs that span raw emotion and epic soundscapes. The album was four years in the making and is accompanied by an immersive multimedia project, complete with visuals and narratives that enhance the listener’s experience. A multi-faceted artist—pianist, musician, singer, composer, lyricist, songwriter, producer, and graphic designer—Sharon operates under her own label, Sharrick Records. As a GRAMMY® Voting member, she has frequently appeared on the GRAMMY® ballot. Her band includes her husband and creative partner, Rick Jannotti, whose guitar work pairs perfectly with Sharon’s driving piano. Other members include Rhodney Miller (Lauryn Hill) on bass, Matt Dunn on second keys, and Vika Hunter on backing vocals.
The Sharon Lia Band has performed at prestigious festivals like Firefly Music Festival, sharing the bill with artists like Portugal. The Man, The Killers, and Alice Merton. They’ve also shared stages with Taylor Dayne, Tiffany, Jennifer Paige, and Rozes. Iconic venues like Hard Rock Cafe and The Celebrity Theatre at Dollywood have hosted their performances, and their achievements include appearing on a Times Square Billboard in New York City. Sharon’s music has been featured on major TV networks, including FOX, NBC, ABC, CBS, CW, and WPHL Philadelphia. She was also spotlighted on The Marilyn Russell Show on WOGL-FM as part of the “Remarkable Women” series and praised as a visionary by Maryann Morgan of Magic 98.3 FM. Her single, “The Sum of Us,” was chosen by Deepak Chopra as his official Spotify artist pick….https://sharonliaband.com/
Tony Moscal (CEO Kepma USA)
Jack Peng & Kevin Liu have known each other since grade school. They grew up in environments where music was part of the family fabric and they taught themselves to play guitar on the simplest made instruments they were able to afford.
Fast forward to their University years, where they both studied mechanical engineering, and after graduating, they concluded that something needed to be done about the quality of guitars that were being made. That’s when they decided they would work together to develop manufacturing techniques and processes that would produce the best instruments on the face of the planet. While previously working for OEM guitar factories, they saw firsthand that most imported guitars don’t sound very good or play very well. They witnessed famous American names being screened onto headstocks the same way a furniture factory makes the same table over and over; without passion and with parts that are made “good enough”. They saw inconsistencies in quality, workmanship, sound and playability. And they knew there was another way. A better way.
Time for a Paradigm Shift
So in 2009, armed with startup funding from some supportive college friends, the Kepma Guitar Company was born. Jack and Kevin invested in high tech machinery including an array of CNC machines to cut, mill and fabricate consistent components of their first guitar design, the A1, combined with the perfect balance of skilled and trained craftsman. The word of the Kepma quality quickly spread throughout the country and by 2015, Kepma was the number one acoustic guitar brand in all of China.* Read that again. “Kepma was the number one acoustic guitar brand in all of China.” In a country of nearly 1.4 Billion people, that’s quite a feat.
As the company sales grew, Jack and Kevin were continuing to explore all facets of guitar making. Their engineering minds and fascination with famous makers from around the world led them on a quest to create a premium product using their philosophy of making one product and making it perfect each time….https://www.kepmausa.com/