The Life and Work of LLoyd Allayre Loar

Roger Siminoff’s research on Lloyd Loar spans more than 50 years and includes his interactions with such notable resources as Lloyd’s widow Bertha, Gibson historian Julius Bellson, Gibson past president Ted McCarty, and more. The 200-page text is accompanied by 310+ photographs of instruments and documents, some never before published. The story begins with Loar’s birth in Cropsey, Illinois, and explores his work as a young artist, his relationship with Sally Fisher Shipp, his time overseas supporting the American Expeditionary Forces during WWI, his work at Gibson, becoming a professor at Northwestern University, the development and demise of his ViVi-Tone product line, Loar’s music publications, Loar’s personal instruments, his patents, and his legacy.