Steven Allen Milgrom, (born November 19, 1952), commonly known as Sam Milgrom, is an American gallerist, curator, concert promoter and record store entrepreneur who founded Sam's Jams record stores in Detroit, Michigan, the Magic Bag live music venue in Ferndale, Michigan (a suburb of Detroit), and Musichead Gallery in Los Angeles, the first art gallery to specialize in art related to music from the rock and roll era and beyond.
1978–mid-1990s: Sam's Jams Record Stores
Sam Milgrom (the nickname "Sam" is an acronym of his full initials)[1] has family roots in retail, as his father was a women's sportswear manufacturer.
He started playing guitar at age six, and played in rock bands from 1968 to 1972 as a lead singer and rhythm guitarist. He studied humanities at Wayne State University.[1] After working for several Detroit area music retailers, including the record store chain Harmony House in Royal Oak, Michigan,[2] he opened the first Sam's Jams record store in a 400-square-foot former insurance office on Woodward Ave in Ferndale, Michigan. The following year he moved to a larger, 1600-square-foot space a few blocks away, and in 1985 to a 10,000-square-foot former grocery store a half block away. He also opened a second store in Livonia.[3] By October 1982 his businesses were making over half a million dollars a year in sales.[1]
In 1985, having moved the Ferndale store to that much larger space,[2] he began hosting free "Live at Sam's" jazz, rock and blues shows[4] and autograph sessions. In January 1986, Detroit Monthly named Sam's Jams "Best Record and Tape Store."[5]
Meanwhile, Sam's Jams remained in business until the mid-1990s.[11]
1998–present: Musichead Art Gallery
In 1998 Milgrom opened the Mr Musichead gallery, on Melrose Avenue,[12] the first and only Los Angeles gallery devoted solely to musical subjects.[13]
In 2004 he moved the gallery to a larger space on Sunset Boulevard, and the following year to a still larger space on a revitalizing stretch of West Sunset Boulevard, on a block he dubbed "Rockin' Row."[14] In 2015 the gallery moved again, to a new space across the street. In 2018 it began hosting a "Just Jazz" live music series, run by LeRoy Downs and Frederick Smith Jr.[13] In 2022 Milgrom shortened the gallery's name to Musichead.
As of 2016 the gallery represented more than 60 photographers and artists[15] and by 2022 the roster had increased to over 80.[16]
Milgrom also owns Creative Framing Studio, next door to Musichead.
Curator
Milgrom has curated photography and fine art exhibitions since 2005, working with music photographers as well as musicians who double as visual artists. These exhibitions include:
Photography Exhibitions with Morrison Hotel Gallery
