Camco Drum History by Harry Cangany

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1910
George H. Way begins his drum career at the age of 19, by taking a office/sales position with the
George B. Stone Company located in Boston Mass.
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1912
George H. Way forms his own company in Edmonton Canada known as the Advance Drum Company.
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1918
George Way marries Elsie Johnson July 13th, 1918
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1921
George Way goes to work for Leedy Manufacturing in Elkhart, Indiana.
George works as the top marketing position "sales manager" as well as inventor, artist relation and advertising.
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1926
In a clinic program, George Way and his assistant take a prolonged tour through Europe to promote Leedy drums.
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1927
One of George Way's first innovations; the "Chinese Sneeze Cymbal" advertised in the 1927 Leedy catalog.
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1929
The Leedy Company (and Ludwig) sell out to C.G. Conn. George Way stays on as sales manger for the
Leedy division of C.G. Conn.and was known as "Mr. Leedy". (William F. Ludwig on the Ludwig division)
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1942
The Leedy Company due to WWII, had to cut back on expenses and sales people and releases George Way.
George starts his own company and calls it the George H. Way Co. selling calf heads, sound effects and
accessories that were hard to get due to the manufacturing regulations imposed by the war.
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1944
George Way is offered employment from Amrawco (American Rawhide) and moves to Chicago.
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1945
George Way quits his own business ventures and goes to work for Slingerland as a sales manager.
Slingerland at that time claimed to be the "world's largest drum company"
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1946
George Way moves to Hollywood California (via housetrailer) and opens the Hollywood Drum Shop
with business partner and drum legend Harold McDonald. This was Hollywood's first drum shop!
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1948
George Way is offered his old job back from Leedy (C.G. Conn) and accepts the offer.
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1951
George Way is put in charge of merging Leedy and Ludwig & Ludwig into one company known as Leedy & Ludwig.
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1954
George H. Way, purchases the factory formerly operated by Conn's Leedy and Ludwig Division located at:
225 East Jackson St. Elkhart, IN and reopens as the "Geo. Way Drums Inc." company.
Camco Company of Oaklawn IL, begins making drummers accessories for jobbers and OEM.
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1957
Geo. H. Way Co. begins producing Aristocrat and Spartan model snare drums.
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1959
Geo. H. Way Co. begins producing bass drums and tom toms to expand his drum lines.
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1960
John Rochon, pres. of Camco, buys stock and eventually gains controlling interest in Geo. H. Way Drum Co.
Camco expands from hardware into drums.
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1961
Geo. H. Way loses control of George H. Way Co. to Camco Drum Accessory Co. of Oaklawn, Illinois.
Camco moves all production from Elkhart, Indiana to 9221 S. Kilpatrick Ave. Oaklawn, Illinois.
Geo. H. Way goes to work for Rogers for a short time (8 months)
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1962
Geo. H. Way starts G.H.W. Drum Co. in Elkhart Indiana.
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1969
George H. Way dies February 21st, 1969
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1971 (June)
Kustom Electronics Co. buys Camco and moves them to 1010 West Chestnut Chanute, Kansas
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1973 (August)
Beckman Musical Instruments buys Camco and moves them to 2117 Yates Ave. Los Angeles, California.
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1978
Don Lombardi buys Camco's tooling and begins manufacturing "Drum Workshop Drums" also know as "DW" fashioned after the Camco style.
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Hoshino of Japan, a.k.a. Tama, buys the Camco name from Beckman Musical Instrument Co.
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1981
Tama produces a CAMCO chain drive bass drum pedal. (Establishment of Hoshino Gakki Ltd. Co.)
(images from 1981): CAMCO chain drive bass drum pedal

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1986
G.W.H. (Geo. H. Way's Co.) is sold to Witmer Mc Nease Music Co. of South Bend, Indiana
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History Sources:
Rob Cook -"George Way's Little Black Book"
John Aldridge-"Guide to Vintage Drums"
Vintage snare drums