James Bullough Lansing
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James Bullough Lansing | |
|---|---|
| Born | James Martini Template:Birth date Greenridge, Nilwood Township, Macoupin County, Illinois, US |
| Died | September 29, 1949 (aged 47) |
| Occupation(s) | Engineer, inventor, designer |
| Employer(s) | Lansing Manufacturing Company, Altec Lansing, JBL |
James Bullough Lansing (originally named James Martini; January 2, 1902 – September 29, 1949) was an influential American audio engineer and loudspeaker innovator. He is best remembered for founding two prominent audio firms that carry his name: Altec Lansing and JBL, the latter derived from his initials.
Early years
Born as James Martini on January 2, 1902, in Greenridge within Nilwood Township, Macoupin County, Illinois, Macoupin County, Illinois, he was the son of Henry Martini from St. Louis, Missouri and Grace Erbs Martini from Central City, Illinois. Due to his father's profession as a coal mining engineer, the family relocated frequently during his childhood. As the ninth child among fourteen siblings, James spent some time living with the Bullough family in Springfield, Illinois, eventually adopting their surname.[1]Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; refs with no name must have content
He completed eighth grade at Lawrence School in Springfield, Illinois, proceeded to attend Springfield High School, and enrolled in courses at a local business college there.
From an early age, Lansing demonstrated inventiveness by creating a Leyden jar used for playful tricks on peers. He also constructed crystal set radios and developed a radio transmitter reportedly strong enough to reach the Great Lakes Naval Station in Illinois. This transmitter was subsequently dismantled after Navy officials traced its origin.[1]
Before advancing further into electronics, Lansing gained experience as an automotive mechanic and studied at an automotive school in Detroit, supported by the dealership where he was employed.[1]
Following the death of his mother on November 1, 1924, when he was 22 years old, Lansing left home. In 1925, while working as an engineer at a radio station in Salt Lake City, he met Glenna Peterson, who would become his wife. During this period, he was also employed by the Baldwin Radio Company where he encountered Ken Decker, who would later become his business associate.[1]
Career
Lansing and Decker relocated to Los Angeles where they established a company dedicated to producing loudspeakers, named the Lansing Manufacturing Company. Shortly before officially registering the business on March 9, 1927, Lansing altered his name from James Martini to James Bullough Lansing, a change inspired by his fiancée, Glenna. Several of his siblings had adopted the surname Martin, with two brothers, Bill and George, joining him in Los Angeles to collaborate professionally.
Following Decker's death in a plane accident in 1939, the Lansing Manufacturing Company encountered financial challenges due to the loss of his leadership. In 1941, Altec Service Corporation acquired Lansing Manufacturing Company, recognizing its valuable loudspeaker component expertise. The merged entity was renamed Altec Lansing, and James B. Lansing was appointed Vice President of Engineering under a five-year agreement.
When his contract ended in 1946, Lansing departed from the company and launched a new venture called "Lansing Sound, Incorporated." However, Altec Lansing raised concerns over the similarity of this name to their trademarked products, prompting Lansing to rename his business "James B. Lansing Sound, Incorporated." Over time, the brand was abbreviated to JBL for product marketing purposes and eventually adopted as the official company title.
Death
Although recognized for his engineering ingenuity, James Lansing struggled with business management. Facing worsening financial circumstances alongside personal issues, he tragically took his own life by hanging himself from an avocado tree on his ranch in San Marcos on September 29, 1949, at the age of 47.