Janet D’Addario, D’Addario Co-Founder, Dead at 72

Janet D’Addario – the co-founder, along with her husband Jim, of D’Addario & Co – has died at the age of 72, after a two year battle with cancer.

Having first met in 1966, Jim and Janet D’Addario co-founded what would become one of the guitar industry's leading string and accessory brands in 1973. Janet was the mastermind behind the company's advertising and packaging design. 

Aside from also serving as D'Addario's head of Artist Relations, Janet co-founded, and served as the Managing Director of, the D’Addario Foundation, which provides music education to children in underserved communities. 

D’Addario also served for 21 years as a board member of the Providence House charity, and as its President from 2004 to 2019, helping the organization raise millions of dollars towards transitional housing for homeless women and children.

“Providence House is, in so many ways, the very embodiment of my wife,” Jim D’Addario said.

“When she saw pain, she wanted to ease it. When she saw hunger, she brought food. When she saw homelessness, she provided shelter. But most importantly when Janet saw someone with no hope, she worked hard to provide them with the tools to restore their will to overcome the challenges they were facing.”

The D'Addario family is asking anyone who wishes to pay their respects to consider a donation to the Providence House.