Greetings and welcome to the Hands of History podcast, a production of the Society of Massage Archives, where we delve into the rich tapestry of massage therapy's past Explore its evolution and share the stories that have shaped this vital practice.

Join your host, Kirby Clark Ellis for an oral history interview with David Palmer.

"David may not have been the first to discover chair massage, but like Columbus, there is no doubt that he was the first to put it on the map." That was the perspective of Scott Lamp, president of the American Massage Therapy Association in November of 1997, when he chose to honor David Palmer with the prestigious President's Award for his contribution to the massage profession. That same year, Massage Magazine recognized David as "the father of contemporary chair massage", highlighting the pivotal role he p ...