From: Peter Noone
\nSubject: Re: Tickets Not Streams
\nDate: August 21, 2026 at 4:47:30?PM PDT<\/p>\n
As one of the oldest readers of your fascinating daily reveille
\nI should say all of today’s letter appealed to me in that it was almost a description of the old music business where the groups of teenagers like me and me ‘ermits did music for fun never realizing that the label were grinning behind their hand$.<\/p>\n
After we grew up I personally have shared 100 million dollars of road
\noldies but goodies, we old geezers still have legs!<\/p>\n
Thank you for a great share
\n___________________________________<\/p>\n
From: Marty Walsh
\nSubject: Re: Dolly Parton
\nDate: August 27, 2026 at 3:07:20?AM PDT<\/p>\n
Dolly Parton. One of the “real” true artists. I had the good fortune to play on 9 to 5 and her follow up album Burlap and Satin. Dolly would hang with the band on the breaks. She was quite funny and genuine. The “genuine” really stood out. She seemed so unaffected by the fame. That’s what I remember about her. A true artist who was just real people. I’m so grateful to have been able to be in her presence. Rest in peace Dolly.<\/p>\n
Mart\u00e8
\n___________________________________<\/p>\n
From: Jon Tiven
\nSubject: RE: Re-Dolly Parton
\nDate: August 26, 2026 at 6:44:12?PM PDT<\/p>\n
1975, I’m sitting in the lobby of RCA Records in New York City, waiting to play Alex Chilton’s SINGER NOT THE SONG album (which I produced) for an a&r man who would subsequently show no appreciation. In walks Dolly Parton, sans hair and makeup escorted by four RCA suits. Her eyes catch mine, and I said say a friendly hello, instantly the suits spring into action to whisk her through risking no interaction with this 20 year old nobody. The lady pauses and says “No, I want to stop and say hi to this nice young man.” Dolly took her time and showed me what counts, that the people who are really responsible for whatever greatness The Music Business has custody of have better manners than those in charge.<\/p>\n
R.I.P. Dolly, you lived it like you showed it and made a big impression on everyone you met, even if that interaction only lasted for a moment. Thank you.
\n___________________________________<\/p>\n
From: R. Emmett McAuliffe
\nSubject: RE: Dolly Parton
\nDate: August 27, 2026 at 8:20:50?AM PDT<\/p>\n
Bob
\nOne of the funniest radio station stunts I ever saw was KSHE-95 in St. Louis, which was the self-branded “Real Rock Station” and was *the* station for hard rock-loving dudes in the 70s and 80s, where Country music was anathema. The station had a listener contest for tickets to see Dolly Parton to a lucky winner and the ticket package included a pair of ear plugs and a set of binoculars!<\/p>\n
I disagreed with KSHE’s aesthetic judgment, but I thought the stunt was so wonderfully unselfconscious. I still know a few boomers today who will go on rock cruises and go to any legacy rock concert in town, but will walk out if any country is played. Even after the majority of white boomers have migrated to Country. \u201cThis is simply who I am, take it or leave it\u201d.
\n___________________________________<\/p>\n
From: Larry LeBlanc
\nSubject: LeBlanc BTS and Grammy
\nDate: July 31, 2026 at 5:58:08?PM MDT<\/p>\n
Years ago Celine Dion went through a similar experience in the mostly French speaking province of Quebec when Francophones were discouraged about recording in English. But Celine, already the province\u2019s biggest francophone artist, had signed with a recorded her first English album \u201cUnison\u201d with CBS Cananda and It contained her international breakthrough 1990 hit \u201cWhere Does My Heart Beat Now.\u201d For the annual province ADISQ awards that year it was announced there was to be new Felix Award category of a French artist performing in English under the heading Anglophone Artist of the Year. A narrow field at the time when few Quebec Francophones were brave enough to record in English. Celine and her husband took it as a slap and indicated she would not accept the award. She did win and she refused to take the stage but did attend the national Juno awards hosting the national most English event in 1983 in Toronto. A rather rebellious career move. Still she has continued to record both English and French albums.\u00a0
\n___________________________________<\/p>\n
From: Chris Adelmann
\nSubject: Re: Yummy Yummy Yummy
\nDate: August 2, 2026 at 3:00:11?PM MDT<\/p>\n
nice piece on charts from years ago, including Yummy, Yummy, Yummy-as you noted very very catchy!. Joey Levine was one of the co-writers (and lead singers) and in the 70s he moved \u00a0on to to be a huge NYC jingle writer, including NBC Proud as a Peacock and Budweisers This Buds for you. He sang on all the jingles and used the top NYC session guys including \u00a0Steve Gadd, Rick Marotta, Will Lee, Marcus Miller, Leon Pendarivs, Chris Palmaro (his Music director), David Spinoza, and many others.
\n___________________________________<\/p>\n
From: Colleen Wainwright
\nSubject: Re: Yummy Yummy Yummy
\nDate: August 2, 2026 at 4:35:10?PM MDT<\/p>\n
Back in the ’80s, Joey Levine was on heavy rotation with\u00a0the music producers at the agency I worked for in\u00a0NYC. We wrote a lot of ads with jingles or needing hook-y tracks, and some of my happiest times were spent in that crazy rabbit warren of studios they occupied at Crushing Music,\u00a0or at other\u00a0studios around town where we recorded. Insanely talented all-around musicians, the entire bunch of them\u2014Joey knew how to spot a fellow magician, boy howdy.
\n___________________________________<\/p>\n
From: Leanne Ungar
\nSubject: Re: Yummy Yummy Yummy
\nDate: August 3, 2026 at 9:56:32?AM MDT<\/p>\n
Joey Levine was Archie in The Archies, and sang and wrote many jingles, notably \u201cSometimes you feel like a nut, sometimes you don\u2019t”
\n___________________________________<\/p>\n
From: Gary Helsinger
\nSubject: Re: Ritchie Blackmore Returns
\nDate: August 13, 2026 at 2:22:22?AM PDT<\/p>\n
I was one of the (3) singers in the comedy rock band Green Jell\u00ff . I also signed myself\/us. I\u2019m here to tell you that our worldwide smash song, \u201cThe Three Little Pigs\u201d IS \u201cSmoke on the Water.\u201d THAT is how we wrote it in the first place. We were messing around after rehearsal playing covers as we usually did, and while jamming \u201cSmoke on the Water,\u201d Bill started making up lyrics about clich\u00e9 rockers who \u201cmove to Hollywood to become a star.\u201d It\u2019s funny that we got sued by everybody from Toys \u201cR\u201d Us to famously Jell-O for originally being named Green Jell\u00f6 as well as Metallica, who sued us and won\u2026 But the one real infringement that didn\u2019t happen, was stealing that riff of Smoke on the Water. \u00a0I think the statute of limitations is long past on that one, but if not, I quit in 1997 so it\u2019s no skin off my nose\u2026or the hair of my chinny, chin, chin!
\n___________________________________<\/p>\n
From: Alan Stewart
\nSubject: Re: The Sunset Marquis Movie
\nDate: August 11, 2026 at 8:03:40?AM PDT<\/p>\n
Caveat: I haven\u2019t seen the movie yet.<\/p>\n
I always stay at the Sunset Marquis when in LA. I had a band playing the Greek Theater in Berkely the night after the LA trip and Tres Cool was on the side of the stage watching. We starting chatting and I mentioned that I was at the Marquis the night before and he stepped back, took off his jacket and showed me this amazing tattoo of him throwing the TV off the balcony at the Sunset Marquis. Imagine the stories those guys have!
\n___________________________________<\/p>\n
From: Hank Neuberger
\nSubject: In the Lobby at the Sunset Marquis
\nDate: August 10, 2026 at 6:14:02?PM MDT<\/p>\n
June 2, 1978.
\nDarkness on the Edge of Town had been released that day.<\/p>\n
Steve Goodman and I had been mixing his album in Chicago (High and Outside) when Steve decided he needed some overdubs from some LA friends.<\/p>\n
On the way to O\u2019Hare that day we heard “Adam Raised a Cain\u201d for the first time on WXRT.
\nSteve loved it right away and on the flight asked me tons of questions about Bruce\u2019s relationship with his father, which Bruce had talked about in his shows.\u00a0<\/p>\n
We got to the Marquis at midnight and were checking in when the front door flung open.<\/p>\n
There was Bruce.
\nJeans, white tee with both sleeves rolled up high.
\nA beautiful brunette on one arm.
\nA supermarket bag in the other arm with a loaf of Wonder Bread and bottles of Coke sticking out.<\/p>\n
Stevie walked right over.
\n\u201cBruce, I\u2019m Steve Goodman, and I\u2019ve been digging your song today “Adam Raised a Cain.\u201d<\/p>\n
Bruce looked right at him and said.
\n“Stevie Goodman. \u00a0Steve Goodman. \u00a0Steve Goodman. Your song \u201cMy Old Man.\u201d \u00a0 Now that\u2019s a great f*ckin\u2019 song.\u201d<\/p>\n
And he was gone.
\n___________________________________<\/p>\n
From: Jeff Andrews
\nSubject: Re: Daddy Don’t Live In That New York City No More
\nDate: August 7, 2026 at 6:53:43?PM MDT<\/p>\n
I have my unique, potentially bittersweet story to share. I grew up in a very small town in Ohio. Steely Dan, among a few others, were one of my main musical addictions. Loved everything they put out and Katy Lied is my favorite because every song is a pop gem. Anyway, I moved to NYC after college and was working on the Upper West Side. One day I was sitting on a bench eating my lunch and who walked by? Donald Fagen reading a newspaper while walking. Somewhat tall, lanky, bell bottom jeans and long sleeve T-shirt. I so wanted to open a conversation by saying Where did you get those shoes? (you serious fans will identify). Alas, I didnt and Ive regretted it ever since. To be 20 years old, newly in New York City, and to meet one of my musical heroes, wouldve been the best!!
\n___________________________________<\/p>\n
From: Jay Landers
\nSubject: Re: Bob Cavallo interview
\nDate: July 30, 2026 at 5:27:21?PM MDT<\/p>\n
Hope you\u2019re well.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Your recent interview with the legendary Bob Cavallo was terrific. I had the privilege of working for Bob during his Disney years, and your conversation with him reminded me what a delightful, insightful raconteur he was\u2014and clearly still is.<\/p>\n
Hearing Bob’s voice again brought back memories of his truly unique personality: equal parts confident, shrewd and humble to a fault. He embodies that increasingly rare, old-school blend of pure “show” and real “business.”<\/p>\n
As head of Hollywood Records and Disney Records, Bob was unfailingly supportive of his staff. He gave A&R executives like me the freedom to flourish without hovering over every decision\u2014a management style that inspired confidence, creativity, and fierce loyalty.<\/p>\n
Your interview reminded me of story that still makes me smile.<\/p>\n
When Bob first hired me in 1999 to run A&R for Walt Disney Records, the label had benefited for years from the extraordinary legacy of its catalog. But the classic soundtracks\u2014from\u00a0Snow White\u00a0through\u00a0The Lion King\u2014had been reissued countless times and had basically run their course. We desperately needed fresh music that reflected Disney’s timeless values while feeling contemporary enough to connect with a new generation of kids.<\/p>\n
But who was visiting the theme parks? Who was watching the films? Who was buying the music? In true corporate fashion, Disney had commissioned a marketing research team to validate what seemed rather obvious. \u00a0<\/p>\n
The findings were sobering. Disney’s iconic characters\u2014Mickey, Minnie, Donald, Daisy, Goofy, and Pluto\u2014simply weren’t connecting with younger audiences the way they once had. The challenge for each division was to find ways to make these beloved characters feel contemporary without compromising their status as treasured ambassadors of the Disney brand. Obviously, music could contribute to that mission.<\/p>\n
Now here’s an example of the circuitous thinking that sometimes informs my A&R decisions.<\/p>\n
At the time, Latin pop had recently become the world’s musical obsession. Ricky Martin, Gloria Estefan, Jennifer Lopez, Marc Anthony, and others dominated radio, television, and the charts.<\/p>\n
As a kid, I’d always loved those classic “live” albums like\u00a0The Beach Boys Party!\u00a0and\u00a0Johnny Rivers Live at the Whisky \u00e0 Go Go. Of course, technically speaking they weren’t really “live in concert” at all\u2014they were largely studio recordings sweetened with applause, laughter, and party chatter to create the illusion of one big celebration.<\/p>\n
Those albums became my inspiration.<\/p>\n
Why not create a festive “live” album starring Mickey and pals, performing family-friendly versions of Latin hits? \u00a0It would instantly place this zany group into the current zeitgeist.\u00a0<\/p>\n
I hired the official Disney sanctioned voice-actors and we made an album called\u00a0La Vida Mickey, featuring playful adaptations of songs like Ricky Martin’s “Livin’ La Vida Loca,” Richie Valens’ “La Bamba,” Miami Sound Machine’s “Conga,” and Lou Bega’s “Mambo No. 5.”<\/p>\n
To produce it, I hired the gifted Marco Marinangeli, one of those rare behind-the-scenes players who could convincingly recreate virtually any musical style. His arrangements were authentic, energetic, and joyful. Mickey and friends sounded as if they were throwing the world’s biggest quincea\u00f1era.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Confident we’d created something special, and with Bob\u2019s endorsement, I leaned into Disney’s legendary culture of synergy. Advance copies went to virtually every division of the company\u2014the domestic and international theme parks, the cruise line, Disney Imagineering, ABC TV, the Disney Channel, consumer products, ESPN, the Disney Stores, and the film studio.<\/p>\n
The response was overwhelmingly enthusiastic. Everyone wanted to incorporate this upbeat music into their own corner of the Disney universe.<\/p>\n
Then things took an unexpected turn.<\/p>\n
One afternoon I received an urgent message:<\/p>\n
“Mr. Disney would like to see you as soon as possible.”<\/p>\n
At first I was excited.<\/p>\n
I’d never met Roy Disney, Jr., nor had I even seen him around the lot. The fact that he actually\u00a0knew my name was rather astonishing. In my mind, he was almost a mythical figure\u2014the company’s living connection to Walt Disney himself.<\/p>\n
Naturally, I assumed he wanted to congratulate me. Surely the excitement about\u00a0La Vida Mickey,\u00a0and all the other successful projects I\u2019d been working on,\u00a0had filtered back to him via the highest levels of the company.<\/p>\n
Instead, I walked into one of the more unusal meetings of my career.<\/p>\n
Roy’s impressive office was filled with Disney history. On one table sat a magnificent scale model of his famous racing yacht,\u00a0Pyewacket, surrounded by other priceless memorabilia, including a sterling-framed photo of the studio’s founder. But what struck me most was Roy himself. The resemblance to his Uncle Walt was uncanny\u2014so much so that it was almost unsettling.<\/p>\n
He warmly insisted I call him Roy and began by saying he’d heard many wonderful things about me from around the company. He told me I had a bright future at Disney.<\/p>\n
I relaxed.<\/p>\n
Then he slowly reached into a drawer and placed a copy of\u00a0La Vida Mickey\u00a0on the desk between us.
\n\u00a0
\nHis expression turned serious as he evaluated the cover art, featuring Mickey standing behind a DJ turntable, sporting a glittering white glove worthy of Michael Jackson.<\/p>\n
Roy began to explain \u2014 make that lecture \u2014 that Disney’s characters were sacred. They represented ideals. They were never to be diminished, trivialized, or associated with anything that might tarnish their image.
\nI nodded in agreement.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Then he looked directly at me and said:<\/p>\n
“I don’t want Mickey fraternizing with hoodlums who steal hubcaps and slash automobile tires.”<\/p>\n
I had the distinct feeling he wasn’t describing anyone from his yacht club.<\/p>\n
In an instant, my cheerful little Latin party album had become something else entirely.<\/p>\n
My mind was racing.<\/p>\n
Was I about to be fired? \u00a0Needless to say, I wanted to continue succeeding at the company. Frankly, I couldn\u2019t afford not to!<\/p>\n
Should I challenge what sounded to me like an unfair stereotype, or should I simply find an off-ramp before this conversation veered completely off the rails?<\/p>\n
It was one of those surreal moments where time seems to slow down, and you’re frantically searching for exactly the right thing to say. How did my little project, created to celebrate music, culture, and fun land me in the middle of a conversation about racial profiling?<\/p>\n
Somehow, I managed to unscramble my brain and calibrate my tone before saying, “Mr. Disney\u2014I mean, Roy\u2014the last time I visited Disneyland, I saw a lot of Latino families patiently standing in long lines, enjoying the rides, buying the merchandise…and paying a small fortune for\u00a0overpriced, undercooked, cafeteria-style burritos and tacos.\u201d Leaning in, I added, \u201cHardworking people who\u2019d saved up enough money to bring their families to the park\u2026and I didn’t see anyone flashing a switchblade.”<\/p>\n
Then, throwing caution completely to the wind, I added, “And when you watch TV commercials these days\u2014from McDonald’s to Coca-Cola\u2026the brands that Disneyland works with\u2014they all seem to feature Latin kids dancing through the aisles like junior Ricky Martin’s. So I think it would behoove Disney to embrace this incredible culture with its own vibrant Latin-styled music.”<\/p>\n
As a PGA announcer might say,\u00a0a hush fell over the crowd.<\/p>\n
Roy tapped his fingernails on his desk like a speed typist. Finally, with a dead-eyed stare, he said, “Well…just be careful. We’re a family company.”
\nAnd that was it.<\/p>\n
Had the storm passed? Or were there consequences waiting around the corner? Was Roy about to call Bob Cavallo and have me escorted off the lot? I managed to eke out some unconvincing utterance before making a hasty exit. Imagine Dorthy, the Scarecrow the Tin Man and the Cowardly Lion\u00a0departing their audience with the great and powerful Oz.<\/p>\n
Simmering, I walked straight from Roy’s office to Bob’s, passing the Michael Eisner Building with its towering terra-cotta Seven Dwarfs statues supporting the roof.<\/p>\n
Looking up at the building, I thought about how much I’d always loved Disney music. Before officially joining the company, my friend, the gifted Disney executive, Chris Montan, and I had worked together on several Oscar- and Grammy-winning Disney end-title songs, including\u00a0“Beauty and the Beast”\u00a0and Aladdin’s “A Whole New World.” But I’d never drunk the corporate Kool-Aid the way some other Disney “cast members\u201d I\u2019d met had, including one upper management exec who always wore his red shoes, a red belt and red watchband to work. \u00a0<\/p>\n
As I made my way to the Hollywood Records office, I took stock of the situation. I\u2019m usually a pretty unflappable guy\u2026but seriously…who needed this sh*t?<\/p>\n
Still running on adrenaline, I charged into Bob’s office. Thankfully, he had an open-door policy.<\/p>\n
He looked up from his desk and asked, “What’s up?\u201d \u00a0His tone did not suggest I was bothering him. Rather, he was open to hearing whatever I had to say.<\/p>\n
I gave him a quick blow-by-blow account of the meeting. In the scheme of things, I knew we were only talking about another little Disney record, but to me it had become a matter of principle. Or was I overreacting to the misguided ramblings of a legendary\u2014but now largely toothless-tiger from a bygone era?<\/p>\n
Bob had managed many of my musical hero’s like Earth, Wind & Fire, Prince, and my childhood faves, the Lovin’ Spoonful. From the fantastic stories he\u2019d shared with me, I knew they were all challenging clients. I also knew he\u2019d seen and heard everything the business could throw at him, and had somehow managed to navigate every twist and turn. So, even though my blood was boiling, I valued his thoughts.<\/p>\n
Bob had this quirky little habit of quietly inhaling and then pursing his lips before he spoke.<\/p>\n
He looked at me, smiled slightly, and in the calmest voice possible said, \u201cOh, just forget about it kid\u2026you\u2019re doin\u2019 great.”<\/p>\n
Then, after a beat, he asked, \u201cDid he really say they steal hubcaps\u2026like Disneyland\u2019s turning into\u00a0West Side Story or something? \u00a0Unbelievable!”<\/p>\n
“So what should I do?” I asked.<\/p>\n
Without missing a beat, Bob said, “Just put the record out and see what happens. If it’s successful, nobody’s going to complain…and everyone’s going to take credit for it. And if it\u2019s a bomb, nobody’s even going to remember it.”<\/p>\n
It was one of the most pragmatic pieces of advice I’d ever received\u2014and exactly why I remember Bob Cavallo today with such affection. Trusting his own instincts, sharpened over decades, he\u2019d instantly evaluated every possible outcome\u2026he knew how the game would play out\u2026and then he dispensed this advice in his typically direct and avuncular manner.\u00a0<\/p>\n
And here’s the P.S.<\/p>\n
As Mickey Mouse sang to generations of young fans, “Hey there, hi there, ho there…you’re as welcome as can be!”<\/p>\n
Thanks to Bob Cavallo, somewhere in my seldom-visited storage vault, sits a gold album plaque for\u00a0La Vida Mickey. \u00a0<\/p>\n
Bob was 100% right. With La Vida Mickey, and its successful sequel album, both topping the kids charts, no-one uttered a word about my having corrupted Disney\u2019s sterling image!<\/p>\n
Speaking as a graduate of Disney-U, in my opinion, the company should erect a statue of Bob right outside the entrance to the music division he so expertly guided.<\/p>\n
With best regards,\u00a0<\/p>\n
Jay Landers
\n___________________________________<\/p>\n
From: John Hartmann
\nSubject: Re: Dark Star
\nDate: August 19, 2026 at 6:10:49?PM PDT<\/p>\n
Hi Bob,<\/p>\n
The CSN album didn’t just fall off the truck. It was the product of a half dozen phone calls and some record biz hardball.<\/p>\n
Hartmann & Goodman had finally broken through with Poco’s fourteenth album, ‘Legend’. America had also joined our roster, and we turned around their faltering album ‘Holiday’ after Warner Bros. dropped the ball.<\/p>\n
Then the phone rang. “Hartmann,” I said.<\/p>\n
“This is The Croz,” David replied. In those days, there was an abiding hiss on long-distance lines.<\/p>\n
“Is this the call?” I asked.<\/p>\n
“It is,” David said.<\/p>\n
“Should I get on a plane?”<\/p>\n
“Meet me at the Holiday Inn in Albany, New York tomorrow afternoon,” he asserted.<\/p>\n
“I’ll be there,” I promised.<\/p>\n
I was standing under the Holiday Inn portico when a long black limousine arrived, and David and Graham jumped out. We exchanged the appropriate kisses, hugs and happy slaps before adjourning to David’s room.<\/p>\n
“What are we doing here?” I asked.<\/p>\n
“We are playing a gig in Hyannis Port tomorrow night,” Graham informed me.<\/p>\n
“There’s no venue in Hyannis Port,” I ventured. “Where are you playing?”<\/p>\n
“The Hockey Rink,” he whispered with a bit of a blush.<\/p>\n
“Why?” I asked.<\/p>\n
“We’re doing a benefit concert for Teddy Kennedy; he’s running for the Senate.”<\/p>\n
“Let me get this straight,” I asserted. “You’re doing a benefit for one of the richest guys in the world, who is running for a race he couldn’t lose if he tried. Boy, do you need management!” “That’s why we called.”<\/p>\n
We put on the show in the ice rink and were hosted by Mother Rose and Caroline. Teddy never made it.<\/p>\n
We left for New York City after the gig, where Crosby & Nash sold out two nights at Wollman Rink in Central Park. Walter Yetnikoff, the Columbia Records chieftain, and his number two man, Bruce Lundvall, showed up both nights. It was obvious Yetnikoff hoped to sign David and Graham to Columbia. He already had Stephen Stills as a solo artist, so it didn’t take a genius to see what he was coveting.<\/p>\n
After a couple of days of bickering over the deal, they joined Hartmann & Goodman as our third client. They were scheduled to leave for a two-week European tour, so I went along. It was a near disaster, but we made it through and landed back in L.A. exhausted but client-rich.<\/p>\n
My first call was to Michael John Bowen, the ex-Green Beret manager of Stills. “Guess what we’ve got?” I asked.<\/p>\n
“What?” he said.<\/p>\n
“Crosby, Stills & Nash,” I boasted.<\/p>\n
“You’ve got the guys?” he asked, somewhat incredulously.<\/p>\n
“We do. Are you coming to town?”<\/p>\n
“Tomorrow,” he promised.<\/p>\n
The third call was to Ahmet Ertegun, the legendary head of Atlantic Records, CSN’s longtime label. I had read their recording contract, and it sucked. I told Ahmet we need to renegotiate the deal. He refused. “They still owe me six albums that I’ll never get,” he quipped. “Your deal is ten years old and has expired,” I said\u00a0with maximum conviction. ” “What are you talking about?” “Personal service contracts in California cannot exceed seven years,” I said. “Bullsh*t! No\u00a0new deal,” he said and hung up.<\/p>\n
Stephen had a quiver full of new tunes and with Graham and David’s songs we had enough for a first rate album. We booked sessions at Criterion Studios in Miami and engaged the Aplert Brothers to produce. We leaked it to Atlantic that CSN was in the studio and somebody called and requested purchase orders. “No Thanks, the guys are recording on their own dime,” we informed. This was a consummate\u00a0cage rattling, for sure. The album\u00a0was done very quickly considering the perfectionist rio’s meticulous nature. It was time\u00a0to call\u00a0Walter Yetnikoff.<\/p>\n
“Do you want to hear the new Crosby, Stills & Nash album?” I dangled. “Of course! When?” he asked. “As soon as you can get down to Miami,” He commandeered\u00a0the CBS jet and we flew down for a listening party. Walter was delighted. “What do I have to do to get it?” he asked. ” Give us a million\u00a0dollar advance, and you have to indemnify us against Ahmet’s eventual lawsuit, the rest you can pound out with our lawyers.” I said. “I’ll get back to you,” he promised. I leaked it to Atlantic that Walter had heard the record. The next call was from Ahmet.\u00a0<\/p>\n
The mad Turk was furious. He threatened a lawsuit. But I had an ace in the hole, and I blackmailed him into a renegotiation, not just for the new Album, but the new terms applied to the entire, CSN, CSNY and CN catalogs. Since Ahmet paid off, I won’t say what I had on him that he feared\u00a0I would expose. After all, a deal is a deal. When the album came out, “Just A Song Before I Go” was a smash\u00a0hit single and the LP went multi platinum. The ensuing reunion tour was a total sell out with nary an empty seat anywhere\u00a0in the country. Walter had demurred but it was the catalyst we needed to bring\u00a0 Atlantic to the line. That was the last call.<\/p>\n
Best regards,<\/p>\n
John Hartmann
\n___________________________________<\/p>\n
From: Rob Whittaker
\nSubject: Re: Tickets Not Streams
\nDate: August 23, 2026 at 3:19:49?AM PDT<\/p>\n
About live music, I play keys in Big Racket. We are a live party\/cover band. In fact, people have said ‘They’re like a real band!’.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Stu Robb is our excellent frontman who makes every show a very cool party. Graeme Hartlan on bass and YouTubes Jimi Wolf Solos on guitar.\u00a0<\/p>\n
We sell a lot of beer.\u00a0
\n\u00a0
\nWe play mostly at Drums’N’Flats in Toronto, an excellent venue for live rock\u2019n\u2019roll. I think the occupancy is about 150, but it feels like we get 200 in there because the place gets rammed. It’s always on fire by the second set.
\n\u00a0
\nInterestingly, Michael McCarty, our unflappable drummer (you may know him) is a music industry veteran. He gets some very cool cats to come out and play with us. Sometimes we get Neil Sanderson of Three Days Grace to play Johnny B. Goode. Paul Shaffer. Andy Kim. Alan Frew might sing some Tragically Hip covers. Paquin Entertainments – and the band Harlequin – Ralph James plays bass when we cover his \u201880s synth-rock hit Innocence. We had the boys from Sum 41 join us a couple of months ago.
\n\u00a0
\nThey all say the same thing: it’s awesome to play a small room with off-the-hook energy, because that’s rock’n’roll.
\n\u00a0
\nThe star power is crazy fun for us. We get to meet and play music with our heroes. But the best part is that these guys enjoy playing in a bar again. It’s not reminiscence; it’s real. Like the guy said, we’re ‘like a real band,’ even for people who are used to much taller stages and larger crowds. They all enjoy the rootsy, back-to-basics experience. And we can play, so it’s easy for them to feel safe. They know it’s not going to be a train wreck.\u00a0
\n\u00a0
\nThe guests always have some nervous energy because they’re people too. It’s incredibly humanizing. And sometimes we don’t stick the ending, or we miss the break, but that moment when you\u2019ve come through it and everyone had a great time – it’s like nothing else.
\n\u00a0
\nThat’s when I look up and thank my mom for the piano lessons back in grade 6.
\n___________________________________<\/p>\n
From: Willie Nile
\nSubject: Re: Willie Nile
\nDate: July 28, 2026 at 8:36:26?PM MDT<\/p>\n
Hi Bob,<\/p>\n
Thanks for asking. Yes, my father passed away 3 weeks ago. He was 108 1\/2 years old, the 16th oldest man in the U.S.. Joe Biden called him in November to wish him a Happy 108th Birthday.\u00a0<\/p>\n
He took no medication, which is crazy, and he wasn’t ill. His organs just began to shut down. He was such a good and humble man, the kind, one hopes, America, at it’s best, is made of. He lived at home and was still mentally sound and doing crossword puzzles, reading books and having a Happy Hour every day. One of my brothers has been living with him for the past 8 years and watching over him. His sense of humor was intact until the very end.<\/p>\n
He was of Irish Catholic origin and went to mass every day for over 83 years. Who does that!\u00a0
\nAnd he used to wake every night for over 43 years and do a Holy Hour. He’d wake at random hours in the night to use the bathroom and then sit in a chair and pray for people for an hour. Who does that! It’s a blessing that he no longer has to deal with the sufferings of life here on earth and all of us in the family know how lucky we were to have him for as long as we did.<\/p>\n
I’m doing ok. It’s a big loss for all of us but I know it’s best for him. He always said he was ready to go whenever the time for him came. He can now rest in peace and is hopefully dancing somewhere in paradise with Mom.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Here’s to a good man who led by example and showed us how to live and how to leave with courage and grace.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Willie<\/p>\n
<\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
From: Peter Noone Subject: Re: Tickets Not Streams Date: August 21, 2026 at 4:47:30?PM PDT As one of the oldest readers of your fascinating daily reveille I should say all of today’s letter appealed to me in that it was almost a description of the old music business where the groups of teenagers like me […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_feature_clip_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2},"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[2,6],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-23624","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-music-business","category-the-music"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p96vPs-692","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/lefsetz.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/23624","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/lefsetz.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/lefsetz.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lefsetz.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lefsetz.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=23624"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/lefsetz.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/23624\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":23625,"href":"https:\/\/lefsetz.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/23624\/revisions\/23625"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/lefsetz.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=23624"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lefsetz.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=23624"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lefsetz.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=23624"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}