In a couple of months American Music is running 25 years,
and the last 15 I frequently visited Nashville.
I met a lot of people who I owe a lot. They all helped me upgrading my shows. Most of them portrait below. From some I haven't been able to take a picture, as there are: Michelle Hall at Capitol, Molly Scanlon and
Jackie Proffitt, now at St. Jude's, Tanya Bishop at Sony, Yumi Kimura
(ex Warner Bros.), Nancy Tunick (ex Asylum), Molly Nagel (Sugar Hill),
Traci Thomas (Grassroots), Dan Ekback (Bluewater Music), Dan Anderson (RCA), Ron Huntsman (Huntsman Entertainment),and to all the others I apologize for my bad memory.Also, for not being able to handle a camera well, but music and cooking is my strenght.
When I first came to Nashville, I couldn't have dreamed to meet people as nice as Ramona Simmons and Preston Sullivan. They've become not only my best friends, but also a very important part of my life. They let me stay in their house where I felt very welcome from the first time they opened the door for me. To return the favor I cooked for them and their wonderful guests. Every dinner is a happening, due to the people they invite. I can't thank them enough for their hospitality and friendship.
May you both live happily ever after!
Preston and Ramona
Don, Ramona, Mimi, Dailey, Joni and Preston
Everybody at Sony Music knows her as Pepper, but her real name is Sylvia van Peperzeel. Originally from Holland, and so am I. That makes it easy to talk, and we had many a good laugh over lunch.
She always pleases me with special releases and my way of pleasing her is bringing licorice from Holland.
Pam Lewis
I met her on my first trip and we'e been friends ever since. She is president of PLA media and teamed up with Bob Doyle a little later to form Doyle/Lewis, the company that guided Garth Brooks to sales of more than a hundred million albums.
She introduced me to a lot of people, I cooked for her, had lunch with her, many hours of interesting conversation. Thanks a lot Pam!
Sylvia (Pepper)
Marilee Chipoletti
She's one of a kind. She's always smiling. At least I never catched her in a bad mood. She's always been very good to me working for MCA, but recently moved to Sony Music. I always hope that she is still around when I go to Nashville. Her laugh makes my day.
Sara Brosmer
Working for Keith Case and ass. she made me a real bluegrass fan. And Marilee also organises the venues at the Pegram Park, what I hope to visit once. She's as nice as a woman can be, and someone you can talk to about other things than music as well. We'll do it again, Marilee!
I took this picture after dinner I cooked and that made it easy for them to smile. My best friends from Canada, who I know for ten years now. He's a perfect Canadian gentleman and she's a perfect wife. Gilles had a career as a singer and a producer, and is now a succesfull writer (ask Terri Clark) and has always been fully supported by Suzy.
Love to cook for you guys!
Liz has been working at Curb for many years. She always made it easy for me to get what I wanted. Of course it helped that she liked the famous Belgian choclats I have with me to seduce people.
Stay around Liz!
Liz Cavanaugh
One of the most respected guys in the business has always been Bob Saporiti, former senior vice-president of Warner Bros. Nashville. He was until he retired. Easy to see that he's a barrel of fun. After his retirement he started writing songs under his a.k.a. Reckless Johnny Wales. He's no threath to society, he makes fun music.
Good luck Bob!
Kissy is married to singer-songwriter Jeff Black, and they have two wonderful kids. I met Kissy when she was working for Eminent and is now using her talents for Dualtone.
I'm sorry the other picture was no good, so I had to use this one, realizing it's bad for your reputation being seen with ugly old guys like me.
Bob Saporiti
Kissy Black n.n.
I only met Dailey last year at one of Ramona's famous dinner parties where he became an instant friend. So we invited him again this year. Dailey is working for Compendia Music Group. Next time the menu will be different.
That's a promise!
I know Jack for fifteen years, when he worked for Warner Bros., when they were still on Division Street. I missed him a couple of years, but now he's back on the track with Audium/Koch. He's someone who will always get choclats.
Dailey Kennedy
Jack Purcell
If I would be 30 years younger and single, I would go for her. Joni Wilson made a name as a script writer in Canada, and moved to Nashville to try her luck becoming a name in country music. Killing time with her is another hobby of mine.
Your mental coach wishes you al the best!
More import. Almost every Aussie is a friend of mine and this is a real good one. He's a fine musician, an excellent producer, doing a.o. Anne Kirkpatrick and Slim Dusty down under and right now he's hitting the charts in Texas with Rachel Warwick from England.
