Think this music love affair started with mom’s Mahalia Jackson albums. Add piano lessons, choir, wicked record collection, bad ass stereos, parties, college radio DJ and it was on. Goodbye KY. Hello LA.
Solar was an entrepreneurial farm and grad school. Dick Griffey the visionary headmaster. Records, Touring, Publishing, Management, Film, Politics, Distribution. Studio & Production, Real estate, Concert promotion, even horse stables!
The best part. Constant interaction with folks so gifted, we now know them by one name: Ali, Jesse, Ray, Sylvia, Hank, Ornetta, Krasnow, Haymon, Jheryl, Ernie, Louil, Maglia, Peck, McClain, Ivory, Staton, Magic, Virgil, LA, Face, Jimmy, Terry, Dre, Irving, Q, Clarence, Berry, Brenda, George, Frankie, Smith and many more that space doesn’t permit.
Add Whispers classiness, Lakeside & Midnight Star funk, Shalamar harmony, Klymaxx innovation & the Cool in You of Babyface. It was empowering black education, thinking outside the box. The University of Solar.
My management years posted early wins with Brian Mcknight and Portrait, hit song placements, label deals at Interscope, Def Jam, RCA, Virgin, Island, Motown, got Tyrese and Robin Thicke signed.
Sharon Heyward was monumental then and now. As was Damien Smith. I’m forever indebted to them.
Maurice White period was spiritual. Broadway with Maurice Hines, hung with Mikhail Baryshnikov & Judith Jamison, made music for Concord & publishing with Primary Wave. Deep conversations.  Watching him play the Kalimba. Rehearse a band. Talk about Keep Your Head to the Sky. Unreal.
Did a 180 into digital media. Pensados Place is an online tv talk show that I created, co-host and exec produce. 6 years, 379 weekly episodes on Youtube, seen in 200 countries by approx 300,000 people a month. Covered by Forbes and Huffpost, spoken at Google, Berklee and all over the country, our own Awards show, tv studio and sponsors. WTF!! PensadosPlace.TV
Justin to Stevie, Mariah to Whitney, Quincy to Pharrell. A gas to work with greatness. But my fellow execs were the true inspiration. Honored to be in the Legend fraternity.  Take care of each other. Thanks for taking care of me.