From: Rick Nicita
Subject: Re: John Heard

Bob,

I was John Heard’s agent for much of the 1970’s….. He was an extremely smart, hugely talented iconoclast who never wanted stardom….In fact, he resisted it with all his strength….Others with a fraction of his talent have gone much much farther…He was basically at odds with the starmaking machinery and he suffered from it.

I can sum him up by telling about when he was offered a lead role in a PBS production of THE SCARLET LETTER in the late 70’s….PBS paid SAG scale, or less if they could get away with it….Of course, he wanted to do it, as he should have…..Good agent that I was, I asked PBS to pay him more than their usual pittance….They were thrilled to have John in their production and they agreed to improve the offer so I closed the deal…..I came back to my office after lunch one day soon after making that deal to find a stack of pink “While You Were Out” phone messages (remember them?) from John in which he vented at great length his anger at me for asking for and getting him more money than he was offered…I apologized and he ultimately forgave me.

A truly unique and special person and artist….Watch CUTTER’S WAY and you’ll be amazed.

Rick Nicita

___________________________________________

From: Colin Hay
Subject: Re: John Heard

Yes Mr Lefsetz, ain't that the truth. But they don't. Every day I wake up, reach for the phone, already thinking, I wonder who died today. I feel sad that they've gone, followed by a feeling of relief, that it wasn't me. That's the one thing we all share, that for each and every one of us, just to state the obvious, one day will be our last.
We're on the road, literally. Every day we travel somewhere else, and check into the hotel. Today it's Big Bear. I like to leave as little a footprint as possible, reaching into my case, and grabbing what I need for the show that night. My wife on the other hand, moves in. I go down to the lobby for 10 minutes to do any small thing, and when I return, it's as if we've been living there for six months. It's redecorated. Home for a day. What more can you ask for?
When I pass on, someone may well ask where I was when I went. "Oh that guy, he died at home, I think it was a DoubleTree, you know, the one that gives you the cookies."
As you say, one day the road ends, sometimes in a head on crash, or sometimes you may just fall asleep at the wheel.
Until then, good times.
Colin

___________________________________________

From: Michael Des Barres
Subject: Re: Ozark

Gimme the beat boys & free my soul I wanna get lost in Netflix & Rock & Roll. I have binged on everything in my life.. why stop now?...Good morning Bob...

___________________________________________

From: Ken Kragen
Subject: Re: Garth Brooks At The Forum

Bob: Seems like I have some connection to everything you write about these days. Garth Brooks is certainly one of them. I managed Trisha Yearwood for most of the 1990's up to and including the first major tour she did with Garth and before they started living together.

But long before that my long-time (33 years) client, Kenny Rogers, took Garth, out on tour with him as an unknown. Garth never forgot that and repayed the favor several times including guesting on one of the last TV specials I did with Kenny.

Having seen many Garth Brooks shows going all the way back to the beginning I am certain that he is one of the most unique and powerful entertainers ever. What he does, better than anyone else, is involve the audience and, in fact, they become the major factor in the show. He acts as their cheerleader and whips them into a virtual frenzy that is truly amazing.

I am also convinced that he is one of the best marketers in the business. He knows as well as anyone how to create a brand, nurture it and promote the daylights out of it.

Loved your writing about his show. You are doing some wonderful things this summer. Oh, and by the way, I just got back from seeing my former client Lionel Richie open the Mid State Fair in Paso Robles, CA and he was terrific as always.

All the best, Ken

___________________________________________

From: David Lipsitz
Subject: Re: Garth Brooks At The Forum

Bob - I was motivated by your email to look for a video of Garth singing Operator, which I was quickly able to find on Youtube. When he chuckles at mentioning "LA" I looked down at the upload date and saw that it was today. Then, at the 1:00 minute mark they show the requestor holding up his sign and I see you sitting behind him!

www.youtube.com/watch?v=BTKk-JOLHok

___________________________________________

From: Lee T. Guzofski
Subject: A New Game

We don't have a lot of money

So we share a beach house down the Jersey Shore with 2 other families and 2 other single girls.

We have invented a new game called "Relations"

Where we sit around late at night, after the kids go to bed, and 6 musically-knowledgable adults play a tune on Spotify

The next person (we're going counter-clockwise tonight) HAS TO PICK FROM THE OFFERRED RELATED ARTISTS AND PLAY A SONG.

Once it makes a full circle, the next person can pick anything. Changes the genre.

And everyone has to keep going.

Fascinating.

We have rolled from Southern Rock to the Philadelphia Sound to 80's hip hop, to disco, to the Stooges.

It is incredible, if you play with smart people.

Sorry... It's my turn.

They are playing "Stomp" by The Brothers Johnson

So I am going "Fire" by Ohio Players because it's easy and I am emailing you. (My wife is hitting play on my behalf)

My point brother is...

NO OTHER SERVICE LETS YOU INVENT A GAME LIKE THIS

Whip it out at your next fancy event once you hook your phone up to the speaker.

You learn about people.

Your friend & fan,
LTG

--
Visit the archive: lefsetz.com/wordpress/
--
www.twitter.com/lefsetz
--
If you would like to subscribe to the LefsetzLetter,
www.lefsetz.com/lists/?p=subscribe&id=1

If you do not want to receive any more LefsetzLetters, Unsubscribe

To change your email address this link

powered by phpList 3.3.1, © phpList ltd