stern@CHEM.NWU.EDU (Charlotte Stern) (03/15/91)
First I will dispense with formalities: The new Happy Rhodes CD will very soon be available for order from Aural Gratification. The cost is $13.99 + $2 P&H. If you would like to reserve a copy, you are instructed to mail your order to Albany and as soon as they're ready, they'll send you one. Vickie informs me that the production has gone off without a hitch and so the ETA of April 1 looks like it will be made good. Happy Rhoding! Now, as I further take on the persona of Vickie Mapes (much as Andy takes on that of iED), it is at Concierge Mapes suggestion that I present the following, shall we say, concept(?). Vickie wants me to be convincing with this, but I guess I am not a full believer in it yet for a variety of historical and personal reasons. Nonetheless, it would certainly be interesting if Happy Rhodes was Kate's "opening act". In fact, what Vickie suggests (she spoke of some guy named Charlie having the original idea) is to go a step further and actually stage a *MAIL CAMPAIGN* to Kate to take Happy Rhodes under her sleeve when (\if) she tours. Vickie lists several reasons that this would work/be a good idea, among them that Happy is a virtual an unknown; that her music is commensurate with Katery; that Kate likes helping prospective greats get their break (returning the favor?); that we would all like to see Happy; that Kate will likely get to call her own shots and *could* probably pull it off; and that this would be better than a foisted opening act that Kate didn't really care about. Now, the philosophical elements of this proposal I will merely touch on (and these are my concerns). First, would Kate even want someone to open for her? Has she ever had anyone open for her before (i.e. 10 years ago)? Second, could Kate truly be convinced that Happy *should* open for her (does she read her mail :-)? Well, I believe it could be done, assuming Kate has enough time to think it through and get fully acquainted with Happy's music. So Vickie wants us all to write letters to Kate to this effect. The question is, what do other LH's think about this idea? Would you write letters? Would you like to se Happy open for Kate? Would you like to see *anyone* open for Kate? (I'm still mixed on this myself.) Do you think there is any chance that Kate would do something like this? Let's talk about this before we jump in... I will be mailing Happy lyrics to Vickie, who it looks like will in turn communicate them to Happy. Boy I sure hope they get that phone back soon! -mjm (mike mendelson)
nrc@cbema.att.COM (Neal R Caldwell, Ii) (03/15/91)
I think a letter writing campaign to advocate Happy as an opening
act for Kate is a bad idea.
First of all, this will be an experience of a life time and I think it
should be a purely "Kate" experience. I don't want it diluted with
_any_ opening act.
Second, Kate has a lot to do right now. I think the idea of sending
her mail containing anything but pure joy at the idea of another tour
is a bad idea. Touring has been too much to ask for a long time and
now you want more?
Please do something different if you want to advocate Happy. If you
want to start a mail campaign to Kate it should be one of pure
encouragement. It was suggested that more details on a tour might be
available early this year. We've heard nothing official yet. Encourage
Kate, don't distract her.
"Don't drive too slowly." Richard Caldwell
AT&T Network Systems
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