Many radio stations considered music promotion people bad news. Not me, I knew they were a constant source of programming ideas, promotions, and new music trends. AND promotion people were my ears for what great radio stations were doing. Because I knew and befriended all record promotion people, our station got many of the same promotions as the top 10 Markets. Limos to a diner for contest winners, concert tix, and backstage “meet and greets” with their favorite performers.

Twin Peaks TV allowed us to give away dozens of Cherry Pies. Thousands of listeners received CDs and album giveaways for Grease, Saturday Night Fever, Dirty Dancing, Sleepless in Seatle, Harry Met Sally, and any other popular soundtrack music.

The attention I received was intoxicating but I knew my place and kept it professional. My wife and I attended many after-show parties. Disco dancing at the Top of the “Pru” with Liza Minnelli, and dining with Billy Joel and Christy Brinkley at his kick-off party at the El Morocco in Worcester. Dancing on the tables at Framingham’s Chateau DeVille until 2 AM to Lionel Richie and the Commodore’s last show. Enjoyed lunch at the Motown Café in Manhatten. It was a dream come true and I received 33 RIAA Gold Records from Streisand, Neil Diamond, Steely Dan, Manilow, Tony Bennett, Elton John, Linda Ronstadt, Dolly Parton, The Carpenters, and anyone else who mattered. It was amazing, my wife and I got to meet all our childhood heroes and see them performing when concerts were all the rage. John Phillips & the Mamas and Pappas, enjoying milk & cookies with Frankie Valli & the original Jersey Boys, Herb Alpert and his wife, Lanni Hall (Brazil ’66), Phil Collins with Genesis, Justin Heywood, and the Moody Blues. Sharing a glass with Carole King at The 4 Seasons Hotel after a Downtown Boston show. Everyone from Mike McDonald and the Doobie Bros. to Paul McCartney.

Pop music is in many ways a dangerous business psychologically. To have lived it, made a successful career, and ended up with one healthy family and a loving wife makes me a happy man and inclined to leave well enough alone. I got one of  2 terrific tips from Mercury Records’ promotion man, Don Masters. He told me to claim everything made from my side businesses. I did and it worked. I got my maximum retirement income by doing it.

I miss living in the fast lane; going to concerts and Broadway Shows everywhere. Record promotion people were extraordinary, colorful, Damon Runyon-style characters. Like “Mr.” Mike Symonds inviting us to a small afternoon affair with Paul Simon, Arista’s Mark Rizzo throwing a party for Whitney Houston in Dallas, or Columbia’s Sal Ingemie presenting Mariah Carey in concert for a small intimate gathering at Boston’s Copley Plaza.

My wife and I spent an evening with Don Rickles in Manhattan, then enjoyed breakfast at The Tavern on the Green. We caught the New Year’s Eve Midnight show at Radio City featuring Manhatten Transfer. Since we loved the music, it was amazing to see; Chorus Line, Cats, Phantom of the Opera, Mystery of Edmond Droid, and Leader of the Pack, all on Broadway. We were invited to spend a week at Universal City in Los Angeles, not to mention Disneyland in Anaheim while staying at the famed Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel on Sunset Blvd. across from Grauman’s Chinese in the heart of Hollywood  I saw the original Eagles perform their last concert at Century City where Bruce Willis filmed his Die Hard movies. From the Everly Bros., Roy Orbison, Chubby Checker, Neil Sedaka, Leslie Gore, Peter Noone, Stevie Wonder, Lionel Richie, Cher, Dolly Parton, Linda Ronstadt, Phil Collins, Stephen Tyler, and Aerosmith, and even the Monkees. Issac Hayes was the featured pianist at a cocktail party we attended with a select number of couples overlooking San Francisco’s North Beach. We brought listeners to meet and hear the Beachboys in Concert, Bette Midler (The Rose), and Rod Stewart with the Faces.

In local radio, it’s always what a station does between the songs that make the difference. The secret to attracting and keeping an audience is to offer them a reward for their listening. Something they can emotionally react to from the station. We did it with giveaways. There was always a station prize to be won on the air or in a retail store. Every day, each music personality had a prize to give away using his or her imagination.

Music promotion men knew what music listeners liked and were buying. They were the key to success. When Springsteen came to town, we had tix worth $1,500 for one lucky couple.

About 9/11/2001, the increasing fragmentation of music into multiple genres and the decreasing cultural significance of mainstream music changed everything. Major record companies no longer promote new artists to all contemporary radio stations. The number of tours diminished tremendously.

During my time on the air, I worked with and became friends with many of New England’s legendary music promotion people. Several of them are pictured below.