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Sunday, August 17, 1997
Good morning!Wanted to get an update off to you before we head out the door for churchthis morning...
Am listening even now to The Brian Mason Show on WLAC 105.9 FM here inNashburg. Brian is doing a special "Happy 40th Birthday, Gary Chapman!" Show.Gary's brother, Keith, is his live guest, which is a real hoot! He said thathe could only relate a couple of Gary stories due to the statute oflimitations... :-) Brian is playing Gary music and excerpts from past Garyinterviews. So far, the man of the hour hasn't even called in to defendhimself... Gary's birthday is actually Tuesday, August 19. I happened tosee the man yesterday, so I got him to sign a pre-release CD of his newChristmas work THIS GIFT. I'll be drawing from this very email list for awinner on Tuesday to commemorate the day!
If you're in the Nashville area, you can tune into Brian's show on September14 and hear Gary talking about and playing cuts from THIS GIFT. If you arenot fortunate enough to live within broadcast distance of Music City, you cansee some nifty photos of Brian and his myriad of CCM artist guests (includingAmy & Gary, of course) over the years on his nifty web site:www.ncsn.net/tbms. He was even kind enough to include a copy of Amy'sChristmas Tour Itinerary here. Check it out!
The top story in my latest CCM Update was the UPS strike and how that isaffecting upcoming street dates for a number of album projects. As you know -it's only TWO WEEKS AND TWO DAYS from today that BEHIND THE EYES should be onyour store's shelves.The article quotes Mark Funderburg, vice president andgeneral manager for Word Sales and Distribution, as saying that things arerunning smoothly for them. They will be working with A&M to deliver theproduct to both general market and CBA accounts September 8. Here's hoping!
The song video for "Takes A Little Time" has been added to rotation on VH-1.They expect it to be in moderate rotation this week. I had hoped to get thedate and time of the premier in time to post it, but alas - so it goes. Ihope you can catch it as it is a wonderful accompanying piece to that song!
Well, it was bound to happen eventually... Amy will be hosting her very owngolf tournament October 6 & 7 here in Nashville. It is a benefit for TheSarah Cannon Cancer Center and is called "The Minnie Pearl Tee Party". Moredetails to come...
I did meet with Amy yesterday (Saturday). She had just gotten back home fromanother promo trip the night before and didn't realize that I was coming. Shegraciously made room for me in her day. She and I have a few projects on thetable that I'm trying to catch her as I can to work on. The Octobernewsletter, promotion for the Tennessee Christmas Tour and our own Wildhorsereception to name a few. She was wiped out and feeling rather spent. Theprocess of talking about her music is about her least favorite part of theprocess anyway, but more so this time simply due to the nature of thesesongs. I know you've heard it before, but it's the cry of her heart to be REAL. No false posturing in public and no denial at home. She would talk and crya bit, then I would talk and cry a bit. She said that she was so tired ofbeing misrepresented, so as one who is in a position to represent her - Iasked her forgiveness for where I had misrepresented her. She asked myforgiveness, but didn't even really know where to begin... Which isn'tnecessary. I forgave her and she forgave me and we cried and talked andembraced some more. There is an old axiom that is true: "Hurt people hurtpeople and blessed people bless people." But it is equally true that thepower of God is made perfect in our weakness. And Love keeps no record ofwrongs - thankfully! The singing of the songs remains a release and alifeline for her. And with a little discernment and a lot of grace, I willcontinue my work in representing the "celebrity" as a real person. As LindyWarren (interviewer for the ASPIRE cover story) so aptly stated it, "To betrue to the artist's story without betraying the person." Amen!
I have LOVED all the feedback that I'm getting from you...your reactions tothe single, the songs on the maxi-single, the pre-releases and theinterviews. I always take a handful of printouts with me to the farm. Itsounds like we will be welcoming a whole new wave of music fans. Everyone -whether old friend or new - has been deeply moved by what they are hearingand seeing. There is no process of becoming or "becoming again" that isn't alittle messy. Here's to moving on through the mess!
God's highest and best to you today!
-Lori Mc