84 Beth Fleenor
What’s it like being a clarinetist and a promoter?
Producer, promoter and clarinetist, Beth Fleenor is involved in Seattle’s cultural life. She embraces both the business and performing sides of music and the arts. She composes and thinks while on a 7-10 mile per day walk. She says it keeps her both physically and mentally fit. Beth survived a tough childhood by immersing herself in music. Who knew music could save your life?
Use the player below or click this link: Beth Fleenor Interview
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64 Paul Kemmish
What’s it like being a professional bass player?
Paul Kemmish usually has a bass in his hands. He’s equally at home with the bass guitar or bass fiddle. And if you wonder how he got so good or how he spends his days that’s easy: he practices. That’s what working musicians do.
Use the player below or click this link: Paul Kemmish Interview
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60 Doug LeBow
What’s it like being a composer, producer and songwriter?
Doug LeBow is a producer, composer, singer, songwriter, and recording artist for Disney Publishing Worldwide. He grew up in the NE, lives in the SW. Along his journey, he worked as a sign language interpreter, used the money he made from scoring industrial movies for General Motors to go back to school, graduated from the Grove School of Music, and is a minister.
Use the player below or click this link: Doug LeBow Interview
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48 John Hinchey
What’s it like to be a professional trombonist?
This is the story of how a kid from Boston learns to play the trombone, moves to Nashville and becomes an arranger, composing and producing. He’s done a lot of work for cruise lines and theme parks. But he’s also worked with Aretha Franklin, Hank Williams Jr, BJ Thomas, Kirk Franklin, Sara Evan and Sting. To visit John’s site, click here.
Use the player below or click this link: John Hinchey Interview
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43 Tony Gumina
What’s like to travel with Ray Charles?
If you want to listen to Ray Charles, you buy an album. If you want to put the likeness of Ray Charles on a t-shirt or sing his song in a movie, you call Tony Gumina. He knew Ray, traveled with him, and now represents his legacy. You’ll love his story of how he went from golf caddy to casino owner at the age of 12.
Use the player below or click this link: Tony Gumina Interview
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26 Victor Vanacore
What’s it like being a pops conductor?
Grammy award winner, Victor Vanacore started playing piano professionally in his teens. Now as a Pops conductor, he directs an entire orchestra, which a playing gigantic instrument composed of multiple talents and different personalities. Getting them to all work together is the high-wire act of music. Victor tries to make his arrangements fun for the audience and challenging for the orchestra. He also has been musical director for many great singers, including Barry Manilow, Johnny Mathis and Ray Charles.
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23 Anthony Stauffer
What’s it like to teach guitar online?
If you want to play blues guitar, you need Anthony Stauffer’s StevieSnacks. Every week there’s a new lick to learn. Anthony has a degree in electrical engineering, so it’s not surprising that he finds fingering is like an engineering problem: little components can be added together into more complex patterns. His advice is to do what you do best. Others might come along and do it better but until they arrive get out your slide rule, pick up your guitar and keep going.
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16 Rob Pottorf
What’s it like to have a brain tumor?
In Paris, France and Orlando, Florida, Disney is opening a new attraction this summer: Cars2. While you watch the stunt car preshow, you’ll be listening to Rob Pottorf’s music. He’s done scores for theme parks, movies and TV. He managers to do it by working work and not living in Hollywood. You can do it too. All you need is a ukulele, a Fender Rhodes and an enormous amount of talent. And did I mention the brain tumor?
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14 Ed Goldfarb
What’s it like to write music for movies?
Like most composers, Ed Goldfarb loves storytelling. And like many arrangers, he thinks in orchestra. He grew up playing the piano and by junior high, he got his first paid gigs. Later, the piano would help him make a living and introduce him to film director Francis Ford Coppola. When in high school, Ed used his keyboard skills to land a job as a church organist at a large Methodist church. He explains how he made it from church to the movies.
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05 John Loken
What’s it like being a marketing executive?
You know how it is. You start out studying civil engineering at UC Berkeley and the next thing you know you’re marketing records internationally for Motown. It happens to everybody…everybody named John Loken. His has seen the music industry change and die. But the principles of marketing remain. He not only uses terms like demand generation, D2C, end cap positioning and site analytics; he knows what they mean. He’s the kind of guy who decides to do a triathlon (bike, run, swim) before knowing how to swim.
John Loken Interview
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