Read Online Roll Me Up and Smoke Me When I Die: Musings From the Road by Kinky Friedman, Willie Nelson - Free Book Online
Authors: Kinky Friedman, Willie Nelson
Tags: nonfiction, Personal Memoirs, Biography & Autobiography, music, Entertainment & Performing Arts, Musicians
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Royal. I’m even more grateful Willie took their advice and took a chance on me.
Willie has been a friend, a brother, a father, a boss, a benevolent dictator, a sometimes crazy motherfucker, and a great inspiration to me.
I grew up in this band of heathens and I’m thankful to be a foster child in this family.
M ARK R OTHBAUM , J OEL K ATZ , AND L ARRY G OLDFEIN STILL TAKE care of most all my music business, and they are all very good. Mark Rothbaum is my manager, even though I hesitate to say he’s my “manager,” mostly because I’m not very manageable. But he represents me very well and helps me make decisions. Joel Katz is a great music lawyer; we kid him a lot and tell him his favorite song is “Both Sides Now.” Brian Greenbaum is my booking agent with CAA. He books my tours and does a great job. Larry Goldfein is a great tax lawyer and saved my ass big-time when the IRS stuff was all going on, but that’s another book.
If you don’t get their money at least get some advice, because they know a lot. For them I wrote, “Why Do I Have Two Jews?” . . . or was that “Why Do I Have to Choose?” I can’t remember, but now you know why . . . because I couldn’t do it without them! They have done a remarkable job representing me, so thank you, gentlemen!
MARK ROTHBAUM
When you wholeheartedly adopt a “with all your heart” attitude, and go out with positive principle, you can do incredible things.
—D R . N ORMAN V INCENT P EALE
The album Willie Nelson and Family was released in 1971. The cover was a photograph of all the members of the band, along with their families, posed around a campfire. The first time I saw that picture was in 1973. There is Willie, the patriarch, proud, strong, focused—a man on a mission. His wife, kids, friends, and bandmates surround him. At one end, Bobbie, looking so beautiful and proper. At the other end, Paul “the Devil” English, wearing red pants and a red cape, looking just insane enough to be feared, but adorable just the same. Standing around the fire were Bee, Lana, Susie, Billy, P.C., and many others. . . . I wanted to be a part of that circle.
Mark Rothbaum
I was working for a management company in New York City that represented musicians, in particular Waylon Jennings, Willie Nelson, and Miles Davis, who, as a matter of fact, got me the job. I was responsible for the day-to-day needs of Miles. I was twenty-four years old and had no music business experience, but I kept going back to that photo, and of course, the music. I was now completely head over heels into Willie Nelson.
When the company needed someone to represent Willie, they did not think of me. I had no desk and no phone. I had no responsibility other than Miles’s daily needs. Soon a music industry veteran was given the huge sum of $5,000 to come in and take over Willie’s day-to-day management. This guy was supposed to show up on Monday morning; in fact, he showed up after lunch! He was a mess. His hair was all disheveled, and sleep was in his eyes. It hit me all at once: positive thinking! I could run this guy into the ground. Why couldn’t I manage Willie Nelson? Why couldn’t I be a part of that circle? I was positive I could be a great manager.
As a kid, I would make deliveries for my dad’s furniture store and get $75 a week in return. Right away I would run out to buy albums with that money. He would always say to me, “What can you do with that music? How can you make a living with just music?” I always loved music. For as far back as I can remember, great songs were part of my life.
Now I had the opportunity to do what I loved, and I wasn’t going to let it get away from me. Everything crystallized at once. I began to study concert, television, and record-company contracts. I was paying attention to details. When the phone rang, I was the first one to answer it. For each question I asked, I continued to have more swirling through my head. About a month later, I had a
Willie has been a friend, a brother, a father, a boss, a benevolent dictator, a sometimes crazy motherfucker, and a great inspiration to me.
I grew up in this band of heathens and I’m thankful to be a foster child in this family.
M ARK R OTHBAUM , J OEL K ATZ , AND L ARRY G OLDFEIN STILL TAKE care of most all my music business, and they are all very good. Mark Rothbaum is my manager, even though I hesitate to say he’s my “manager,” mostly because I’m not very manageable. But he represents me very well and helps me make decisions. Joel Katz is a great music lawyer; we kid him a lot and tell him his favorite song is “Both Sides Now.” Brian Greenbaum is my booking agent with CAA. He books my tours and does a great job. Larry Goldfein is a great tax lawyer and saved my ass big-time when the IRS stuff was all going on, but that’s another book.
If you don’t get their money at least get some advice, because they know a lot. For them I wrote, “Why Do I Have Two Jews?” . . . or was that “Why Do I Have to Choose?” I can’t remember, but now you know why . . . because I couldn’t do it without them! They have done a remarkable job representing me, so thank you, gentlemen!
MARK ROTHBAUM
When you wholeheartedly adopt a “with all your heart” attitude, and go out with positive principle, you can do incredible things.
—D R . N ORMAN V INCENT P EALE
The album Willie Nelson and Family was released in 1971. The cover was a photograph of all the members of the band, along with their families, posed around a campfire. The first time I saw that picture was in 1973. There is Willie, the patriarch, proud, strong, focused—a man on a mission. His wife, kids, friends, and bandmates surround him. At one end, Bobbie, looking so beautiful and proper. At the other end, Paul “the Devil” English, wearing red pants and a red cape, looking just insane enough to be feared, but adorable just the same. Standing around the fire were Bee, Lana, Susie, Billy, P.C., and many others. . . . I wanted to be a part of that circle.
Mark Rothbaum
I was working for a management company in New York City that represented musicians, in particular Waylon Jennings, Willie Nelson, and Miles Davis, who, as a matter of fact, got me the job. I was responsible for the day-to-day needs of Miles. I was twenty-four years old and had no music business experience, but I kept going back to that photo, and of course, the music. I was now completely head over heels into Willie Nelson.
When the company needed someone to represent Willie, they did not think of me. I had no desk and no phone. I had no responsibility other than Miles’s daily needs. Soon a music industry veteran was given the huge sum of $5,000 to come in and take over Willie’s day-to-day management. This guy was supposed to show up on Monday morning; in fact, he showed up after lunch! He was a mess. His hair was all disheveled, and sleep was in his eyes. It hit me all at once: positive thinking! I could run this guy into the ground. Why couldn’t I manage Willie Nelson? Why couldn’t I be a part of that circle? I was positive I could be a great manager.
As a kid, I would make deliveries for my dad’s furniture store and get $75 a week in return. Right away I would run out to buy albums with that money. He would always say to me, “What can you do with that music? How can you make a living with just music?” I always loved music. For as far back as I can remember, great songs were part of my life.
Now I had the opportunity to do what I loved, and I wasn’t going to let it get away from me. Everything crystallized at once. I began to study concert, television, and record-company contracts. I was paying attention to details. When the phone rang, I was the first one to answer it. For each question I asked, I continued to have more swirling through my head. About a month later, I had a
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