Message from Kevin Bartlett to Ecto - the mailing list
From: AURALG
Date: Fri, 14 Nov 1997 21:15:10 -0500 (EST)
To: ecto@smoe.org
Subject: Here goes..........Good Evening and now the news........................
Officials in the State Dept and in Iraq have confirmed reports of the signing of Happy Rhodes to Samson Music.
After 2 or 3 months of negotiations and contractual back and forth, Happy Rhodes signed on the proverbial dotted line (I saw it and it wasn't dotted) October 27th if my memory serves me.
Who the hell is Samson Music?, you ask.
Sampson is a new label (Slated to unleash itself on the world around the first of the year) based out of Omaha, NE.
Owned by 1/2 of the original Gateway Computer brothers, (Norm) the label is headed by the illustrious Mike Delich of American Gramaphone fame, Michael Shrieve (of Santana fame) runs the A&R Dept and various other cool people, who are as in love with Happy's music as we are.
Our good pal David Torn was approached by them this past Summer to produce one of their first artists, a woman named Chritine McKinley (a.k.a McKinley) Great record by the way...........They also asked David who else he thought was talented and deserving of their attentions. David asked us to forward a Rhodes package, with discs, sales charts, etc., along with some 10 other artists he thought were worthy. Well one thing led to another, a few months went by, more packages were sent, phone calls were made, faxes were flyin, and then the boys from Omaha wanted to set up a meeting with us here at AG to meet the Diva and hear some of the new stuff. They flew out and we all had a lovely afternoon of coffee, grape soda and chat. (They're as sick as we are) They had pretty much already made their minds up to sign the girl, and negotiations began shortly after.
That's pretty much the story.
Samson LOVES Happy as an artist. They are the greatest bunch of folks with the highest integrity, and respect for the music she's doing. She has indeed found a great label. She has crafted herself a wonderful arrangement with them and retains full artistic control at all levels. (after overhearing some of her phone calls I think her true calling was as a lawyer), but anyway......................
Her album is most likely slated for an April 1998 [Aug. 11] release, with supporting tour and all sorts of appearences and God knows what else. Maybe Europe, maybe TV, you know .....Record Company stuff.
Her final day of recording is Sunday(she's in Phila. tonight with Project Lo as we speak) and mixing begins Monday morning, with mastering slated for mid December. Then the Samson wheels go into motion. Believe me you'll know about it.
We're very glad here at the "old" label, that Happy has connected with a label that has the resources to do all the things we could only sometimes or partially do.
If all goes well she has a 5 album deal with them, so we can count on alot of music. (Yey)
As of this writing her entire back catalog is still available from us here at
AG, although that may go to Samson as well in the near future. (More negotiations)
First things first !
I'll write again to hook y'all up with the Samson website and what not. You can always email them and let them know how cool they are for signing Happy Rhodes. Introduce yourselves. They're part of Gold Circle Entertainment, maybe you can track it down yourselves, I don't have their address handy at the moment.
I'd also like to take a moment and let you folks know that there wouldn't have been much of an Aural Gratification or Happy Rhodes for that matter, if not for the love and support of you Ectophiles. I mean it. We've met the gentlest, nicest, most giving, respectful, intelligent and caring people. Happy and I could never thank you enough for the support, belief, comradery and faith that you've shown us.
For me, it's been a long strange trip, as they say. Meeting this 18 year old gifted musician, trying to figure out a way to work with her, spreading the gospel, duplicating and hand labeling tapes in the middle of the night, brow beating DJ's, pressing CD's, booking shows, buying ads, auctioning guitars (ha ha), flying off to radio stations in East Jesus, and basically doing everything and anything I could think of to keep her name, voice and gift in some kind of light. I was always fueled by the fact that I wasn't alone or crazy, because I was continually confirmed by you people. You don't know.
Bless you all.
And lucky me.....Happy's travels took me to some of the most amazing, nutso, fun and scary experiences ever. I had alot of great times on a great many stages with her, met some very cool musicians and fans, saw cities I'd never go to in a hundred years, ate at some really fucked up diners, got to and still get to hear her make this stuff up (What a MUSE !!!!!) It's been a blast. Thanks to Happy Rhodes and thanks to all of you. I got to ride on both of your wings.
Aural Gratification will remain as a production house, recording studio, and still as a label for those really special projects and artists, and like I mentioned we're still in the business of selling 9 Happy Rhodes albums for the time being. Congratulations to Happy Rhodes, congratulations to Samson Music, and congratulations to you !
So see ya around.....I'm gonna go make a few records.
(Kevin Bartlett)
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