Top Minnesota Memories

With little more than a week to go to the Nashville move, I am in the midst of a series of farewell luncheons and meetups with friends and co-workers past and present in the Twin Cities. So, it is a good time to list those periods over my 18 years here which stood out the most for me.

- Minnesota Public Radio and "First House on the Right". The MPR/Prairie Home Companion connection was the thing that lured me out here. It was a dream to be able to hang out and become friendly with a lot of the people I listened to when I volunteered at MPR...I am most grateful for the short and memorable experience with the show "First House on the Right." People were for the most part exactly as I hoped and imagined they would be, and I had the chance to begin developing the sort of encouragement I always hoped to give artists.

- The Music City Cafe/coffeehouse years. Meeting and becoming friendly with Don Vogel, TD Mischke and Michael Loonan changed the course of life for me and opened the doors wide open to a whole new community of artists to support and encourage. I gained my first promotional client in Michael, and much more--a partnership and friendship for 13 years which will continue seamlessly and, I expect, open much more creative opportunities for both of us.

- St. Joan of Arc Church musical community. Combining artists from the previous two circles and many others, it was musical excellence on a par with no other. Again, a great privilege to befriend and support a magnificent group of musicians.

- T.D. Mischke and Michael Loonan on the MN State Fair broadcast of "A Prairie Home Companion". It was an unspeakable thrill to witness this opportunity for these guys. As Michael usually puts it so well, "we came full circle."

St. Paul/Minneapolis, all of these experiences helped me grow to where I am today and made this next step possible. I couldn't have done it without you. I gratefully, always, will thank you, thank you.