Hello friends and neighbors.

It was a very sad September 2nd.

The night before, Jimmy Buffett, one of America’s most beloved storytellers, writers and entertainers had passed away.

On the very day in my life that marked another trip around the sun, the seemingly endless summer of the beach bard came to a close.

It seemed like the sun was just a bit dimmer.

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It’s been three years since Buffett passed away

It somehow escaped me today, in the midst of so many tasks, that it’s been three years since Jimmy Buffett died.

That seems hard to believe that he’s been gone more than 1,000 days.

Yet…

Just yesterday, a limited-edition, glossy color photo-heavy booklet entitled Thank You Jimmy Buffett showed up in my mailbox. It’s a kind of collectible sneak preview of a forthcoming book by a very nice man named Chris Lauber.

It’s got some tremendous photos. Chris Lauber really snapped some incredible pictures, many during the mustache and long hair era — the Seventies.

And, on Friday night I got to see A1A in concert — that’s the Official and Original Jimmy Buffett Tribute Show. A1A is the only Buffett tribute that was sanctioned by the man himself. The review is available as a video. It’s been getting quite a reaction.

And then there’s my most recent interview with Vaughn Cochran. He and Jimmy went way back.

Day in, and day out

So, how did the anniversary of Jimmy Buffett’s passing escape me?

Maybe it’s because his spirit is still here, in so many respects.

Well, it occurs to me that we feel his loss. His fans miss his incredible joie de vivre.

His shows were beyond compare.

As an entertainer, he could teach any performer a thing or two.

Livingston Taylor taught the course “Stage Performance” at Berklee College of Music for over thirty years. Like his brother, James Taylor, Liv is a singer, songwriter, and entertainer.

He told me:

Day in, and day out, the best performer I know in terms of audience interaction is Jimmy Buffett. Jimmy Buffett’s relationship with his audience is truly wonderful.

That word relationship strikes me. I didn’t notice it as much when he first said this.

Jimmy Buffett built relationships with fans

It’s an excellent point Livingston Taylor made.

Jimmy Buffett created something very special between his fans and he. Many of the fans and Buffett’s extended circle of artistic and business collaborators then built webs of relationships with one another.

These relationships are still ongoing.

Buffett was not just someone you listened to on the stereo or when you popped your earbuds in. He wasn’t just a guy you scored tickets to.

It was more than that.

My friend Coby Glass answered my question: “What does Jimmy Buffett mean to you?”

“Lifestyle choices that can appeal to a person in virtually any situation that they find themselves in,” he said. [In our struggle to find security] “Everybody needs ‘relatable escapism.’”

Who knows why you start rediscovering your heart

“He created a lifestyle,” as the pirate called Israel said on stage with A1A in Gainesville, Georgia on Friday.

And what is that lifestyle?

It’s not necessarily what you’d think.

It can be all of those things.

But, I’d argue that the lifestyle is about the why and the way that you pursue those things.

It’s an appreciation for experiences and places — shared and by ourselves.

Jimmy Buffett put it so well in his ballad, “Jimmy Dreams” from Barometer Soup.

Take it all in, it’s as big as it seems.

Don’t let them tell you that August is over. There’s so much more you could pack into this last week.

It’s that “every other” Tuesday when a new interview comes out, and I think there’s two levels to this guest. There always is.

There’s the stories that the interviewee can tell, but there’s always a whole lot that they don’t explicitly say, that if you’re really listening, you can pick up on.

Vaughn Cochran is the name of this guy. I think you’ll like him a whole lot.

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Who is Vaughn Cochran?

It tends to be that people answer the question of “who are you?” with what they do.

Vaughn Cochran is a fisher, a painter, a restaurateur, and at one point was a professional musician. He still plays.

Before Jimmy Buffett became a mega-star, Vaughn Cochran was playing washboards with him.

How is it that I have welcomed two washboard players in the same year?

I don’t know.

The Buffett connection

So, yes the Vaughn Cochran interview does have some Buffett discussion therein.

And, there’s no doubt about it. If you classified my archive of interviews by category, the “Buffett connection” would be a huge pile.

Could it be more than 100 interviews from that world? Probably.

Who knows?

The first interviews from those days were aired on Jimmy Buffett’s Radio Margaritaville — and let me tell you, there could not have been a better place to start.

Why?

Jimmy Buffett had a relationship with just about everyone. You see, the sky was the limit for me. From Frank Sinatra to Bob Dylan. Jack Nicholson to Walter Cronkite. They all had a Buffett connection.

And Vaughn Cochran is an important part of the Jimmy Buffett story.

Youthful enthusiasm that lasts a lifetime

But here’s what some people don’t realize about getting in touch, and staying in touch with so many human beings, like Jimmy Buffett did.

I think a lot of people don’t realize how much energy it takes.

I’m not trying to get all mystical on you. But I’m convinced that there is, in fact, energy that we pass off to one another. It’d be hard to convince me otherwise.

So, although it takes energy as we stay in “perpetual motion” as Mr. Buffett once wrote, we’re also recharged by that motion and the resulting friendly collisions we have with fellow pilgrims.

What I noticed about Vaughn

The interview with Vaughn Cochran was recorded at his art studio in St. Johns County, Florida. As you’ll see, the place has a great vibe to it.

Vaughn told us that he was 80 years old, but had a birthday in August. He shares a birthday with my youngest sister, making him now 81 years old.

Here’s the thing: I didn’t for a single moment feel like he was remotely close to anything you’d call “old.”

In fact, it was like talking to someone in my age group — and I was born in the fabulous ‘80s.

Wow!

Some of it’s genetics, but that’s not all

So, what’s the secret?

I wouldn’t be surprised if Mr. Cochran inherited some good genes. But when I saw him bouncing around the studio, I couldn’t help but think “an object in motion stays in motion unless acted upon by another force.”

Here’s a guy who’s been moving in-between his routine activities with agility.

When he’s not getting some fishing in?

He’s back at the studio painting his latest masterpiece.

And when the paintbrush starts getting stale — he could always hit the congas or pluck on the ukulele.

And three days a week, Vaughn Cochran is at the gym.

I could take all of this any number of ways, but I choose to be inspired.

Go, Vaugh, go.

Commonality? Hmmm.

Vaughn’s old traveling confederate Jimmy Buffett wasn’t one to gather dust.

The same sort as Vaughn Cochran.

And, something I’ve noticed about pretty much all of the people Buffett chose to associate himself with?

They’re all like that.

It’s in the lyrics — “there’s still so much to be done,” from the song “Last Mango in Paris.”

It’s a good way to be. Keep going: there’s still so much to be done.

And the fact is, to do things, you’ll need energy and motivation.

The fact is, there’s plenty that is beyond our control. Every morning we wake up a day older than the day before. Health issues pop up when we least expect it.

But there’s plenty that’s in our court.

I think back to filming that interview with Mr. Cochran in late July. As we talk, you can hear the rain hitting the roof.

I thought about getting the audio to filter all of that noise out, but decided to leave a little. I wanted to “keep it real.”

But I’d like it if you would notice Vaughn Cochran’s energy.

Impressive.

When I think about Vaughn Cochran, I hear the lyrics to “Young at Heart.”

So many good versions — Jimmy Durante. Connie Francis. Barry Manilow. Willie Nelson. Tony Bennett.

But nobody sang it like Frank Sinatra.

But the song isn’t entitled “Young at Body,” or “Young at Health.”

It’s young — at heart. And when Carolyn Leigh wrote those lyrics, I think she was challenging everyone to start there. Your body can’t always be young, but your heart certainly can.

And if you can be young at heart, you’re better off than almost anybody.

Anyhow, I hope you check out the interview. It’s on my YouTube channel.

And if you see Vaughn Cochran at Blackfly The Restaurant down in St. Augustine, Florida — strike up a conversation with him. Reading this write-up gives you an excuse to say “hello.”

He’ll be the lively guy.

Just don’t try to keep up with him.

Well, this old man (Paul) needs to be getting ready for bed. So, I’ll leave it there until next Tuesday. Thanks!

— P. L.

P.S. — Lots and lots and lots of gratitude to Ellen Ulken for all of her incredible support of what I do. She’s a very dedicated supporter and I can’t thank her enough!

I do recommend her book Beautiful Dreamer: The Life of Stephen Collins Foster. It’s a great read. Stephen Foster forever!

When we’re old and my life’s at an end,

What a treasure I carry to have such a friend.

—Wesley Cook, “In the Arms”

I’ve been thinking so much lately about the importance of friends — true friends.

I have had and continue to have so many blessings in life. I’ve been very lucky, although I couldn’t always see it. One of the things that makes me luckiest? Good friends.

We all need to remember and keep our eyes on what we have. That’s really the key.

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Who do you call?

There are certain things that test a friendship…

Having to move a bunch of your stuff is kind of the ultimate test.

Another one is who do you call if you need a ride to the airport?

Then there’s coming to someone’s aid when they’ve got a broken down car.

Those are some of the moments when you really learn about friendship and specifically the people around you.

Years ago, facing a serious medical situation that had me unexpectedly bed-bound, it was interesting who called or came by — and who was uncomfortable with the situation, or didn’t want to be bothered.

It’s sometimes surprising who shows up and who doesn’t.

Friendship has been on my mind

So, for whatever reason, the nature of friendship and the personal friends in my life kept cycling through my noggin over the past couple of months.

I’ve even started asking my interview subjects questions about friends.

You’ll be seeing that in the future episodes if you’re interested in taking a look.

The story of friendships and what people think about friends is a worthy subject.

Why I’m writing about friends now

But that takes me to these days.

I found myself needing a helping hand, or a few.

You may choose to read that as “manual labor,” if you want to get technical. I figured that I’d have to pay some people. As it turns out, I didn’t.

And here’s what knocked me out —

How many people came out of the woodwork without my asking!

Friends.

Those are friends

I’d like to tell you about those friends.

There was my pal Wesley Cook, who interestingly enough wrote one of the best songs about a friendship I’ve ever heard.

He was the first one to say, “Hey, do you need some help?”

Then, there was , who got a write-up all about him in this very newsletter.

Not everyone has a retired professional driving instructor for a pal, but I’m lucky in that way. Good ol’ Robert.

Next, our lovely neighbors Ben and Alyssa (who are engaged by the way.)

I never asked anyone!

Our other delightful neighbors Josh and Jenny lended a hand on multiple occasions. In one case even bringing over some Guinness beer, late at night.

All of these folks came to help out, and I want you to understand that we’re not talking about just some little favor. All together, this was quite an ordeal.

It’s worth repeating: we never had to ask anyone for anything.

But, did they ever come to my aid.

My friends, along with my mom and dad, aunt and uncle, really delivered. And a couple of these friends I hadn’t known for all that long.

Late night reflection

I sit here writing this at my table in the late night hours. My dog Nina is in sight. The back door is open and she’s half inside and half outside. She’s been staring out into the darkness … as she’s prone to doing.

The “man’s best friend” colloquialism comes to mind.

We pick our dogs, but sometimes they pick us.

With our friends, it’s usually something that just kinda happens. They’re like divine presents.

But we have to really nurture those friendships. Try to stay in touch. Help one another.

Our friends and family and animal friends, they make this world a good place.

My dad’s best friend

My dear dad had pretty much one (almost) life-long friend. Brian was his name. We called him Mr. Tule.

They went to high school together, had their share of fun and mischief, but never drifted away.

My father wanted to emphasize quality over quantity. Like the Bible says:

“A man of many companions may come to ruin, but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother.” —Proverbs 18:24

It’s true that some friendships last longer than others, but have you ever had a friend that you didn’t talk to for years and then were reunited?

Sometimes that happens and you pick right back up where you left off. I think you can be a true friend and fall out of touch.

Life can happen.

Thank your friends

When we think of things to be grateful for, it’s only natural that we think of those things that sustain us: food, shelter, access to clean water. And we should have gratitude for those things.

But we can’t forget our friends.

Let’s strive to be the friend who sticks closer than a brother.

Call ‘em. Write ‘em a postcard. You can blame this newsletter.

And if you know me and are nearby, just remember that my place is always stocked with hot and cold things to drink.

I’ll leave the light on.

-P.L.

Hello, gentle reader.

It’s always nice to write to you, no matter how hectic things are.

I’m so glad that so many of you enjoyed my write-up about my uncle Andy. It seems to be a constant theme with writing. The more personal something is for the writer — the more people relate to it.

The subject of this newsletter is something a little more universal — international is maybe a better word.

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We all will be received in Graceland

So, it was just after the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival that I interviewed Rockin’ Dopsie Jr. — a tremendous zydeco artist from Louisiana.

It was inevitable that Dopsie would bring up recording with his late father and Paul Simon on the track “That Was Your Mother.”

It’s the next-to-the-last track on Paul Simon’s iconic album Graceland.

And the day after the interview was recorded, I got an interview from a book publicist at Simon & Schuster.

The 40th anniversary of Graceland

The publicist mentioned that Paul Simon’s Graceland, his most successful and bestselling album was turning 40 years old on August 25, 2026.

She also told me about something that would tie the past with the present.

Ashley Kahn, a Grammy award-winner for album notes, music historian, author, and producer had written a book about all aspects of Graceland. The press released described the book as “offering windows into Simon’s creative process and the technical innovations that brought them to light.”

The title?

Days of Miracle and Wonder: Paul Simon and the Trials and Triumphs of Graceland.

Now, that’s a title.

The book was set to publish August 11, 2026.

The publicist asked if I was going to be covering it.

Is it a coincidence?

I wrote her back.

Would you believe that the interview I recorded yesterday with Rockin' Dopsie Jr. (David Rubin) talked about Graceland? Pretty amazing coincidence!

Things like that can really excite me.

I thought it was a coincidence! And the publicist Shida replied to my email next morning.

I believe it!

You are about the 3^rd person to tell me they ‘were just talking about Graceland’!

So, I’m celebrating Graceland these days

Reading the book really drew me into the whole Graceland story. Finding out the origin story of the album and how everything came to be pulled me into the music.

Like a lot of you, Paul Simon’s Graceland sounded so wonderfully different that you revisited the music over-and-over.

Reading Ashley Kahn’s book just made me want to hear the album.

So I’ve been playing it.

And playing it.

It sounds like I remember it, but it’s also more fascinating to me than ever. Before it was the atypical sounds of the album that got me. This time it was the lyrics. I had never realized how personal they were.

It was very interesting to then interview Mr. Kahn.

It’s a short interview — the shortest one I’ve done in 2026 (so far.) You’re invited to watch. It’s the newest upload on my YouTube channel.

I hope you’ll listen to Graceland

Listening to an album beginning to end is cheaper than buying a ticket to the movies, but you usually get to go to even more places.

Let me know if you hear anything different as you listen to Graceland this time around.

And, it would be great if you could watch the interview. You can tell me how you feel about such a short one.

See ya next week! -P.L.

Well! Hello, friend. I’ve been wanting to write this one for a while. I’m going to get personal, and I’m going to go way back.

You see, I want you to meet Andy. He’s my uncle.

This may not interest everyone, but this is my write-up.

I’m writing it, but even more than that — I’ve lived it.

You’re about to learn about a very special person.

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And I feel that I can make a qualification like that, having had the opportunity to meet (and in some cases interview, and even know) some really fascinating folks.

My decision to write about Andy was inspired by a couple of things.

For one, I’ve been reminiscing — a lot. Secondly, he’s been updating me about his trip down to the Florida Keys.

So, who is he, exactly?

My sister Danielle put it this way: “What makes Andy so special is how much he thinks of other people. Anytime you need help, he’s always available.”

Now, that’s a big part of who he is, but the other part is a real zest for life — the fun side. These two parts fit together very well to make the one they call Andy.

In a whole lot of ways, I wish more people (including me) could be more like him.

Where to start?

Andy / Uncle Andy

One of the things you’ll notice as you read this letter, is that sometimes I’ll simply call him “Andy,” and other times the more formal “Uncle Andy.”

The reason for this? Even though I first came to know him in grade school, I was introduced to him as “Andy.” I didn’t call him “uncle” like I did my Uncle Lou.

My sisters and I mostly called him Andy, and as the years went on, “Uncle Andy” became more and more prevalent, but sometimes Andy. Either way.

I don’t really know why? It was almost always “Aunt Sharon and Andy.”

In some ways he’s been an uncle, but in a lot of ways, like a buddy.

Aunt Sharon is one of my father’s sisters. She definitely will get her own column. So, stay tuned… don’t worry.

My most vivid early memories of Andy

My parents were kind of going through a transitional time — lots of changes, including moving.

For a while there, we were staying with my aunt and uncle while things got sorted out. But mostly my memories of a lot of these “adjustments”?

A lot of it was big fun.

And, here’s the thing: Andy was a great source of fun then, and that’s never really stopped.

There were so many things that Uncle Andy introduced me to… and I remember them all.

• Midnight bowling: One of the things Andy wanted to show me was midnight bowling. He and I were (and are) night owls. So, this was incredible fun for a kid. The lights went out, but the bowling balls glowed. We kept going until I started fading.
  
  Uncle Andy tried to teach me patience. I remember him saying that he thought I was so excited to see if I was going to hit the pins down that I didn’t want to aim too much.
  
  But, the whole thing was treated just as you’d want it to — all in good fun.

• Throwing darts: I didn’t really know how to do it. Andy thought that this was an important skill.

• Shooting guns at a range: I’ve learned about and respected firearms my entire life. Fortunately, Uncle Andy also knew that shooting sports are great fun. He picked right up where my grandpa had left off with marksmanship.

• Throwing a boomerang: I’ve got very vivid memories of this one. Not that I really got the hang of it, but what great fun this was! Boomerangs will always be cool.

• Let’s go fly a kite: The ancient Chinese philosophers weren’t wrong! Andy was a fan of kite-flying, and he let me go with him and try it. Great fun.

• Shooting off fireworks: Yeah, there are lot of Uncle Andy memories having to do with fireworks. You’re good for at least two of these occasions per year.

• Sailing: I had never sailed. Andy let me go with him and his friend Tim. I remember the name of the boat — The Touchstone. It got pretty cold.

• Playing pool: I was really bad at this, but Andy was patient.

• Making a shortwave radio: I thought this was very cool.

There are so many things like this that I could really go on and on. One of my early experiences driving — yep, Andy was behind that.

But, there are a couple of more colorful things that I can’t forget.

Adventures in the brewing of beer

I’ve got a lot of German blood going through my veins, so I guess you could make the case that Uncle Andy was connecting me with my roots. What a laugh!

So, I was just a kid. Andy is someone who likes to sample different kinds of beer. He doesn’t drink a lot or anything, but he appreciates good beer.

At one point, he delved into home brewing.

And, I was just a kid — no peach fuzz on my chin at all. Given all of the previous experiences, it would only be natural that Andy invited me to make beer with him.

I remember this as great fun! Andy has a very scientific mind, and he explained fermentation as we fooled with tubes, a bucket, bottles, etc.

My mother? Protestant — devout. She… did not like the idea of her little boy being involved with the making of beer

This was before cell phones, and she was trying to call my aunt and uncle’s house in order to intercept our homebrewing. The only thing, was that something was going on with their phone line. She couldn’t get through and we soldiered on.

As for the batches — one ended up being a success. The other bucket resulted in massive amounts of foam all over the carpet.

What a time.

Garrison Keillor and storytellers on tape

You’re probably getting the idea that Andy is an eclectic gentleman.

You’d be correct.

There were two of his interests that I think had a profound effect on me. Uncle Andy always liked playing A Prairie Home Companion on the radio in his garage. Along with the politically-oriented radio my Aunt Sharon was playing, I became fascinated by the radio.

But, listening to Garrison Keillor hosting A Prairie Home Companion, I came to appreciate and love his folksy delivery. It wasn’t just what you said — it was how you said it.

I got to really enjoy the Keillor’s storytelling, Guy Noir, “The Lives of Cowboys,” and all of that.

But, then Andy started playing professionally produced cassette tapes from storytellers. Virtually everyone likes stories.

We almost went to a storytelling festival in Tennessee, but that didn’t work out. So, to make up for it, my Aunt and Uncle took me on a trip to Chattanooga instead.

The point is, that I think my Uncle had a lot to do with me viewing storytelling (and the recording of stories) as an art form. And, if you’re reading this write-up, you probably know about my life’s work.

I could never repay Andy for everything

I’ve written about a lot of fun things that my uncle and I did together. There’s a lot there, but Andy has helped me (and almost everyone he’s ever met.)

He’s just a great citizen.

I know that’s a funny compliment, but it’s true. He’s what I think of if I think about the ideal American.

My sister Reneé said that “Andy is the definition of serving.”

I think being of service is something we should all try to do. We may miss the mark sometimes, but what a great target to aim for.

Andy has hit a lot of bullseyes on that one.

I love my Uncle Andy

We just can’t and don’t say these things enough.

Andy is a great person. He’s positive, helpful, and obviously a whole lot of fun.

Obviously, my newsletter is a place where I don’t edit myself as much, but I try to do it a little. But there’s just so much that I could still tell you.

So, I’ll leave you with this. What Uncle Andy told me is the secret to a good life — “to enjoy the free things in life, like the sunset, and know when to stop and smell the roses.”

See, I don’t think that’s cheesy at all.

I’m wishing Andy nothing but Sunshine State sunsets and rows of rosebushes.

Wishing you the same.

If you don’t have an uncle like Andy, maybe I can let you borrow him for a while.

—P.L.

So — I usually start The Leslie Letter by telling you that this will be a short one. And then, I proceed to blather on for two pages. This time? I’ll just “play it by ear.”

Subscribe. It’s the right thing to do.

Pale invaders and tan crusaders

I just got back from Fernandina Beach (one of my favorite places) and Elkton, Florida. Aside from enjoying (as always), I had an interview with Rodney Mills.

I’ve known that name forever.

And I’ve wanted to interview him for years. I realize that I say that about a lot of people. It’s also true.

But, when you grow up in Georgia and are a serious music fan, you’ve likely heard the name. Rodney Mills is a recording and mastering engineer and producer. Every bit the legend.

I increasingly find record producers incredibly fascinating. It feels like a dying art, if you ask me.

Born in Douglas, Georgia, Mills lives in Fernandina Beach, Florida these days.

When I think of Rodney Mills, I think about a lot of things.

Lynyrd Skynyrd

So many of the songs that you think of when you hear “Lynyrd Skynyrd”? Rodney Mills was there while the tapes were rolling for them. That first Lynyrd Skynyrd album is a pretty remarkable debut — recorded in Doraville, Georgia at Studio One.

Rodney Mills was there.

He knew the band was great and that the songs were exceptional. I listen to them in 2026 and they sound more brilliant than ever.

Rodney Mills used his talents to help those guys shine.

Gregg Allman

As much as Gregg Allman didn’t care too much for the term “Southern Rock,” the Allman Brothers Band had plenty in common with Skynyrd.

But, when it came to the Brothers going out on the road solo, I saw Gregg Allman a bunch of times. I’m not sure if I saw him or Derek Trucks more.

But with Gregg Allman, one time I got to see him do a soundcheck at the Variety Playhouse. He was just feet away from me. The powers that be let me stay even though I didn’t technically have a backstage pass.

Rodney Mills produced Allman’s “I’m No Angel” LP (an excellent album) and “Just Before the Bullets Fly” that followed.

My neighbor Memphis Rich remarked that Gregg Allman choosing Rodney Mills is quite an endorsement.

But, it wasn’t necessarily famous records that got me really curious about Rodney Mills

Kodac Harrison and The Swimming Pool Q’s

Two acts famous in Georgia are the great poet, singer and songwriter Kodac Harrison as well as the eccentric and genius Swimming Pool Q’s.

If you haven’t heard of Kodac or the Q’s — do yourself a favor and listen to their stuff. It’ll blow your mind.

I first went to see Kodac Harrison when he was performing with Amy Lee (formerly of the Coral Reefer Band). I was so blown away that I didn’t even know what to say to him.

I kept seeing that name “Rodney Mills” on Kodac Harrison’s CDs. He recorded “Portraits and Passages” and mastered the supreme “Dreams and Nightmares.”

Now, The Swimming Pool Q’s are a different thing entirely. The Q’s released one of my all-time favorite albums: “The Royal Academy of Reality.”

Get ready to have your mind blown. Listen to the whole album — beginning to end.

My good buddy Jeff Pike is the one who converted me to The Swimming Pool Q’s. He’s one of the biggest Q’s fans in the world!

We were playing some really atypical stuff (like The Swimming Pool Q’s) on Radio Margaritaville… maybe that’s why Jimmy Buffett thought the show was weird (as I would find out later).

Okay, I’m getting off topic a little here, but the point is that the common name in all of these great sounding recordings? Rodney Mills.

Meeting Mary and Rodney Mills

So, after talking with Rodney’s lovely wife Mary by phone, I decided it would be nice to pair an exciting (yet relaxing) trip to Fernandina Beach, Florida with an interview.

Why not sit face-to-face with Georgia Music Hall of Fame inductee Rodney Mills?

It was especially nice to go over to their beautiful house the day before just to hang out.

All I can say is that you don’t get to meet many people like Mr. and Mrs. Mills.

Okay, I love music like crazy, and I have to say.

They put me to shame.

Rodney and Mary live it, breathe it, sleep it. It was inspiring and heartwarming to witness them both getting excited as they talked about artists young and old that they know.

The next day (Saturday), we taped the interview.

My favorite way to have an interview? In-person is the way to go.

With 22 years of interviews in the can, I am pretty sure that after this year, I’m going to phase the remote interviews out completely… I guess it’s ultimately my decision.

Unless it’s Bob Dylan and he demands it. We should all be willing to make an exception now and again.

Listen To Rodney Mills. (Or Watch).

I really think we recorded something good here.

And I’ll humbly mention that from an audio standpoint, I think this episode sounds pretty good, too.

If you go on thepaulleslie dot com, just search Rodney Mills in the search bar. You should find it easily.

What about the other interview I did?

Oh, yeah. I did that other interview while in Florida. That’ll be coming out next month. I’ll tell you who in good time.

You may be able to figure out who it is with some diligence.

Georgia on my…

Just one more thing.

It occurs to me repeatedly that most of the best music ever was recorded in the southeastern United States.

Alabama.

Louisiana.

Tennessee, of course.

But, my goodness — Georgia has brought the world a lot of great music.

And Rodney Mills?

He’s been a great, big part of that.

The music he’s recorded is here to stay.

So, thank you, Rodney Mills.

Hello, everyone! Hey there!

I felt compelled to respond to the video on Rick Beato’s YouTube channel entitled “Why Paul McCartney Won’t Be On My Channel.”

Check out the video as a spoken word piece with animated captions.

Rick Beato is a juggernaut in music media

In the video, Beato talks about how in spite of the great success of his YouTube channel, he hasn’t been able to land interviews with some people like Paul McCartney, and also Mick Jagger.

To quote Beato, he says: “My channel is actually about music.” That’s an understatement. Music is the subject of all of his videos and something he truly loves.

It’s also the opposite of so many of the YouTube channels that McCartney has recently been featured on.

I’ll also say that Rick’s channel is one of the biggest YouTube channels, regardless of genre.

If you’re just talking music channels, nobody is bigger than Rick Beato.

Why wouldn’t McCartney be on Beato’s channel?

So, the question then is, “why wouldn’t Paul McCartney and The Rolling Stones go ahead and be guests on Rick Beato’s channel?”

Rick has certainly shown he can do a great interview. He’s welcomed everyone from Sting to Pat Metheny.

I think if you were a rock, pop or jazz artist, there would be no better place to promote a record or tour. Beato also generates interest in the artist as a whole.

Oh, yeah.

And, Beato has a whopping 5.75 million subscribers!

The Billy Joel interview he did recently is just over a week old and is inching towards 2 million views.

A musician going on Beato’s YouTube channel would undoubtedly get better exposure than doing an interview for an article or appearing on a podcast with The New York Times.

And you could say the same thing about the ineffectiveness of going on so many other mainstream platforms. I don’t know anyone who has a subscription to Rolling Stone magazine anymore.

Sorry.

So, what’s the holdup? Why wouldn’t Paul McCartney do an interview with Rick Beato?

Who are the gatekeepers?

The answer?

According to Beato, it is the publicists that stop it. These gatekeepers have prevented these interesting interviews from happening on his channel.

Rick Beato is touching on something so many people simply don’t know about.

People think publicists exist to make media events and coverage happen, but in reality, publicists mostly STOP ideas from becoming a reality.

I’ve interacted with many publicists

As you would probably guess, I have a lot to say about this. I’ve hosted audio and video interviews for 22 plus years, beginning on Jimmy Buffett’s Radio Margaritaville.

After that genesis, I hosted interview and music shows on a few online, AM and FM radio stations.

In more recent years, I’ve released interviews on YouTube, Spotify and Apple. My platform is nowhere near as large as Beato’s, but I’ve managed to have enormous amounts of fun. I’ve also been able to interview true icons of music and film.

I find doing interviews to be a deeply satisfying experience when both sides are into it.

Rick Beato is right

I think Rick Beato is incredibly sharp, multitalented and is a guy who undoubtedly loves music.

I can also tell you this — he speaks the whole truth here.

Okay, here it goes:

Publicists are generally NOT here to help.

Wow, that sounds so inflammatory.

Well, it’s generally…true. Now, did I just say all publicists? No.

In particular, for whatever reason, book publicists tend to be especially helpful and interested in making things happen.

But, you read what I said.

Most great interviews don’t involve publicists

When I think about the very successful interviews I’ve had the chance to do, for the most part, it’s been up to me.

All too often, I’ve even had to go around the publicist in order to make the interview a reality. Sometimes they’ll try to kill an interview.

There’s the huge prestige outlets and then there’s the big PR firms.

For the most part, they’re in a club. You’re either in the club, or you’re not.

And, well… I’m not much for clubs.

I prefer club sandwiches.

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Rick Beato thinks he’ll be blacklisted

As Beato said in the video, now that he let the cat out of the bag, these interviews will likely never happen now…but, what does it matter?

Yep.

Oh, could I ever relate to what he said.

You have to understand something.

So many publicists will play all kinds of manipulative games with you.

And in the end, what will happen?

A favor for a favor? Not really.

You’ll get dropped like a hot potato! Once they’ve got what they want from you, they’ll move on to the next person.

Games that publicists play

Sometimes people will ask me who I would most like to interview. I always think of two people.

I don’t think either are likely to happen, but one of them is Herbie Hancock.

As a composer, recording artist, and all around artist, he continues to captivate my imagination.

Herbie Hancock is arguably on the shortlist of most iconic living legends of jazz, and one of the all-time greats. You’ve gotta love him.

Now, obviously, I tried my best to get an interview with Herbie Hancock.

I believe the first attempt was 2010.

The publicist in question did her best to try to book interviews on my show with other jazz artists on her roster. There was always a subtle implication… when the time came…

When the music of these other artists on the roster resonated with me, I welcomed them on the show for an in-depth interview.

I’ve got no regrets about that.

BUT! Did I eventually get even a 7-minute phone interview with Mr. Hancock?

You know the answer.

Very similar scenarios have played out again and again with other publicists and media relations companies.

A lot of these publicists are veeerrry slick. And I can tell you the prevailing mindset from most of them is “get what you can.”

I’m not bitter though. I just call it reality! It’s a dog-eat-dog world out there, guys.

Publicists? They’ve got a hard job to do

Now.

With that said, am I saying that publicists are the enemy?

Having been on both sides of the PR / journalist chasm, I can tell you this — publicists have a very hard job. But, so do journalists or broadcast personalities.

A lot of publicists are trying to make things happen for their clients — and it’s not easy.

In a lot of cases, they’re trying to make podcast or radio appearances happen, or they’re trying to get articles or reviews written.

That’s especially hard when the artist is someone very few people have heard of. And, that’s not me being disrespectful.

I greatly respect the independent artists trying to make an album, get airplay, go on the road, and make things happen.

The hard pill to swallow

Here’s the hard pill to swallow.

For the most part, if a publicist is pitching you an interview — you mostly don’t want to do that interview.

You’re going to have to fight very hard to get people inspired to click on an interview with someone they don’t know.

Everybody has a job to do, and I try my best to respond to every single pitch that I get. Like I said, they’re trying to make things happen.

But for the most part, my experiences with doing interviews these days involves trying to make things happen that inspire me. And, hopefully some of these interviews will inspire some of you all.

But, with a few great exceptions, publicists don’t play a part in that equation.

It’s not the most genteel thing, writing all of this down.

One publicist changed my life

I think public relations is a fascinating pursuit. I read about publicity and find it endlessly interesting to talk about.

It’s funny because one very well known publicist actually changed my life.

Maybe not in the way you’d think, though.

In a most unexpected way, it’s how I came to meet my wife. Seriously.

But, that’s a story for another day.

You won’t stop Rick Beato… or the publicists

So, to Rick Beato, I’d just say: keep on with what you’re doing.

Don’t let the bastards get you down.

And, if you’re a publicist reading this — let’s have lunch.

HEY!

The thing about Tuesdays? There’s always another one coming right up.

As I mentioned in my past write-up about songwriter Dean Pitchford, I have a real fondness for interviewing lyricists. They make splendid subjects and tend to express what they do so very well.

So, consider this current letter not just a promotion of my most recent episode of The Paul Leslie Hour. It’s also just a little bit of a back story — and a lesson about long game.

I’ve been a little under the weather, so forgive me if this seems incoherent at times.

Songwriters are heroes

When I hear a great song, I want to know who wrote it.

Someone who has shared in my appreciation for great writers would be my friend Jeff Pike. He’s one of the few people who understood and encouraged my appreciation of people we consider giants.

That doesn’t mean everyone on the street recognizes them right away: Marty Panzer. Dean Pitchford. Ralph MacDonald. Dean Dillon. More people would know names of songwriters like Paul Williams or Jimmy Webb.

But, I consider all of these people as legendary as stars who sellout 20,000 seaters.

Jeff Pike is of a similar mindset.

John Bettis? Big fan — a big fan

I’d like to take a moment to wish Jeff Pike a Happy 65th birthday. I’m sorry I couldn’t be at his combined concert and birthday party this weekend back in Georgia. But if you’re reading this Jeff — just know that I love ya man.

One of the songwriters Jeff Pike and I both revere would be none other than John Bettis. John Bettis is an extraordinary writer. Just look at the songs.

My late friend the hit songwriter Bruce Burch would refer to Bettis as “a monster.”

That was Bruce’s highest compliment for a songwriter.

Ask anyone who is a hardcore fan of The Carpenters or Barry Manilow. They know the songs of this lyrical genius.

Bettis could have written just those songs, and never have to buy a beer for the rest of his life.

But, then he co-wrote songs like “One Moment in Time,” which Whitney Houston recorded. You may recall it was used as the promotional song for the 1988 Summer Olympics in Seoul, Korea.

What. A. Song.

You can read the lyrics without the music and be moved!

But, it was a few years before that Bettis co-wrote “Human Nature,” which was on Michael Jackson’s “Thriller” album.

Man…

The same thing… some of the lyrics are stirring without a melody.

Need I say more?

Trying to get ahold of John Bettis — it ain’t easy

For the few of you that have heard my new interview with Mr. Bettis, just know that I was trying to get ahold of John Bettis for like… fifteen years.

One thing that I noticed — John Bettis doesn’t grant many interview requests.

I believe the first time that I tried to drop him a line was in 2011 to no avail.

I tried to contact various business people associated with John Bettis and always hit a dead end.

I’ve got my limitations. I’m human.

But, apparently I’m a stubborn son-of-a-gun.

Barry Manilow’s new LP has three Bettis co-writes

I’m a proud Manilow fan. In fact, I was born loving him.

You show me someone who is an unabashed Barry Manilow fan, and I’ll show you someone who knows good music.

There’s a reason that Bob Dylan made it a point to go up to Barry, hug him and give him props.

Frank Sinatra didn’t say “he’s next” out of politeness.

Barry Manilow is the real deal.

So, I was very excited when “word around the campfire” was that Manilow was coming out with a new album — ostensibly his last.

And, then I found out that among Manilow’s most frequent co-writers, one name was back… JOHN BETTIS.

John Bettis had three co-writes on Manilow’s “What a Time” album.

Woooooooowwwww.

There was my chance. MAYBE.

You’ve got to take the shot.

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Again, pen and paper… I do, pick up both

So, I figured, I’ve got to try again.

I found the best possible address and wrote a handwritten note to John Bettis.

I wrote earnestly. And, I actually enjoyed writing the letter.

As I got to the last line or two, I started thinking.

You know what? It’s absolutely crazy that I’m trying once more! Who am I kidding?

Then, I signed the letter and thought to myself — “watch my latest request get rejected.”

And here’s what a lot of people don’t realize: you are LUCKY to get a rejection!

Sometimes people ask me: what happens next? What happens after you request an interview?

The answer: usually nothing. You only wish you got a “no.”

When Bettis ended up calling me, I was really pleased. We ended up chatting for a long time. I recognized a somewhat mischievous sense of humor, which I tend to appreciate. Finally a day and time was set.

It looked like it was going to happen.

It did.

I’ve heard good things about the Bettis interview

So, I am really glad to say that I’ve already heard good things about the John Bettis interview. Was it worth waiting all of these years? Absolutely.

What I found out about John Bettis — he’s funny in a way that’s not easy to describe. He’s not cloyingly sweet, but I feel that I’ve got somewhat of an understanding of who this man is.

My sense? John Bettis keeps it real.

I like him a lot.

…

….

P.S. — I’d like to thank two of my friends for their kindness in supporting my newsletter and all of their words of encouragement.

And what do you know? Both of them are on Substack. Big thanks to and — you all check out their newsletters!

It’s soon after midnight, and my mind goes to the movies. Just figured I’d share what I’m thinkin’.

Not anyone can become a movie star

So many people go to Hollywood, but why do some make it — and others don’t? It’s one of those questions I always like to ponder.

Not limited to movies, but all of the versions of “the big time,” from the record business to literature.

Take the music business.

People have told me about seeing someone getting off the bus with their guitar case in Nashville. What happens to that guy, or girl?

You’ll also see people waiting on the bus to leave time, but at this point they’ve already pawned their guitar.

In the cinematic world, there’s a few people for whom stardom is their pit stop on the way to becoming an icon. A few probably come to mind.

Subscriptions to The Leslie Letter are free, if you like.

Tom Hanks is the ultimate icon in motion pictures

For a number of reasons, I’ve been thinking about Tom Hanks lately. A few reasons.

I was thinking back to some of the earliest movies I can recall seeing.

Splash came to mind. Remember Splash? Tom Hanks. Daryl Hannah as the mermaid. Oh, and we can’t forget the late John Candy.

My mom rented it. I watched it again before we had to return the tape.

Tom Hanks is the movies

It occurred to me today that my sister Reneé took me to the theater to see at least three of Tom Hanks biggest movies — Forrest Gump in 1994, That Thing You Do! in 1996, and You’ve Got Mail in 1998.

So, every other year she was nice enough to take me to the movies to see a flick starring Tom Hanks. Interesting coincidence.

I’ll also throw in that Reneé ended up running a movie theater in Kansas.

You can’t say “thank you" enough times for anything, so I’ll take a moment to say thank you, Reneé, for taking me to the movies.

Hanx at 70

I saw that Tom Hanks is turning 70 on July 9th. He certainly has made a tremendous contribution to our culture. May he stay forever young.

One thing.

I can’t help but wonder what he feels like attaining the level of success that he has. He’s got buckets and buckets of talent, but I think you’d probably agree with me that he has that something extra.

You know what I mean

I’d like your 2¢

Do you have a favorite movie of his? Why?

And, here’s a bit of an outside the box question — who would you like to see him share the big screen with, that he hasn’t yet?

I really want to know!

You just never know who’s reading, so I’ll close with: Happy birthday, Tom Hanks.

That’s all I’ve got for now…

Stay lucky, until next time. -PL

Well, Saturday night at the movies
Who cares what picture you see..
—Barry Mann & Cynthia Weil

All year I’ve been looking forward to this July 4th. 250 years of the good ol’ USA — that’s quite a birthday.

I’m going to make this a very short one, on account of being a tad sleep deprived.

Yes, we’ve got a new show — for the SemiQ

I’ve been loving Bill Whittle for years now. He’s a political and cultural commentator, and an exceptional one. He’s also a pilot. Bill is a real raconteur.

We just did our third interview, out now on all platforms. And it’s a special episode.

But, not just because of Bill Whittle.

My friend Memphis Rich contributed a new recording of “My Country, ‘Tis of Thee,” consisting of keys and vocals. Very nicely done!

Along with the song, we’ve got 26 of the all-time greatest American paintings for your viewing pleasure. It’s quite an experience to see the paintings and the music together.

Thank you Rich, and thank you to these great American painters.

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Whittle mentioned Kitty Hawk

I’ve been thinking about the song “Last Train to Kitty Hawk” all year long. It was first recorded by the Carolina bluegrass band Balsam Range.

I found out about the tune via a great singer-songwriter named Tall Paul. I think I like Paul’s version most of all.

Anyhow, the song has stuck with me for years. You’ll have to read or listen to the lyrics for yourself. Please enjoy.

As most of you may know, Kitty Hawk is a town off the coast of North Carolina. It’s where the Wright Brothers flew the world’s first airplane.

All year long I’ve been researching American innovations and ingenuity. It’s incredible what Americans have accomplished.

Americans have been accused of a lot of things, but one thing is certain.

We’ve been winning the imagination game for a long time.

Having thought a great deal about Kitty Hawk this year, and what happened that historic day, it tickled me that Bill Whittle ended up asking me how far I am from Kitty Hawk, of all things. Well, Bill is a pilot, after all.

“Last Train to Kitty Hawk” by Steve Dukes and James Ellis really painted the picture.

So, just a few days from July 4, 2026, of course I find myself thinking a lot about Americana and Americans. But, today — it’s the Wright Brothers — Orville and Wilbur.

What does Bill Whittle do best? He gets people to think more about things just like this. So, I hope you check out the interview. And, Bill Whittle in general.

Happy Independence Day

Even more than listening to my new show, I hope you have a very wonderful Independence Day. Let me know if you do anything fun or significant! Be good.

Thanks and love, Paul

What’s going on in your neck of the woods? I’ve been kicking around the idea to write about my encounters with famous people.

Now, I’ve interviewed so many well-known people because of my interviews, both audio and video.

This is not what this write-up is about.

These are stories of when I’ve met a celebrity or other notable person and something interesting happened.

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A word about celebrities, before I begin

“Famous people & famous places have always fascinated me to the point of wanting to emulate certain lifestyles.” —Jimmy Buffett

My first broadcasts were heard on Jimmy Buffett’s Radio Margaritaville back in 2003. Let me tell you, Mr. Buffett was connected to just about everyone.

For someone who does what I do, it was really a perfect place and way to begin. Starting off with that association, I was able to connect with people as diverse as Walter Cronkite, Jeff Bridges and Marshall Chapman.

That said, you may be surprised that I actually don’t seek out famous people, per se.

I’m typically motivated by something someone does, and not fame. It’s because they’ve intrigued me in some way.

Take Kim Kardashian — I have zero curiosities about her.

Understanding celebrities

So, what is it about celebrities?

As my friend Wyatt Torosian (formerly of Los Angeles) likes to put it: “There’s too many of them!”

But, seeking out famous people? Wanting to befriend them? Not so much.

With that said, I’ll confess to enjoying anecdotes about whether or not a particular movie star is a good tipper, particularly difficult, etc.

I was telling my friend Robert McCready what P. J. O’Rourke wrote in his book Modern Manners: “An important person should be treated exactly like anyone else holding a gun to your head.”

So with that expressed, let’s get into some of these celebrity encounters. I’d love to hear from you if you’ve met any of these folks.

Remember: it’s all in good fun.

How I met most of these people

Aside from my interviewing people pursuits, a great deal (but, not all) of my encounters with the world famous happened from being in the service industry.

I worked quite a few years as a waiter. Every person should do that job at least once.

The bulk of these celebrity encounters were there in restaurant land.

I met the jazz guitar legend Earl Klugh (super nice), and actors Stephen Collins and Cary Elwes (Westley from Princess Bride).

Let’s see. I met Common. Akon was really nice and humble.

CeeLo Green? Really cool and fun to talk to — also a generous tipper. Let’s not pretend that doesn’t matter.

How’s that for modesty?

But, okay! Let’s get into the stories!

Shaquille O’Neal — GREAT

At a somewhat nice place I worked at, Shaq was a regular. So, it was a matter of time before I would wait on this man.

Yes, it must be stated that he’s a large man. Over 7 feet tall.

I also recall looking down at his massive sneakers. You really can’t appreciate how tall and big he is until you see him in the real world.

And, it obviously takes a lot of nutrition to fuel a man of that size.

But, Shaquille O’Neal never took himself too seriously.

One time he was ordering a lot of food. I mean a lot of food.

He’d ordered the salmon. The crab dip. I think he got some sweet and spicy wings.

I decided to make a little joke and asked him: “Why stop there?”

He looked at me with this mischievous grin.

He loved that I teased him.

Lots of people in the food service or retail industries have Shaq stories. He’s just a super cool guy.

So, how down to earth is he? Well, we got to where we were exchanging emails.

We never ended up doing an interview, but summer’s not over yet.

So, I’m starting out on a good note. Shaquille O’Neal — one of the great celebrities. He did say that he liked my mustache and also said I reminded him of Mussolini, but in a cool way.

I never knew how to take that. I guess my facial expression can be a bit serious sometimes?

Warren Beatty? No way! Oh, yeah and Lily Collins

So, one night I came into work and my co-worker Ingrid casually mentioned that Warren Beatty would be coming in later.

I. Did. Not. Believe. That.

I said — No. He’s not.

There are actors, and then there are movie stars. Warren Beatty is on a short list of Hollywood icons.

My co-workers informed me that he was indeed coming in and that I should accept it.

Sure enough, he came in — wearing blue jeans. There was this moment of, Whaaat!!

He was pretty nice, too. Down to earth as I recall.

I remember a young woman nearby who I thought may have been a star. Pale and pretty. Not as many people knew who she was, this was before her Emily in Paris show.

It was Lily Collins.

But, something I’ve noticed is that people tend to pay attention to the biggest star in the room. At that point, even the other celebrated people just become like everybody else.

I had heard people say that Atlanta was becoming the next L.A. I never believed it, but came close to that night.

Walk on by — Will Smith and Martin Lawrence

There was another occasion in which Will Smith and Martin Lawrence were there.

There was a lot going on. My colleagues told me I walked right by them.

The staff were all excited.

Me? I had a lot more on my mind. I didn’t care so much that they slipped right by. Nothing personal, but I didn’t even notice that it was Will and Martin.

I wasn’t phased, and had a lot of work to do.

Woody Harrelson? Unbelievably cool…

So, one of my favorite places to eat in Charleston, South Carolina is a restaurant called Basic Kitchen. If you live there, or are going to be in Chucktown on vacation, I highly recommend it.

One night, my wife and I were there with our neighbors Darren and Mary. I kept hearing the name “Woody Harrelson” throughout the night.

I just figured Woody must have been in the news that day or something. Or maybe people were talking about his new interview that had dropped with Bill Maher?

We finished up our delicious meal and the waiter asked if we wanted to say hello to Woody Harrelson.

Oh, yeah?

At first we said that we didn’t want to bother him. Our waiter, I think it was Jake, said “Oh, no! I think he’d enjoy it!”

Now, the way they have it set up at Basic, if you’re eating on the patio, you have to kind of walk through the kitchen to exit the restaurant.

And that’s where he was. I walked up first and started to talk to him and he introduced himself as “Woody.” It was very hot, but Woody was wearing a sweater.

Family Bible

Right away he asked me if I didn’t maybe happen to have an old Bible?

I told him that I did. I had inherited my grandpa’s tattered Bible, filled with his notes, underlining and brittle pages — and imprinted with his name.

He said, “and what’s your name?”

I said Paul, and his eyes got big.

“Come take a walk with me,” he said.

He took me to a table near the front of the building and introduced me to a couple of people, including his assistant Ilya Bronchtein. Woody and his comrades asked about who I was and what I do, etc. and then the Bible.

So, how did Woody Harrelson seem?

Exactly as you would think he would seem. He’s good at making people relax. It’s no surprise that this laid back guy lives in Hawaii and regularly plays dominoes with Willie Nelson.

Ilya asked if I would please send some photos of the Bible when I got home.

No problem.

A few days passed by and we didn’t hear anything back.

Finally, Ilya said that the Bible was exactly what Woody was looking for. She came over to our house, and ended up staying for a couple of hours. That’s usually the case whenever someone stops by or needs to pick something up at our house.

She told us the reason that Woody’s eyes lit up upon hearing my first name, which was also my grandfather’s name. The character Woody was playing was also named Paul. Woody wanted to see a picture of my grandpa so that it could inform his acting.

Anyhow. The movie is called Suncoast. If you look at the end, you can see my grandpa’s Bible for a moment.

Thank you for using the Bible, Woody!

And Ilya, how’s it going and what are you up to??

Colin Farrell — shy and polite

The Irish actor Colin Farrell came into the restaurant one night. He seemed like a decent fella. Polite, which is very important.

However, I got the feeling he is very shy. Or maybe that was just the night.

Does that surprise you?

I didn’t expect that, but I’m never surprised when a famous person is shy. That is much more common than many people realize.

I can tell you this, Colin did manage to get a lot of female admiration that night, whether he noticed or not. :)

Usher? Please usher him out

Usher came into the restaurant a few times.

He doesn’t have the best reputation. Although he smiles a lot, it’s mostly a front.

Usher is kind of a petty guy.

There are lots of recording artists in Atlanta. So many that mostly nobody cares.

Usher would regularly do things like make the management allow him to come in the back entrance. You could tell that it was more about his ego than any actual necessity.

Usually the managers would just laugh at him, but tolerate him.

A lot of the customers rolled their eyes. “Oh, look. It’s Usher. Again. Don’t get up.”

Yawn.

Ludacris? He’s not ludicrous

On the other hand, rapper Ludacris loved our place. He came in a lot and was a good guy. Some of his entourage were nice and others a bit much, but Ludacris mostly kept it real.

He didn’t always feel like posing for photos, but sometimes he would do it anyways.

What can I say? He was always nice to me. He always loved the way I’d say “welcome back.”

And the fact is, I loved saying that to my guests. It made me think of “Welcome Back, Kotter.”

Ric Flair? Wooo!

I used to get my hair cut at the little place not far from my house. The Nature Boy was in there three or four times a week — get this — getting his hair shampooed.

Is there anything more Ric Flair than that?

Hearing his voice in the shop was wild, and he’d exit the salon with his arms kind of half-extended. He’d look left, then look right and kind of sashay off. I bet it was hardwired into him.

Makes me smile to think about it.

Sara “Spanx” Blakely and her boy Jesse Itzler

I’m not sure how interesting this will be to you, but there has to be a rotten one.

She’s not exactly a celebrity.

Mostly Sara Blakely is kind of an inspirational figure for dull people. If you’re not aware of who she is, she’s the one who came up with the Spanx girdles.

Wow, I’m betting Ozempic has got to be hurting that business these days.

The first time I waited on her was in the afternoon. I had heard about Blakely through a businessman friend of mine, and Neeley Kolsch Britt who is the founder of the Well-Kept screen cleaning wipes (for phones, etc).

I thought it might have been Sara Blakely. She used to wear this really bright red lipstick.

Unpleasant to be around? Oh, yeah.

She pulled out her credit card to pay and it confirmed that it was her.

We all have bad days, right?

Only, it seems she mostly had bad days. She would come in, and sometimes with her husband Jesse Itzler.

She did her best to be difficult and seemed to take pride in being condescending.

It’s always good when you learn that, in fact, it’s not just you that finds someone borderline unbearable. No, this person really is like that.

Every now and then one of my co-workers and I would have to inform her, No, Sara Blakely — the world does not revolve around you.

Our reportage that we were out of balsamic dressing was met with shock. “But, you had it last week!?,” she said.

Her husband Jesse wrote and recorded a song called “Shake It (Like a White Girl.)” I’m sure he isn’t such a bad guy, though. He would usually give a little extra tip. I think he knew we’d earned it for having to deal with her.

And sometimes the look in his eyes said it all — I know! But don’t be mad at me! I’m the one who has to go home with her!

And, any curiosities about Sara Blakely were satisfied when I met some of her employees. I recall what the one girl said: “I am so tired of Sara.”

I hear you, girl.

Not that long ago, there was a Sara Blakely mural in Atlanta.

Ha ha ha!

Who wants to bet that some digging would reveal that at the bottom of the mural project, we’d find out that perhaps this was actually Sara Blakely’s idea?

Who I liked meeting? Doris Roberts and Oliver Platt

The actors I tend to wonder about the most aren’t the ultra famous ones. For example: I have no desire to meet George Clooney.

Well, I take that back. I’d maybe want to ask him a lot of questions about his aunt Rosemary Clooney.

But, that’s about it.

But, on separate occasions Doris Roberts and Oliver Platt came in.

Doris Roberts, God rest her soul, is most known for playing Marie Barone in the sitcom Everybody Loves Raymond. She was just as sweet as she could be.

And Oliver Platt? I think he’s a great actor.

He was most appreciative, and the word gracious definitely comes to mind.

Actually, I’m just going to put this out there — Oliver Platt is someone I would love to have an in-depth interview with.

Rozonda Thomas is Chilli of TLC

For those of you who are fans of the 90s, you may recall Chilli of TLC. Her real name is Rozonda Thomas.

She was mostly a major pain to deal with. She’d order our crispy Brussel sprouts and ask for virtually every single ingredient on a separate, small plate.

When the chef would ask what the heck was going on, we’d just have to explain that it was for Chilli — a ceeellleeeebriiiity.

She wasn’t the worst, but definitely a lot to deal with. Although, I will tell you this much — she really had the hots for my co-worker Rahman.

There was no denying that. I remember that he had to tell her that he was married.

I’m sure she’s out there terrorizing some server, somewhere.

Backstage with Jack Johnson, Ben Harper, and Gene Simmons

Leaving the restaurant scene, through the years, I got to have some traditional backstage experiences with musicians that I wasn’t there to interview.

I’ve met Jack Johnson. He seemed like a mellow guy. About like his persona.

His friend Ben Harper, I met a few times. He was always reserved, but very kind. I’ve got another story here that relates to Ben Harper.

However, I am sorry to say I can’t say anything more about that one. Maybe one day!

The God of Thunder offers a pecan roll

Along with my pals Jeff Pike, Wesley Cook and his brother Bernard Cook, we actually got to meet Gene Simmons of KISS.

I actually think Dr. Love enjoyed spending a few moments with us. He did offer us to take a pecan roll for the road.

For some reason, that defies reason, we did not take that pecan roll. I always thought we should have.

Harry Connick Jr. is strong

I also met singer and actor Harry Connick Jr. backstage. This was not long after I had interviewed his father Harry Sr.

After he had acknowledged that his pops had told him about me, he said “You seem pretty strong.”

Harry wanted to demonstrate his vigor, and I guess in the spirit of horseplay, we ended up wrestling.

More than a few people took photos and video. I am confident that somebody, somewhere has footage of Harry Connick Jr. and I wrestling.

A lot of the women backstage were jealous that I was rolling around the floor with him. One thing is certain, you could tell they found him to be a handsome guy.

But this much I know — he’s very strong!

I couldn’t pin him.

He won.

Peter Noone — Something tells me I’m into something good

Going back to my pal Jeff Pike, his band A1A opened up for Peter Noone.

Let me just emphasize this, I think Peter Noone is an immensely talented performer and singer.

I recall that the oldies radio morning jocks Randy and Spiff were emceeing the event, which may have been free for the public.

Peter Noone put absolutely everything into his live shows. He left the stage absolutely drenched with sweat.

After the concert, Peter took pictures and signed autographs for absolutely every single fan who wanted one.

I love Peter Noone! So, I waited in line to try to meet him.

I got in line pretty early and when I got to him, nobody was there assisting him. People were really mobbing him.

I decided to spontaneously volunteer to be his temporary assistant.

As people approached with cameras, I’d sort of tell them where to look and then snapped the photos.

I helped expedite the autograph situation for a while. Peter immediately got what I was doing.

He kept encouraging and thanking me: “What a gentleman!,” He’d remark.

I’d orchestrate another fan where to stand — and would you tilt your head slightly?

Noone would say little funny things to get them (and me) to laugh: “This is as good as a photo has ever been taken! This is just unbelievable!”

He gave his everything to the people of all ages that he met.

And you know what? I’ll never forget that.

Let’s all strive to be more like Peter Noone. A gentleman if there ever was one.

This was a long letter, yeah?

Wow! I’ve had a lot of celebrity encounters. I didn’t quite realize.

I would like to hear from you all — have you met any of these famous people?

What did you think?

Or maybe you have a memorable moment with a star not listed here? I’d like to hear about it.

Leave your comment down below.

The great thing about interviewing all types of people, is you’ll meet people who have taken very different paths. Yet, every now and then you’ll meet a person who somehow feels like a kindred spirit — no matter how different each of your stories are.

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Bobby Tomberlin came highly recommended

I was corresponding with the famed record producer and Hall of Fame songwriter Buddy Cannon. Some of you that are big music fans may recognize that name. He’s produced almost all of Kenny Chesney’s albums, and Buddy Cannon is the producer of choice for Willie Nelson.

I first interviewed Buddy Cannon when Willie Nelson’s “Heroes” album came out, I think in 2012.

That’s one of my favorite Willie Nelson records of the 21st Century.

And, Buddy Cannon has been Willie’s main songwriting co-writer since those days.

This man is having an incredible career and Buddy’s work speaks for itself.

It’s always been an honor to exchange notes, and a recommendation from him should be taken seriously.

Buddy Cannon wrote to me:

You should interview Bobby Tomberlin. Bobby has a lot of interesting things to talk about.

Straight and to the point.

Bobby Tomberlin’s name was listed on four songs on Willie Nelson’s most recent album Dream Chaser. What a phenomenal record that is — from beginning to end!

I also recalled that Buddy and Bobby had written the song “Hank’s Guitar” which appeared on Willie’s album The Border.

Man, look that one up. One of those short songs that knocks you out.

Yeah — I’d be up for talking with Bobby Tomberlin.

What I call a “true, true writer.”

Bobby Tomberlin has lived country music

One of the things about Bobby that I resonated with is that he was a disc jockey starting at 11 years of age. He was dedicated from such a young age. It’s obvious that he lives it and breathes it.

I understand the fervor. I don’t have anything that extreme, but it’s definitely on my wavelength.

And, it’s inspiring to see what this man has made happen.

The things Bobby has accomplished are exciting. They’re impressive.

But, I also know he earned every bit of it.

You can’t pursue country music, or any kind of music, without facing a lot of rejection. And getting a song in front of a real icon? It’s not easy. And even then, you’re not guaranteed that they’ll want to record it.

But, Bobby Tomberlin has certainly stayed the course.

Nothing, but respect for a guy like that! And it couldn’t happen to a nicer guy.

I just hope that I get to see him play live, because there’s nothing like hearing a songwriter sing the songs they wrote.

So, I hope you watch our interview. I’d love to hear if you have any takeaways.

You’ll likely agree that Bobby Tomberlin is a man that has lived country music.

Well, that’s all I’ve got. I’ll write real soon.

Thanks and Love,

Paul
P.S. — We did it. We hit our fundraising goal for the documentary film I’m making with Robert McCready. Thanks to all of you, like that helped. I sure appreciate it.

Thank you to everyone who backed the film project and I embarked on all about author Natalie Goldberg and the 40th anniversary of her groundbreaking book Writing Down the Bones.

Once you’ve got the idea for a film, you probably think about for a long time. Then, you start getting more ideas and eventually you can’t get it out of your mind.

Then, the next step is to get the project funded.

We did it

There were moments when I thought — we’ve got this. We’re going to do this.

And there were more than a few moments where I thought — probably we will just have to try again later.

As of a couple of days ago, we hit our $5,000 goal!

In fact, as of my writing this to you, we’re at $5,190 — 103.8% of the goal!

We’re raising the funds on Kickstarter, which is all or nothing at all. If you come within $1 of your goal and the time runs out, you’d get nothing.

Well, thanks to so many of you all, we surpassed the goal!

There’s still 23 hours left

There are a number of significant expenses in making this film — travel, equipment, marketing, film editing, public relations, etc.

Believe it or not, even $5,000 is stretching things a bit thin.

You can still help us in our mission to make a monumental film about Natalie Goldberg and her book.

We’d like to try to get to $6,000 in the next 23 hours.

And you’ll get something too

Aside from helping birth this film, we’ve also got some available rewards that you will always treasure. In addition to knowing that you helped make this possible.

• For $5, we make an Instagram post — giving you a proper shoutout.

• For $25, we send you a special collectible and numbered postcard. Only a few will be printed commemorating the film.

• For $100, your name will be included in the credits.

• For $350, you get a cameo that will play after the credits fade.

• For $1,000, we will take you out to lunch. And when we say lunch, we’re talking about an important lunch! Please, get a dessert. Get two!

• For $4,000, you can be a guest star in the documentary. Only one of this prize is available.

If you contribute at any level, you’ll get all of the “prizes” at the lower amounts. For example, if you donate $25, you get both the collectible postcard and the Instagram post.

You have supported me in many ways

In the world we live in today, there are endless notifications. Everything chimes, rings, or has an unread icon attached to it. That anyone pays attention to the work that I do is not something I ever take for granted.

Thank you for your engagement, and thank you to everyone who shares my work.

For those of you who subscribe to this newsletter, the ultimate support is your engagement. I mean it wholeheartedly when I say that I appreciate every reader I have.

And that goes for all of the platforms I use — from YouTube to Spotify, and everything else.

Making a documentary film is a new frontier for my pal Robert and I. But’ we’re going to give it our best!

I leave you with a quote from the movie Zoolander. The illuminating words of Hansel, played by Owen Wilson.

Robert Odin Greenidge (born April 28, 1950) was one of the world’s foremost steel drum players. A very good case could be made that he did more to propagate the music of the steelpan than any musician in history. It was heavy heart that we learned of Robert Greenidge’s passing (a.k.a. Robbie, Robot, Robert G., Bobby G., etc.) on June 8, 2026.

Aside from recording with everyone from John Lennon, Ringo Starr, Harry Nilsson, Barry Manilow, Robert Palmer and so many others, Robert was the pan player with Jimmy Buffett’s Coral Reefer Band from 1983 until Jimmy Buffett’s passing.

However, Robert continued to gallantly tour with the Coral Reefers in the quest to “keep the party going.”

Robert Greenidge was a concert and recording artist, and an extraordinary composer. He loved the pan and wanted the instrument to be heard in all types of music and in all parts of the globe.

A musical virtuoso — and a gentleman

I’m reminded of the oft-repeated (but not enough repeated) quote from Maya Angelou.

I’ve learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.

Aside from his tremendous performances and musical legacy, my memories of Robert Greenidge are all warm.

The wonderful thing is that my experiences with him aren’t at all unique. So many people will smile when they think of “Mr. Greenidge,” as I called him.

He always appreciated my respectful address. Sometimes when I did that he would speak in third-person, such as “Mr. Greenidge is from Trinidad.”

It always sounded so cool in his Caribbean accent. And it was always cool to hear him talk.

And a few times, like in Key West, he would jokingly tell people that I was his personal assistant. Ha!

You’ll see a photograph in this newsletter that was snapped by my brother in arms Jeff Pike. I was interviewing Robert Greenidge. I believe that was at a Ritz-Carlton in Atlanta.

It’s the little things that we remember, isn’t it? Especially those things that reveal kindness.

We were taping this interview for later radio broadcast.

You may be able to make out a bottle of water on the desk. I reached for the bottle and Robert intercepted it. He said: “Oh, no I insist.” He filled up my cup and then one for Jeff and lastly for himself.

We had a wonderful conversation talking about various things, like his work with Taj Mahal, but most of all his incredible solo album: From the Heart.

If you want to listen to that interview, you can do so. Please be my guest.

And, I mentioned what a gentleman Robert Greenidge was.

If you listen to that interview, you’ll hear that he congratulated our friend Jeff Pike on his good audio engineering. Jeff was expertly handling the microphones and all of the recording process.

Greenidge didn’t take for granted that recording can be an art and science. It requires attention and exactitude.

So he said so.

It’s the little things.

Robert Greenidge? Confident, yet down to earth

But that one-on-one interview was not our first time going on the record.

When I was first getting my radio show going, I didn’t know hardly anybody. And what’s more, they didn’t know me.

Thanks to Radio Margaritaville program director Steve Huntington, (RIP) I had my own radio program to spin tunes. My other vision was to have a taped interview with an interesting person featured on every episode. That was my simple wish.

Many of you know that Coral Reefer band musical director Michael Utley and Robert Greenidge had a side project that started as Greenidge / Utley but was eventually dubbed “Club Trini.”

It doesn’t hurt to ask. The worst someone could say is “no.”

So, I asked Utley & Greenidge if they would sit down with me at a guesthouse in Key West, Florida. I believe that I was staying on Frances Street.

I had no gigantic names to my credit — not even close.

They said “sure” and just asked for the address.

To my excitement — they showed up. Seated at a table outside, they sat down with me for an hour.

Boy, I was green.

But, they gave a great interview. That session also remains, and you’re invited to listen to that one too.

I believe that you can hear a woman who was walking by, clearly a Buffett fan, who says “Is that Mike Utley?” in that interview. You’d have to listen close for it.

But, I can tell you this — when I clicked stop on my little digital recorder, Robert and Michael didn’t leave.

They stayed there and talked for a long time, eventually having to leave to go play a show.

Before leaving, Robert said So who you gonna interview next, Paul?

Thinking of “Robot”

I told Robert Greenidge that his playing made me feel like I was in some wonderful place — a paradise.

And he said that this is what he was going for.

Robert Greenidge’s passing is a difficult for a lot of people around the world. Our thoughts go out to his family.

I felt the need to pay my respects from afar.

We all have our own ways.

That night, I put on John Lennon’s song “Beautiful Boy” for my wife and I to hear. And in my mind, those steel drum sounds reminded me of foot steps.

My gosh, it’s just such a beautiful song…

Closing my eyes for a moment, I thought back to when Don McLean told me about looking at a painting of Vincent Van Gogh. This inspired his classic song “Vincent.”

He said:

I was looking at the painting I realized that, something occurred to me which was this ‘is’ him, it’s not his painting, it is ‘him,’ just like my songs are ‘me’ and not just something I do.

And in that moment, I realized that those beautiful notes — they were Robert Greenidge.

I was listening to him.

His essence was all over that track, which Robert called his best session.

It is him.

I looked away so as to not reveal the tear welling up.

And as the singing comes to an end, John Lennon whispers: Goodnight Sean. See you in the morning. Bright and Early.

And as the track slowly fades, you can hear Robert’s playing take a different direction. Amidst the crashing waves, the steelpan almost sounds like steps again, but this time marching off.

Just listen for yourself.

And I thought “There was Robert. And there he’ll always be. That’s him.”

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Hey, you.

One of the best things about Tuesdays?

I get to write to you all.

I want to tell you all about something that means a lot to me.

It’s changed people’s lives and it also involves a dream of mine. It took flight and now it’s in the here and now. Some of you already know the name Natalie Goldberg. If you don’t know the name yet, I’d be most honored if you’d keep reading.

Full disclosure: I’m trying to raise funds to make a film about Natalie Goldberg. Even $5 would help. We’re currently 20% of the way there! Even sharing this link would be a great help:
https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/eveningmagic/40-years-of-bones

Natalie Goldberg has helped millions write

I discovered Natalie Goldberg’s bestseller while staying the night in a friend’s guest bedroom. The paperback felt like something I had been looking for, but didn’t know that I was.

Even though I had been hired to write on more than a few occasions, I never thought I was particularly good at writing.

The title writer was serious business. Ernest Hemingway. Bob Dylan. Those were writers.

Even people I would get to cross paths with… like P. J. O’Rourke. Winston Groom. Writers. No doubt about it.

Not me.

Natalie’s book Writing Down the Bones changed all of that.

It helped me to really pursue writing, to be a bit fearless and to stop telling myself bullshit. And, oh yeah. I’m a writer.

A famous writer called me today. We talked for a long time about this very subject —the nature of writing and writers. He was very encouraging about the dream I alluded to earlier.

I can’t tell you his name yet, but he said “there’s always a hundred things you can do instead of write.”

Oh, boy. Therein lies the challenge.

That’s one of the main things Natalie uncovered in her seminal work.

It’s one of the reasons that I keep a basket full of that book in my house. When I encounter someone who I think will really appreciate it — they get a copy. I call it my “bones basket.”

But, who is Natalie Goldberg?

So many people know her books, but having interviewed her four times, I think I know her a little bit.

Yes — four times! Although, Natalie Goldberg would argue that you can’t ever really know a writer…

I can tell you this: the woman behind Writing Down the Bones is one of the most fascinating people I’ve encountered. There’s something about her… that. Well. I can’t stay away.

The famous writer who called me wanted to talk about her too.

If he’s not careful, he’ll be right where I am. Right? It’s a good place to be.

Meet Natalie Goldberg

You should know that Natalie Goldberg is one of the most revered and beloved writers in America. Countless people of all walks of life found inspiration through her work.

In 1986 she wrote her second book Writing Down the Bones: Freeing the Writer Within. This followed her very hard-to-find book of poetry Chicken and in Love that few people have.

But, Writing Down the Bones is arguably the most influential and important work on the craft of writing.

People who wrote memoir, poetry, articles, reviews, novels, and lyrics have been greatly aided by the book. It’s one of the reasons Bones has sold more than two million copies around the world. It still sells consistently, year after year.

To date Natalie Goldberg has written 15 books. I’ve read many of them and written reviews of two. I always anxiously await the next one. Word is that there’s a new book forthcoming.

Natalie Goldberg has a compelling voice

It’s true that Natalie Goldberg has done some tremendous interviews. Through her workshops and public book-related events, people get glimpses of Natalie.

The late radio legend Roy of Hollywood, who broadcast on KPFK in Southern California interviewed her something like six times. He knew what a compelling voice she is.

There’s a very intriguing documentary directed by Mary Feidt called Tangled Up in Bob: Searching for Bob Dylan that’s all about Dylan’s hometown of Hibbing, Minnesota. Natalie’s in it and you get to see and hear Natalie Goldberg up close. But, just a bit. The focus of that film is Bob Dylan, but along the way the viewer gets a snapshot of Natalie.

Although so much of her literature is memoir, no one has captured the essence of Natalie Goldberg on film. I’m talking Natalie on Natalie.

Until now.

A Natalie Goldberg film

My goal is to make that happen.

I met my good friend Robert McCready (basically) through Natalie Goldberg. Robert is the biggest catalyst that takes us to the pre-production stage of what will be this film.

We’ve begun archiving and compiling materials about Natalie Goldberg. We’re committed to doing this right.

Between the books and Natalie’s media activities through the years, there’s an embarrassment of riches.

But, we need to do a bit of traveling, and another in-person interview is necessary to really tie the whole thing together.

Our Kickstarter

Robert McCready kicked off our Kickstarter. Through persistence we’re currently 20% of the way there, but we’ve got 5 days to go.

We really need your help and even a small amount helps us tremendously. If we don’t hit our goal, all of the people who have backed this project will get their money back. If you decided to contribute and we didn’t hit the goal, you’re not out anything.

We’d be back to square one.

I don’t think that will happen though. I’ve got a lot of faith.

Or maybe you can share our Kickstarter on social media. That would be your good deed for the week.

I want to write to you again this week

I’ve got more to say about something entirely different.

So, I’ll write to you in a few days.

Okay?

Mahalo.

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Well, hello there.

I got out of bed this morning after being stuck in a rainstorm last night after seeing American actor Bill Murray in an entertaining evening where he performed with classical musician Jan Vogler, Vanessa Perez and Mira Wang. You can watch the review here.

And, then saw the news about a great radio guy and my mentor Steve Huntington passing away.

I felt a tremendous loss and a few tears fell.

Steve Huntington was quite a presence.

Radio DJ Steve Huntington

I started this Leslie Letter with a quote from the great novelist Thomas McGuane about Jimmy Buffett and the places, and more importantly the incredible characters who ran with and crossed paths with Jimmy Buffett.

Steve Huntington was one of those people.

To me he will always be the voice of Radio Margaritaville, and the originator of so many of the best segments they ever had. Steve also hosted radio specials that were the very definition of “must-listen-to radio.”

It’s a dying art, but Steve believed in what radio could do. He knew that at its core, radio is about sharing.

I always make it a point to credit and thank him for being the first person to give me a weekly slot on the radio.

He was incredibly tolerant of zany ideas. He didn’t want the radio personalities on his station to do things like him.

He wanted people on the air to be who they were.

He also wanted them to relax.

Now. Steve wasn’t afraid to stop you if he thought you were making a mistake. I recall some phone calls where he’d give me really valuable advice.

I always listened because he was one of the best to ever do it.

That’s not an exaggeration. He was a stellar voice on the airwaves, and any broadcaster could learn from him. I’ll say it again: what a voice!

I just hope that many of the interviews he did will be preserved. Steve spoke to Jimmy Buffett and Peter Mayer many times and really got them to open up. Great radio.

I’m so glad that I got to do an in-depth interview with Steve Huntington two years ago. We talked about doing it again, but I’m grateful for the one we have.

Although Steve Huntington has passed away, I believe his influence will last for a long time. He’s one of the people who are here to stay.

Jimmy Buffett documentarian John Cunningham

They say that time is like a river, and stories are the key to the past -Jimmy Buffett

Jimmy Buffett was one of the world’s great storytellers.

And it’s only natural that so many of the people he surrounded himself with would be exciting people and more than a few storytellers themselves.

There’s a new documentary called Occupational Hazard, which I highly recommend. The producer and director John H. Cunningham had the wisdom to see how important these stories really are.

His film is an exploration of the early members of Jimmy Buffett’s Coral Reefer Band, as well as some perspectives from Buffett’s record producer Norbert Putnam, and tour manager Bob Liberman.

Steve Huntington and John Cunningham? Cut from the same cloth.

Jimmy Buffett had an old song that said “If I Could Just Get It on Paper.”

I think of it often as it relates to various people.

Different “scribes” use different “parchments.”

For Steve Huntington, it was all about the theatre of the mind — radio.

For John Cunningham, if a picture is worth a thousand words, then a video is worth a million.

I released an interview with John Cunningham today. If you find Buffett fascinating, you should definitely check out Occupational Hazard. Or, if you want to find out more, our interview is a good place to start.

Thanks for being here

Some of you have left comments on my Substack page. For that, I thank you. I’ll be in touch soon and can’t thank you enough for reading along.

I’m wishing you all a great week ahead.

Dan & Ruby Gold. Courtesy of Dan Gold.

Hey.

It’s Tuesday which means it’s time for The Leslie Letter. I’ve been looking forward to writing this one because of the admiration I feel for who this issue is about.

Who’s the guy at the beginning?

It happens quite a lot. Someone will ask me who that incredible voice actor who announces every episode and review of The Paul Leslie Hour.

NO. It is not AI.

I recall when I did the “at Peter Mayer’s house” interview a couple of years ago. Peter said, “Man, who’s the guy at the beginning?”

The iconic radio personality Tom Birch also told me he was blown away by Dan’s incredible voice-over talent.

Some people: “You mean that’s not you?”

And, more than a few people have asked something along the lines of:

“How do you get your voice to sound like that at the intro?”

C’mon.

How could you think that was me? I don’t have that kind of a vocal talent.

That’s a guy. A guy named Dan.

Dan Gold is a world-class voice actor

The man you hear doing those sparkling introductions is Dan Gold. He lives in Missouri.

I want you to know that he is a super guy. His voice has been heard in radio and television commercials, on business phone recordings. You name it.

He was on the radio himself.. that was years ago.

Dan Gold can do political ads, movie trailers, audiobooks. Oh, and documentaries.

He’s just got an incredible voice. If you want to listen to more of his voice acting work, check out his profile on Voices.

I’m deeply honored that Dan Gold has been the announcer for The Paul Leslie Hour for 486 episodes (and counting). He made his debut introduction for my show on Episode #629 with special guest Connie Francis.

How Dan Gold entered my life… you never know

Here’s the incredible thing.

You just never know who is out there waiting to enter your life. It’s one of the best things we get to experience.

Winning the proverbial lottery with our friends and colleagues.

Some years ago I was listening to a vinyl LP from Frank Sinatra Jr. — It’s Alright. One of the songs on the record is “The Best I Ever Had.” The liner notes credited the song to R. & D. Hice.

Now. I had no idea who these Hice songwriters were. It’s Alright was mostly a country record. Yes, Frank Sinatra Jr. indeed cut a country album back in the late 70s. And, Frank Jr. really picked the best songs. It’s a good record.

The song “The Best I Ever Had” had some clever lyrics. I liked the simple storytelling, which I found out later was exactly what Frank was looking for:

Oh they say that all good things must end
But endings always leave somebody sad.
But I remember that the worst you ever gave me
Was the best I ever had.

Apparently Frank’s father liked the song too. Digging around, I found that Frank Sinatra had recorded the song too.

Back in 1976 Ol’ Blue Eyes recorded a 45 with “The Best I Ever Had” on one side, Neil Diamond’s “Stargazer” on the other.

At this moment, I thought — Wow. These Hice’s wrote a song that both Frank Sinatra and Frank Sinatra Jr. recorded?

But who were R. & D. Hice?

Ruby and Danny Hice

I found out that Ruby and Danny Hice were a songwriting partnership. I also assumed that they must be married. That’s when I started to find many other songs that these two wrote — incredible songs!

These were two people who wrote songs of such high-quality that people like Dionne Warwick, Ray Price, Reba McEntire, Barbara Mandrell, Gladys Knight and Ray Charles performed and recorded them.

But, after writing a bunch of incredible songs…everything seemed to stop. Around the year 1981 — I couldn’t find much evidence of any other songs written by them.

I did some more digging and kept seeing the name Dan Gold coming up. I started thinking that Daniel Gold and Daniel Hice might be the same person. Dan Gold was living in Missouri.

When I found out that there was also someone named Ruby Faye Gold living in the same town in Missouri, I realized that Dan and Ruby Gold were probably R. & D. Hice.

As is usually the case with me — my curiosity flowed. Who were they? What were they like?

Write letters — you never know what will happen

Let me tell you.

You never know what happens when you put pen to paper, stick it in an envelope and send it out into the world. I write regularly with a few people. Robert McCready, for one. Some world-famous people are regular correspondents.

It’s a pleasure to write and get mail from all of them.

But, let me tell you what usually happens when you write a letter.

Are you ready for the big reveal?

Nothing.

Usually — it’s total silence. Most letters go unanswered.

I wrote a letter to the Gold’s, p.k.a. The Hice’s and didn’t hear a thing.

Persistence is the key

You can’t blame someone if they don’t respond. First of all, letter-writing has fallen out of favor. People get busy. Sometimes the mail never reaches them.

So, if you don’t hear back?

Write again. Or try another form of communication.

As I listened to more and more of this songwriting duo’s material, I became more and more impressed with how good it was. If this married couple had written these incredible songs — how come more people didn’t know about them?

A break in the case

Doing a web search in 2021, I found the voice over profile for a voice over artist named Dan Gold. One of his pictures matched one I had found on the invaluable website SecondHandSongs.

I don’t remember if I called or sent a message using a contact form, but eventually Dan Gold and I connected.

We had a couple of very long phone calls. We talked about music, religion, politics, his past. I learned that Ruby Faye Gold had sadly passed away.

Dan spoke of his wife in a way that touched me very much. I don’t know if I’ve ever heard a man speak of the woman he shared a life with in a more authentic and loving way.

Dan loved Ruby completely. He still does. As Sinatra sang in one of his great songs — All the Way.

The Dan Gold interview

In September of 2021, I had the chance to interview Dan Gold. It was quite an episode. If you want to meet Dan Gold, that show is a very good way to do that. If you listen, you’ll hear some of the incredible songs that Dan and Ruby wrote — recorded by some of the greatest recording artists ever.

You’ll find out a lot about Dan Gold.

He’s done so much with his life: writing songs, working as an on-air radio DJ, flying planes. He’s met some of the most iconic people of our time. The greatest singers have sung his songs.

Remember the song that both Frank Sinatra and Frank Sinatra Jr. recorded? Well, Nancy Sinatra recorded “A Gentle Man Like You,” written by Dan and Ruby. This means that Dan Gold is one of the only people alive to have written songs recorded by all three of the singing Sinatra’s.

What you’ll likely find is that Dan’s faith in God is what’s most important to him.

“You write ‘em, I read ‘em”

I’m extremely proud to work with Dan Gold. He’s the most constant fixture in every single episode. It’s always Dan and I.

It’s wonderful to have his golden voice be a part of what I do.

When singer-songwriter Scott Kirby was here, I let him hear Dan’s voice over for the episode we had just filmed together. It was a rare chance to get a face-to-face reaction. I could tell Scott really liked it.

Usually Dan’s introduction is recorded after the interview. In this case I sent it to Dan and it was ready to go.

That’s how we do it. Dan likes to say: “You write ‘em, I read ‘em.”

Sometimes he reads the script just as I write it… in Scott Kirby’s case Dan had decided to go off script and add a comedic flourish about pronouns to my ladies and gentlemen intro. What a character…

He does that sometimes. Sometimes you get to hear Dan’s improvisations and winks because I leave them in.

Scott found it pretty amusing.

Here’s to you, Captain Dan

Dan, if you’re reading this — thank you. You’re the best voice actor and The Paul Leslie Hour wouldn’t be the same without you. I could never thank you enough. You’re the greatest part of the show.

We’ve never hung out, but knowing that you’re a North Carolina native who likes Southern cuisine? Well, it would be a great honor to one day sit down and have a bite.

And for everyone else, just know that I think the world of Dan Gold.

P.S. — I went to see Willie Nelson on Sunday

I saw Willie Nelson for the umpteenth time on Sunday. He’s always good. But, maybe the lowcountry weather had an extremely positive effect on him. I’ve never seen him do a better show, and like I said… I’ve seen him a lot.

If you want to watch my review, it’s really short — just over four minutes. Be sure to like it and leave a comment!

Until next time.

There’s a new show every other Tuesday. Like today. If you know who Rockin’ Dopsie, Jr. is — you’ll love it. If you don’t know who Rockin’ Dopsie Jr. is — you’ll love it.

I love Zydeco

Louisiana has all kinds of great music, but zydeco music? There’s just nothing like it. That’s the kind of music Rockin’ Dopsie Jr. and his brothers and bandmates make. It’s also the music of his late father, Rockin’ Dopsie Sr.

I’ve been thinking about making music playlists for each interview I do. Time is precious, but I’d love it if you’d look up at least one song from each of the following Zydeco artists—

Clifton Chenier… “Comin’ Home”
Buckwheat Zydeco… “Ya Ya”
Boozoo Chavis… “John Billy Goat”
Rockin’ Dopsie Sr… “Please Don’t Leave Me”
Nathan & The Zydeco Cha-Chas… “Hard Times”

Just go on YouTube or Spotify, Apple. Whatever you use. Give these a play. You’ve got time.

Now, how do you feel? I bet you’re feeling pretty good.

Now, you’ve got a little taste of zydeco.

Rockin’ Dopsie Jr. & The Zydeco Twisters

With the exception of Nathan Williams of Nathan & The Zydeco Cha-Chas, all of those guys you just heard have passed on. But, zydeco music has never been bigger.

Here’s some tracks to listen to from Rockin’ Dopsie Jr.

• “They’d All Ask for You”

• “Jambalaya”

• “Let the Good Times Roll”

• “Down at the Mardi Gras”

• “Mother In Law”

  
  Isn’t Rockin’ Dopsie, Jr. great?

My new interview with Rockin’ Dopsie Jr.

I interviewed Rockin’ Dopsie Jr. over the phone for my radio show years ago. After seeing Rockin’ Dopsie Jr. & The Zydeco Twisters at the 2026 New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival, I thought it was time to speak with him again.

It was a great interview.

Talking to Dopsie was another reminder of why I do what I do. I remember my late friend Bob Vernon saying what a great person he is. True.

We talked about a lot of things. How he gets ready for a show. And believe me. It’s a high-energy show!

He also shared his memories of being in the recording studio with Bob Dylan. Apparently Bob has been doing the hoodie in the summer thing for a long time! At least since the late 80s.

Rockin’ Dopsie Jr. was a friend of Jimmy Buffett’s

Dopsie also shared his memories of the late Jimmy Buffett. It’s easy to see why the two were friends. You can see Rockin’ Dopsie Jr. and Jimmy Buffett performing in the documentary film Jazz Fest: A New Orleans Story that came out in 2022. I recommend it.

Please watch the interview on YouTube and give it a thumbs up

It’s easy to watch the interview we did.

Please watch it from beginning to end. It’s right here. I’d love to know what you think of Rockin’ Dopsie Jr.

Before I go, I’m in Smiler (for Rod Stewart fans)

In the interview with Dopsie, he talked about how Rod Stewart and his band were side stage watching the show. Apparently they were as blown away as everybody else.

And that reminds me!

Excerpts from my review of the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival can be found in SMILER — the fan blog for the Rod Stewart Fan Club. They’ve got a wonderful format dedicated to sharing plenty of stuff about Rod Stewart.

If you want to check out the issue in question, you can read my review and other information here. Aside from reading matter, you’ll get lots and lots of pictures.

That’s what fans care about. Good photos. I really need to study photography a bit more.

Anyhow, Smiler is a very classy publication. I recommend it if you love Rod Stewart.

Next issue of The Leslie Letter

I sure enjoy sending you these letters every Tuesday. And I’m more than pleased that so many of you are enjoying The Leslie Letter.

My plan for the next write-up is to tell you about the man who announces every episode of the show.

I’ve had people ask if that’s me. No! That is not me. That’s not AI either. That’s a real voice actor.

I think you’ll enjoy finding out about him and how we met.

Anyhow, I’ll see you soon, okay?

What’s new in your neck of the woods?

Who plays piano at the beginning?

I recall someone telling me that the piano theme music at the beginning sounds like “The Entertainer.”

You know “The Entertainer,” right? Everyone knows that melody.

So I said to this guy: “Exactly.”

“The Entertainer” is the song you hear at the beginning of the episode, while Dan Gold introduces the show and whoever the guest is.

That’s an old Scott Joplin tune, but the man playing it is a tremendous pianist and songwriter named John Primerano.

Mr. Primerano, or JP, wrote in about our recent interview with singer Melissa Errico.

Here’s John’s letter for you all.

Then, if you don’t mind I’d like to comment afterwards.

John Primerano comments on Melissa Errico

I read your newsletter about Melissa Errico.

I agree she is a marvelous singer. She and I are acquainted; have been ever since I bought her recording, Legrand Affair.

Melissa has a clear as glass vocal tone, better than Streisand, which caught my ear immediately and is why I bought Legrand Affair.

I saw her twice at Bucks County Theater. I met pianist Tedd Firth briefly that first time. The second she was with Billy Stritch.

Melissa came out and said, “Did you want to see me?”

I tried the first time, so what was I going to say, “No!??”

She’s gorgeous, and married to Patrick McEnroe, which I’m sure you’re aware.

The funny thing is, she and I wrote back and forth for a while. You know, she’d put up a video and I’d tell her I liked it and she would write back with a thank you.

One time, when she was getting ready to record her CD, Film Noir, she wrote and asked me if I thought “One for My Baby (and One More For the Road)” was a song for a female.

I wrote back and truthfully told her no, I didn’t think it was a song for a female to sing. And I don’t.

I continued and told her that (she knew I was an entertainer) I had been in many saloons at quarter to three and the only people besides myself there at that time were Burglars and Bad Ladies!

I had written to tell her we were coming to see her again at Bucks County Theater and when we met after the show, she said, “You wrote and said you were coming!!”

I was holding a flyer of the show that was blank on the reverse side and she asked, “Do you want me to autograph that?’ “ “Of course,” I said and she took the paper and on the reverse sided, wrote,

“To John. Neither a Burglar nor a bad lady!. Melissa Errico.”

I haven’t been in touch with her for some time, but I believe she’s got a new CD out... the one with the great Andrew Sisters tune, I Can Dream, Can’t I? It had a great verse, too.

Thanks for the letter, JP. I’m glad you appreciate Melissa Errico as much as I do.

So, in addition to sharing discourse about my recent interview with Melissa Errico, I’m pleased to tell you a bit about John Primerano. He’s a songwriter, pianist, concert and recording artist, and also an actor.

I mentioned that he plays the music at the beginning of the show? He also plays the outro music — that’s the traditional tune “Corrina, Corrina.”

John Primerano was an in-studio guest in 2019

Anyhow, John Primerano is a great guy and very talented. He flew all the way down to Atlanta to do an in-studio interview with musical performances for my show.

It was tremendous. If you want to hear that one, feel free.

It’s funny the things you remember.

John wanted to get a soundcheck on the keyboard. This was at Jordan Digital Studios.

So, he asked me what I wanted to hear. I said “Stars Fell on Alabama.”

He started playing it beautifully the very next second.

I can’t remember if we went to Hoboken Cafe in Marietta, Georgia before or after the interview session. But, John Primerano met the other JP — Johnny Pizza. And, eat we did.

I’ve got four JP’s in my life. All music-connected people. You’ll meet them as we go.

Primerano came back on last summer

We did a second interview last July. This time it was a video interview. You can check that out too.

You’ll probably pick up that he’s an old school gentleman.

They don’t make them like John anymore. And, that isn’t just because I’m showing loyalty to the guy who plays our theme music.

Tip and/or buy a drink for the piano player

People who really play the piano well are very valuable members of our society. Plus, I tend to get along well with pianists. I don’t know why, but I do.

Thank you, John Primerano, for playing our theme music so well.

If my wish were granted, I’d love to hear a whole, new EP from John Primerano. Or even just a couple of tracks.

I like the idea of stripped down songs — just voice and piano. I’ve got a real affinity for those kinds of recordings.

And folks, John Primerano is based in Philadelphia. You may pick up that certain Philly accent when he talks. It’s nice.

If you want to find out more about him, you check out his website.

That’s all I’ve got. I am very grateful for your interest in what I do. Thank you for allowing me to write about one of the integral parts of every episode.

P.S. — For the record, “One for My Baby (and One More for the Road)” is a wonderful song for a woman to sing. Maybe I’m biased. I loved the way Bette Midler did it on that last episode of Carson. But, that’s my opinion.

Please forward this to someone you think might like it!

I’m a digger.

That’s what I am. And one of my favorite pastimes is digging up tremendous singers and songwriters.

I’ll take a song like “The Moon Got In My Eyes,” and listen to as many versions of it as I can. I want to hear how Bing did it.

Oh, and you’ve got to listen to Sinatra’s version. Let me play that one again.

But, that inevitably will make you want to hear the first version. You’ve got to go to Mildred Bailey for that.

Nice.

But, then you’ll want to listen to the Jimmy Dorsey version to really hone in on the melody.

Comparing recordings of songs

It’s fascinating to compare versions of a song. Watch how it evolved through the years. You get to listen to how different singers embody the lyrics. A certain singer can take a song and totally transform it.

In one of the previous issues of The Leslie Letter, I talked about how I’d call myself a fan of songs, more than a “music lover.”

Allow me to explain.

I love the people who bring songs into the world. And lest we forget — we need both. We need people to compose songs, and we need singers — artists that can interpret those songs. Less people can do both than you may think.

Just ask Will Friedwald.

This passion for digging up recordings and surrendering to the joy of listening fully is how I came to find a marvelous concert and recording artist named Melissa Errico.

She’s so good.

It was a Legrand Affair

In listening to great classic recordings, I kept seeing one name pop up on especially spectacular songs.

I’m talking those songs that you listen to it with headphone on and you think… “that may be the best song I’ve ever heard.”

Michel Legrand.

He was one of the best composers who ever lived. I know that sounds like an exaggeration…

But consider that this clever Frenchman is the one who composed “The Windmills of Your Mind,” “The Summer Knows,”….

Oh, and… “I Was Born in Love with You.”

My goodness, I think about that incredible melody and I start getting misty eyed. Seriously.

Back when I was hosting a free-form radio show, I would get stacks of CDs in my P.O. Box.

One day, an envelope arrived with a disc entitled Legrand Affair.

The artist? Broadway star Melissa Errico. Legrand Affair was her collection of Michel Legrand songs, produced by the late and legendary Phil Ramone.

An incredible record promoter named Max Horowitz of Crossover Media mailed it to me.

The CD has a great cover, but knowing that it was all Michel Legrand compositions motivated me to listen.

Within seconds of hearing the first track.. Remember that title — “I Was Born in Love with You”? Yes, that was the first track.

I was beyond impressed. Floored.

To paraphrase Forrest Gump —

I may not be a smart man, but I know what good music is.

Melissa Errico had that certain thing. That ability to “make folks feel what you feel inside,” to quote my friend Gary Gentry’s famous lyric.

The first Melissa Errico Interview?

Horowitz introduced Melissa Errico and I via email. I wanted to interview her about Legrand Affair.

Melissa and I set a day and time to tape our phone interview.

We scheduled it for Wednesday, May 2, 2012 at 2:00 PM ET.

She called in from New York City and I was in Atlanta. Before the interview, she sent me an email about the album. Let me share that with you all now.

I'll tell you it was really an honest effort. Michel and I had a real connection that sprang from broadway and then was about a lot more— a certain tone, a sensibility we share, and my love of his music.

And then Michel gave me this oceanic orchestrational world to sing with. Not always easy but very beautiful and very him. You can't say the orchestrations are anything but unique. Majestic and intimate somehow at once. Only Michel could have invented such a universe.

I was honored by the whole thing myself.

You can still find that first Melissa Errico audio interview, archived on YouTube.

I emailed her after we taped our interview. Here’s what I wrote:

Thanks for the interview. I can tell you really love Michel Legrand. I do too.

We both have a love for those geniuses who have bestowed their eternal
beauty on this world....Never ending or beginning it seems.

I Can Dream, Can’t I?

The days turned into years…

I kept up with Melissa Errico’s recorded work through the years. Understand: I listen to a lot of music — recorded and live.

I listened from beginning to end to her latest album entitled I Can Dream, Can’t I? It’s a gorgeous record… honest and intimate.

It’s just Melissa singing and Tedd Firth on piano. That’s all it needs.

All of the songs on I Can Dream, Can’t I? pose some kind of question. There’s usually a big question in each song, and sometimes smaller underlying questions. You’ll want to listen.

It occurred to me that all of the songs on I Can Dream, Can’t I? were composed by songwriters who are gone. They’ve died, but have songs that very much live.

With one exception. “Both Sides Now,” written by Joni Mitchell.

And, what a version Melissa and Tedd did. I invite you to watch the music video here.

So, when Moya Crowley of Shore Fire Media (arguably one of the top PR firms in the country) asked me if I wanted to interview Melissa Errico again, I wrote back the same day.

Melissa Errico is a friend of songwriters

I’ve come to realize that there are many, many singers in the world. But, there is a certain kind of singer that is a friend to the songwriters.

They understand the wonder of songs. They know what gifts songs are. These are singers who champion the songwriters and do what they can to perpetuate their names and work.

In the world of pop standards, Jack Jones was one of them that comes to mind.

Now, Frank Sinatra was one of the biggest ever. He’d mention the composer, lyricist and the arranger of a song before performing it.

There’s Barry Manilow.

In country music, Bobby Bare comes to mind.

The point is, that these singers understand how important the men and women who craft songs are.

More than anything, they perform the song (even when it’s light-hearted) with reverence.

Melissa Errico is one of those singers. She’s a friend to the songwriter. She does right by them.

You’re invited to watch our second interview

This year I’ve slowed down considerably. I’m not interviewing nearly as many people as I used to.

But, I will always love to interview rare artists like Melissa Errico. You can hear that they mean it. It’s all right there in the recordings.

I’d like to humbly invite you to watch our interview which dropped May 5, 2026 — 14 years since our first session. Feel free to leave a comment on YouTube to let me know your thoughts.

As I told her in the interview, questions have kind of defined my life. So, it was fitting that I got to speak with her about her beautiful, interrogative album: I Can Dream Can’t I?

I sincerely hope we don’t make you wait 14 more years for the next one. Even more than listening to our interview, my sincere wish is that you’ll give yourself the gift of listening to her recorded music. Melissa Errico has done quite a few albums, but I Can Dream, Can’t I? is a great place to start.

You’ll thank me.