Love Letters Straight From The Heart

August 10, 2004

As you know from last week’s R&R, Verve Music Group launched the “Send a Love Letter to Luther” campaign

nationwide on Aug. 4. Manhattan Borough President C. Virginia Fields held a press conference and presentation

on the steps of New York’s City Hall last week with guests Mary Ida Vandross (Luther’s mom), producer

Rex Rideout, singer Lalah Hathaway, Verve President/CEO Ron Goldstein and the National Director of the

American Diabetes Association, Vaneeda Bennett. Mayors across the U.S. have been asked to declare “Love

Letter to Luther” days. Already committed to present a proclamation is Atlanta Mayor Shirley Franklin, who will

make the presentation to the Atlanta head of the American Diabetes Association and who will also discuss the

campaign during her weekly radio shows. Details of presentations in Los Angeles; Chicago; Washington, DC;

Las Vegas; Philadelphia; Houston; and Dallas are expected soon. The campaign will run through 2005.

Incidentally, Forever, for Always, for Luther debuted at No. 3 in national sales last week.

What’s In A Name?

KJCD/Denver morning driver Kenny Noble Cortes recorded an interview Aug. 2 with Boney James, who

discusses his new CD, Pure; the inspiration for “Here She Comes” (Cortes says, “What a great vibe!”); and his role

as producer for the first time. Here’s the link: www.noblecortes.com/Kenny/Boney.html...To check out

an ad for Rafe Gomez’s jazz mix CD Groove Boutique Vol. 1, go to www.cd1019.com.

R&R SJ Music Sales Change

I thank R&R’s Smooth Jazz Music Sales Rep, Karen Mumaw, for her hard work with the SJ label community

over the past couple of years. I also extend sincere personal gratitude to Karen for being there for me with

unfailing daily emotional support during the course of my treatment for breast cancer. Happily, she is remaining

with the company, now responsible for industry advertising sales, including the R&R Directory, Marketplace

and Opportunities. She’ll also continue to handle independent record promoters. Replacing Karen for

Smooth Jazz is Maria Parker, R&R’s Sales Assistant for the past year, who becomes a Sales Rep. Before joining

R&R, Maria worked in radio-station promotions for Clear Channel/Jacksonville and in sports promotions

and marketing, and she was also a model. She’s in training with our sales manager now, and I’m working

closely with her too. I think you are going to love Maria; I sure do. You’ll be hearing from her soon. If you want or

need to contact her before then, please call 310-788-1648 or send e-mail to mparker@radioandrecords.com.

Chart Note

You may notice that Dan Siegel’s “In Your Eyes”  Native Language) returned to the Smooth Jazz chart

this week. While R&R’s recurrent rule states that songs are removed from the chart after 20 weeks

when below No. 15, exceptions will be the made when songs are uptrending. In this case Siegel’s song is

doing just that, up 27 plays with an add.

Condolences

We extend our deepest sympathy to KBZN/Salt Lake City PD Dan Jessup on the recent loss of his 29-yearold

son, Greg ... Our sincere condolences also to WSSM/St. Louis midday host Debbie Alexander,

whose mother passed away on Friday, Aug. 6.

Carol Archer/R&R Smooth Jazz Editor (310) 788-1665

Email: carcher@radioandrecords.com