Before Six Feet Apart
To be honest, I wasn’t going to post this picture. We took this photo as a personal keepsake. We had no intention of stirring up publicity. But, the world has changed since it was taken in early March - a week before lockdown - and so too has my perspective of it. Now, I’m looking at this photo through new eyes, as a relic of the before times when good friends could connect and spend time together.
Since taking that photo, I have been thinking a lot about Sheryl and our story. You see, I am finishing my second book and have been recounting our memories, reliving our escapades on a daily basis. To make matters worse, I listen to her music when I am writing! I have cycled through every one of her albums on Spotify many times over. My house has been filled with her voice and I still love it so much even after all this time, maybe even more now that I have had a chance to sit down and listen to her vast catalogue.
As many of you know, I built my career by discovering Sheryl, developing her talents, and marketing her correctly to an industry that would help her build a lifelong career. We met in 1989 and by 1990 she had signed a record deal; then in 1993, she released a multi-platinum, grammy award-winning record.
I was drawn to her from our first lunch. We were only five years apart in age, both at the beginning of unfolding careers. I worked with her independently, foregoing a contract offer for close to a year. I invested my personal time because I saw her talents, clear as day. Her work ethic was impressive such that she improved by leaps and bounds. From the day she finished working as a back-up singer on Michael Jackson’s Bad Tour to the day she got her record deal was a year, only a year!!
My takeaway from that time was that nothing could stop Sheryl and me. We got a lot done being a we. She became proof to the industry that I knew how to discover and develop talent. And, I was able to provide her with exactly what she needed: a combination of a coach, manager, friend, sister, and mentor.
The last time I traveled to Nashville was in March for my “It All Starts with A Song” retreat. It just so happens that on the day I got in, Sheryl was having a ‘garage sale’ of her clothes down the street from where I was staying.
I dropped my suitcase off at my friend and former writer Jamie Houston’s home. We walked down the block to the Christian book store where Sheryl had set up camp. Jamie and Sheryl were also friends from the time Jamie wrote and produced a duet for her and Miley Cyrus.
We walked in together and Sheryl dropped her jaw. Surprise! We had not seen each other in years. She immediately crossed the counter to get to me. We hugged and I got a little teary eyed. She felt like home. Then, she yelled across the room, “Kathy get over here, look who showed up!”
Now who gets to be surprised?
Her younger sister, Kathy, has lived in Nashville for over twenty five years. When I was traveling there consistently throughout my corporate career, we would get together for dinner. It became a thing and there was a group of us: Tracy Gershon (A&R Exec), Jennifer Cooke (Mgr Amy Grant), Allee Harnell (Concert Promoter), Shari Saba (Publisher), Kathy Crow (BMI Exec) and me. We would have guests from time to time, but for the most part these girl’s became my core Nashville group.
We would meet at the newest restaurant, eating, drinking, and smoking till the wee hours. We had someone from every part of the business. Collectively, we could run the show and, most nights, we left feeling as if we had solved all the problems in our world.
All these amazing women lived in the same town, but they didn’t see each other except when I came to town and arranged it. This went on for years as we watched each other get married, have kids, change jobs, change lifestyles, grow up, and move on.
It’s been a good ten years since one of our dinners, but that bond still exists; if we needed each other, I know we’d be there. Confession: one of the reasons I like Facebook is getting to be together forever through posts!
As Sheryl, Kathy, and I hugged and caught up, I found myself wishing we were not standing in the middle of a store with Sheryl’s adoring fans. We caught up as best we could. We talked about my brother Jeff’s passing. Jeff had been Sheryl’s dog sitter when she went on her first European tour. He lived at her place on-and-off for nine months taking care of Scout. We talked about her boys and her life in Nashville. Since we were still a week before the stay at home order, the energy was full of hope and happiness.
We took this picture as we said goodbye.
I was not intending to share it. It’s a treasured moment for me. When I look at it, I remember the three of us attending various dinners, holding our breath in countless backstage waiting areas, and laughing as we crammed ourselves into a limo headed to the Grammys!
I love what this photo represents for me: a photo of friends who I am so very proud to say built lifelong careers on foundations laid together 30 years ago.
Now that is something worth posting.
