As the longtime president of Leiber and Stoller Music Publishing, Randy Poe has represented songs like "Stand By Me," "Hound Dog," and "Love Potion #9." In 2006, his boss (songwriter and producer Jerry Leiber) sent him on a personal mission to pitch a song to Willie Nelson - resulting in an epic journey that still hasn't quite ended. The tale is recounted in the new book "Stalking the Red Headed Stranger, or How to Get Your Songs into the Hands of the Artists Who Really Matter." Randy Poe joins us to share the story - and the history of "song-plugging."
Guests:
Randy PoeListen Live
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Comments [3]
john- bill boggs, was on ch five in NYC [before it became fox]lee leonard was also a host of that show. "live at midday" or something close, was the name of that show.
Good stuff, Randy. By the way, I've got a song I'd like to get to Norah Jones - and I'm already in Brooklyn.
Back in the late 80s I met Roy Orbison in the offices of my record company at the time, Virgin, where Roy had just signed a new contract.
I was in the office to play the demo of a song I had just written for the chief of A&R. He said "I love this song, and I'm going to pitch it to Roy Orbison. It's perfect for him." I thought "What I perfect coincidence. I was just talking to Roy Orbison half an hour ago, and the head of A&R wants to pitch my song to him."
Two days later, Roy died.
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