Sam Horn is the owner of ‘The Intrigue Agency” anda world-renowned Author, Keynote Speaker, communications strategist, and executive coach who has trained the world’s top entrepreneurs (e.g. EO, YPO, TLC) and executives (e.g. Intel, Cisco, Boeing) how to communicate more clearly, compellingly and convincingly. She has presented in person to over 500,000 people in various venues.
SAM I AM HAD BUT ONE FAILURE
Sam’s pioneering “POP! Stand Out in Any Crowd” book, endorsed by Seth Godin, Ken Blanchard, Mark Sanborn and marketing guru Jeffrey Gitomer (who calls it ”a rocket ship to your success”) introduces an a step-by-step system for creating first-of-their-kind titles, taglines, pitches, brand messages, positioning and marketing copy that get products and services noticed, remembered and bought.
AND SHE TURNED THAT INTO AN AWARD!
Sam even tried to train me once. And it failed miserably. Probably the only failure Sam has had in her life. But she creatively harvested gold out of it by creating the incredible SLAP award. More on that later in this article.
COMMERCIAL TIME OUT!
A warm and hearty thank you to Ms. Sam Horn for her review of the book “The Greatest Words Never Heard.”
“What a raw, powerful book. Thank you, Steve, for having the courage to show us that we serve when we dare to share challenging, heart-wrenching experiences. Anyone going through a dark night of the soul will find this book inspiring.”
BACK TO THE STORY – THAT WAS QUICK WASN’T IT?
I have interviewed Ms. Sam on the radio and for a business publication. It was a hoot. I quite possibly am the only person that has made this terrific thinker, speaker and author speechless. It was this article (below) that stumpfied her with my smellfungus mooncalfery. But, Sam’s wisdom shines through. Read this article and learn”How to Stand Out in Any Crowd.”
HOW NOT TO STAND OUT IN ANY CROWD
You, your product, your service, your company, is good … maybe great. It’s different, unique, totally rad, awesomeroo and bloggerific. It even (occasionally) delivers real business value; makes an authentic difference in business or life.
But … no one has heard of you. You’re one of a kind. You know it. You can prove it. But still, you’re one of a kind that no one knows. No one has ever heard of you. You haven’t even heard of you.
You Haven’t Even Heard of You!
Not for lack of effort though. You’ve tried to communicate your brilliance, your stupefying, heart-stopping differentiators, your value-laden proposition power pack, but your message gets sucked down the black hole of no return. The dreaded ….
Inbox Out of Control
By “inbox” I’m referring to your mental inbox as well as work inbox.
You can’t seem to break through … to stand out in this infoglut world 2.0 where the speed of light has finally been surpassed (though Einstein said it wasn’t possible, he was never bombarded with electronic corporate gobbledygook) by the cumulative effect of spam scud missiles, instant messages, BlackBerrys, mobile apps, blogging, etc.
Even though you know why you’re different − why you’re special − you can’t capture someone’s attention unless you communicate it so brilliantly it shines and stands out. Everyone gets it instantly. But standing out is getting harder … and easier every day.
Harder because the sheer volume of marketing messages an average person sees a day is almost beyond measure. It used to be that the average American was subjected to 3,000 marketing messages a day − 3,000 marketing messages a day!
Wow. Those were the good old days.
These days, you see that many before noon. How is it getting easier then?
Harharharhar. Just kidding. I lied. Just threw that in to obfuscate. It’s not getting easier. Sorry. And it won’t get easier. But, with the proper approach, you can reach your goals and …
Capture Customers?
Are there strategies and tactics that can help you break through and stand out? To capture customers’ and prospects’ attention, hearts, minds and …. (ahem) money?
“Money, which represents the prose of life, and which is hardly spoken of in parlors without an apology, is, in its effects and laws, as beautiful as roses.”
– Ralph Waldo Emerson
We’ll find out from professional speaker and author of “POP! Stand Out in Any Crowd,” Sam Horn. Sam’s books have been endorsed by such luminaries as Stephen R. Covey, Jack Canfield, and Anthony Robbins. But none communicates the essence of the book with such eloquent intellectual simplicity as the testimonial below.
“As a person who once used a sparking Barbie doll to set fire to a pair of underpants on national television, I can vouch for the importance of standing out from a crowd. As a friend of Sam Horn’s, I can also vouch for the excellent advice she offers in POP!” – Pulitzer-Prize winning humorist Dave Barry
BUT FIRST( AND IT’S RELATED) … POP!
Donkey quit. My Donkey quit. Just like that – POP – several years of collaborating and co-writing went up in smoke. No more “Shoot the Donkey” stories. Success had gone to his
donkey head. (I won’t comment on the lipstick … but I have heard rumors.) After a series of successful articles that included: “Shooting the Donkey in the Complex Sales Process … Hollywood Style,” “Veni, Vidi, Tiré a dos burros,” “I Came. I Saw. I Shot Two Donkeys,” and “My Darling, Is That Manure Stick You Have on?, Donkey decided he could make it on his own.
A Donkey in His Own Write
He wanted to be his own donkey and write his own book. That’s right, his own book. He didn’t tell me about this until he was almost done.
I took it in stride.
But then decided I wanted (needed) to try to save our relationship. We went to counseling. But every time I brought up “Shoot the Donkey” …
It was just too painful. Counseling didn’t work.
When I realized he was determined to quit no matter what and move on with his donkey life, I decided to do the right thing. Try to help him (later I needed some help myself). Donkey’s book was almost done. It was a compilation of lessons he’d learned from humans. I offered him my help in marketing the book, but Donkey said he didn’t need it. I’d done enough already.
Ready to Break Through, Stand Out, and Go to Market!
My Donkey already had the plan and his book title,
When he showed me the draft, I didn’t know what to say without hurting his feelings. Except that as much as he’s been around corporate business-speak, he ought to know that if the book was successful, someone would turn the title into an acronym, and well … that might turn out a bit crappy. Donkey discounted that and quickly pointed out that his full name was prominently featured on the cover (unlike his collaborative efforts with me where we were known only by his first name … Donkey). And why was this important? Well, according to Donkey O’Tee, all great, memorable names and slogans incorporated the person’s or company’s name.
Example:
“Oh, I wish I were an Oscar Mayer wiener, that is what I truly wish to be. ‘Cause if I were an Oscar Mayer wiener, everyone would be in love with me.”
He was going to use a similar strategy – though he quite hadn’t figured it out yet − to market his book.
Example:
Oh, I wish I were a Donkey O’Tee wiener, that is what I truly wish to be … be … be.
I asked him if he knew what happened to weiners (hot dogs)?
Donkey was horrified. He quickly moved on to his next example, from the insurance industry. He asked me if I knew …
“You’re in Good Hands with …”
”Allstate, of course,” I answered. But, I didn’t think that would work for him either.
Didn’t ring, resonate or POP! Not to mention the hoofs vs. hands issue.
“But what,” I asked,” is your book really about?”
“You don’t know? Can’t you tell by the title? It’s the “Idiot’s Guide to Business Survival.” It’s my elevator spiel. I mean you humans excel at making the simple complex, the complex unknowable, and the unknowable entertainingly hilarious! And, you do it was such pompous profligate proliferating panache that to succeed in business today, even to keep your job, you need to know how to excel at …
“Pompously Obfuscating on Purpose?”
Yes! You see … a bestseller in the making!” said Donkey O’Tee. “Go to any business website, read any business report, letter, brochure, advertisement or marketing message … it’s undeniable. To survive in the human’s business world today, you have to be able to …
“Pompously Obfuscate on Purpose.” I echoed with dismal dismay.
“Less is not more! Less is out of a job. More is less. More is needed all of the time. More of more and less of less, more or less!” brayed Donkey O’Tee hilariously. “And … I‘m going to get all kinds of media coverage, you know why?
“Why?”
“You heard that song by the famous female songwriter Bonnie Braitt?”
“You mean Bonnie Raitt?
“No, You having trouble hearing? Bonnie Braitt.”
“What song?”
“I’m going to give them something to bray about!”
For once, I was speechless. Though Donkey had made some excellent points, I still felt duty-bound, nonetheless, to seek out some expert advice on his behalf. For Donkey O’Tee to succeed, he had to stand out (and not just in a field) to capture national and international media attention.
ENTER: I Am Sam Horn I Am
Sam is a professional speaker and author of “POP! Stand Out in Any Crowd.” Sam is also the author of several well-reviewed books from major publishers including “Tongue Fu!®,” “ConZentrate,” “What’s Holding You Back?,” and “Take the Bully by the Horns.” These have been sold around the world (China, Japan, Argentina, France, and Germany); favorably reviewed in dozens of publications including Publishers Weekly, Chicago Tribune, Washington Post, Investors Business Daily, Foreign Service Journal, and Readers Digest, and endorsed by many best-selling authors including Stephen R. Covey, Anthony Robbins, Jeffrey Fox, Susan Jeffers, Dave Pelzer, Susan Forward, Rabbi Harold Kushner, Richard Carlson, and John Gray.
Steve: Welcome. I have this friend. He’s writing a book and needs to learn, well …
Sam: To … learn how to break out instead of blend in?
Steve: You’ve got it. What is POP!, and why is it important?
Sam: POP! is a system of 25 techniques I’ve developed that can help ANYONE create attention-grabbing titles, taglines, and tell ‘n sell descriptions for their company, cause, campaign, and creation. It’ll let them break out instead of blend in.
POP! is crucial to success because people today are BB.
Steve: BB?
Sam: They’re BUSY. They have hundreds of things competing for their attention. They’re BORED. They’ve heard and seen it all – or at least, they think they have.
“My own business always bores me to death; I prefer other people’s.” – Oscar Wilde
What that means is, we have 30 seconds to get their favorable attention. If what we have to say and sell is not Purposeful, Original, or Pithy, they’re on to the next thing.
POP!
Purposeful. Original. Pithy. In 30 seconds or less.
Steve: In 30 seconds or less?
Sam: Make a long elevator speech short by Cliff Noting it into one sentence. The more you try to explain what you do or what you have to offer, the more confused people will become.
“My grandfather invented Cliff Notes. It was, well, … to make a long story short.”
– Steven Wright
Instead of going on at length, compare your job or offering to something with which people are familiar and fond. For example, I was in Denver, CO with my sons for a speaking engagement. We had the night free, so I asked our hotel concierge to suggest a fun place we could go.
He said, “You’ve got to go to D & B’s.” We were from Maui at the time and had no idea what he was referring to. We asked, “What’s D & B’s?” He said, “It’s a Chuck E. Cheese for adults.” Voila. We knew exactly what it was and wanted to go there because of his perfect “Cliff Notes” description.
Steve: I get it. (See how purposeful, original, and pithy my responses are?)
“Operator! Give me the number for 911!” – Homer Simpson
Sam: In the book, this is called “The Valley Girl Technique.” It provides specific ways to compare what you do to a popular movie, song, book, or person to create a tell’ n sell elevator intro that gets your project’s foot in people’s mental door.
Steve: How do you come up with a memorable name or slogan? (I didn’t tell her about “Pompously Obfuscate on Purpose” yet because, though memorable it may be, it’s in an infamy kind-a-way.)
Sam: One of the best ways to make your name or slogan memorable is to use alliteration. Alliteration is when words start with the same sound. It makes your language lyrical, makes you instantly eloquent, and gives peoples’ minds a hook on which to hang a memory.
Say these words out loud.
Bed, Shower, and Toilet
Boom radio
Dirt Satan
Good Purchase
Dunkin Croissants
Rolls Jaguar
Steve: Now I’m hungry, sleepy, jiggy, and have to go …
Sam: They don’t POP! do they? They sound commonplace, and they’d be difficult to remember.
Now say these words out loud.
Bed, Bath, and Beyond
Boom Box
Dirt Devil
Best Buy
Dunkin Donuts
Rolls Royce
Hmm … they fit together, don’t they? Alliteration produces “ear music,” which has a nice ring and resonance, which means your brand name will linger longer in peoples’ minds.
Alliterate. Produce “ear music” with a nice ring and resonance and … your brand name will linger longer in peoples’ minds.
Steve: To stand out, you almost have to be one of a kind, or at least be perceived that way. What’s one of the best ways individuals and organizations can become one of a kind instead of one of many?
Sam: The best way to become one of a kind is to coin a word for your business, brand, or book that belongs to you and you alone. One way to do that is to use one of the 25 POP! techniques called Alphabetizing. Write down ten words you frequently use to pitch your project, product, or program. Those are your “Core Words.” Now, run each of those words through the alphabet, changing the sound of the first syllable to match the corresponding letter. I used this technique to create the trademarked term of Tongue Fu! – the verbal form of Kung Fu!
Tongue-Fu: Martial Arts for the Mind and Mouth
Tongue Fu! is martial arts for the mind and mouth. If you run Tongue Fu! through the alphabet, you come up with even more variations.
Fun Fu! is how to handle hassles with humor instead of harsh words.
Run Fu! is for when Tongue Fu! doesn’t work.
Tongue Glue is knowing when to keep your mouth shut.
Tongue Sue! is for lawyers.
Young Fu! is for kids.
These proprietary phrases could become articles, chapters in a book, or presentations for targeted audiences.
See how this works? Instead of competing with everyone else, your one-of-a-kind term turns you into the go-to resource because YOU are the sole provider of that particular item.
Steve: What’s one POP! technique anyone can use to help their ideas and offerings break out instead of blend in?
Create a Half and Half Word
Sam: Use what I call a Half and Half Word to go to the head of the class and become THE topic expert on your product or profession.
That’s what Dr. Francine Kaufman did by naming a cultural phenomenon that was taking place in the medical world. She noticed that more and more children were coming into her office diagnosed with diabetes. The link between diabetes and obesity had been known for years, however, no one had linked them in language until she did by coining the term Diabesity. By creating a one-word name for this condition, she got an impressive book deal and quickly became THE topic expert that media called first for interviews.
You can create your own Half and Half Word by getting a fresh piece of paper and drawing a vertical line down the center, dividing the paper into two columns. Now, start describing the different aspects of your cause, company, creation, or campaign − putting half the words on the left and half the words on the right.
For example, if you were opening a fusion restaurant that combined a mix of ethnic foods, you could write common words from one culture on the left and popular phrases from the other culture on the right. Now, take the first half of a word on the left and match it with the last half of the words on the right. Then take the first half of the next word on the left and match it with the last half of the words on the right, and so on. Keep playing with different combinations until you come up with one that POP!s – ala Ciao Mein, the perfect name for an Italian-Chinese bistro.
Steve: Got it. Piece of cake.
“I know that you believe you understand what you think I said, but I’m not sure you realize that what you heard is not what I meant.” – Robert McCloskey
Steve: What are a couple of laugh-out-loud examples of products that POP!d off the shelf because of their catchy name?
Sam: Here are a couple of my favorite examples of products that POP!d out of the pack because of their catchy names.
Diddle Daddle Piddle Paddle With a Saddle.
A father liked to get down on all fours and give his toddler a “horsy-back ride” around the living room, but his son kept falling off. So, he invented a human saddle he could cinch around his waist that had a safety belt so his son could ride to his heart’s content.
What to call this? Run “saddle” through the Alphabet and what do you come up with? That’s right. DADDLE.
Smitten by Smittens
A couple liked to go for a walk after dinner, but they lived in the Northeast and would freeze their fingers when it snowed. They created a co-joined mitten they could both put their hands in so they could keep their hands warm on their wintry walks. Their clever name? SMITTENS.
You may be thinking, “So what? Do catchy names drive sales?”
You bet it does.
Those clever products were featured in humor columnist Dave Barry’s annual December columns which feature interesting products that have been brought to his attention by his many fans. His column is syndicated in hundreds of newspapers around the country, which means MILLIONS of people now know about Daddle and Smittens.
Steve: Last question. (I pulled a draft of Donkey O’Tee’s book out to show her.) I’m going to run the title of my friend’s book by you. Could you give me your immediate response? If it POPS! or not?
“Anyone who afflicts the human race with ideas must be prepared to see them misunderstood.” – H. L. Mencken
Sam: Sure.
Steve: “Pompously Obfuscate on Purpose.”
“This is not a novel to be tossed aside lightly. It should be thrown with great force.”
– Dorothy Parker
Silence. Pretty deep silence. Complete silence one might say.
“From the moment I picked up your book until I laid it down, I was convulsed with laughter. Some day I intend reading it.” – Groucho Marx
Steve: It has purpose. It’s original. It’s quite pithy.
Sam: Ahem. It’s not quite the POP I’m talking about. More like how NOT to stand out in any crowd.
Steve’s face droops, deleteriously depressed for donkey.
Sam: However. It is something I’m writing about in my next book.
Steve’s face perks up. Visionaries – Donkey and he.
Sam: SLAP!
Steve: SLAP?
###
About Sam Horn
Sam is a respected author of well-reviewed books from major publishers including “Tongue Fu!®,” “ConZentrate,” “What’s Holding You Back?,” and “Take the Bully by the Horns,” all from St. Martins Press. These have been sold around the world (China, Japan, Argentina, France, and Germany); favorably reviewed in dozens of publications including Publishers Weekly, Library Journal, Chicago Tribune, Washington Post, Investors Business Daily, Foreign Service Journal, Dallas Morning News, and Readers Digest, and endorsed by many bestselling authors including Stephen R. Covey, Anthony Robbins, Jeffrey Fox, Susan Jeffers, Dave Pelzer, Susan Forward, Rabbi Harold Kushner, Richard Carlson, and John Gray.
Sam is a frequent media guest who has been interviewed on every major network (NBC, ABC, CBS, and FOX) and on dozens of radio shows including National Public Radio and Dr. Laura. Her work has even been featured on Jay Leno’s “Tonight Show” and “To Tell The Truth,” where she and her Tongue Fu!® team stumped the panel.
Do you need to know any more after that? really? Thankfully Sam Horn pulled it out for me. Steve eventually quit writing with the Donkey – they only speak at a local bar called “The Whiner Diner.” Though losing Donkey O’Tee as a writing partner cost him financially Steve has regained most of that income by modelings Kilts in his spare-time (he does not claim it to be a high-paying job).
How often has one person affected humanity to such a degree that were the fruits of his labor withdrawn immediately from our day-to-day existence, the world as we know it … would essentially stop? (more…)
“Acceptance Bridge: Crossing the Great Divide,” is a story about overcoming insurmountable odds, emotional twists, humorous turns, and a spiritually uplifting climax. And… it’s a lesson in the life-changing POWER of never giving up and never looking back.
“This story has everything it possibly needs to become a smash success. It will make every possible reader happy.” –Frederick Marx, Warrior Films.org– Producer, Director, Writer, “Hoop Dreams,” Named Best Film of the Decade by Roger Ebert.
Acceptance Bridge: Crossing the Great Divide
Book Preview
What a fine story and screenplay! What heart! Acceptance Bridge will make a memorable film.” – Mark Miller, legendary leading man, producer, and writer of “A Walk in the Clouds,” “Savannah Smiles,” “Christmas Mountain,” and “Diff’rent Strokes.”
Acceptance Bridge is so entertaining and exciting I couldn’t put it down. It’s ‘Glory Road,’ ‘Hoosiers’ and ‘Rudy’ combined as teams and individuals overcome handicaps and roadblocks on all levels. Inspiring is not a strong enough word for Acceptance Bridge… but it certainly works.” – Donn Burrows, Director, “The Big O: The Oscar Robertson Story.”
Media copies are available for review, email [email protected]. For information on bulk sales or speaking events email [email protected].
In Scandal or Crisis, Character is the Still the Coin of the Realm
These are tough times. Unstable times. Uncertain times that will test the vision, spirit, and mettle of everyone – in life and in business.
These are times when things could go radically and drastically wrong, or … a person or persons will step up, and by force of one character trait – mold the future direction of our world in a positive way. It’s a test really.
Do we have what it takes to pass?
Do you?
Sometimes you’re confronted with a scandal or crisis, not of your own making and that becomes your true test of character … especially when everyone in the world is looking.
“Character is like a tree and reputation like its shadow. The shadow is what we think of it; the tree is the real thing.”
– Abraham Lincoln
FLUNKING THE TEST
When the test of character is flunked …
families and friendships can be ruined,
businesses destroyed, and
governments brought down.
The story and interview that follows are not about avoiding a scandal or crisis, but how one American President through the strength of character dealt with a situation that threatened his presidency, his reputation, his place in history and America’s credibility.
AN AFFAIR SHAKES THE PRESIDENCY
In the mid-1980’s, President Ronald Reagan’s presidency was threatened by a looming scandal – The Iran-Contra affair. His reputation and the ability to lead the United States forward in hopes of ending the Cold War were in imminent danger.
At that critical moment, President Reagan decided to call the Ambassador to NATO, Dr. David M. Abshire, back to serve in the cabinet as Special Counselor.
TRANSPARENCY EXPEDITIOUS (not a disease)
Dr. Abshire’s mission?
Ensure a full investigation of the sale of arms to Iran in exchange for freeing American hostages and the subsequent funneling of those funds to Nicaraguan rebels. And (here’s the tough part) do it expeditiously and transparently, to restore the confidence of the nation in the shaken Reagan presidency.
That phrase sound familiar? To restore the confidence of a nation?
“The best executive is the one who has sense enough to pick good men to do what he wants done, and self restraint to keep from meddling with them while they do it.” – Theodore Roosevelt
Dr. Abshire co-founded the Center for Strategic and International Studies in Washington, D.C. His extensive experience, including service as Assistant Secretary of State and later as NATO Ambassador, gives him a perspective both unique and insightful. He was the president of the Center for the Study of the Presidency and also president of the Richard Lounsbery Foundation.
Dr. Abshire was Ambassador to NATO where in reaction to the threat posed by Soviet SS-20 missiles. Dr. Abshire also was the United States point man in Europe for deployment of Pershing and Cruise missiles. It was this NATO success that convinced the Soviets to sign the historic INP Treaty and withdraw their missiles. Ambassador Abshire initiated a new conventional defense improvement effort so that NATO would not have to rely heavily on nuclear weapons. For this, he was given the highest Defense Department civilian award – its Distinguished Public Service Medal.
Dr. Abshire has received the John Carroll Award for outstanding service by a Georgetown University alumnus; the Distinguished Graduate Award of the United States Military Academy; the 1994 U.S. Military Academy’s Castle Award; the Gold Medal of the Sons of the American Revolution; the Baylor Distinguished Alumni Award; the Order of the Crown (Belgium); Commander de l’Ordre de Leopold (Belgium); the Medal of the President of the Italian Republic, Senate, Parliament and Government; Grand Official of the Order of the Republic of Italy; Order of Diplomatic Service Merit Heung-In Medal (Korea); the insignia of the Commander, First Class, Order of the Lion of Finland; in 1999, the Order of the Liberator (Argentina); and in May 2001, the Order of the Sacred Treasure Gold and Silver Star (Japan). In addition to the Department of Defense Medal for Distinguished Public Service, he was awarded the Presidential Citizens Medal.
Dr. Abshire received his bachelor’s degree from the U.S. Military Academy at West Point.
In the Korean War, he served as a platoon leader, company commander, and a division assistant intelligence officer. He received The Bronze Star with Oak Leaf Cluster with V for Valor, Commendation Ribbon with medal pendant, and Combat Infantry Badge. He was awarded his Ph.D. in History from Georgetown University with honors (Gold Key Society). He received a Doctor of Humane Letters from Virginia Theological Seminary in 1992 and a Doctor of Civil Law, honoris causa, from the University of the South in 1994.
SAVING THE REAGAN PRESIDENCY
In 1987, Dr. Abshire served as a Special Counselor to President Reagan with Cabinet rank, to coordinate the Iran-Contra investigation, and had authority to meet with the President alone.
THE INTERVIEW
Steve: What was your most memorable moment in the crisis with President Reagan that best showcased his strength of character and determination?
Dr. Abshire: I would say that my most memorable moment with President Reagan was the initial phone conversation that I had with him in December 1986. At the time, I was at Truman Hall, my NATO Ambassadorial residence, and I had read all about the trouble the President was in regarding the sale of arms to Iran for hostages. The President requested I come back to Washington to be his special counselor – with cabinet rank – during this crisis and that I would report directly to him.
There are two very important things about this phone call that show Reagan’s strengths and character as a leader:
The fact that he called me personally and did not leave it to one of his staffers shows just how serious of a situation he was in, and just how important it was to him personally to climb out of this dilemma.
Other leaders in his position – who did not care about setting things right – would have left this job to somebody else. The fact that he didn’t says volumes about his determination to get ahead of this crisis.
The fact that he even requested a Special Counselor to help facilitate the crisis from the White House – with the job of getting everything out with no executive privilege – shows that he was concerned with setting things right.
President Reagan was concerned with his reputation as a leader and didn’t want to offer an opportunity for anybody to impugn his integrity and character saying that there was a cover-up.
Steve: What was the most important thing you learned from this experience?
Dr. Abshire: The most important thing I learned is that when you get in a hole, do not dig it deeper; come clean, get outside help, and climb out of it.
If you tell the truth, you don’t have to remember anything.
– Mark Twain
Steve: Examples?
Dr. Abshire: There are many instances of presidents – take Richard Nixon and Bill Clinton for example – that dug their hole deeper until they couldn’t get out.
Nixon did not know about the initial Watergate break-in, but he covered up the investigation.
Clinton, instead of admitting to his infidelity at the onset – which is not a crime, made the mistake of lying to a grand jury to hide it from his wife and family and came very close to impeachment.
Reagan, on the other hand, took the necessary steps to save his presidency, which leads me to my second point: the creation of the Tower Board.
Reagan empowered a bipartisan committee to investigate his involvement in the Iran-Contra scandal. This step was essential to show the public and Congress that he was serious about investigating any wrongdoing that may have happened on his watch. The President could not get out of his hole or create the Tower Board without “reaching out” – both to myself and to other Members of Congress.
By reaching out and involving Congress in the progress of the investigation, the President gave them a stake in its outcome and also a feeling that they were intimately involved in the process as a whole.
Steve: What surprised you most about this experience with President Reagan?
Dr. Abshire: I was most surprised by the practical nature of the President. For all talk of a Reagan and Conservative Revolution in the early 1980s with its anti-Communist sentiments, I was pleasantly surprised by Reagan’s philosophy – he was not an ideologue. I was impressed with his ability to shift America’s strategy to face the shifting currents of the times and not to strictly adhere to any ideological plank.
Steve: Example?
Dr. Abshire: A fine example of this characteristic was when – after he had referred to the Soviet Union as the “Evil Empire” – he came to an agreement with Mikhail Gorbachev at Reykjavik, Iceland to reduce nuclear weapon stockpiles and to limit production of entirely new types of nuclear weapons.
“Sow a thought; reap an action. Sow an act; reap a habit. Sow a habit; reap a character. Sow a character; reap a destiny.” – Charles Reader
Steve: So, in the end – for pauper, prince, president or pope …
Dr. Abshire: In scandal or crisis, character is always the coin of the realm.
Say Hello to One of the Finest New Piano Talents in America.
Is there really a prestidigitating piano-playing polyglot of a musical magician that can merge the styles of Yanni and Eastern Kentucky? A once in a lifetime piano talent in America that melds and moves effortlessly between the eclectic styles of Yanni, Jerry Lee Lewis, Billy Joel, Bruce Hornsby, Chick Corea and more?
Yes. And the only thing more impressive than this person’s prodigy-like talent is his humble, down-home personality and life story.
Meet…
Kory Caudill, singer, songwriter, composer, and piano player extraordinaire. A young man from Kentucky that performs wearing blue jeans, a University of Kentucky ball cap, and Creedence Clearwater Revival-like flannel shirts, but plays like Beethoven, Jerry Lee Lewis, and Bruce Hornsby combined, even on Bruce’s wildest, fastest, prestidigitating versions of “Spider Fingers.”
Launched Career When He Was Four Years Old
When Kory was four years old, he shocked his parents when he toddled to the piano and played the melody to John Williams “Theme from Superman.” At the age of four, he became involved with the Kentucky Opry at the Mountain Arts Center in Prestonsburg, Kentucky.
Versatile Virtuosity
Kory Caudill has a new album out called. “Tree of Life.” And guess what? He self-funded it by playing studio gigs and touring with Justin Moore and Brad Paisley. And versatile? Rock, Jazz, Classical, Country, Boogie Woogie and more. Kory describes his style as “Yanni Meets Eastern Kentucky.”
Throughout the interview, you’ll see examples of Kory playing different musical styles. Let me know what your favorite is. Email me at [email protected].
Interview:
Steve Kayser: (Steve): When did you realize music was going to be your career?
Kory Caudill (Kory): I love getting this question. I grew up in eastern Kentucky before social media made the world a much smaller place, so I feel like it was common for kids in that area to have misconceptions of what they could and could not be, with the job of “musician” being the exception.
This may come as a surprise to people from outside the region, but there are a lot of artistic resources available in eastern Kentucky that most places don’t have, most notably the Mountain Arts Center and the Kentucky Opry. I was able to gain some solid performance and recording experience there at an early age, so it never really occurred to me to pursue anything else for a living. All this in mind, I still grew up with the notion that;
“if I have to be as good as James Whited (guitarist for the Kentucky Opry), and he’s in Prestonsburg, there’s no way I’ll ever be good enough to keep up with folks from Lexington, Louisville, or Nashville.”
So when I was able to attend the Governor’s School for the Arts in 2003, I got to spend weeks with kids from across the state and focus solely on music the entire time. This allowed me to understand how unique the opportunities are that I had as a kid and that the Eastern Kentucky music scene was one of the most vibrant in the country. I credit my Eastern Kentucky roots with the drive to be a musician, and I credit GSA for providing me that “aha” moment where I was certain I would be a career musician.
I also feel like it’s typical for artists to have had to overcome skepticism from their inner circles when they make the decision to pursue music for a living. We often hear of folks being told they couldn’t be a successful artist, or that “musician” isn’t a real profession, and they’re driven by the want to prove those people wrong. I consider myself one of the most fortunate people in the world because every person in my life has done nothing but encourage me to be a musician. My dad always jokes that he “hocked the farm” to allow me to attend out of state, private school and major in music, and I always knew that it made him and Mom happy to do that.
A Kory Caudill Piano Sampler
Steve: Who have been your biggest musical influences? You play an eclectic and diverse set of music.
Kory: Thank you! My parents are both professional musicians, so I was turned on to a lot of hip music at an early age. I’m sure this is the case with most musicians, but my influences came in phases. Some folks I’ve done more than just listen to and studied are Bruce Hornsby, Pat Metheny, Billy Preston, the Yellowjackets, Yanni, Oscar Peterson, the Band, Lynyrd Skynyrd, Elton John, Goose Creek Symphony, and so on.
I’m proud of the record I made, “Tree of Life.” I heard a lot of these artists make their way into my sound without doing it intentionally. I also studied a lot of Chopin and Beethoven growing up. I grew up playing country music and loving the textures and simplicity of the music. I feel like some folks who live only in the jazz world can be quick to assume country is easy to play, but it’s not. In country (the kind I grew up playing), you’re left very exposed, so timing, phrasing and the melodic nature of what you’re playing has to be dead on. One of my favorite things we did was have the guitar players play twangy country licks, but with a modern tone. If you listen closely to the title track, Tree of Life, Mark Stephens is playing a hook in the chorus that you’d expect to hear out of a steel guitar, but it’s disguised by a gritty tone. All this said my biggest musical influence are my parents, and I don’t just mean that in a sentimental way. Mom was an excellent music teacher; she really knew how to make things connect for me when I was struggling with them.
Is This Awesome or What?
SIDEBAR: A good writer is never supposed to let his views and values tilt or taint an interview. But, in these days, when a son or a daughter so outwardly credits, and gives respect to their parents for giving them the love and support that enabled them to be the special person they are (without checking their cell phone 15 times in five seconds), it’s just awesome. Plus, I never claimed to be a good writer. So we’re good.
Dad is an awesome piano player, but I think he’s best on Hammond B3. Dad has an instantly recognizable style that will make the hair on your arms stand up!
Talking About the Hammond B-3 Organ
Steve: What has been your most enjoyable concert yet?
Kory: This is a tough one. I’ve been able to make music with a lot of great people, and I’ve already performed thousands of shows in my relatively short career. There have been the huge concerts with Justin Moore, where you’re onstage with guys you consider brothers, and you look out into a sea of people and think;
“How did we get here? We were just in a van and trailer a couple of years ago.”
There have been some larger scale concerts of my own that were extremely memorable as well. That said, the most fun I’ve had was my senior recital at Belmont. Of course, I had to perform a couple of tunes that leaned more academic (and ate me alive), but none of that mattered. For the last tune, I surprised Dad and got him up on stage to play “This Little Light of Mine” with us. After an hour of tough, polished music, Dad came on stage, and we just mapped out the tune right there as if we were in church. Dad and I had performed together regularly, but never in Nashville in a theater full of other great musicians. It was an awesome moment in which I didn’t even realize I’d shut everything else out and was just jamming with my Dad, which was the perfect way to end my college career and begin my journey as an artist.
This Little Light of Mine
Steve: The business of music is much different than the raw creation process of music. What have been your three most important lessons so far?
Kory: Great question. As a new artist, I’ve learned to enjoy the process of blending the two. A lot of artists speak negatively on the business side of things, but the business side is simply the link between your audience and the music you want to share with them. I’m no expert, and nobody’s ever accused me of being the sharpest tool in the shed, but here are a few of the things being a new artist has taught me:
1. Be honest with yourself and create what’s genuine.
I know it’s easy for me to say this because I’m not a typical artist. I’ve lucked into a situation with my management and record label where I can pretty much create what I want, and they’ll put it in front of people, but I still think they’re willing to do so because the authenticity of what I give them only enhances the commercial potential of what we do. Even though I’m in a genre that has more room to breathe as far as creativity, I know that audiences in all genres are perceptive to whether or not an artist believes what they’re singing or playing, and that in turn has an effect on the business side of what they do.
2. When it comes to making music, listen to what everybody has to say.
Even your critics, even the folks who know little about music, and even your spouse! When I was in the mixing phase of my debut album, my wife Amanda walked into the studio and said (in her sexy little accent that turns more country when something has offended her) “gosh, what is that sound… it sounds like it’s from China or something,” in response to a track I was mixing. She was referring to an acoustic guitar that I’d EQ’d all the bottom end and mid range out of, which I’m guessing made it sound more like a sitar to her. My gut reaction was to laugh and tell myself she didn’t know what she was talking about, but I wised up and had two “light bulb” moments from this.
One, it reminded me that the purpose of making music is to make other folks happy. There are some brilliant musicians out there who are set in their ways and have become successful because of the “I’m an artist, I only do things a certain way, if you don’t get it then you’re not artistic” thing… I respect that, but that ain’t me. I want people like Amanda to hear my music and experience something personal instead of thinking, “wow, he’s really good” or “well that was weird sounding, he must be creative.”
Two, I’m trying to sell music to folks who don’t have time to learn about music, nor do they need to concern themselves with how to describe what they hear. Like Amanda, the folks I want to sell music to do other important things for a living (in Amanda’s case, much more important). It’s ok to be firm regarding how you want to make your music– I am–but I like to be of the mindset that everybody has something valuable to contribute to your creation process.
3. It’s about relationships. This music career thing is awesome.
You get to meet more people in a month than most people get to in a lifetime. Make friends with everybody. I’ve got a feeling that if I’m lucky enough to make it to old age, I’m going to think back to all the friends I’ve made, and the music will have only been what allowed me to meet them.
Steve: I heard Bruce Hornsby say in an interview that it’s much harder to sell records than it used to be because of the ways the music industry has been disrupted and the pirating issues. The economics, the money for musicians, seems to be in touring. Are you finding that to be true?
Kory: It’s a little early for me to be able to answer this with any certainty, but I do think that Bruce Hornsby and I are similar in that we tend to focus on our live performances to begin with. I’m hoping that as we start to really work “Tree of Life” this summer we’re able to turn some heads as far as sales, but I’m heavily focused on getting folks out to concerts and bringing them to the edge of their seat from start to finish. I’ve always wanted to be a performer, and making albums is a fun part of that process. I’m finding myself doing different, grittier versions of my songs live because fewer rules apply than they do in the studio. Economically, I’m still figuring things out, and I may not be the best example because of how different my career path is. For now, I sell the most records on tour dates, so the two seem to go hand in hand, but I’m curious to see how things shape up as we grow.
Steve: Why did you decide to self-fund your Tree of Life album? What’s the theme of your album? What’s it mean to you?
Kory: For starters, I didn’t have a record deal before I made the album, so my options were to fund it, or try crowdfunding. I think that crowdfunding can be a great thing for a lot of different goals, such as medical expenses, mission trips, extracurricular academic ventures, etc., but strictly about music, I’m not a fan of it. I think that crowdfunding in music is different than other areas because it’s possible to work as a musician to obtain the funds you need, but many in my generation lack the patience and drive for this.
Being a musician means I have the privilege of providing folks with an experience. I knew I wanted to make an album one day, so I moved to Nashville at 18 and began a several year process–which involved little sleep– to obtain the tools and resources to do so. Also, my parents did everything they could to send me to a music college they couldn’t afford. After graduating, I began work as a touring musician, and after a couple of years, I had the money to record an album they way I wanted it recorded. I was driven to do this because it gives me a purpose to make something that has a positive effect on people. I could have never asked folks to pay for something I wanted to do to make them proud and happy. Additionally, it would negate my entire reason for being a musician and point my career in a very self-centered direction. There are so many more ways an artist can obtain the resources for musical ventures that
Also, it would negate my entire reason for being a musician and point my career in a very self-centered direction. There are so many more ways an artist can obtain the resources for musical ventures that puts financial responsibility on them instead of fans. When I was given the chance to demo “Cowboys and Angels” for Dustin Lynch, I went to the bank and took out a loan so I could pay the band/studio/engineer, then recoup that money knowing I would do a good enough job to somehow be invited on the master project. In addition to all of this, I have never known anything other than unconditional support from those around me, so it was very rewarding to be able to show folks that they had gotten me to a place that allowed me to handle this project myself.
To me, the theme of this album is family. The older I get, the more I’m able to comprehend how fortunate I am. I wanted to make an album that reflected on how thankful I am for the people around me, as well as the way I experience life. I enjoy instrumental music because each song can invoke a broader emotion for different people while allowing them to apply it to their personal experiences.
Intro to The Tree of Life Album – Intimate Setting
Steve: What tips would you share to help other up and coming artists?
Kory: It’s a process. Cliche, I know. My managers and the label tell me once a week that;
“It’s a marathon, not a sprint.”
This helps me sleep at night. I’m in no position to give advice, but I can share some that I read about which helped me a lot. I was reading a Pat Metheny interview a while back where Pat mentioned how new artists like to think in terms of “if I only had X, then I could do Y,” when the best thing we can do is ask ourselves “what can I do in the next fifteen minutes that will let me work towards achieving this bigger goal?” For me, I could have a million things going on in terms of upcoming concerts/deadlines, but I stress most when there is nothing going on. I’ve had to learn that there’s always something I can be doing to make progress, even if it’s just sitting down at the piano and running scales longer than I usually do.
Steve: Spider Fingers by Bruce Hornsby… I always troll the web for people playing that song. You’re the only one that has ever come remotely close to pulling it off live. The only one except Bruce himself. Why did you decide to take that tune on? Musical challenge?
Kory: I decided to take on that tune during college. Bruce makes it sound so effortless, so when it came time for us to pick which tune we wanted to do for the Rock Ensemble performance, I figured it’d be a fun challenge…I had no idea how tough it would end up being. As I dove into it, I quickly gained, even more, appreciation for Bruce and what he does. Looking back, I think that me and the guys would play the tune much differently now. I think that in capturing the dexterity and flash of what the lyrics talk about, we still missed on how deep Bruce’s groove is, which is probably common for young players.
I will say, though, I do like that we usually tend to rock a bit more towards the end of the tune, I always dug having it peak the way we did. I’m from the bluegrass capital of the world, so I like to play on top of the beat more than what somebody like Bruce would probably dig. That said, one semester my roommate and I waited outside a back alley for Bruce to go into soundcheck at the Brown in Louisville (flattering I know), and after we approached him saying, “it’s ok, we’re piano majors.” Bruce stopped and talked to us.
It turns out he had seen my video of Spider Fingers online, and he said;
“Yes, that’s the toughest tune I play and here you’ve made it sound effortless,”
Needless to say, that’s been one of the coolest moments of my career.
This is What Bruce Was Talking About
Steve: What is the song you most enjoy playing- have the most fun?
Kory: This is where I should probably tell you it’s some emotional piece off the record, some overly technical number, or some hit I’ve recorded on for another artist, but honestly I have the most fun when I play “The Weight” by the Band. I love that song, and I never really take the time to think about why, I just make sure I put it into every set we play.
Steve: What was it like playing at the Hollywood Bowl? How did that gig happen?
Kory: That was a special day. I played it with Justin Moore on the Brad Paisley tour. Earlier in the day, I had coffee with Mike Regan, who manages one of my biggest influences, Yanni. When you grow up in eastern Kentucky and get to have coffee with your hero’s manager before you go play the Hollywood Bowl with your best friends, it’s safe to say you’re blessed beyond imagination.
Steve: What’s your schedule like for the rest of the year?
Kory: I have several concerts that we’re waiting to confirm for the coming months, and we’re doing a very busy radio tour this summer. All this will lead up to a major event we have planned late fall and a Christmas tour that ends with our annual Christmas special in Elizabethtown, Kentucky.
Steve: Thanks, Kory. Looking forward to seeing you at “Live at the Ludlow Garage” in Cincinnati, Ohio May 13th, 2017.
Before You Go, Watch The Real Spider Fingers Take on Frankenstein
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For more information on Kory Caudil go to: Website: www.KoryCaudill.com Twitter: @KoryCaudill
I took it in stride.
It was just too painful. Counseling didn’t work.
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