6 Questions For Publisher Richard Feldman

Richard Feldman has lived a life of many successes in the music business, from hit songwriter for artists like Eric Clapton, to Grammy-winning producer for reggae legends Toots and The Maytals ("True Love"), to founder and publisher of his own Artists First Music, to the current president of the American Independent Music Publishers association (which is well worth the $60 fee for online membership for anyone intending to make any money from songwriting or publishing).

Here's Richard's answers to our 6 questions:

1) How did you break into the business?
Steady grind, friends who made it before I did, and finally a #1 record
which I wrote for Eric Clapton ("Promises").

2) What makes you unique?
Perspective as a fan, player, writer, producer and business man.

3) Who was your biggest influence?
Several:

1. JJ Cale and Leon Russell – humility in music and persona
2. Authors - Graham /Dodd – whose philosophy on value investing applies to music as well as – stock picking
3. Bill Willet - the guy I saw playing guitar for a bunch of girls when I was 12 years old.

4) What's the best thing about your job?
Not having to go through HR (Human Resources for you muso's who've never had a corporate job) reviews.

5) When and where were you the happiest?
On vacation - or when things click.

6) What's the best piece of advice you ever received?
Advice I heard from someone who was advised by producer Billy Sherrill that the most
important word in the music business is the word "NEXT".

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