Q: If any, what kind of musical background does your family have?
A: My sister took violin for a little bit, I would write a bunch of music notes on a staff and ask
her to play them. That’s about it as far as family involvement in music.. but I have always been
an avid music lover, as far back as I can remember. I would go to sleep with a little transistor
radio under my pillow! My generation saw MTV being born. My deeper interests stemmed
from psychedelic rock and outward from there, I wanted to know how bands formed, from
what relationships, and how styles morphed over time. I learned about producers, promoters,
writing, and touring. I listened between the lines.
Q: Is Hot Jam Media an overall company or just a magazine? If it's an overall company, what
are some of the other things you have under Hot Jam Media?
A: I started a non-profit back in 2010, OP Music House, an outreach to raise awareness and
prevention for domestic violence. With a non-profit, there are so many rules to follow, there
are lots of things you can’t do, for example you can’t promote a band if they can make
money from doing so. Since I was becoming deeply rooted in promotions, that was a major
mismatch, so I created another company where I could showcase all the bands and talents
that I want to promote. I featured a lot of the coverage I did at the 2013 NAMM show there,
and look forward to getting another staffer on board to help me keep up! So Hot Jam Media
is a media outlet where I can do soapbox promotions, and not worry about breaking any
rules!
Q: Tell us about some of the other people you have helped that stand out to you in your mission against domestic violence.
A: I’ve discovered that most times when I do something to help someone else, something
wonderful comes of it. For example, I spent some time looking at other people who do what
I do, and agencies who are bigger than mine, and compare notes. I donated to one of them,
and later that night, I get a call from a completely unrelated association, Braveheart Women,
saying that I was chosen as the Female Visionary Author for 2014 and got a free ticket to a 4day event in Los Angeles! Presenters and entertainment include Jamie Lee Curtis, Snatam
Kaur, Jeannette Alom-Hill and Ellie Drake.
Q: What advice would you give to others out in the world?
A: All I can say, is do good, help others, stay true to yourself, and never wish negativity on
anybody! Everything you do comes back greater, whether positive or negative. Knock on
every door you come across, because eventually some of them
open. It might not be today or tomorrow, or even a year from now,
but what you did a couple years
ago will come back bigger, problems don’t go away, and good
deeds are good seeds, which grow
and provide for your soul. (Cont’d)
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