The Day The Music Died
March 13, 2020. Friday the 13th. In my mind, this date will live in infamy — the day the music died. The BIG shutdown. The BIG shutshow. Although Don McLean sang about it in his ode to the late, great Buddy Holly, I didn’t have to drive my Chevy to the levy to find out it was dry. We’ve all had to make a lot of adjustments in the COVID-19 quarantine, but the thing I miss the most is live music. I miss big concerts. I miss small shows in a club. I miss listening to a dude on a dock stringing a guitar at sundown. At this point, I’m so hungry for live music, I’d settle for a pack of terribly drunk Karens belting out a spirited nine-minute rendition of American Pie on karaoke night.
It’s been almost a year since I saw Flat Elvis play at the Magnificent Midlothian Food Festival. I miss listening to Pat O’Brien on the patio at Sedona Taphouse. And by this point in the year, I would have seen the 80s cover band, The Legwarmers at least two or three times at The National. The only live music act I’ve seen since the pandemic began was Good Shot Judy at an outdoor venue – New Kent Winery – thanks to our friends Joe and Jo Anna Dombroski.
The live music industry may only be a sliver of the overall U.S. economy, but it’s responsible for hundreds of thousands of jobs and $25 billion annually to the economy. Music is one of the only things that can connect us — even when we’re spending most of our time apart. My Facebook feed shows that we are more divided than ever — right, left, and center. Music may not be an “essential” industry, but I can’t imagine a world without it. I hope for my sake and your sake we can kick back, relax, and listen to some live music soon.
Longtime readers of my blog will realize that I once wrote the epitaph of music 16 years ago. Originally, I thought the day the music died was August 17th, 2004 when the legendary Smokey Robinson released “Gang Banging.” Although, the album is no longer for sale — not even on Apple Music — it still lives on in internet infamy.
Monday, September 21 — Lights, Camera, Action!
On Monday we worked all day, shooting our new TV spot for the Virginia Department of Health. Thanks to our good friends at Broadscope Media for their help and hard work. We finished shooting just after 9 p.m. Never fear. Everyone wore their masks and sanitized their hands frequently — agency staff, production crew, and talent.
Tuesday, September 22 — Take Two!
We had so much fun Monday that we decided to do it all over again at 8 a.m. on Tuesday, which meant that I missed my Rotary meeting (no worries guys and gals, I’ll pay my fine next week). Special thanks to Maria Oseguera, the owner of Maya Mexican Grill and Tequila Lounge on Grace Street for letting us use their awesome patio and restaurant for the shoot. On another note, many restaurants in RVA are on the ropes, and you can do your part by visiting great local eateries like Maya. Click here to call ahead and make a reservation at this casual and modern Mexican eatery.
We also got word that Tuesday was Elephant Appreciation Day, so we showed our appreciation to Richmond-based Elephant Insurance. Thank you Elephant Insurance for signing up as an endorser for the COVIDWISE campaign. Elephant always does things in a big way and not only emailed all of their employees and shared our information on social media, but they sent out a press release encouraging Virginians to download the free app from VDH. And here’s the elephant in the room — your company could join the fight against COVID-19 by simply emailing us at COVIDWISE@madisonmain.com. You will get a media toolkit and some great, free publicity while helping Virginians fight COVID.
Wednesday, September 23 — Yearn To Learn
We took advantage of the first day of fall to send our multi-talented Senior Art Director Carissa Ghaffari over to Cedarfield to shoot some new photos of the Richmond-based premier senior living community. Meanwhile back at the office, the smiling and energetic crew from Merry Maids came in to sanitize the Worldwide HQ of Madison+Main. They even vacuumed the crumbs out of Communications Director Kent Brockwell’s beard.
In the afternoon, Account Executive Andrew Simpson and I were able to catch up with friend and client Larry Frank, owner of the Huntington Learning Center in Short Pump. We’re happy to give them a special shoutout here. If your child is having trouble adjusting to online learning, the folks at Huntington can help. Larry’s team of excellent tutors are doing some magnificent work with young people whose local school systems (and I’m not naming names) have failed them.
Thursday, September 24 — Paying It Forward
In a few weeks, on October 8 to be exact, we would have been celebrating the 112th birthday of Miss Lucy Corr, founder of the Chesterfield County-based CCRC. This week we worked with Tammy Shackelford, the new Executive Director of the Lucy Corr Foundation and set up a GoFundMe fundraiser in order to provide 270 “birthday gifts” to the residents at Lucy Corr. I personally think it’s important to remember that these folks have been isolated for more than seven months, and we can honor our elders by providing them with a small gift to let them know we’re thinking about them. So far, we’ve raised $2,105 which will provide personalized gifts for 105 residents. Do me a favor and make a small donation to this great cause today.
Friday, September 25 — You’ve Got Mail!
Originally I had planned to take the day off. I slept late, walked the dog, and discovered it was raining. So I went back to work. Those 20,957 emails in my inbox are not going to delete themselves.
A Few of Our Favorite Events
4308 Hermitage Road | Richmond, VA
October 24, 2020 | TBD
Our good friend, Bobby Kelland from Aflac, is gearing up for his second non-profit bike ride this year on behalf of Andrea Starr and the Forward Foundation. This time, it’s a 50-mile ride from Bryan Park to Ashland and back. The ride will raise money to support single mothers and provide them financial assistance for quality childcare, as well as educational workshops. Donate today online or text “Donate” and the amount to 804-352-2820 (ex: Donate $5) to help him reach his $15,000 goal by October 24.
Master Distiller’s Dinner at A. Smith Bowman Distillery
1 Bowman Drive | Fredericksburg, VA
November 14, 2020 | 6-9 p.m.
Smith Bowman Distillery and Earth Apple LLC have partnered to bring you a unique bourbon experience! Master Distiller Brian Prewitt will start the evening off with a guided tasting of rare Abraham Bowman Limited Edition Whiskies, accompanied by delectable small bites specially selected by Chef Jessica Wilkins. Following the tasting, Chef Jessica will treat guests to a 3-course dinner served with carefully crafted bourbon cocktails. Tickets will cost $125 per person and go on sale October 14 at 10 a.m. via Eventbrite.
Got an upcoming event you want to share? Can we come? Send us the deets!
“I really haven’t strayed too far, musically, from my roots.“
— Smokey Robinson