NARM HONORS PAUL SMITH

NARM gave its prestigious Presidential Award for Sustained Executive Achievement posthumously to industry legend Paul Smith at last night's Scholarship Foundation Dinner.

Concluding the first official day of the convention, NARM honored the distribution giant in a touching ceremony with Smith's family in attendance. The dinner featured the Irish Tenors singing the "Star Spangled Banner" and "God Bless America "that had the audience on its feet.

Quite frankly, the Tenors tapped into a prevailing emotion running through the convention as the United States stands on the verge of war. Many have voiced the surreal nature of the possibility of the U.S. beginning action against Iraq during this music convention.

That being said, formal product presentations return to the confab for the first time in five years. Universal, EMI and Arista are all presenting new music to the attendees today.

We are still awaiting word of the fates of the Best Buy staff as they change into their new Integrated Operating Model.

Columbia sales honcho Tom Donnarumma and Epic sales topper Bill Frolich have been virtually joined at the hip as announcements of the shape of the "new" Sony are expected shortly.