IT’S RAINING AGAIN
The latest volume of Rainmakers is out. To commemorate the occasion, here are excerpts from our interviews with Ambrosia Healy, Lionel Ridenour and Jim Roppo.
“I’ve had such a crazy life,” Capitol Music Group EVP, Head of Media Strategy & Relations Ambrosia Healy acknowledges. “I was born in San Francisco into an extremely unconventional family. My father, Dan Healy, was the sound engineer for The Grateful Dead for almost 30 years. The Dead was my family’s life. My family also owned a radio station—which was in our house—and I slept in the record library. From eighth grade until my senior year in high school, one of my household chores was hosting a radio show on Saturday afternoons and Sunday mornings. I remember the click-clack sound of the AP newswire, which sat right next to my bunk bed. I’d jump out of bed, grab my records, rip the news off the wire and pick out stories based on whether I could pronounce all the words.”
Veteran promo man Lionel Ridenour, the founder/CEO of Anchor Promotions, the only Black-owned label services/promotion company in the country, has worked with some of the greatest execs in the business, notably Clarence Avant. “Having someone who looks like you, knowing that he fought the fights that made it possible for so many of us to have the success we’ve had while also being able to bestow wisdom upon all of us, that’s what I love about Clarence,” Ridenour explains. “Also, Clarence doesn’t give a fuck. You can absolutely print that. He would stand up for injustice... and help bring the Black executives up to parity. He is an overall great dealmaker. One thing he would tell me is, ‘Kid, it’s all about the numbers.’ No matter what, it could be your deal or the numbers as they relate to your spins, in the final analysis it all breaks down in this business to the numbers.”
Growing up in disparate international locales—including Germany and Panama—Republic Records Co-President Jim Roppo learned to speak four languages and developed decidedly eclectic and global taste in music. “I was born in Pennsylvania and grew up with my father, who worked for the government,” Roppo recalls. "We lived in California for a few years, then moved to Panama. My father and stepmother had a strong affection for music, and there was a substantial record collection in our home, ranging from The Beatles and The Rolling Stones to soft rock like America, the Eagles and Bread. The first music I remember buying for myself was KISS’ Alive II album. One artist who became a big influence was Bob Marley. I’ve always been moved by socially conscious and progressive lyrics wrapped in infectious rhythms. John Lennon was my other great musical hero.”
