“Hello, it’s been while. Not bad, how about you?” -- England Dan

It’s a full 20 years – 2 decades!? – since this company was born. It’s impossible now to pin down a precise birth date (and let’s just forget about the weight), but experts agree it was 1987 when I was managing Tim Sample and other friends like Devonsquare, Dave Mallett, Jud Strunk, Marshall Dodge, and Bill Chinnock asked me to help them book gigs. (uh… Dave? You’re the only one left…). At about the same time, a few friends with yachts in the Caribbean asked me to line up some charters for them in the summer on the coast of Maine. All of a sudden, it was “Hey, I don’t have to play all these gigs.” By 1990, I was all done with the strumming and driving portion of life’s program; a full-time desk jockey. Mr. Mom to son Casey, a phone (sometimes two) stuck in my neck, deals everywhere. Life was pretty good, I didn’t miss the gigging at all. Still don’t. Every year, the company grew. L.L. Bean was bragging about how they topped themselves each year and lavishing bonuses; until one year, they didn’t. And I felt some good matching or beating them on the points -- if not the volume. Let me now pause to salute some fantastic folks who served as staff over the decades: Carol Reece, Susan Jones, the great Dot O’Donnell (more about her later), Stacie Mariano, Caleb Winslow, Joy of Many Names, Phil Clement, Liz Gross, Anonymous, Annoynymouse, and the one with the Hair. You were all wonderful and I wish I could have quadrupled those bonuses and given 4 times as many. Really. It sounds like I’m about to announce my retirement. Uh, sorry, no.

But I am reimagining, perhaps reinventing, my work self. Again. And if you have read this far, I hope you’re part of the future. It’s not fully designed, of course, but please come for the ride.

“The future ain’t what it used to be.” –Yogi Berra

We’re on a faster cycle these days, surely you’ve noticed. Trends, business realities, fads, music stars --- all come and go faster than they used to. I’m not sure this is good, and I won’t say it’s all bad, but we either adapt or die and that’s just the way it is. If you don’t like it, you can kill your television and trash your computer. What do you bet in another ten years or sooner, those two staples of our existence will be a single appliance? Ruling such things out would be a mistake.

“We have learned from our mistakes; we can repeat them exactly.” -- Peter Cook

Gulp. Mea Culpa. I screwed uppa. For the first time in 2 decades (!), I neglected a whole slew of inquiries. I have paid, am paying, will continue to pay for this multiple mistake, and all I can do is make sure it doesn’t happen again. And say “I’m Sorry” a few hundred times. Here’s what happened. After 14 great years, Dot O’Donnell left her employment here. It goes without saying – but I’ll say it anyway -- that I miss her cheerful competence every working day. My wife Linda and our cat Marley miss her a lot, too. She was everything you could want in an office partner. But all good things end and this is a solo operation for the foreseeable future. I knew it wouldn’t be easy taking over her job and keeping up with mine. It wasn’t. Especially neglected were the new inquiries that came in between February and August. Is “sorry” enough? No. But I thank those who give me another chance.

“What is it that you do, anyway?” -- Sue

We book and produce special event entertainment for corporations, private and public celebrations, festivals, and weddings. When we’ve matched up the perfect artist at the fairest possible price, we use our experience and extensive national and regional contacts to pull together everything else you need for the greatest show possible at the lowest cost imaginable.

“Ultimately, it’s all about the shows.” -- Paul McCartney

Is it ever. Since the last newsletter, we’ve had a good number of interesting and notable shows. Among them: Suze Orman, Frankie Valli, Suzy Bogguss, Terri Clark, Leahy, Don McLean, Blood Sweat & Tears, Three Swingin’ Tenors, Pink Flamingos, Don Rickles, Blood Sweat & Tears, Mamadou Diop, Tess Gerritson, Boogaloo Swamis, Pete Kilpatrick, Rustic Overtones, New Black Eagle Jazz Band, Amy Dalley, Enter The Haggis, Chuck Negron, Julie Roberts (to name drop only a few). See a fuller list here.

“We’re in touch, so you be in touch.” -- Hugh Downs

Rolo Update: Office phone is unchanged: 207-354-8928. The cell phone is 207-596-3023. (Please don’t give it out to any of those pesky big stars who will undoubtedly ask you for it). I am getting rid of the long-time fax line (all I get now is unwanted junk), but I can still receive faxes from those clever enough to call me first. The web site, www.entertainmaine.com will soon get some refurbishing and a proper blog. You can always e-mail me at cbk@entertainmaine.com. Personal e-mail, select jokes, YouTube links, etc. should go to cbkruger@verizon.net.

Don’t say you can’t get in touch with me.