Dear Jerry:

People do make a difference in someone's life

Long, long, long ago, before I became creative
I didn't know it then, But I know it now,
That you are partially responsible for my creativity
Through the people that you helped and or discovered

For without your insight the world as we know it
might not have spiraled so wonderfully, without you and
your determination and choices,
Believe me the world is and have been a better place, you
have helped so many, many people, too many to mention.

But here's three of them-

Aretha Franklin, Bobby Darin & Wilson Pickett
Oh yes and I can't forgot Solomon Burke

Jerry you're one of the founding fathers of producting of
the music world, and this fact the world should always know
and never, ever forget. And I'm gonna do my very, very best
to educate all who don't know this fact.

And it's also a fact that you helped build Atlantic Records,
maybe you didn't have a board, nails, and a hammer but
dam-mit I'm gonna say it "Don't Stop Me," I'm gonna say it
that "Atlantic Records" is truly truly the house that Jerry built
And I thank you for helping the people that helped me understand
and appreciate the music that I and a few million and ten
and constantly growing freinds and family love.

And if you were before me I would ummm "smack a kiss upon your
forehead, bless you and "Minger on Dude, Minger On."

Mingering Mike

So many people have fallen
stars,kin,friends,co-workers…and
each death strikes us in various ways

Death of a Star
"Oh!"My"…or "OH…Well!"…to
"Oh..No!"…"I can't believe this

Death of Kin
Sometimes you never come out of the fog
because it hurts so much

Death of a Friend
The sound of their laughter,is silenced forever
like shattered glass," one minute assembled
and solid,the next minute,disassembled and irreplaceable

Death of a Co-Worker
We did lunch,we laughed, we joked,we worked
side by side," And now the absence and silence"
seems too great to ever calm,with the ever continuing
presence of their present-ness.


JAMES BROWN

He spoke,when we couldn't
find the words to speak.
He made us feel,love,funk and have fun
when we didn't know,that we could.
He was like the wise ol' barber
that only spoke when he had something
significant to say.
He was a teacher,that taught, without
reading it from a book!
writing it on a board!
or using a ruler,"To Smack You on the Hand"
and yet he put thoughts of
"Yes I Can,"and "Yes I Will",In our hearts and minds
He was a preacher,that didn't always practice what he
preached,but through his…lowest moments
We learned and understood his burning pain.
"That Was Mr. Dynamite!"
"the man","the myth","the legend"
And now he's gone,And he won't .. "sadly to say"
be back,"But what he has left in our hearts and minds
Will forever stick and stay,And never,But never, I mean ever
Fade away,And just like an adlib in one of his songs
"Bye","I'm Gone!"

"Hi," "Now what you're doin' up at this hour?"
"Don't you got work?"
"Don't blame me when you're finished
Visiting my site," And you say
To Yourself, "Let me just rest my eyes a little"

Next thing you know, you wake up a week later
Rushing to get to work only to find out
Your work place is now an empty lot

"Wow" some kind of little napp
"What!"... Didn't you get the memo?
But any who... Ladies and Gents
I'm Mingering Mike

Oh Please... sit down, "have a drink
I believe I'll have a "quadruple jeopardy"
That's a chocolate shake, mixed with,
banana, orange juice and red seedless grapes
Ummm now that's good, good drinking

Caution: If attempting to drink this blend
of mixtures, be sure to ware a dispossible diaper
until the drink is completely out of your system

Let me get back to letting you read
my written smile

It all started when I was a little "pup"
..."UH! OH!... "Too far back"
"Well," "Yah-dah," "Yah-dah," "Yah-dah,"...
Which fast forward brings us to - Today
And that your interest humbles and surprises me

I can't sit down here 24-7
But I'll do what I can to keep
the lines of communication open.

Exclusively Yours,
Mingering Mike