Tuesday, May 13, 2008

Playboy December 1965 Advice Letter From Barry Manilow

Source: http://scootertalk.blogspot.com/2006/08/playboydecember-1965vol.html

PLAYBOY
December - 1965
Vol. 12, No. 12

Letter:

Music has always been a vital part of my life. Due to financial difficulties, however, I had to stop attending music school and accept a job at a leading radio-and-television network. Through enormous good fortune, I have been promoted very rapidly and at the age of 22 I hold a junior executive position with a very generous salary. The only drawback is that this position has absolutely nothing to do with music.

During these past few years, between working and attending college, I have managed to musically direct and conduct three full-scale musicals at various theater workshops in New York. I now have an offer to take this last musical out of town for a period of six to eight months at a good salary with the promise of a permanent position as a musical director.

My musical wild oats are screaming to be sown, but it means giving up my secure job. Leaves of absence are rare, so it looks like it's either one or the other. Any suggestions?

--B. M., Brooklyn, New York.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Answer:

Follow your real interest and take the musical out of town. At your age, your financial responsibilities are few. If you remain in the secure job, you may regret for the rest of your life that you didn't sow your notes. You can always go back to radio and television; your ability was recognized once; chances are it would be recognized again--if not with your former employer, then elsewhere.



Originally posted 8/09/2006 12:04:00 PM

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