Palm Springs a la Carte served up Feb. 1, 2009

Palm Springs a la Carte gets served up February 1, 2009

Mel Haber still doesn't know how to cook a steak, make a Bloody Mary or open a cash register.

That's not an astounding statement to make unless you have been a very successful restaurateur and have been in business for more than three decades. Haber, who was the operator of six different restaurants, including the legendary Melvyn's Restaurant and the Ingleside Inn in Palm Springs, made every mistake in the book and succeed in spite of himself.

Perhaps even more amazing is the fact how the former automotive novelty manufacturer from Coney Island, Brooklyn, stumbled into the desert in 1975 and made a name for himself in a business he knew nothing about – the hospitality industry.

Palm Springs a la Carte: The Colorful World of the Caviar Crowd at Their Favorite Desert Hideaway (Barricade Books, 2009) is a charming, often hilarious book describing the adventures of novice restaurateur and hotelier, Melvyn Haber, an automotive accessory manufacturer from the bowels of New York City who is a legend in the sugar-frosted society of Palm Springs.

Haber admits he made every mistake in the book, which didn't preclude him from running one of the most successful restaurant's and hotels of all time. His establishments have attracted a guest list that reads like a Who's Who of the world. Visitors have included Frank Sinatra, Bob Hope, Marlon Brando, Liberace, Liza Minnelli, President Gerald Ford, Steve Allen, Lucille Ball, Dinah Shore, Rita Hayworth, Jerry Lewis and June Allyson.

Haber restored the historic inn and grounds, and built his own restaurant, Melvyn's. He learned the business the hard way and lived through a comedy of errors that would have bankrupted most investors in today's ultra-competitive hotel and restaurant markets. He managed not only to survive, but flourish, and became an example of the American dream in its fullest flower.

The book is filled with entertaining stories that offer a peek into the colorful world of celebrities, Hollywood elite, royalty, diplomats, mafioso and lovable con artists at their favorite desert hideaway. As a raconteur, Haber has few equals. With this book, he finally lifts the velvet rope to give readers the best seat in the house, and enthralls them with witty stories about his black-tie clientèle.

These days you're likely to see Arnold Schwarzenegger and Maria Shriver, Sylvester Stallone, Cher, David Hasselhoff, Barry Manilow, Lance Bass, Kurt Russell and Goldie Hawn, Donald Trump and John Travolta enjoying themselves at the site. It remains one of the world's top dream resorts.

Haber feels his story should be an inspiration to everybody, because in his own words, “If I can make it, anybody can.”

Mel Haber is currently the owner of the Ingleside Inn and Melvyn's restaurant. He is also the president of the Angel View Crippled Children's Foundation and has served on its board for twenty-five years, the last fifteen as president. He resides in Rancho Mirage, California.

Palm Springs a la Carte (ISBN 978-1-56980-353-0) is published by Barricade Books and will be distributed through the National Book Network.

To pre-order Palm Springs a la Carte, visit www.amazon.com or www.inglesideinn.com.

A Dose of Rock and Roll is released

Press release for A Dose of Rock ‘n’ Roll

“Ringo Starr wasn't the first Beatle in my life – that place is held by John Lennon.”

Thus begins the text about John Lennon by photographer Nancy Lee Andrews in her new book, A Dose of Rock 'n' Roll, a photographic essay about her life with Ringo Starr. Andrews met Ringo through Lennon who introduced them in May of 1974. The photographs, taken over a decade starting in 1970, are a personal journey through her life at the peak of pop culture history.

The book is rich in photos of tender moments with Ringo, his loving relationship with his children, his playfulness and their travels around the world. Her years with the famous Beatle drummer brought Andrews and her highly original and perceptive camerawork into the world of some of the greatest rock and roll and pop icons of the time, along with the women who loved them. Among many others appearing in the images and text of the book, in addition to Ringo and the late, great John Lennon and George Harrison, are Keith Moon, Bernie Taupin, Arlo Guthrie, Hoyt Axton and Eric Clapton, to name a few.

A Dose of Rock ‘n’ Roll is being issued by Dalton Watson Fine Books (www.daltonwatson.com) in a limited edition of 2,500. Priced at $69, it contains 292 pages, 207 color and 98 black and white photos, numbered and signed by Andrews, in a slipcase. It will debut at The Fest for Beatles Fans 2008 at the Meadowlands Hotel in Secaucus, New Jersey from March 28-30, 2008. The author will be on hand at the hotel to autograph books on Friday, 5pm-midnight; Saturday, noon-midnight; and Sunday, noon-10:30 pm. A regular edition will be released in June, 2008 for $39. ISBN # 978-1-85443-235-3.

Nancy Lee Andrews grew up between Jersey City and Alabama. She has worked notably and successfully on both sides of the camera. As a Ford model, she posed for legendary fashion photographers Richard Avedon, Milton Greene, Burt Stern and Irving Penn. Over the years of modeling she became increasingly interested in how the camera “captured the moment.” Greene, realizing her potential, gave her a Nikon camera and some film and told her to “start shooting.” Under his guidance, and from that first roll of film, she was hooked.

According to Andrews, “Ringo Starr was also ardent about photography. It was a huge part of our life.” They collaborated on two album covers, Ringo the 4th and Bad Boy, as well as the advertising shoot for his “Ringo” TV special.

In her book, Andrews captures the moment in words as well as images. Here’s a brief sample, about a day in George Harrison’s house. “George looked at me and said, 'Nancy, I want to give you something.' He took out a bowl of Indian cabochon blood rubies and told me to take as many as I wanted and design something for myself. I was astounded and asked for paper and pencil and started sorting through the rubies. Some were small and others ranged to the size of quail eggs. As George strummed the guitar and chatted with Ringo, I feverishly drew a design and showed it to the boys. George smiled and looked at Ringo and said, 'Alright, I've given Nancy the stones, now you can give her the gold.’” Later, Ringo had a necklace made by Aspreys, the Queen of England's jewelers.

An exhibition of Andrews’s photo portraits of musicians from the 1970s selected from A Dose of Rock 'n' Roll will be on view at Rock Star Gallery in Scottsdale, Ariz. April 12, 2008; The Ingleside Inn and Melvyn’s in Palm Springs, Calif. April 13-14; the June Kelly Gallery in SoHo, New York from June 11-14 and at the Tennessee State Museum in Nashville from July 13 to August 31. A national gallery and museum tour is being planned.

"The White Book" No. 1 with a bullet

"The White Book" dings No. 1 spot twice Amazon.com

"The White Book" was No. 1 on two separate chart listings on Amazon.com and Top 10 on a third according to the book seller's Web site. The memoir, penned Ken Mansfield, former U.S. Manager for Apple Records and record producer, has charted in three different categories.

The book ranks #1 in the recording category; #1 in the Beatles section and #6 in biography and memoirs. Mansfield has worked with some of the biggest giants in the rock 'n roll and the country music genres.

As the former U.S. manager of the Apple Records label, he was invited by his bosses, The Beatles to be among only a handful of eyewitnesses to catch their last-ever gig on the rooftop of their London headquarters on January 30, 1969. He was a loyal employee and companion to John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison and Ringo Starr both during the band years and well after their breakup in 1970. He was present when they composed some of their most enduring tunes.

As a record label exec and Grammy Award-winning producer, he also worked on the marketing, promotion and production of dozens of top-selling artists, such as the Beach Boys, and was also a major player in country music in the 1970s as producer of choice of the groundbreaking Outlaw movement, whose impact is still felt in the genre to this very day.

Now, Mansfield's experiences with the Fab Four and the music industry - many of which are told for the first time - are recounted in his first all-music tome, "The White Book - The Beatles, the Bands, the Biz: An Insider's Look at an Era" (Thomas Nelson/ISBN 1595551018) published on October 30, 2007.

Through exclusive, never-before-seen photos and personal stories, Mansfield - one of the very last Fab Four insiders to pen a book - offers a compelling memoir that delves into his life in the 1960s and '70s and his unique partnership with The Beatles and other musicians who had orbited their world, from James Taylor to Harry Nilsson.

It also includes fleeting, yet unforgettable encounters with Mama Cass Elliott, Eric Clapton, Donovan, Glen Campbell and Dolly Parton. As observer, friend and colleague, Mansfield attended Beatles recording sessions, partied in their swimming pools, took their irate calls, witnessed the madness of Beatlemania, and publicized their success.

Entertaining, historically accurate, and illuminating a side of the Fab Four known only to a few like Mansfield, The White Book shines fresh light on the true characters behind the cultural phenomena that revolutionized a generation."The White Book" is packaged in a limited, numbered edition, a la the original copies of "The Beatles" highly influential double album from 1968, also nicknamed "The White Album."

For more information, go to www.fabwhitebook.com

Books in Review loves new Cassidy book

Books in Review
by Adrienne Petterson © 2007 About Me

The World's Greatest Email
by Sue Shifrin-Cassidy
Author House
ISBN 1-4343-2392-7
Published July 2007 - Paperback - 244 pages - $17.95

If you have anything like my email inbox, you no doubt have received any number of unsolicited humorous emails. From the bizarre to the cute, the funny and absurd, the downright dumb and obnoxious, I've seen them all. Or so I thought. Ever wonder who dreams these things up? It seems songwriter-turned-author Sue Shifrin-Cassidy has been collecting such emails (most of which I've not seen - there must be literally hundreds of thousands out there), and presents the following categories in this book: Fun-E's; Smart People/Stupid People; Thought Provoking; Men, Women, and Sex; Interesting Stuff/Educational; Kids; Political/Politically Incorrect; Scams, Spam, and Urban Legends; Life-Saving/Medical, and Inspirational. I haven't laughed so much in a long time and I had to have a break and put the book down. Some funnies are like great jokes, others are silly Freudian things people have said, others are the weird things people get up to. Some jokes are a little risqué but don't let that put you off. This is the type of book you don't want to end and is a great book to read during down time - save some pages for a treat next time around. It would also make a great Christmas gift.

Sue Shifrin-Cassidy is popstar David Cassidy's wife. Visit the website www.TheWorldsGreatestEmail.com. I loved the computer/car story as did I love so many others.
Conclusion - Hysterically funny. Definitely worth a peek at.

"I wrote the book because I got an email about how to tell the first signs of a stroke and I wanted to be sure I could find it if I was ever in the middle of having one. That led me to printing it out. Then I got another email called "The Physics of Hell" that I thought was so smart, I simply had to have a hard copy. That's when I realized what a great book these modern "letters" would make." Sue Shifrin-Cassidy

"The White Book" cracks the Top Ten

"The White Book" cracks Top Ten on Amazon charts

"The White Book" has cracked the Top Ten on Amazon.com according to its most recent chart listing. The memoir, penned Ken Mansfield, former U.S. Manager for Apple Records and record producer, has charted in three different categories.

The book ranks #2 in the music category; #3 in entertainment and #11 in biography and memoirs.

Mansfield has worked with some of the biggest giants in the rock 'n roll and the country music genres. As the former U.S. manager of the Apple Records label, he was invited by his bosses, The Beatles to be among only a handful of eyewitnesses to catch their last-ever gig on the rooftop of their London headquarters on January 30, 1969. He was a loyal employee and companion to John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison and Ringo Starr both during the band years and well after their breakup in 1970. He was present when they composed some of their most enduring tunes. As a record label exec and Grammy Award-winning producer, he also worked on the marketing, promotion and production of dozens of top-selling artists, such as the Beach Boys, and was also a major player in country music in the 1970s as producer of choice of the groundbreaking Outlaw movement, whose impact is still felt in the genre to this very day.

Now, Mansfield's experiences with the Fab Four and the music industry - many of which are told for the first time - are recounted in his first all-music tome, "The White Book - The Beatles, the Bands, the Biz: An Insider's Look at an Era" (Thomas Nelson/ISBN 1595551018) published on October 30, 2007.Through exclusive, never-before-seen photos and personal stories, Mansfield - one of the very last Fab Four insiders to pen a book - offers a compelling memoir that delves into his life in the 1960s and '70s and his unique partnership with The Beatles and other musicians who had orbited their world, from James Taylor to Harry Nilsson.

It also includes fleeting, yet unforgettable encounters with Mama Cass Elliott, Eric Clapton, Donovan, Glen Campbell and Dolly Parton. As observer, friend and colleague, Mansfield attended Beatles recording sessions, partied in their swimming pools, took their irate calls, witnessed the madness of Beatlemania, and publicized their success.

Entertaining, historically accurate, and illuminating a side of the Fab Four known only to a few like Mansfield, The White Book shines fresh light on the true characters behind the cultural phenomena that revolutionized a generation."The White Book" is packaged in a limited, numbered edition, a la the original copies of "The Beatles" highly influential double album from 1968, also nicknamed "The White Album."For more information, go to www.fabwhitebook.com

Q & A with Sue Shifrin-Cassidy

Q & A with Sue Shifrin-Cassidy

Sue Shiffrin-Cassidy, author of a new book called The World's Greatest Email, discusses in this recent interview her compilation of Internet correspondences, ponders "The Physics of Hell" and reveals her famous hubby can't walk and chew gum at the same time.

Q: Sue, you're an accomplished songwriter, philanthropist, founder of KidsCharties.org and co-founder of EAT’M (Emerging Artitsts in Talent and Music), the famous entertainment convention. Now you're an author. How did you come up with the idea of writing The World's Greatest Email?

SSC: My mother passed away from a stroke and when I received an email about how to tell the signs of a stroke, I figured, well, I better have a hard copy of this so that if I am in the middle of having one I will be able to find this life saver instead of having to search through several thousands of emails. Then I got an email called “The Physics of Hell”, which I thought was so incredibly smart that I needed to have a hard copy of it as well. That’s when the idea of a book dawned on me.

Q: Tell me how conducted your research and how long it took you to compile the information?

SSC: It took me two years to cull the contents of this book from literally thousands of emails that I received over many years. I worked every single day until I had narrowed it down to the final emails that appear in The World’s Greatest Email.

Q: One of the refreshing qualities of The World's Greatest Email is that it's not always politically correct. Was that a conscious decision on your part, and if so, why?

SSC: We are very tongue in cheek in our family about politics. We get into it all the time. I had received so many political emails, and with the 2008 election looming, I thought it would be neat to have this section where fun could be made of both parties.

Q: How did you decide on the categories for the book?

SSC: I wanted The World’s Greatest Email to be a mixed bag, so I really deliberated on how to categorize the emails I used. They just seemed to naturally break down into areas like “Men, Women and Sex”, “Thought Provoking”, “Smart People/Stupid People” and “Politically Incorrect”. The chapters kind of named themselves.

Q: Do you have a favorite email?

SSC: My favorite is still “The Physics of Hell”. I also think “Cheese Scones” is pretty funny and some of the more risqué ones like “F#@* Austria are a hoot.

Q: What do you like best about your book?

SSC: That I finished it! Actually, I love that it is a book filled with all kinds of information, even some inspirational emails. It makes you laugh and it makes you think and it teaches you things you never knew. The chapter called “Scams, Spam and Urban Legends” is particularly informative. You would not believe how many things are circulating on the Internet that could kill you if you followed the advice. I debunk these myths and I feel that I am doing people an important service by doing so.

Q: Okay, allow me one David Cassidy question... what's a goofy thing he does that he probably wouldn't want his fans to know?

SSC: Actually, David has a hard time walking and chewing gum at the same time. If the phone rings and the doorbell goes at the same time, it is really funny to watch him go into minor shock!

Q: How can people order The World's Greatest Email?
SSC: The World’s Greatest Email is available at www.Amazon.com and at www.authorhouse.com. But if they go to my Web site at www.TheWorldsGreatestEmail.com, they can get an autographed copy for $15.95.

Books in Review flags "The World's Greatest Email"

Books in Review by Adrienne Petterson © 2007

The World's Greatest Email by Sue Shifrin-Cassidy Author House ISBN 1-4343-2392-7 Published July 2007 - Paperback - 244 pages - $17.95

If you have anything like my email inbox, you no doubt have received any number of unsolicited humorous emails. From the bizarre to the cute, the funny and absurd, the downright dumb and obnoxious, I've seen them all. Or so I thought. Ever wonder who dreams these things up? It seems songwriter-turned-author Sue Shifrin-Cassidy has been collecting such emails (most of which I've not seen - there must be literally hundreds of thousands out there), and presents the following categories in this book: Fun-E's; Smart People/Stupid People; Thought Provoking; Men, Women, and Sex; Interesting Stuff/Educational; Kids; Political/Politically Incorrect; Scams, Spam, and Urban Legends; Life-Saving/Medical, and Inspirational. I haven't laughed so much in a long time and I had to have a break and put the book down. Some funnies are like great jokes, others are silly Freudian things people have said, others are the weird things people get up to. Some jokes are a little risqué but don't let that put you off. This is the type of book you don't want to end and is a great book to read during down time - save some pages for a treat next time around. It would also make a great Christmas gift.

Sue Shifrin-Cassidy is popstar David Cassidy's wife. Visit the website www.TheWorldsGreatestEmail.com. I loved the computer/car story as did I love so many others. Conclusion - Hysterically funny. Definitely worth a peek at.

"I wrote the book because I got an email about how to tell the first signs of a stroke and I wanted to be sure I could find it if I was ever in the middle of having one. That led me to printing it out. Then I got another email called "The Physics of Hell" that I thought was so smart, I simply had to have a hard copy. That's when I realized what a great book these modern "letters" would make." Sue Shifrin-Cassidy

To order "The World's Greatest Email", go to www.TheWorldsGreatestEmail.com or www.amazon.com or www.authorhouse.com

New Cassidy book a hell of a read

The World's Greatest Email
Sue Shifrin-Cassidy

Format: Paperback (6x9)
ISBN: 9781434323927
Price: $ 15.95

About the Book
Herein lie the funniest, most inspiring, thought provoking, life-saving communications of our times.
The World's Greatest Email is a collection of cyberspace gems that will entertain and enlighten everyone who reads them.
Is there really a town called F#@*ing, Austria?
What exactly are the physics of hell?
Wnat to know how to tell if someone is having a stroke?
Can your cell phone unlock your car?
Find out the answers to these questions and more in The World's Greatest Email.
About the Author
Sue Shifrin-Cassidy is a multi-platinum award winning singer-songwriter who has written songs for Tina Turner, Meatloaf, Heart, Cher, Smokey Robinson and many more international artists. She is a licensed pilot and the founder of KidsCharities.org, an Internet-based children’s charity that has raised funds for multiple children’s charities all over the world. Sue is the co-founder of EAT’M- Emerging Artists and Talent in Music and is married to actor/singer David Cassidy. They have one son, Beau.

Free Preview
Subject: The Physics of Hell

This might be the smartest, most creative email I have ever received. I would love to meet the person who wrote this. It is said to be a true story, but unfortunately, according to Snopes.com, it is an Urban Legend.


A thermodynamics professor had written a take home exam for his graduate students. It had one question: Is hell exothermic or endothermic. Support your answer with proof.
Most of the students wrote proofs of their beliefs using Boyle's Law or some variant. One student, however wrote the following:
First, we postulate that if souls exist, then they must have some mass. If they do, then a mole of souls can also have a mass. So, at what rate are souls moving into hell and at what rate are souls leaving?
I think that we can safely assume that once a soul gets to hell, it will not leave. Therefore, no souls are leaving.
As for souls entering hell, let’s look at the different religions that exist in the world today. Some of these religions state that if you are not a member of their religion, you will go to hell. Since, there are more than one of these religions and people do not belong to more than one religion, we can project that all people and all souls go to hell.
With birth and death rates as they are, we can expect the number of souls in hell to increase exponentially.
Now, we look at the rate of change in volume in hell. Boyle's Law states that in order for the temperature and pressure in hell to stay the same, the ratio of the mass of souls and volume needs to stay constant.
So, if hell is expanding at a slower rate than the rate at which souls enter hell, then the temperature and pressure in hell will increase until all hell breaks loose.
Of course, if hell is expanding at a rate faster than the increase of souls in hell, than the temperature and pressure will drop until hell freezes over.
The student got an A on the exam.

Foreword hails "The World's Greatest Email"

Foreword magazine says "The World's Greatest Email" doses readers with laughter

The World's Greatest Emailby: Sue Shifrin-Cassidy

Category: Humor Publisher: AuthorHouse Softcover, 240 pages, $15.95 ISBN: 9781434323927
Laughter has long been considered a cheap and effective medicine for the masses. Studies have shown that laughter can help prevent heart disease, boost the immune system, and clear the lungs. We all need to laugh more—at the world, our jobs, our partners, our children, and ourselves.

Thank goodness for the internet. People with email accounts will likely receive at least one joke a day, passed along by family, friends, co-workers, and perfect strangers. But free entertainment comes with a price: unwanted advertisements, chain letters, or pornographic cartoons. Sue Shifrin-Cassidy has done the world a favor by sorting through the spam and plucking out the gems to share in her aptly named book, The World’s Greatest Email.

Shifrin-Cassidy shuffles her emails into ten different categories, such as Smart People / Stupid People, Men, Women, and Sex, and Political / Politically Incorrect. The jokes range from raunchy to religious, lengthy to pithy. In addition to funny anecdotes and one liners, Shifrin-Cassidy also shares emails such as STATE TRIVIA which lists an interesting fact about each individual state, and WORDS OF INSPIRATION, quotes from Mother Teresa about living life in service of God. She devotes one section to those life-saving emails that teach people to recognize a stroke or avoid being abducted. She has done her research, however, and avoids blindly spreading erroneous information by including a disclaimer on those emails that have been debunked by website watchdogs. By including a mixture of emails, Shifrin-Cassidy makes sure she has something for everyone.

Each page is laid out in email format with the sender, recipient, and subject at the top. This design is fairly easy to follow after the first few entries. Shifrin-Cassidy addresses the reader in bold print at the top of most of the emails. She also seems to occasionally interject within the email body as well, which can be confusing, but doesn’t detract from the enjoyment of the joke. A few of the entries are repeats; another read through the book by an editor would have been beneficial.

Be warned: read this book with an open mind! Shifrin-Cassidy spares nobody and includes jokes about Democrats, liberals, conservatives, homosexuals, men, women, politicians, and the elderly. She pokes fun with a light hand, however, and gives fair warning when something might be especially offensive.

Shifrin-Cassidy provides a funny, healthy reading alternative. This is a great book to keep on the kitchen counter, in the car, in the diaper bag, or anywhere else easily accessible during a long commute or a lull in the fractious activity of modern life. Not only does it provoke a hearty chuckle, it might just save a life or two.

Go to www.TheWorldsGreatestEmail.com or www.amazon.com to order a copy of the book.

Review by: Andi Diehn

Kudos for "The White Book"

ANDREW LOOG OLDHAMRolling Stones Manager and Producer

"Ken Mansfield brings us a new and closely personal perspective not only on the Beatles, but on a whole cast of musical characters from Brian Wilson to Don Ho. An observant and perceptive man in the centre of the storm; a contradictory man, both ambitious and spiritual, but at the heart of the record industry during its most exciting years and enjoying every minute of it. I lived through those years with Ken and we became friends. It is a pleasure to experience so much of it all again through the accuracy of his story telling and the clarity of his memory."

PETER ASHERPeter and Gordon/A&R Chief Apple Records/Producer-Manager (James Taylor, Linda Ronstadt, Carole King et al)

"Journalism is normally a very inexact science. Many of the countless books about the Beatles have been written by researchers-not by people who were actually there. Everyone has experienced reading a book or article where one's own inside knowledge about a particular person or event shows up inaccuracies on the part of the writer that totally distort the truth. This book is an exception-I know because I was there for some of it myself. Ken Mansfield and I unknowingly shared the experience of the famous Apple rooftop session where I was nervously adjusting mikes and cables for the sound recording of that unforgettable day. Ken was not only working for the Beatles through their heyday, he was also their trusted friend. There is no one better equipped to tell the Beatles' story-truthfully-and more importantly-factually, from the inside."

ALAN PARSONSEngineer to the Beatles/Pink Floyd, Multi Platinum Producer, Alan Parsons Project

"Unlike many people claiming a Beatles connection, Ken Mansfield doesn't have an agenda or try to elevate his role or importance. Ken comes across as a man who knows how lucky he was to be where he was and enjoys sharing his stories with us. Ken was there and that is why The White Book is informative, fresh and entertaining without being ego-driven."

To purchase Ken Mansfield's "The White Book, The Beatles, The Bands, The Biz: An Insiders Look at an Era, go to www.amazon.com or www.fabwhitebook.com.

"The White Book" a hit on Amazon charts

"The White Book" a triple threat on Amazon.com

"The White Book" has scored a hat trick on Amazon.com according to its most recent chart listing. The memoir, penned Ken Mansfield, former U.S. Manager for Apple Records and record producer, has charted in three different categories.

The book ranks #2 in the music category; #8 in entertainment and #19 in biography and memoirs.

Mansfield has worked with some of the biggest giants in the rock 'n roll and the country music genres. As the former U.S. manager of the Apple Records label, he was invited by his bosses, The Beatles to be among only a handful of eyewitnesses to catch their last-ever gig on the rooftop of their London headquarters on January 30, 1969. He was a loyal employee and companion to John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison and Ringo Starr both during the band years and well after their breakup in 1970. He was present when they composed some of their most enduring tunes. As a record label exec and Grammy Award-winning producer, he also worked on the marketing, promotion and production of dozens of top-selling artists, such as the Beach Boys, and was also a major player in country music in the 1970s as producer of choice of the groundbreaking Outlaw movement, whose impact is still felt in the genre to this very day.
Now, Mansfield's experiences with the Fab Four and the music industry - many of which are told for the first time - are recounted in his first all-music tome, "The White Book - The Beatles, the Bands, the Biz: An Insider's Look at an Era" (Thomas Nelson/ISBN 1595551018) published on October 30, 2007.

Through exclusive, never-before-seen photos and personal stories, Mansfield - one of the very last Fab Four insiders to pen a book - offers a compelling memoir that delves into his life in the 1960s and '70s and his unique partnership with The Beatles and other musicians who had orbited their world, from James Taylor to Harry Nilsson. It also includes fleeting, yet unforgettable encounters with Mama Cass Elliott, Eric Clapton, Donovan, Glen Campbell and Dolly Parton. As observer, friend and colleague, Mansfield attended Beatles recording sessions, partied in their swimming pools, took their irate calls, witnessed the madness of Beatlemania, and publicized their success. Entertaining, historically accurate, and illuminating a side of the Fab Four known only to a few like Mansfield, The White Book shines fresh light on the true characters behind the cultural phenomena that revolutionized a generation.

"The White Book" is packaged in a limited, numbered edition, a la the original copies of "The Beatles" highly influential double album from 1968, also nicknamed "The White Album."

For more information, go to www.fabwhitebook.com

Cinema Crazed about "The White Book"

THE WHITE BOOK

Ken Mansfield's "The White Book" is that rare collector's item that music buffs, and hardcore fans of classic rock and pop will want to and simply have to own to read up on The Beatles, and how utterly influential they were on the artists that succeeded them. The Beatles molded music, and even years after their split, author Mansfield tells their story from a new angle that collectors will be anxious to get into.

Upon receiving an early copy to read and review, I found myself immediately thrown into the prose that Mansfield drops into the book like a how-to manual and yet he very simplistically explains his methods of madness and his hob knobbing with big stars that he almost always adored when working with. All except the Beatles who he loved as friends, but could never really love them as artists until years later.

Like the bands he worked with, "The White Book" is a hip memoir that is aware of how utterly cool it is and I can't begrudge it for that because it's a damn fine book. What Mansfield writes about in rather engrossing recollection is his sheer genius in helping to not only shape the frantic legacy that was the Beatles on the radio, but also the radio business as a whole. He drops names like Joan Baez and Brian Epstein all the while explaining his tricks for selling The Beatles, and trying to please other artists on Capitol Records as the fab four dominated the radio stations.
The promotional business is a cut throat industry, and Ken Mansfield perfectly exemplifies the hassles, the dangers, and the perks with pictures of his copies of Revolver and Fool on a Hill signed by the foursome. But most of all, this book will just be a fantastic read for anyone who loves music and loves The Beatles. Mansfield observes the band's power through his eyes as a young man who just did business, and wanted to promote the unstoppable Beatles all at the same time.

Mansfield, for someone who worked with Steve Miller and Judy Garland, is never pretentious. He's never condescending and never gloats about his successes and his contacts with major music stars of that era. Simply, this is a guide book of a man who helped to shape the music industry and tells how he took this business under his control and befriended the Beatles all at the same time.

I wish I could find fault in the novel, but Mansfield's writing is just so alive and vivid that once I began digging into his memoirs, I had a very difficult time pulling myself away from it. I wanted more and Mansfield has so much to tell and so much to give away that "The White Book" is a collector's item with actual substance to it. As a Beatles fan I loved it. As a music fan, I loved it. As someone who appreciates apparent genius... hell, I loved it from top to bottom.
- Felix Vasquez Jr.11/12/07

Reproduction and reprinting should only occur with express written permission and proper credit to Cinema Crazed and its authors.

Curl Up with "The White Book"

Curled Up with "The White Book"

Without a doubt, there have been more books written about The Beatles than about any other musician. So, whenever a new product arrives, it is typically regarded as some sort of already seen/already-been-there material. This one is different. The author was an insider, the American manager for Apple Records. There are his tales, his anecdotes, his memories from a fantasy life as a member of the band's inner sanctum.

And oh my goodness, what marvelous tales.

On marketing Revolver:
"I remember the August 1966 release of the Revolver album, in particular, as being one of my roughest releases. I would spend weeks trying to get a new Glen Campbell record on a major station only to have it taken off the air and thrown out the door at me just because the 'other' station across town got The Beatles first."

On the concert on the roof of Apple Records (January 30, 1969):
"As I mentioned earlier, if I had to single out one event that stood out above all the others during the time I worked with The Beatles, it would by far be their last concert. If you ever want to find out just how good The Beatles were as a single unit, a live, four-piece, rock-and-roll band, just listen to the live recordings of the concert on the roof that day."Also, you need to check out these photos. The author is there, on the roof, in a white trench coat. If he never did another single thing in his life, just being there on that roof on that day would secure for him a place in pop culture history.

And there's so much more here: the personal interludes with John, Paul, George, and Ringo; the parties; the death of Lennon. Also included are a variety of memorable and entertaining photos and bits of personal memorabilia (letters, notes, signed items).

If you already own every other book on the band, make room on your shelf for this one. It's worthwhile.

Originally published on Curled Up With A Good Book at www.curledup.com. © Steven Rosen, 2007

Columnist calls "The White Book" a tasty dish

CMT Hot Dish is a weekly feature written by veteran columnist Hazel Smith.

While I anxiously await the release of Ken Mansfield's new book, The White Book: The Beatles, the Bands, the Biz: An Insider's Look at an Era, I recently read The Beatles, the Bible and Bodega Bay: My Long and Winding Road, the fine book he wrote a few years back. Many people will recall Ken from his days of producing the award-winning "I'm Not Lisa" single by Jessi Colter on Capitol Records.

Ken doesn't mention a whole lot about his stops in Music City as he writes about his travels down a "long and winding road." But I can tell you for a fact, he found his beautiful Southern wife here, married her here, found the Lord here, and he had and still has many friends in this town.Ken was well-known during his music career in London, Los Angeles and Nashville and was the sole U.S. manager of Apple Records.

Does that ring your memory bell? Yep, I'm talking about the label started by the Fab Four -- aka Jack, Georgie, Porgie and Richie, the telegram code names of John Lennon, George Harrison, Paul McCartney and Ringo Starr during Apple's heyday. As I scratch my head for a moment, I wish those were still the code names for the Fab Four in 2007. It's a shame that life was snatched away from John and George.

Wouldn't it have been wonderful in 1968 had there been e-mail and cell phones? Think of all the other Beatle music we might have. Or would it have prevented the innocence and childish patter that made these four multi-talented individuals so great in the first place? It's always best to leave well enough alone and not ponder what might have been. They gave us way more than enough of themselves and their music.

Mansfield's book took my breath away. After browsing through it, I read it in two days while smiling, laughing and crying. As tender and professional and loving as Ken handled the details in his book, it's still hard for me to read his account of John's death. It must have been the hardest for Yoko Ono, who was with her husband when he was shot.

I recall the night it happened like it was yesterday. Dennis Locorriere, the lead singer for Dr. Hook, called me from God knows where. Dennis was devastated. He was virtually weeping, and I joined in. "John Lennon is the reason I became a singer," Dennis sobbed into my phone. I wondered how many other musicians with calloused fingers numbed from picking songs penned by John Lennon wept and made the same sad statement that night. It still angers me, but we can't cry about it. What has to be -- will be.

Ringo loved country music. Remember, while still a Beatle, he recorded the marvelous "Act Naturally" from the songwriting pen of the late Johnny Russell. Russell liked to brag about all the stars who recorded his songs -- especially this song which made him a mint. Johnny went to Holiday Heights Baptist where I attend. It's just a small church with a few people where most of them love one another.

Ken Mansfield's book deals with the Beatles' music and his work at Apple Records as he flew around the world as a show biz executive. But then he talks about the greatest book ever written -- the Holy Bible -- and his comfortable home in Bodega Bay, Calif.

The music Ken knew and loved must play in the background of his happy life. A lamp of truth burns bright like an eternal flame where he resides in a cove beside the ocean. Today, he writes books, and would you believe Ken is a minister? The former wild child roared with the Beatles and hung out with the Waylon Jennings, Tompall Glaser and the other Outlaws in Music City. But now he's all about the work of the Lord.

Ken still speaks well about Joe Galante, Tompall Glaser, David Frizzell and a passel others who are still in and around Nashville. I feel blessed to be in the passel and thank Ken for his powerful book.

Mansfield scores Ace with "The White Book"

The White Book: The Beatles, the Bands, the Biz: An Insider’s Look at an Era.

Reviews - Books

Written by Geoff Isaac

Monday, 05 November 2007

Book: The White Book: The Beatles, the Bands, the Biz: An Insider’s Look at an Era Author: Ken Mansfield Among the names of people who have helped shape The Beatles and the legacy they created, Ken Mansfield, the former U.S. manager of Apple Records, is scarcely the one people think of first. This quiet, humble and revered American Grammy winning music producer, and strategist behind The Beatles’ Apple label, began as a 27 year-old promotions manager whose attendance at a press conference in the summer of 1965 culminated into a long lasting business and personal relationship with members of the infamous band. Now he is finally telling his fly-on-the-wall tale in The White Book: The Beatles, the Bands, the Biz: An Insider’s Look at an Era. Like many careers that spawn biographies and a worthy setting in history, Mansfield’s was more than just a chance opportunity, the meaning of which he could never have understood at the time. Mansfield gives the reader an all encompassing viewpoint of one of the most vital periods in music history. Like a gleeful fan, he relates sitting through the evolution of a single Beatles song through songwriting, session to final mix. Much like Steve Turner’s A Hard Day’s Write, Mansfield provides detail on the evolution of a Beatles song, but with the added dimension of actually being in the room at the time. The title is definitive as Mansfield frames the book using The White Album which he fondly states as “more than a record”, but “something all-encompassing.” Dividing the book into “tracks” (40 to be exact) rather than “chapters”, thusly avoiding any artifice, becomes both a clever and vital device. In The White Album, he’s the humble reporter with an eye for detail and the insider’s seat on the historical proceedings that he fondly recalls with a sense of awe, enthusiasm and a philosophical posture that never waivers from selfless insight of all the events around him. The plus of Mansfield’s approach is that he’s smart enough to know the story is so much bigger than himself. Mansfield’s self effacing manor is a welcome treat. He recognizes the mistakes he has made and refuses to take all the credit for his success. What we get is a point of view stripped of the clutter in self importance. Mansfield goes into sumptuous detail about meeting “the lads” for the first time, ruthlessly defends Lennon’s personal life, despite knowing him the least of all the members. This is most apparent in times when he reveals, that according to Lennon, his lyrics didn’t actually mean very much. They don’t have to mean anything all the time, they just have to sound like they do. Mansfield’s bucolic upbringing in the “potato-bred simplicity” of Idaho gave him an outlook that is sharply contrasted with the often cynical nature of the music business, which is no doubt why so many people liked him. Mansfield is to good effect an insider from the outside. This also provides plenty of room for humor, especially during passages where he explains his outwardly perplexed reaction while enduring long socio-political speeches from John and Yoko, and hearing Linda McCartney refer to a hot dog as “decomposed cadaver tube on a roll” before Paul became a vegetarian. There’s also an important element of what the release of a Beatles album meant for the industry itself. Due to both the popularity and wealth of manpower and energy required for a release, Mansfield confides that other Capitol artists suffered in sales while other artists, ill-fated by coinciding release schedules, had to settle for No. 2 at the pop charts. He doesn’t admonish the band for their success but recognizes the Beatles were a force of nature to be reckoned with. Also of interest is a detailed chapter on their famous, attention-grabbing final roof top performance (in which he relates just how good a live act the band really was), recognizing the talent of a then unknown teenage Guns 'N Roses guitarist Slash, and an utterly heartbreaking chapter on the death of John Lennon. His later career, working in Nashville with Dolly Parton, Waylan Jennings and David Cassidy, is also of interest for music fans, but he always manages to come back to The Beatles as he follows their solo careers and legacy, both up close and from a distance. The book is presented in a lavish, multi-color spectrum, and is well laid out. Chockablock full of photos, signed album covers, memos, notes, letters, contracts and personal affects, the book demonstrates the most important times in music history with visual flair. There’s a full page scan of a hand written memo John Lennon wrote him, which comes complete with background information on the facing page. A good source of information provides answers to the questions we ask. A great one gives us the answers to questions we never thought to ask, and enriches our experience in the process. The White Book: The Beatles, the Bands, the Biz: An Insider’s Look at an Era has more experience and far more enthusiasm than one would expect from a biography, historical treatise or vital music biz how-to. The White Book is indeed something all encompassing, with sincere style and refreshing modesty from someone who was there. For book excerpts, video and more general information on the book, please visit www.fabwhitebook.com

Free Lance Star gives nod to "The White Book"

The music world of the Beatles from an insider's perspective in "The White Book"

I ONCE BELIEVED that The Beatles' legacy as the greatest rock 'n roll band was assured in perpetuity. But there appears to a generational divide that is developing and I am alarmed that I seem to be on the end that skews older and, dare I say, wistful.

My mother-in-law saw The Beatles in concert. My wife's high school students were given an extra credit question recently asking them to name all four Beatles. Not a single student could come up with all four names.

Ken Mansfield's newest memoir, "The White Book," falls decidedly in the older and wistful Beatles' camp. Mansfield was the U.S. manager of the Apple Records label and as such was granted an insider seat at assorted meetings and tables with the Fab Four, including the final rooftop concert in 1969.

Many of the Beatle anecdotes that Mansfield shares in "The White Book" were printed previously in his first memoir, "The Beatles, The Bible and Bodega Bay: My Long and Winding Road." "The White Book" does not contain the spiritual or religious slant of the prior memoir, but if one has read the first, there will be repetition in reading the second memoir.

He has numerous personal anecdotes about the Beatles as a phenomenon as well as stories that offer glimpses into the lads as individuals. He was witness to the first-ever meeting between Ringo Starr and Dolly Parton because it occurred at a dinner party he threw at his house.

Most of Mansfield's stories are of George and Ringo, but he, like much of the world, was devastated by John's murder.

"Something else happened when John Lennon died, and like the Beatles, the second thing was bigger than we could ever imagine. What happened was we ended up with a hero that we didn't want. We didn't want John Lennon to be our hero. We didn't want him to be a martyr for our cause. We just wanted John Lennon to talk to us through his art and music about what was going on around us."

Mansfield occasionally becomes too clever in his insertion of Beatles lyrics into his writing, but he also can bring a lyricism and humility to the stories that is too often lacking in memoirs that are built around the reflected glory of someone other than the author.

"If the Beatles' music and legend last forever, then also the people who were there are eternally ensconced in the echoes of the events that transpired."

Once, there was never a question of "if."

Drew Gallagher is a freelance writer living in Spotsylvania.

THE WHITE BOOK: THE BEATLES, THE BANDS, THE BIZ By Ken Mansfield (Thomas Nelson, $22.95)

Date published: 11/4/2007

Free Lance Star gives nod to "The White Book"

LOOKING AGAIN AT THE BEATLES

-

The music world of the Beatles from an insider's perspective in "The White Book"

Date published: 11/4/2007

I ONCE BELIEVED that The Beatles' legacy as the greatest rock 'n roll band was assured in perpetuity. But there appears to a generational divide that is developing and I am alarmed that I seem to be on the end that skews older and, dare I say, wistful.

My mother-in-law saw The Beatles in concert. My wife's high school students were given an extra credit question recently asking them to name all four Beatles. Not a single student could come up with all four names.

Ken Mansfield's newest memoir, "The White Book," falls decidedly in the older and wistful Beatles' camp. Mansfield was the U.S. manager of the Apple Records label and as such was granted an insider seat at assorted meetings and tables with the Fab Four, including the final rooftop concert in 1969.

Many of the Beatle anecdotes that Mansfield shares in "The White Book" were printed previously in his first memoir, "The Beatles, The Bible and Bodega Bay: My Long and Winding Road." "The White Book" does not contain the spiritual or religious slant of the prior memoir, but if one has read the first, there will be repetition in reading the second memoir.

He has numerous personal anecdotes about the Beatles as a phenomenon as well as stories that offer glimpses into the lads as individuals. He was witness to the first-ever meeting between Ringo Starr and Dolly Parton because it occurred at a dinner party he threw at his house.

Most of Mansfield's stories are of George and Ringo, but he, like much of the world, was devastated by John's murder.

"Something else happened when John Lennon died, and like the Beatles, the second thing was bigger than we could ever imagine. What happened was we ended up with a hero that we didn't want. We didn't want John Lennon to be our hero. We didn't want him to be a martyr for our cause. We just wanted John Lennon to talk to us through his art and music about what was going on around us."

Mansfield occasionally becomes too clever in his insertion of Beatles lyrics into his writing, but he also can bring a lyricism and humility to the stories that is too often lacking in memoirs that are built around the reflected glory of someone other than the author.

"If the Beatles' music and legend last forever, then also the people who were there are eternally ensconced in the echoes of the events that transpired."

Once, there was never a question of "if."

Drew Gallagher is a freelance writer living in Spotsylvania.

THE WHITE BOOK: THE BEATLES, THE BANDS, THE BIZ By Ken Mansfield (Thomas Nelson, $22.95)

Date published: 11/4/2007