In Her Own Words… Part Three
DO YOU WANNA BE A STAR?
Jerry Weintraub, dead at 77 (NPR)
About two thirds of the way through the tour, as we are flying between cities one day, I get word that John's manager Jerry Weintraub wants to see me. In private. This is intriguing. Weintraub is a very Big Cheese, the successful concert promoter for huge stars like Elvis, Frank Sinatra, Neil Diamond, Bob Dylan, and Led Zeppelin. He wears his power with ease, and the somewhat sleazy confidence and entitlement of a Jewish Mafia boss.
I make my way through the plane to his up-scale wood-paneled office, and husband Victor comes along for silent support. Once inside, I get the giddy sense that we are entering a movie set, with characters straight out of Central Casting. Weintraub is holding an expensive Cuban cigar (un-lit) and is leaning slightly forward behind his massive desk, like a character out of The Godfather. His right-hand man, music industry veteran Sal Bonafede, stands slightly behind him, his top 2 shirt buttons undone, Italian style. He is wearing a heavy 14-caret gold chain around his neck. I am not kidding.
Weintraub begins talking about how they are pleased with the tour and how Liberty is doing a great job, but let's face it, Danny Wheetman and I are the real focus of the group. He especially likes my singing, and my rapport with the audience. Essentially, he is implying that this could be the start of something Big for me. He doesn't say the word "Star," but it is quivering in the air.
I nod and smile absently as he goes on and on. Eventually, Jerry Weintraub looks me straight in the eye and says "So." He flicks his cigar for emphasis. "You gotta know what you want, Jan. Whaddya want? What do you really really want?"
I pause and let the question sink in. I take a couple of deep breaths. This will be an important answer. I tune in to all my resources, relax, and then let my heart speak. "I want to realize God in this lifetime."
All the action stops here, and it's as if we go into slow-motion. I watch my words sail over their heads, and I feel both Jerry and Sal cock their heads ever so slightly to one side, the way a smart little dog will do when trying to understand something beyond comprehension. No one says a word after that. This is obviously the end of the interview.
But the Universe has heard my request and she is laughing out loud. Vic and I return to our seats on the plane, and we finish the tour with a mighty flourish of home-grown success. We are all Stars, or at least a legend in our own minds.
Jan Garrett and husband JD Martin, 2021
I will go on to play music for the next 40-some years. I become an award-winning songwriter and the mother of extraordinary twin daughters. My husband and musical partner, JD Martin, and I now have 2 delightful grandchildren, and we continue to sing, play, and teach at spiritual centers around the country. Together we have written and produced 9 albums of original songs. We are looking forward to more......
You can find out more about us an see what we're up to now at: www.Garrett-Martin.com
John Denver is dead and gone now. Both Jerry Weintraub and Sal Bonafede have passed away. But the stars still twinkle brightly here in the Colorado night sky, and the music lives on. We are Stardust. We are Golden.
