Rail-to-Trail
Inherit The Wind, 313 Pizza Bar, Kylee Phillips, Matt Tkachuk, Advance to Go
Welcome to my weekly newsletter. This week’s issue includes five St. Louis salespeople I led, five more musical performances over four days, a Detroit-style pizza bar in Lake Orion, a local singer/songwriter who performs both solo and as part of a duo, a Stanley Cup winner from St. Louis, and an oxymoronic sign. I hope you like the picks and pics.
Yesterday I had to drive to Lake Orion, one hour from my home in Northville, to pick up a credit card I had left behind at this week’s featured restaurant. On Friday, while taking a walk before a show at 20 Front Street, I discovered the trail head of the Paint Creek Trail, “Michigan's 1st Non-Motorized Rail-to-Trail.” After walking on it briefly, I decided to combine my return trip to Lake Orion with a longer walk on the trail.
I was rewarded with a pleasant path, with plenty of shade on a warm day. The trail follows the path of the Michigan Central Railroad that once ran through here.
I planned to turn around after 30 minutes, and I was rewarded with a scenic payoff at that point — Foley Pond.
The full trail is 8.9 miles and runs from Lake Orion to Rochester. I would like to hike its entire length in the future.
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Fave Five 91: Rail-to-Trail
Tennessee Trial (Inherit the Wind), Pesto Pizza (313 Pizza Bar), Singing Sadly in Ypsilanti (Kylee Phillips), Chaminade Chum (Matt Tkachuk), and Advance to Go.
Fave Five Lists: 5 St. Louis Sellers
Yesterday I received the sad news that Hal Herweck died on June 11, 2024. Hal was one of a team of five salespeople I led in St. Louis forty years ago for Digital Equipment Corporation (DEC). Hal did not have a background in sales — he was a youth minister wanting to change careers. I had an opening for someone to sell computer timesharing, equipment rental, and disaster recovery services. The first person I had hired for this role, despite being an experienced seller of computer services, had resigned after having had no success. It was a very difficult set of services to try to sell at that time.
One of the DEC sales managers I supported urged me to hire Hal. What did I have to lose — if a veteran couldn’t succeed, why not try a sales novice? So I interviewed Hal, liked him, and nervously sent him to interview with my manager, Bob Burke. Bob, a minister’s son, asked Hal how many people he had converted, and satisfied with the answer, supported hiring him. Hal joined my team and immediately befriended most of the salesforce and ended up being very successful.
When I joined DEC in 1983, Bob managed three of the Software Services Business Account Specialists (BASes). They became the initial sellers in the new marketing unit that I created, along with the sales support specialists. I then hired Hal and one other seller to round out the team of five. For the first time, the entire team exceeded their sales goals the next year. Managing sellers can be challenging at times, but this team was a pleasure to lead. Hal was the top performer in the U.S. in selling computer services, and a wonderful team member. I will remember him fondly.
Here are more recent photos of four of the five team members.
Hal Herweck, Computer Services BAS
Mary (Rothweiler) Baxendale, Software Product Services (SPS) BAS
Steve Israel, PC Software BAS
Mark Mitra, VAX/VMS Software BAS
Louis Offstein, Professional Services BAS
Fave Five Lists: 5 More Performances over 4 Days
June is a great month for music in Michigan. I was able to see five more performances last week: four at free concerts in Ann Arbor on Thursday and Sunday and one at an intimate listening room in Lake Orion on Saturday.
Jacob Sigman at Sonic Lunch in Ann Arbor on June 20, 2024
Allen Stone at Sonic Lunch in Ann Arbor on June 20, 2024
AJAYE at 20 Front Street in Lake Orion on June 21, 2024
4: Alison Albecht at Ann Arbor Summer Festival on June 23, 2024
DuPont Phillips (Kylee Phillips and Chris DuPont) at Ann Arbor Summer Festival on June 23, 2024
Book Best Bet
Inherit The Wind by Jerome Lawrence and Robert E. Lee
I originally saw the film starring Spencer Tracy, Fredric March, and Gene Kelly, and was very moved and inspired by it. When I was in high school, I bought the book version containing the script of the play, and it became one of my favorite books. I often quote the line that was taken as the title, from Proverbs 11:29:
He that troubleth his own house shall inherit the wind.
The book, the play, and the movie are all triumphs. If you haven’t read the script or seen the film, I suggest that you do both. I thought that America had evolved from the Monkey Trial, but many state governments currently are proving me wrong.
From Amazon: A classic work of American theatre, based on the Scopes Monkey Trial of 1925, which pitted Clarence Darrow against William Jennings Bryan in defense of a schoolteacher accused of teaching the theory of evolution.
The accused was a slight, frightened man who had deliberately broken the law. His trial was a Roman circus. The chief gladiators were two great legal giants of the century. Like two bull elephants locked in mortal combat, they bellowed and roared imprecations and abuse. The spectators sat uneasily in the sweltering heat with murder in their hearts, barely able to restrain themselves. At stake was the freedom of every American. One of the most moving and meaningful plays of our generation.
Inherit the Wind (1960) - The Power to Think Scene
This is my favorite scene from the film.
Restaurant Recommendation
313 Pizza Bar 37 East Flint Street. Lake Orion, MI 48362
This building used to be the Village Hall, and then was renovated to become the second location of Lockhart’s BBQ. It later closed, and now it is a pizza restaurant and bar. Barb and I dined there before a concert on Friday night. We enjoyed the food, the service, the setting, and the location one block from the concert at 20 Front Street. An added bonus is the yarn shop next door, which Barb has visited twice before recent shows.
The only negative was the fact that I forgot to take my credit card, but that led to my return on Tuesday to walk the Paint Creek Trail. As the saying goes, when life gives you lemons, make lemonade.
Antipasto Salad: Romaine lettuce, brown sugar ham, Genoa salami, provolone & mozzarella cheese, cucumbers, hot pepper rings, tomatoes, artichoke hearts, chickpeas and black olives.
Chicken Pesto Pizza: House cheese blend, chicken breast, basil pesto, fresh garlic, diced tomato, grated Parmigiano Reggiano and pecorino Romano cheese.
From the restaurant: The 313 Pizza Bar in historic downtown Lake Orion is your go-to for authentic Detroit Style Pizza crafted with homemade dough, house-made sauce, fresh ingredients and traditional cast iron pans. Indulge in a diverse menu boasting pizzas, appetizers, sandwiches, pastas, and salads. Immerse yourself in a full bar experience with Craft Beer on tap, Bottled Beer, Craft Cocktails, and Wine. We make Detroit Style Pizza the authentic way and offer a full-service restaurant to enjoy it in.
Marvelous Musician
Her tagline is "Sad girl pop music out of southeastern Michigan." I like her voice and her songs.
I saw her open for May Erlewine at Sonic Lunch on August 23, 2024. We saw her with her partner, Chris DuPont. on Sunday at the Ann Arbor Summer Festival. Kylee released an excellent EP Long Time Coming last year, and this year she and Chris released an EP, Big Sky Sessions, to very positive responses:
Double Vision: Dupont Phillips Combines Catalogs and Influences to Release New EP by Lori Stratton
Those collaborative efforts have resulted in an intimate folk-pop EP filled with stripped-down instrumentation, emotive duets, and lush harmonies. The six tracks featured on Big Sky Sessions offer vulnerable tales of love, growth, and change.
Local Spins by Holly Holtzclaw
What Stands Out: Southeast Michigan-based Chris DuPont and Kylee Phillips joined forces to create Big Sky Sessions, a collection of covers and original folk songs full of gorgeous harmonies and gentle instrumentation. Through their candid lyrics and sincere delivery, DuPont and Phillips create the illusion that they are speaking directly to one another and we as listeners are merely eavesdropping on their personal conversations. Even the covers of Sheryl Crow’s “Strong Enough” and Jason Isbell’s “If We Were Vampires” feel as if they were carefully selected by the singers due to their relatability and raw emotion that fits with both DuPont’s and Phillips’ styles.
Digging Deeper: While both Phillips and DuPont favor pop production styles for their solo works, “Big Sky Sessions” offers a more stripped back feel. Celtic-inspired strings, intricate guitar picking, and somber piano melodies are some of the signature sounds on this EP. Even the tracks “Sandpaper Hymn” and “Carole King (Annie Lindbergh),” which originated on DuPont’s solo releases, take on a new life with Phillips’ crystal-clear vocals added into them. These songs are far from being surface-level love songs as many of them address the doubts and hardships that come along with relationships in addition to the optimistic moments. Each track on Big Sky Sessions is a testament to how comfortable Phillips and DuPont must feel with their listeners to be able to share these intimate details and thoughts about their relationship so freely.
Perfect For: Listening to together with someone you love.
The term “singer-songwriter” really fits me perfectly because I am a singer and songwriter first and foremost, every choice I make is about serving the vocals and the lyrics. I’m pretty measured in my everyday life but my songs tend to come out quickly and without much filtering, like a pressure release valve. I know so many of us – myself included – spend a ton of energy trying to present a palatable version of ourselves and feeling like we’re especially broken because of what we know is going on inside our heads. I hope that by sharing thoughts and feelings that are pretty raw, even unflattering at times, other folks will see that they’re so far from alone and that they’ll give themselves permission to feel whatever they need to feel.
From her site: Kylee Phillips is a singer-songwriter and a proud Michigan native. With roots firmly planted in pop music and lyrics that are deeply personal and self-revelatory, she has crafted a sound that is simultaneously ear catching and cause for introspection. A songwriter first and foremost, for Phillips everything hinges on the catharsis and connection that occurs when someone shares their story, even (or especially) the ugly parts.
Where You Found Me
Long Time Coming
Float
Song For Sam
Carole King - DuPont Phillips
With Chris DuPont at Sonic Lunch 2023
Acoustic Alternatives: Kylee Phillips - John Bommarito
Acoustic Alternatives: Chris DuPont & Kylee Phillips - John Bommarito
My Playlist
Sports Star
I previously featured Jayson Tatum, who helped lead the Boston Celtics to the NBA Championship last week. His high school classmate, Matt Tkachuk, is alternate captain of the Florida Panthers team that won the Stanley Cup on Monday, scoring 6 goals and assisting on 16 during the playoffs. As a former St. Louisan, I am intrigued by the shared history of these two recent champions.
Chaminade classmates Jayson Tatum and Matthew Tkachuk secure first titles by Joey Schneider and Patrick Clark
Once upon a time, Jayson Tatum and Matthew Tkachuk took bus rides, shared classes and worked on school projects together in suburban St. Louis. A bond that first started as students at Chaminade College Preparatory School has now evolved with Tatum and Tkachuk as champions at the highest level of their sports, both securing their titles just one week apart.
Tatum and the Boston Celtics won the 2024 NBA Finals in five games over the Dallas Mavericks. Tkachuk and the Florida Panthers won the 2024 Stanley Cup Final in seven games over the Edmonton Oilers.
From Wikipedia: Matthew Brendan Tkachuk (born December 11, 1997 in Scottsdale, Arizona) is an American professional ice hockey forward and alternate captain for the Florida Panthers of the National Hockey League (NHL). He previously played in the NHL for the Calgary Flames. The Flames selected him in the first round, sixth overall, in the 2016 NHL Entry Draft.
The son of former NHL player Keith Tkachuk, Tkachuk was born in Scottsdale, Arizona and raised in the St. Louis suburb of Creve Coeur, Missouri. He is a product of the USA Hockey National Team Development Program and played one season of major junior hockey with the London Knights of the Ontario Hockey League (OHL), where he scored the game-winning goal in overtime to win his team the 2016 Memorial Cup.
Internationally, Tkachuk has represented the United States at a U17 World Hockey Challenge, a U18 World Championship and at the 2016 World Junior Ice Hockey Championships, where his team won a bronze medal. In the 2021–22 and 2022–23 NHL seasons, Tkachuk was a top ten point-scorer in the league, registering 104 and 109 points, respectively. In 2023, Tkachuk was named a finalist for the NHL's Hart Memorial Trophy as the league's most valuable player. Tkachuk won the Stanley Cup with the Panthers in 2024.
His father is a former National Hockey League player who had an 18-year career with the Winnipeg Jets, Phoenix Coyotes, St. Louis Blues and Atlanta Thrashers and is a member of the United States Hockey Hall of Fame. Tkachuk was born in Scottsdale while his father was playing for the Coyotes. His younger brother, Brady, is the captain of the Ottawa Senators, and his younger sister, Taryn, is an NCAA Division I field hockey player with the University of Virginia.
Tkachuk spent his formative years in NHL hockey rinks, watching his father practice from the players' bench. As an infant in Scottsdale, Tkachuk's mother would drop him off at the Phoenix Coyotes' former arena, the Ice Den, during his father's practice days, where the team's equipment managers would take on babysitting duties while she ran errands. Of his childhood, Tkachuk has said, "When you say you grew up in a rink people think, 'Oh, yeah, your dad played but you didn't really grow up there.' No, I literally grew up in the rink."
At age three, following his father being dealt to the St. Louis Blues, Tkachuk moved to the St. Louis suburb of Creve Coeur, Missouri, where he was raised. Tkachuk and his brother regularly accompanied their father to practices and traveled to watch him play in multiple NHL All-Star games, while NHL players David Backes, Lee Stempniak and Philip McRae all lived with Tkachuk and his family during their tenures with the Blues. Tkachuk attended the elementary program, formerly known as Oak Hill School, at Villa Duchesne, and completed the sixth through ninth grades at Chaminade College Preparatory School, where he was classmates with Boston Celtics forward Jayson Tatum.
During this time, Tkachuk played minor ice hockey with a youth affiliate of the St. Louis Blues, where he was teammates with fellow St. Louis-area players Clayton Keller, Logan Brown and Luke Kunin. Their team competed in the 2010 Quebec International Pee-Wee Hockey Tournament. Tkachuk left St. Louis after the ninth grade to join the USA Hockey National Team Development Program in Ann Arbor, Michigan.
"It's not a dream anymore."
Picture Pun
Hurry up - wait, not so fast!
Stan …. I find your newsletter informative, enlightening and most enjoyable to read. I’m amazed at your ability to take Page 2 stories to Front Page interest. To borrow a line from this issue’s featured film, Clarence Darrow would certainly contend that evolution has taken your communication skills to a level well beyond that of a “thinking sponge”.
Great newsletter….. Keep it coming!
Sandy G