Roger Zee: Who inspired you to sing and play? What instruments did you study?
Lorena Mann: Growing up, my father was a huge musical influence. He had such a beautiful voice. A crooner. Music always played in my home. We would sit in the living room together, listen to albums, sing along and discuss the vocalists, the musicians, and the songwriters. I would read the liner notes and lyrics over and over and over again. My father sang all the time. You could hear him from any place in the house. His voice was so beautiful. I studied piano privately with Mrs. Barbara Kiser in high school. My Uncle Danny (my father’s oldest brother and my godfather) taught me how to play a few chords and songs on the guitar. I learned the importance of percussion instruments when I became a licensed early childhood music educator in 2000.
Roger Zee: Tell me how you hooked up with the Old No. 7 Band.
Lorena Mann: I did not sing for over twenty years. And when I separated from my now ex-husband, I needed to get back in touch with my expressive and creative outlet. Basically, I had to find myself again and I knew that music and singing would help me do it. A few people mentioned that the Old No. 7 Band had lost their female vocalist and that I should inquire. I ran into the wife of the band leader (Bruce Tucker, current Mayor of Piermont, NY) at a high school event and asked her if she would connect me with her husband. When I reached out, he said they were considering not replacing the female singer. He invited me to their show at the legendary Turning Point in Piermont, NY. They
sounded terrific with great song choices and a lot of talent. A few weeks after that, he emailed me and asked if I’d be interested in singing a song or two at their next show. Of course I said, yes! I went to his home with a handful of tunes that I knew. We picked three – "Proud Mary," "Moondance," and "Natural Woman." When they called me up to sing, he said we’ll do just one song, "Proud Mary." As I was singing, the sax player leaned over and said “you’re hired!”
The Old No. 7 Band has been around for over thirty years with a deep repertoire of music and various musicians and vocalists in and out of the band. I’ve performed with them for seven years now.
Roger Zee: How did The Tequila Soul Project (TSP) come together?
Lorena Mann: We never planned TSP. It evolved out of a gig that we threw together for an outdoor concert in Piermont, NY to celebrate Bastille Day. Jeff Doctorow (guitar), Willey Loniewski (harp/congas), and myself (vocalist) knew each other because we're all in the Old No. 7 Band and still are. The three of us along with our friend, sax player Ross Mazer, just hit it off doing mostly Blues tunes. It was too much fun, and so effortless. Willey’s son lived in Piermont at the time and when the performance ended, we went to his place and did tequila shots to celebrate! The “core 4” established Tequila Soul Project in 2015. We went through a few drummers and bass players during our early gigs. The current configuration includes Ed Steinberg (drums) and James Finnen (bass), both who play in the very established "Finn and The Sharks." The six of us connect musically in such a terrific way. TSP delivers Soul, Funk, R&B, Rock, and Blues. It’s the stuff that makes you groove! We’ve been getting a lot of recognition and our fan base keeps growing. There’s no stopping us! Its just too much fun!
Roger Zee: Any other side music projects?
Lorena Mann: I often play vocal and piano gigs with Bobby Knee, a fantastic pianist who I met when we performed together in the Old No. 7 Band. Also, Jeff Doctorow and I do a laid back vocal/guitar duo, usually at Rivertown Taphouse and Pier 701, both restaurants/bars in Piermont, NY. ArtsRock produced an event celebrating the 45th anniversary of Carole King's legendary, multi-award winning album "Tapestry." It featured me performing with the Old No 7 Band. We performed it in exact order side A and then side B. We made it special by adding a twist of the Old No. 7 sound which includes banjo, mandolin, harp, congas, sax, as well as guitar, bass, drums, and of course, keyboards.
We played hugely successful, multiple sold-out performances over the last few years. Just this past spring, ArtsRock produced a sold-out concert called "Great Women of Song" that included four soloists. We covered Classical, Pop, Jazz and featured me on Rock and Blues.
Roger Zee: Tell me about working at MTV in it's video hay day!
Lorena Mann: It didn’t feel like work, it was so much fun. The station encouraged creativity. I conducted brainstorming meetings multiple times each week. I learned quickly that even though it looked like the music industry, it wasn't! It was the business of television and ratings. I started as the Executive Assistant to the President, Judy McGrath. She was and still is highly respected in the industry. I learned a lot from her and have carried that knowledge forward throughout my working career. When Viacom bought MTV Networks, they laid off hundreds.
At the time I worked as a freelance Coordinating Producer on MTV’s first “live” television show called Hangin’ w/MTV. Three hours live Monday through Friday. Unheard of. It was a challenge to say the least. I was also Coordinating Producer for Jon Stewart’s first television show called “You Wrote It, You Watch it”. Again, MTV was in the television and ratings business. The hallways and boardrooms were always filled with music industry legends. My most memorable celebrity moment came when I met Tina Turner during the release of her successful album “Private Dancer.” Meeting celebs was a normal thing at MTV and was no big deal. But everyone wanted to meet Tina and hundreds of people lined up along the hallway. When I walked up to her and said hello, one of my co-workers shouted out, “Hey, Tina, she can sing!” She looked at me and asked if I could sing! And, of course I said, “Yes!” When she signed her autograph for me, she wrote "Girl, you can sing!" And she was just so beautiful. Seeing her smile and hearing her voice was magical. The other memorable moment came when Prince appeared as the surprise performer at MTV’s tenth anniversary party held at Studio 54. He was a tiny, little man and a sensational performer. He wore a bright yellow jumpsuit and when he turned around it showed the bare cheeks of his ass! The place roared!
Roger Zee: How did MTV compare to working at the Grammy's?
Lorena Mann: Very different. MTV was a party every day. The GRAMMYs is all about the craft of the art and artist – the producers, songwriters, engineers, liner note writers, graphic designers, and so on. It’s a non-profit organization dedicated to preserving the art. You would never know that when you watch the annual televised GRAMMY Awards. I felt
honored to work there. I learned so much about the craft of making music. I oversaw seven award categories and spent hours and hours of time with masters of their craft. It was then that I realized how much the performer is blessed with the talents of many making them shine.
Roger Zee: Talk about hitting the glass ceiling for women in the music industry.
Lorena Mann: I had always worked in the music industry up until my current job as General Manager, Executive in Charge of Production for Tina Brown Live Media/Women In The World Media LLC. At the time I moved to Rockland County from Manhattan, EMI Music Publishing employed me as Director of Creative Services and New Media. I left that job for a brief time for personal matters and when I started to interview again in the music industry, NO ONE would consider me for a Director level position. I had to take three steps backward and re-start my career as an Executive Assistant at The GRAMMY Awards. They promoted me three times but I quickly learned there was no place to go in that organization. Making a lateral move to another music industry company was just not going to happen. In my observation and experience, women stay with one company and work their way up the corporate ladder with the annual three percent raise and don’t move beyond that organization. Men frequently move around from company to company with substantial promotions and compensation.
Roger Zee: As a strong woman, how does it feel working for publishing media icon, Tina Brown?
Lorena Mann: It feels empowering! It’s an education just to observe how she moves through her day. She’s sharp, witty, determined, and always evolving. She's the definition of perseverance. She never wants to hear “no” as the final answer. When I interviewed with her at The Daily Beast for Director of Event Operations, she ended the interview by telling me that I was “a very powerful woman!” The next day they offered me the job and I’ve been with her now for seven years. Of course, she focuses on the editorial content of what we produce and I work on the production. She trusts me and gives me full reign to do my thing. When I first started working for her a co-worker told me, “Tina flies 30,000 feet above everyone else, all the time, all day long. So, when you’re called upon to work directly with her, put your seat belt on!” Twelve years ago, I re-started my career as an Executive Assistant and now I'm the GM, Executive in Charge of Production for a media company. Yes, I worked hard to get to where I am. And every promotion came because a woman acknowledged my value to the company. I don’t think my corporate career would’ve escalated so quickly and successfully if I had remained in the music industry.
Roger Zee: What advice do you give up and coming musicians?
Lorena Mann: When I studied piano, my teacher taught me that listening is just as important as playing. I still cherish that advice. So I tell up-and-coming young musicians, "Listen!" It’s amazing what you will hear and learn. It will only enhance your gift.
Roger Zee: How do you see the future of the music business?
Lorena Mann: Well, I think that people are starving for good music. And I do believe that live music will always succeed, no matter what the genre. People are looking for a feel-good experience, an escape, and live music will deliver that. The music world's evolving faster than the music business. I do not see it now as I did when growing up. Then, you got a record deal, you toured, and you became famous. Oh, and you won a GRAMMY! That’s it. There’s so much music and creativity going on now. I don’t necessarily understand it all, but I respect it. There’s room and a need for all music.
©2018 Roger Zee