"She looks like a model. Cansheplay?"
"I don't think they care." Chuck pointed to the name Kat Krave on the list. Beside it was the word keyboards and a listing of tours she hadperformedon.
"At least she'sexperienced."
Chuck shrugged but didn't say a word. He picked up a pen and circled several names and pointed them out to Lucky as a tall man in a light grey suit and silver hair enteredtheroom.
Richard Black was the owner of Black Dog Recordings and made it his business to find the right talent and then make them better. He didn't consider himself to be in the music business. His business was makingmoney.
As a promise to his sister, he went to his nephew's performance at the Berklee College of Music a few months ago. He agreed to listen to his nephew play but didn't agree to give him a deal. While he was there, he heard an amazing soulful voice singing rock 'n' roll with a band. The sound brought him back to his youth, something that happened every time he found realtalent.
Asking around, he discovered his find was named Lucky Saldano, a multi-instrumentalist who had a knack for writing catchy songs. She had a sellable name, a sellable sound, and while he thought she was pretty, he didn't think she had asellablelook.
"Lucky, can I talk to you in the sound booth?" Richard asked before heading into the partially enclosed area towards the back oftheroom.
"Is somethingwrong?"
"You need to understand something about this business. It's a business about image. I'm sure you know you're a beautiful girl, but you're also a big girl. Big doesn't sell. I've asked other artists of mine to lose weight, but since we're moving so quickly with you, there isn'tenoughtime."
"What are you trying to tell me? Other than I'm fat," she saidangrily.
"I'm being honest with you, Lucky. You have to understand the business. Tomorrow before you leave LA, we're doing a photo session with your band. I want Kat Krave in those pictures and on the tour. I need a look I can sell. I need sexy. Look at her. I'm sure youunderstand."
He walked out, leaving Lucky dazed and hurt. She felt the sting of tears filling her eyes as she walked back to Chuck. Tapping Jordan on the shoulder, she motioned to her that they wereleaving.
"Chuck, pick whoever you want, I trust you. I understand now about Kat. I don't have a choice. I'm going back to the hotel. Just do me a favor and make sure you pick the best drummer here. You know I need to connect with him on stage or nothing will goright."
"No problem, Luck. Why don't you and Jordan go sightseeing? I'm sure you've never been to LA before, there's a lot of great thingstosee."
She nodded and left, not wanting to be there any longer. She felt betrayed, but she only had herself to blame. Richard Black was right. Despite what she might want to think, this was an image business, not a talentbusiness.
"Chuck's right. Let’s have some fun. Screw RichardBlack.”
