As many of you know, I’ve been battling Old Sacramento Management since last August to keep my performance permit there from being unfairly revoked because The Chapman Stick happens to be an electric instrument. OSM is run by only one or two people and somehow they felt Old Sac would be better off without a Chapman Stick player.

I asked for your support a few months back and the letters poured in. I kept after OSM and, in early December, the Town Manager, Ed Astone, decided to get out of the loop and turned the matter over to the Old Sacramento Merchants Council (part of Historic Old Sacramento Foundation).

On Thursday January 5th from 8:30-10:30 am, I attended a meeting of the OSMC and it was decided unamiously by the Board that my permit should NOT be revoked. The vote was 12-0 in my favor. The merchants lamented that there are not enough performers in Old Sac and that my music is a welcome addition. They feel it’s too quiet in Old Sac and they want MORE music and ambience- not less. With 5.2 million visitors to Old Sac annually, they are always trying to think of new ways to lure people to the region’s largest tourist draw. The merchants do not share OSM’s narrow view about my music on The Stick and for that I am very pleased. Common sense obviously prevailed!

Once again I thank you for all the letters of support (almost 120!) you wrote on my behalf. I provided copies of every single one to both OSM and the OS Merchants Council. OSM paid no attention to them but the merchants listened to you. I hope you’ll reward them with your continued business in the coming year.