Spencer Proffer (born Salek Profesorski, December 25, 1948) is an American media and record producer. He is the CEO of Meteor 17, a convergence media production company based in Los Angeles, California, United States. Proffer produced the first heavy metal record, Quiet Riot's Metal Health, to reach number 1 on the Billboard 200 chart, selling six million albums. His Children of the Sun collaboration with Billy Thorpe was the first rock record to spawn a computer-animated laser choreography of an album in planetariums across North America. Proffer has produced and arranged over 200 albums, many of which have achieved gold and platinum-selling status, produced or executive-produced 17 films as well as supervised and produced music for 135 films and television.
Proffer co-produced a charitable concert and media event with Doc McGhee and Quincy Jones in 2005, for over 44,000 Marines and their families, headlined by Beyoncé Knowles, Destiny's Child and Kiss and hosted by Cedric the Entertainer. In 2012, he donated 25 scholarships, to youth across North America to attend Space Camp in Huntsville, Alabama.
In 2016, he completed production of Chasing Trane, The John Coltrane Documentary. The film addresses the life and socio-cultural impact of John Coltrane and his music on the world. Denzel Washington performs the voice of Coltrane and there are appearances from President Bill Clinton, Common, Santana, Wynton Marsalis along with along with many of the living musicians who performed with Coltrane throughout his career (e.g. Sonny Rollins and McCoy Tyner).
Video Spencer Proffer
Personal life
Proffer was born in Munich, Germany, and immigrated to the United States in 1954 at the age of six. He grew up in Los Angeles, California. He attended Fairfax High School. In 1967, he co-wrote "Picture Postcard", recorded by Gary Lewis & the Playboys. By the time he was 21, he had 18 songs recorded as a songwriter. After college, he secured recording contracts for various recording groups for which he was the bandleader (Dunhill, MGM, and CBS).
Proffer graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science from UCLA at the age of 20 and enrolled at Loyola University School of Law. He was Executive Editor of the school's Law Review and a member of the St. Thomas More Law Honor Society. He wrote songs for the animated The Hardy Boys ABC television series and performed nights and weekends with his band, Proffer, Marmelzat and Reed (PMR).
While in law school, he attracted the attention of Clive Davis, then CEO of CBS Records, and the group was signed to a recording contract on Columbia Records. After graduating law school in 1972 at 23, he accepted a position to work for Davis at CBS and moved to New York. He left CBS shortly after Davis' departure, to become National Executive Director and Head of Worldwide A+R at United Artists Records. While at UA, Proffer produced and co-produced a number of worldwide hit records ranging from Tina Turner's Acid Queen, to the No. 1 hit "One Man Woman" by Paul Anka and Odia Coates.
Proffer had two sons, Sterling and Morgan, with ex-wife Suzanne DuBarry. He is married to Judith, former publisher of the L.A. Weekly and co-founder of the Sun Community Newspaper chain in Southern California. Judith is also founder and publisher of boutique book publishing imprint, Huqua Press. The couple reside in Encino, California.
Maps Spencer Proffer
Admits to making false claims
In July 1991, Spencer Proffer claimed that Roseanne Barr and Tom Arnold caused $205,000 in damages to a house that he had rented to them.
In August 1991, Barr and Arnold stated that Spencer Proffer knew the house was in good condition when the Arnolds moved out on May 11, 1990, after 10 months of renting, but they allowed National Enquirer employees access to the property because the Proffers planned to remodel the house and needed about $200,000.
In their cross-complaint, Barr and Arnold stated the following: "(The Proffers) ... as part of this conspiracy to redecorate their house at a cost purported to exceed $200,000 ... submitted to their insurance carrier staged photographs, perjurious statements, inflated invoices and false bills with the intent to misrepresent the condition . .. to induce State Farm to pay extensive sums far beyond any reasonable and necessary costs to correct normal wear and tear on the house."
In June 1992, Proffer withdrew his lawsuit, apologized for filing it and agreed to pay the Arnolds $66,000. In his letter of apology, Proffer wrote, "We now realize that others and not you did the damage to the Benedict Canyon house and the stories in the media claiming you 'trashed' our house were wrong." Delos Brown, the Arnolds' attorney, stated "The Proffers knew the jig was up, that we were on to them big time, that we'd figured out their fraudulent devices."
Settles for fraud
In November 2013, Paul Conwell sued producer Spencer Proffer, claiming that Proffer changed a film's title and defrauded him of his ownership stake and credit.. In February 2015, a Notice of Settlement was filed with the Superior Court of California, County of Los Angeles.
Early career
Upon Transamerica's sale of United Artists in 1977, Proffer ventured on his own as an independent record producer, songwriter and arranger. He launched the Pasha Music Organisation out of a studio apartment and within a year constructed a deal with David Geffen's Elektra/Asylum Records to produce and arrange the first solo album from the Hollie's lead singer, Allan Clarke.
In 1977, he met Australian guitarist and singer Billy Thorpe. Proffer and Thorpe formed a friendship and partnership. They would collaborate on four albums. The first was Children Of The Sun. The album became a hit in America, spawning the first computer-animated, laser choreography of a music album in planetariums across the country, which Proffer produced. Proffer and Thorpe had planned to produce a full-length feature film based upon the Children Of The Sun saga. However Capricorn Records, distributed by Polygram at that time, filed a Chapter 11 bankruptcy, and records were no longer available to be purchased anywhere in the country for a period of two years. Subsequently, Proffer remixed and re-released this album on his own Pasha/CBS label, 10 years later.
Business career highlights
In 1978, Proffer and his recording engineer Larry Brown designed and built the Pasha Music House, consisting of two state of the art recording studios in Hollywood, which served as the home for all of Proffer's productions for the next twelve years. Advances from a Polydor Records production arrangement along with matching funds from City National provided the capital to build the facility. The first project recorded there was a series of tracks for the platinum-selling soundtrack to Staying Alive, on which Spencer served as an executive producer as well as a Polydor UNICEF benefit album featuring Olivia Newton John. produced by Rick Stevens. Proffer produced many renowned rock artists at Pasha including Cheap Trick, Heart, Little River Band, Eddie Money, Beach Boys, W.A.S.P., Kick Axe, Vanilla Fudge, Ian Hunter, Shooting Star, Jon Butcher and Outlaws. Pre-production for Guns N' Roses debut Geffen release, Appetite for Destruction, and Mötley Crüe's Shout at the Devil were recorded at Pasha. Additionally, the first rock record to reach No. 1 in the Billboard 200 was produced and mixed by Proffer: Metal Health by Quiet Riot. It sold six million albums at that time. It was released on Proffer's Pasha Records, via his long term co-venture with CBS Records.
Proffer's next decade was spent supervising and producing music for film and television. In 1994, he formed a partnership with Jerry Offsay, and The Showtime Network where Proffer served as the off campus Supervising Music Producer on all their original films and mini-series.
By the end of the 1990s, Proffer had started to develop and produce his own movies. Proffer was a co-executive producer of the Academy Award winning feature Gods & Monsters. Additionally, Proffer was an executive producer of the documentary special Robbie Robertson: Goin' Home, which featured special appearances from Eric Clapton and Martin Scorsese. It earned two Emmy Award nominations in 1997.
Proffer also co-arranged and produced three original compositions with Stevie Wonder, written for the New Line Feature The Adventures of Pinocchio. All were recorded with a 90-piece symphony orchestra. One of these tracks received a 1997 Grammy Award nomination for 'Best Instrumental Recording'. For that same film, Proffer also produced, arranged and mixed a seven-minute operetta with Brian May of Queen.
From 1995 to 1999, Proffer produced and directed the original music for HBO's series Happily Ever After: Fairy Tales for Every Child and composed many of the original songs.
In 1998, Proffer acted as music consultant for the ABC television series Sabrina, The Teenage Witch, and was the supervising producer of the soundtrack album on Geffen Records, which sold in excess of 500,000 units in the United States.
In 1999, Proffer was also a producer and cast album producer, arranger and mixer of the four-time Tony Award nominated Broadway hit show It Ain't Nothin' But The Blues. He removed select musician performances from the live cast recording at Lincoln Center in New York City and replaced them with musical contributions from B.B. King, Buddy Guy, Taj Mahal, Jonny Lang and Andrae Crouch.
Also in 1999, Proffer worked with CBS Television's development executive Michael Wright to create the mini-series Shake, Rattle & Roll. It was broadcast during the November 1999 "sweeps" ratings period and aired repeatedly on VH1. Spencer served as executive producer, along with Mike Medavoy and the project's director and primary screenwriter, Mike Robe. Additionally, he produced, arranged and mixed all the original recordings, which featured B.B. King, K-Ci & JoJo, Chanté Moore, Mark Hoppus and Tom DeLonge, Terence Trent D'Arby, Dicky Barrett (lead singer of The Mighty Mighty Bosstones), Dan Wilson (leader of Semisonic), Gary Allan and Billy Porter. The New York Times called this project "...the most ambitious music-oriented miniseries to date..." Proffer wrote the main song for the ending of the film, "Side By Side" with Lamont Dozier, and secured original songs from Bob Dylan, Carole King, Leiber-Stoller, and Graham Nash (co-written with Spencer). The soundtrack album was released on MCA Records.
That same year Proffer was the executive producer, supervising music producer and co-composer for Showtime Network's feature Mr. Music, starring Mick Fleetwood and Jonathan Tucker. The soundtrack featured recordings by Pat Benatar and Graham Nash. In 2000, Proffer produced and co-wrote all of the original songs for MTV's first original dramatic series, Live Through This. Also that year he co-wrote and produced the title song, "Behind the Mask" with Jose Feliciano for the international television series Queen of Swords.
Fender Musical Instruments
In 2001, Proffer and his Morling Manor Music company formed a joint venture with Fender to release original guitar-based music. The Fender Records debut release, Players, featured music by Eric Clapton, Green Day, Sheryl Crow, Alanis Morissette, Goo Goo Dolls, Blink-182 and Kenny Wayne Shepherd. In 2002, Proffer designed and negotiated a joint venture between Fender Records and California-based surf apparel company Ocean Pacific, to produce an album and tour featuring emerging acts and prominent athlete-musicians accomplishing one of the first marriages of a prominent consumer brand with a music company. The recording was distributed by Warner Brothers Records.
Also in 2001-2002, Proffer executive-produced At Any Cost, an early starring vehicle for James Franco, for VH1. The opening musical track in the movie which Proffer secured was the No. 1 Grammy Award hit "Pinch Me" by The Barenaked Ladies. The soundtrack was distributed by Warner Brothers Records.
In 2003, Proffer produced Darius Rucker and Hootie & The Blowfish's cover version of "Goodbye Girl", to accompany the TNT film Goodbye Girl, starring Patricia Heaton and Jeff Daniels. The music video for "Goodbye Girl" featured the band, Heaton and clips from the film and was used to promote the TNT film on 6,200 Regal Cinemas screens nationwide.
Additionally in 2003, he was the supervising producer of the Fox Television New Years Special, America's Party, hosted by Ryan Seacrest and featured Keith Urban, Ja Rule and Hootie & The Blowfish.
In 2004, Proffer co-wrote and produced the title song to USA Network's Frankenstein.
In 2005, Tweet recorded the title song for the Kojak series, which was co-written and produced by Spencer. The video for the song, "When I Need a Man", appeared on screen in over 7,000 National Cinemedia screens across America to cross promote the series launch.
Rockin The Corps
On April 1, 2005, in the tradition of Bob Hope's USO military tours, a landmarkconcert, Rockin' the Corps, took place on the beach of Marine Base Camp Pendleton, California. Proffer and Doc McGhee produced the concert later the groundbreaking one-night exhibition celebration in 300 Regal Theaters across the country. Quincy Jones, Joe E. Robert, Jr., and Jerry Inzerillo served as executive producers.
USA Network Music Architecture
In 2006, Proffer and then USA Network SVP Chris McCumber (currently president of the network) conceived branding the network with music from Virgin Records. Spencer negotiated the arrangement with Virgin and worked on behalf the network. The deal called for the record company to provide music from the label's artists for use across all of US's marketing platforms. This arrangement marked the first time a network has made such an exclusive pact with a record label.
In 2008, acting on behalf of the network, Proffer brought together USA and Yahoo Music to discover and promote emerging artists.
Meteor 17
In 2007, Proffer formed Meteor 17, a successor, wholly owned company of The Morling Manor Music Corporation. M17 is a production company that actively participates through all phases of deal making, marketing, promotion and distribution
MTV Networks new venture
In 2008, Proffer and Doc McGhee formed a joint venture with MTV Networks to develop and promote new emerging talent. The first act signed to the venture was Crooked X, a hard rock group of 14-year-olds from Coweta, Oklahoma. Proffer and McGhee produced a one-hour special on the band, Rock and Roll Dream, which aired on MTV and MTV 2 repeatedly in 2009. The band made their debut album, via a joint venture arrangement between Meteor 17 and Capitol Records. Proffer worked with Michael Wagener in both of them handling the production roles.
In 2009, young country duo The Carter Twins were added to the venture as the first act signed to MTV Networks' country network, CMT. Frank Rogers produced their first album, with Proffer and MTV's Jeff Yapp serving as executive producers.
Flying Machines, USA Networks and Yahoo
2009 saw Flying Machines land a record deal through Meteor 17's partnership with Capitol/EMI, who released their first album. The band was discovered as a result of the USA Network-Yahoo partnership. That enterprise resulted in the band writing and recording the promotional song and video for USA's launch of hit show Psych. The band was also the Grand Prize winner of the Converse and Journeys' "Get Out of the Garage Music Contest", which was held over a three-month period and received over 5,000 entries from all over the United States. Proffer produced and mixed their debut album.
Warped Tour 15th anniversary
In 2010, Spencer served as the co-executive producer on the VANS Warped Tour, 15th Anniversary Celebration Concert, DVD and CD, featuring alternative artists whose careers were launched on the Warped Tour. Included were All American Rejects, the Aggrolites, Bad Religion, bLINK 182, Ice-T, NOFX, Ozomatli, Pennywise, Pete Wentz and the Decaydence All Stars, Rise Against and Underoath. The DVD was released by Capitol Records via a M17 joint venture and the concert was also exhibited on over 300 Regal, AMC and Cinemark screens across America.
As Seen Through These Eyes
In 2010, Proffer oversaw all musical aspects of the documentary film As Seen Through These Eyes. It appeared in limited theatrical release and aired on the Sundance Channel, who financed the production. The film's end title song, "Art of the Soul", was performed by Anna Nalick and produced by Proffer. It was written by Judith A. Proffer, David Pomeranz, and Spencer Proffer. Composer Larry Brown and Proffer won the Grand Prize Gold Medal Award at the 7th Annual Park City Film Music Festival for Best Use of Music and Performance for the film.
Citizens of the World
Also in 2010, Spencer produced and co-wrote Citizens of the World, a song, video documentary, marketing campaign and an international humanitarian vision. It had its world premiere as a featured article and video embedded in The Wall Street Journal online and on the Fender Musical Instruments website. The performers, collectively known as Pangea, consisted of Flying Machines (US), Khaled (Algeria/France), King Sunny Ade (Nigeria), Kailish Kher (India) and Cheng Lin (China). The artists sang in five different languages. Proffer also produced a video of the collaboration. It was filmed on the rooftop of the Capitol Records building in Hollywood.
Space Warriors
M17 has an arrangement with the U.S. Space & Rocket Center in Huntsville, Alabama, to develop and produce media for them, with extensions into television, DVD, merchandising, music, online, social media and other platforms. This long-term relationship and anchor for the parties is designed to use multi-media to inspire and promote science and space education. In 2012, the film Space Warriors was produced entirely on location at United States Space Camp in Huntsville. Proffer served as an executive producer and supervising music producer. The film stars Danny Glover, Mira Sorvino, Dermot Mulroney, Josh Lucas and Thomas Horn. The end title track for the film was performed by Tobymac.
The Entertainment Industry Council's Annual S.E.T. Awards are presented to productions for inspiring and impactful entertainment portraying and promoting the fields of science, engineering, technology and math. In 2013, Space Warriors was honored as the winner in the television category.
Proffer donated 25 scholarships to children across North America to further science and space education.
State of Alabama honorarium
In 2013, Proffer received a proclamation from the Governor of the State of Alabama, Robert Bentley. Spencer was named an honorary citizen of the state for his continuing efforts on behalf of The U.S. Space & Rocket Center and the state of Alabama, to inspire the next generation through Space Camp's renown educational programs at Space Camp as well as the NASA Visitor Center and Museum.
I Hope You Dance: The Power and Spirit of Song
In 2015, Spencer produced a full-length documentary film, I Hope You Dance: The Power and Spirit of Song, which explored how one extraordinary song has changed people's lives. It had its big-screen premiere at the Grammy Museum, followed by two theatrical events, exhibited on 362 screens across The United States, hosted by the Today Show's Kathie Lee Gifford in May 2016. America's #1 faith and inspirational radio program, Keep The Faith, aired a month-long series of specials to create awareness of the theater special event. The evening also featured a special appearance by season 9 THE VOICE winner Jordan Smith, who sang an a capella rendition of "I Hope You Dance" in addition to performing his new Republic/Universal single, "Stand in the Light".
Directed by John Scheinfeld (The U.S. vs. John Lennon), the film is a powerful, inspirational and cinematic work about hope, faith and optimism and the power of music to inspire and heal. It features poignant commentaries by Dr. Maya Angelou, Graham Nash (who performs "Teach Your Children"), Brian Wilson (who performs "God Only Knows"), Joel Osteen, Vince Gill and Lee Ann Womack. The film also profiles four extraordinary stories of real people whose lives have been inspired, given renewed hope and faith as a result of the song.[84] Further, it showcases a new version of the number 1 Grammy-winning song by four-time Grammy nominated artist Mandisa, a Capitol CMG exclusive recording artist. It was produced by six-time Grammy winning artist Tobymac's producers, Chris Stevens and David Garcia.[83][84][85] Judith A. Proffer's Huqua Press has published a gift book which highlights and expands upon the stories in the film and of the people whose lives were wonderfully impacted by the song. Retail distribution is by Simon & Schuster. The book contains additional content and prose about the power of music to heal and inspire.
Renowned author and life coach Tim Storey has written the foreword.
John Coltrane feature documentary
Spencer teamed with Scott Pascucci ("Geo Harrison: Living In The Material World"), John Beug ("Eric Clapton Crossroads Guitar Festival") and Dave Harding to produce a film which celebrates John Coltrane and the power and inspiration of his music and being to the world. Award winning director John Scheinfeld, best known for the critically acclaimed feature documentaries The U.S. vs. John Lennon and Who Is Harry Nilsson (And Why Is Everybody Talkin' About Him), directed the film. The team had unprecedented access to utilize all major recorded music by Coltrane from the record labels who account for nearly 90% of all Coltrane's music released over the years.
The film explores the global power and impact of the music of Coltrane and reveals the passions, experiences and forces that shaped his life and revolutionary sounds. The project was produced to appeal to a broad, worldwide audience that will be touched by Coltrane's very human story of demons and redemption. Told in a fresh and entertaining way, it is a film about hope, faith, optimism and the power of music to heal and to transform the world. There is an ongoing global reach to the music of John Coltrane. Over 45 years after his death, his music continues to make a significant impact on the lives of people throughout the globe of all ages, races, faiths and socio-economic circumstances.
CAST: Denzel Washington, President Bill Clinton, Common, John Densmore, Wynton Marsalis, Sonny Rollins, Carlos Santana, Wayne Shorter, McCoy Tyner, Kamasi Washington Sonny Rollins, McCoy Tyner, Cornel West.
CHASING TRANE Experiential Marketing: South Africa Blue Train Enterprise
Spencer and Africa's Leading Luxury Train, The Blue Train, formed a partnership and produced a unique experience to celebrate John Coltrane and South African modern jazz music in combination with American jazz and blues. On November 9th and 10th, 2017, there was a South African private screening of Chasing Trane, on board the iconic South African 'Blue Jewel'
American jazz celebrity Ronnie Laws, along with two stars of the 4-time Tony nominated Broadway musical 'It Ain't Nothin' But The Blues", Eloise Laws and Lita Gaithers Owens, also travelled to South Africa to participate in the event and jam with the South African musicians.
Both the Laws and Owens' participations was a reunion for them with Proffer since Spencer signed Ronnie Laws to Blue Note Records after Laws' stint with Earth Wind & Fire, supervised Law's score to both a Showtime film as well as a HBO episode of the hit Happily Ever After series and was a producer of the hit Broadway musical.
Chasing Trane was exhibited on a two-day journey that was attended by major South African media and political dignitaries. They were treated to a combination of luxury travel, five-star accommodation, fine cuisine. personalized butler service and breath-taking views of the South African countryside.
This is the first time that a film premiere was showcased in this manner, aboard a luxury train. It was a highly successful and unprecedented experience attended by guests from around the world. One of Coltrane's most successful albums was titled Blue Train. It is still considered amongst the most respected works in the genre.
Sponsors for the event included Gauteng Tourism Authority, leisure giant Sun International, Coca Cola Bottling Company South Africa, Bidvest Car Rental, Perdeberg Wine Estate, Groot Constantia Wine Estate, Cell C, Delaire Graff Estate and Transnet/Blue Train.
Papi Molotsane, a South African business leader and formerly CEO of communications company Telekom, was Spencer's partner on the ground for the event and served as co-executive producer. Molotsane's company along with Andre Gilbertson's Gail Force Media, coordinated all activities, extensions, brand participations and activations in the country.
The two-day experience featured four popular, contemporary, South African jazz musicians who performed original compositions in the spirit of the jazz legend at key destinations; a private concert for The Blue Train guests in the fields of the famed Delaire Graff Wine Estate in Stellenbosch. As the tour wound down and for the grand finale, an intimate concert was held at Kaleidoscope, a leading Cape Town contemporary jazz club.
South African music producer, composer and Grammy nominee for his work with Hugh Masekela, Don Laka, oversaw all the musical aspects of this experience. Current hit South African Warner Music artist Dr. Bone as well as highly respected jazz saxophonist, McCoy Mrubata performed with Ronnie, Eloise Laws and Lita Gaithers Owens at both Delaire Graff and Kaleidoscope, as well as entertained the guests on the train to a late night Broadway on the train concert.
Leading South African fashion designer and original King of Kotini Ole Ledimo, founder of House Of Ole, showcased African designs inspired by John Coltrane's life. Proffer, a producer of John Scheinfeld's Chasing Trane film, was joined by fellow Chasing Trane producer Dave Harding. They worked closely with PixPlay, a local film crew led by Mole Angoma, to document the journey and cultural exchange to produce a documentary entitled TRANE TRACKS: A Musical Journey Through South Africa. Los Angeles-based Vivian Yang serves as a consulting producer.
The following links share interviews with Spencer, published on this unique event by top South Africa media outlets.
1968 NBC Elvis Comeback Special: Book
Elvis Comeback Special director-producer Steve Binder partnered with Spencer/Meteor 17 to publish a table-top book on Binder's making of the television special on all activities that led up to, were part of and happened, as a result of the event.
M17's long-time art director, Hugh Syme, designed the unique look and feel of the 279-page collector's item book. It includes commentaries, interviews and never before seen memorabilia presented to Binder by both Elvis and Colonel Tom Parker.
Grammy-winning book manufacturing house Integrated Communications, widely known for producing high-quality limited edition collections for major music artists and companies (Paul McCartney, Bob Dylan, John Lennon, Universal Music Enterprises, Concord Music Group, and Warner Music Group), are handling the printing of the book, worldwide. Special offerings to Elvis fan clubs, podcasts with current top artists influenced by Elvis and the special, an audio reading of the book by Binder with a forward by a prominent media celebrity and town hall presentations at high-profile venues that have a nexus to Elvis' career are in place, to create further awareness of the book and bring attention to the 2018 50th-year celebration of Elvis' Comeback Special.
Carry Me Home: Pulitzer Prize Winning Novel to Series
Spencer, Meteor 17 and ROOTS producer Mark Wolper are producing an ongoing broadcast series based upon Diane McWhorter's Pulitzer Prize-winning work of history, investigative journalism and personal memoir.
Carry Me Home profiles an African-American community in conflict with itself and white players who illustrate the strained, veiled collusion between the wealthy upper class into which the author was born and its designated subordinates--politicians, the police, and the Klan.
From the country club to the black church to the Ku Klux Klan klavern, the book chronicles the people and events that conspired in the turning-point Year Of Birmingham, 1963. It addresses the sensational face-off between Martin Luther King Jr.'s child demonstrators and Commissioner Bull Connor's police dogs followed by the bombing of the Sixteenth Street Baptist Church, a white supremacist terrorist act that killed four black Sunday school girls.
"These children--unoffending, innocent, and beautiful--were the victims of one of the most vicious and tragic crimes ever perpetrated against humanity," Dr. King said in his eulogy.
Though CARRY ME HOME builds to the Birmingham church bombing, the book (and our series) goes back deep into the "old" world of Jim Crow and enforced segregation, to trace the way white supremacy captured the soul of this industrial southern town. And the whirlwind Birmingham reaped was democracy in action. The series will reimagine the race-relations milieu familiar to audiences of recent Civil Rights-themed projects--as MAD MEN recast the cultural upheavals of 1960s--with searing subtlety.
The book's author, Diane McWhorter, is a white woman whose father took part in clandestine racist activities. The book serves as a vehicle for her to grapple with her family's culpability in the historic racial injustice of the times. Intercutting between the prime of the civil rights era and the Jim Crow South that incubated this social revolution, our series will draw lines between these time periods and between the various factions of Birmingham, Alabama. A militant African-American minister in competition with Martin Luther King as well as with the black bourgeoisie. The African-American staff at the country club. The wealthy white industrialists who are the club's members. The law. The press. The "footsoldiers" for racial separation--the KKK and its neo-Nazi offshoots. Outsiders and "agitators" from liberal college kids to national Movement figures to the FBI. Rich characters representing all these factions will drive CARRY ME HOME toward its cataclysmic conclusion.
TIME' lists the memoir in its ALL-TIME 100 Best Nonfiction books.' It also received positive reviews from Entertainment Weekly and The Nation.
Jimi Hendrix: The Acoustic Experience
Fall, 2018 will see the release, marketing and distribution of the EP by Sony Legacy Records, worldwide. Proffer has put this together and serves as the executive producer, working with original Hendrix engineer and mixer Eddie Kramer.
Kramer, whose credits include engineering five albums with The Rolling Stones, five with Led Zeppelin and select recordings with The Beatles, has mixed all the tracks and serves as the EP's co-executive producer, along with former Capitol/EMI/Virgin Records No America President Lee Trink and Phillipa Sledge. Tether Inc. founder Stanley Hainsworth is the record's associate producer. Seattle-based Tether, Inc. is M17's marketing arm, working alongside Sony Legacy recordings.
Former Sony Music International and PolyGram Label Group CEO Rick Dobbis heads up all international marketing and strategic alignments, next to our distribution partner's international division. Dobbis is working with top executives from our partner distributor(s) in Japan, Germany, France, Holland, Sweden and Mexico amongst other ex No American markets where Hendrix catalog continues to sell. We are planning to have three or more top selling artists from these territories contribute an acoustic version of a classic Hendrix title, performed in the respective local language, as a bonus track for Volume 1 of what is planned to be a series of EPs for all generations.
This acoustic-unplugged re-imagination of classic Jimi Hendrix titles for audiences of today is performed by top-selling legacy stars (e.g. David Crosby and Graham Nash) combined with current hit, worldwide artists (e.g. Jason Mraz) who all share a love and affinity of Hendrix music. The project and media extensions will demonstrate, musically and commercially, how timeless Hendrix's music truly is. The Acoustic Experience provides an exciting and unique way of conveying Hendrix's relevance to today's audiences.
Sweetwater
"Sweetwater", set in 1950, is the story of the first African American athlete to become a star in the NBA - "The Jackie Robinson of basketball". A historical true tale sequestered under the radar since its happening in 1950, Nate "Sweets" Clifton helped to change the game of basketball forever. Proffer is the film's Supervising Music Producer and an executive producer. He is also putting together a companion hip hop album of tracks with NBA Superstars, the songs based upon the themes and ethos of director, Martin Guigui's script. The NBA serves as a marketing partner for the project which will be released at the end of 2018.
Professorial teaching
Spencer Proffer has taught numerous courses at UCLA, American University, Syracuse University and USC, while having served on the Dean's Council for the School of Communication at American University in Washington, D.C.
References
Source of the article : Wikipedia