FAME and GLORY (39 page)
Authors: K.T. Hastings
She turned to look at the talent scout, speaking directly to him.
“I need to get together with the rest of the group so we can decide for sure, democratically, how we want this to go. We need to know from you, though, is Arista still interested in us if we use a different name?”
Tom Ferrari shifted his weight from his right foot to his left. He was surprised to have been put in the spotlight all at once. He answered with the first thing that came to mind.
“What name do you have in mind?”
Brandee glanced at the members of the group. They leaned forward, as anxious to know the answer to this as Tom Ferrari was.
“J-A-C-O-B-Y,” Brandee said, spelling it out for him. “A tribute to the man that made us a group in the first place.”
Tom thought for a moment. “I'll have to check with New York, of course--”
Brandee interrupted, “Do that, then. Tell them that a name change of some kind is non-negotiable though. I don't want to go on stage as
Brandee
again.”
Tom smiled, “Let me finish. I started to say that I would have to check with New York, of course, but I don't see how that would be a problem. You don't have the kind of branding yet that would make it hard to change your name. Your fame is regional, and not that firm so far. We hope to change that.”
Brandee nodded, and turned to Bruce, Suzi, and Diane. “How about it? Will you play with me? As
Jacoby
?”
The three musician members of the group formerly known as
Brandee
looked at each other. Bruce answered, not unkindly, “Let me have a word with Suzi and Diane”
Brandee nodded, a lump rising in her throat. Bruce enfolded Suzi and Diane into a makeshift huddle. After a minute or so, the huddle broke up and the musicians looked at Brandee with sober expressions on their faces. Bruce spoke for them. “On one condition.”
Brandee looked perplexed. “What's that?”
“That we spell it J-A-C-O-B-E-E. I've gotten kind of used to playing behind an E-E.”
“Deal!” Brandee cried out, rushing into the arms of her friends.
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