Smooth Artist Interviews

Lin Rountree - The Message 1
Lin Rountree

Can you name a place you would love to perform in, but haven't yet had the chance?

Any one of the Smooth Jazz Cruises (or all of them)

The Tom Joyner Sky Show

Catalina Jazz Festival

What was the first song you can remember hearing as a child that was pivotal?

"IGY" by Donald Fagen in Spring of 1983. Had a beautiful melody, lyrics, yet still was really grooving... wanted to learn to make music like that... before that I'd heard a lot of music but never really listened... from then on I started to really listen to everything...

Is there a song you wish you would've written?

"Like a Rock" Bob Seger is getting PAID from Ford... NO Seriously "Kind of Blue" by Miles Davis... to just be able to jot down several chord changes and a melody and witness the Genius of Cannonball and Coltrane and others bring the song to life and make it a timeless classic...

What personal non-music goal would you most like to achieve?

Want to just see my kid(s) graduate from college (when I have some).

What other genres do you think Smooth Jazz should embrace?

More Soul and Funk... perhaps smooth funk? Like the Unwrapped series from Hidden Beach; obviously there is a demand as the series is already selling over 1 million copies. There is definitely an audience for it.

Finish this sentence: The best way to wind down after a performance is... ?

Have the promoter take you out for some food and drinks. Have some local artists take you to some of the city's hot spots... maybe sit in w/the cats. Go back to the Hotel and have my wife give me a massage!!!