Commercial Affiliations

"We've got time for an email now, before we get to the end of the week. Let's go to the email basket. This one comes from Jackie Vann from Manhattan. Jackie writes, 'Bob, I know that Sheryl Crow is a friend of yours, but what is your take on her using Buddy Holly's great Not Fade Away for a TV hair dye commercial? I felt the most awful, stinging disappointment when I first heard it. I felt betrayed by Crow, as I'm almost sure Buddy would have. He was such a stickler for controlling his own material. I can't imagine his liking this commercial adaptation.'

"Well Jackie, I have to disagree with you. When's the last time you heard Buddy Holly on the radio? There aren't a lot of shows like Theme Time Radio Hour. A lot of people get to hear commercials, and if it makes one person curious about either Buddy or Sheryl, I'm all for it. How many people never heard of Nick Drake until he was in a car commercial?






"A lot of musicians have always been proud to have commercial affiliation. Sonny Boy Williamson sold flour. I can't imagine Sonny Boy saying, 'My blues is too sacred. I wouldn't sell flour.' Jimmie Rodgers sold biscuits. Sheryl Crow sells hair dye. More power to her.




"And Jackie, have you ever seen a Victoria's Secret ad?" - Bob Dylan, Theme Time Radio Hour, "Days of the Week" episode.