L-R: Randy Bachman, David Stark, Ritch Esra (Music Business Registry), Valerie Jones (SongLink USA & Sound Oasis), and SongLink webmaster Ralph Torres (Neonflame Creative). L-R: David Stark, Buffy Sainte-Marie, and Randy Bachman L-R: David Stark, Jeffery David, Tess Taylor (NARIP) and Phil Bird (Ricall, UK) David Stark and friends at a dinner hosted for him by Deborah Nortman.

SongLink editor/publisher David Stark arrived in Los Angeles on April 13th for a week's visit, which could end up being longer if the Iceland volcano crisis persists. On Saturday he met up with longtime colleagues at the new LA home of Canadian rock legend Randy Bachman (Bachman-Turner Overdrive, the Guess Who), who has been a longtime subscriber of SongLink for many years. Randy is currently providing songs for the debut album by upcoming UK artist Ellie Jacobs (Splash Sounds), as well as gearing up for the release of the great new 'Bachman & Turner' comeback album this summer, along with live dates starting in the UK and Sweden including the High Voltage festival in London's Victoria Park sponsored by Classic Rock magazine, with ZZ Top, Foreigner, ELP and many other vintage bands.

Also at the party was renowned native singer/songwriter Buffy Sainte-Marie ("Soldier Blue") who was in LA performing with her band, and is managed by Gilles Paquin of Paquin Entertainment Group who also manages Bachman & Turner.

* * * * *

Earlier in the day David was a guest at the NARIP Networking Brunch hosted by Tess Taylor at the home of producer Jeffery David. NARIP (National Association of Record Industry Professionals) has a programme of regular events open to anyone in the music industry, and will be launching branches in London and Sweden in the next few months.

* * * * *

Before heading to LA, David was in Vancouver where Deborah Nortman of Abaca Entertainment hosted a special dinner in his honour, attended by various industry friends including Jan Cooper (Cooper Studios/Pump Records) and his wife Gayle; singer/songwriters Johnny DeMarco; Ryan Donn from Ireland; Lee Lindsey and Ron Irving, whose wife Sue works for SOCAN; and others. The dinner concluded with an impressive performance by four of Jan Cooper's young female vocal students who are all hoping to break into the industry with songs found via SongLink.

Randy Bachman

Bachman & Turner

High Voltage Festival

Buffy Sainte-Marie

Paquin Entertainment

National Association of Record Industry Professionals

Ababa Entertainment

Cooper Studios