Henry Stone was a music industry legend, and a bit of a Zelig-like character. He recorded early Ray Charles and James Brown sides in the 1950s, distributed numerous hits throughout the 1960s, and launched TK Records—responsible for the Miami Sound of George McCrae, Anita Ward, and K.C. & The Sunshine Band—in the 1970s. I interviewed him in his Miami penthouse at a time when he was working hard to reclaim his legacy after years in the musical wilderness.

This piece was written at a time when vodka was the It spirit, with consumers shelling out big money for a neutral beverage. Thankfully, consumers eventually learned that spending $17.99 on a bottle of Tito’s is perfectly acceptable. And by trial and error, I learned that whiskey—particularly American rye—is my It spirit.

Youtility is a term coined by marketing guru and author Jay Baer. What exactly does this mean? Let’s hear from Baer: “If you give people what they actually want and like and will use, eventually they will sell themselves.” Well said. I interviewed Baer for Developments, the official magazine of the American Resort Development Association. Baer’s philosophy has had a lasting impression on me and my approach to content creation.