Ron Sakamoto's Solid Gold Touch
Lori Hollabaugh
April 18, 2007
The 2006 CMA International Talent Buyer / Promoter of the Year is a fixture not only on the Canadian music scene, but on the global stage as well. As one of the primary promoters in Canada for the last 30 years, Ron Sakamoto, or "Sak," as he is affectionately known, has presented shows from KISS to George Strait and been a constant champion of Canada's entertainment scene, helping build it into the thriving business it is today.
His story reads like a typical rags-to-riches, small-town-boy-makes-good tale - but with a few unlikely twists. Growing up on a farm in Southern Alberta, Canada, Sakamoto was blessed with a beautiful singing voice and has sung in choirs but turned his attention to baseball and hockey. It was on a hockey team trip that he would get the inspiration to open his first club.
"I was playing hockey in different cities, and at that time Dick Clark's 'Bandstand' was popular," Sakamoto said. "I was watching 'Bandstand' and I thought, 'Hmm, that looks kind of neat.' Then I got hurt and knew I was never going to make the pros, so I decided to open a teen club. We opened on Friday and Saturday nights, with no booze - I sold pop, chocolate bars and chips - and it did very well."
Realizing he would need to work with business people to book his club, Sakamoto decided to become a Fuller Brush Man.
"The hardest thing for me to do was talk to people, Sakamoto said. "My friend managed a Fuller Brush business, and I felt that going door to door was the hardest thing. If I could do that and be successful, then I could do anything."
Sakamoto's philosophy worked. He opened a club in Lethbridge and started his company, Gold & Gold Productions. Some were surprised to encounter a Japanese Canadian at their first meeting, but Sakamoto won them over with his contagious enthusiasm and tireless work ethic - the same traits that have helped him become one of Canada's biggest promoters.
The first promoter to bring KISS to Canada, Sakamoto has seen plenty of changes during his three decades in the business, and he's watched the careers of countless rock and Country artists blossom and grow. Perhaps the biggest change has been the size of the arenas and the magnitude of the shows presented.
"At the time I started there were mainly hockey arenas," he said. "Most smaller towns had arenas because of hockey. They didn't have all-purpose buildings at that time, so we had to use movie theaters with stages. Today, entertainers travel in huge buses with tons of equipment, and the show has gotten a lot more complex and sophisticated."
Although Canada has only one tenth of the population of the U.S., Sakamoto noted that it still supports music in a big way. He should know. During his career he's worked with nearly every name in the business, including Bryan Adams, the Bee Gees, the Doobie Brothers, Tom Jones, Ricky Nelson, Roy Orbison, Santana, Van Halen and Country artists including Alan Jackson, Brooks & Dunn, Faith Hill and Tim McGraw, the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, Charley Pride, Shania Twain and Keith Urban.
Recognition of outstanding industry contributions is part of the mission of CMA - including those accomplishments outside of our domestic borders. Last September, CMA presented promoter Ron Sakamoto with the CMA International Talent Buyer / Promoter of the Year Award.
"Part of the CMA mission statement is to bring the poetry and emotion of Country Music to the world," said CMA Chief Operating Officer Tammy Genovese. "Throughout many years, Ron has helped build a market for our artists to tour in Canada, and we are proud to recognize him with this Award."
The Award is given to an international talent buyer / promoter who has promoted at least two concerts of Nashville-signed artists outside the United States in the past 12 months. Genovese and CMA Board Member and Chairman of CMA Global Markets Committee Jeff Walker, President of AristoMedia / Marco Promotions, presented the Award to Sakamoto during the Industry Awards Brunch on Sept. 9, as part of the Canadian Country Music Association's Country Music Week in Saint John, New Brunswick. Sakomoto also received the Award in 2001.
"I find myself not only honored, but humbled to be recognized on such a level," Sakamoto said. "I am so fortunate to be able to work with such fine people, right from the talented and amazing artists; their bands and crew members; management and agents and their assistants; to the road crew; sound and light people - everyone involved from start to finish in promoting and producing a first class event. To be rewarded by CMA for doing something I love and feel so passionate about is beyond my largest dreams."
"We are delighted that Ron Sakamoto is the 2006 recipient of the CMA International Talent Buyer / Promoter of the Year Award," said CMA International Director Bobbi Boyce. "He works tirelessly to promote Country Music in Canada and is responsible for introducing some of the biggest names in our industry to the Canadian market place."
A multiple award winner for services to Country Music, Sakamoto, through his agency Gold & Gold Productions, has introduced some of the top names in Country Music to the Canadian marketplace. He co-founded CSA, a full service booking and brokering agency that puts Canadian artists together with major tours, including Charlie Major with Randy Travis, Aaron Prichett with Brooks & Dunn and Johnny Reid with Brad Paisley and Terri Clark. He has been named the Canadian Country Music Association's Talent Buyer / Promoter of the Year for 14 consecutive years.
Sakamoto's ventures include partnerships in casinos, racetracks and a golf course, and ownership of several racehorses, one of which represented Canada at the MNBA Challenge Race in Texas. Retirement hasn't crossed his mind, although Sakamoto conceded that balance is one of the keys to a successful life.
2007 CMA Close Up News Service / Country Music Association, Inc.
His story reads like a typical rags-to-riches, small-town-boy-makes-good tale - but with a few unlikely twists. Growing up on a farm in Southern Alberta, Canada, Sakamoto was blessed with a beautiful singing voice and has sung in choirs but turned his attention to baseball and hockey. It was on a hockey team trip that he would get the inspiration to open his first club.
"I was playing hockey in different cities, and at that time Dick Clark's 'Bandstand' was popular," Sakamoto said. "I was watching 'Bandstand' and I thought, 'Hmm, that looks kind of neat.' Then I got hurt and knew I was never going to make the pros, so I decided to open a teen club. We opened on Friday and Saturday nights, with no booze - I sold pop, chocolate bars and chips - and it did very well."
Realizing he would need to work with business people to book his club, Sakamoto decided to become a Fuller Brush Man.
"The hardest thing for me to do was talk to people, Sakamoto said. "My friend managed a Fuller Brush business, and I felt that going door to door was the hardest thing. If I could do that and be successful, then I could do anything."
Sakamoto's philosophy worked. He opened a club in Lethbridge and started his company, Gold & Gold Productions. Some were surprised to encounter a Japanese Canadian at their first meeting, but Sakamoto won them over with his contagious enthusiasm and tireless work ethic - the same traits that have helped him become one of Canada's biggest promoters.
The first promoter to bring KISS to Canada, Sakamoto has seen plenty of changes during his three decades in the business, and he's watched the careers of countless rock and Country artists blossom and grow. Perhaps the biggest change has been the size of the arenas and the magnitude of the shows presented.
"At the time I started there were mainly hockey arenas," he said. "Most smaller towns had arenas because of hockey. They didn't have all-purpose buildings at that time, so we had to use movie theaters with stages. Today, entertainers travel in huge buses with tons of equipment, and the show has gotten a lot more complex and sophisticated."
Although Canada has only one tenth of the population of the U.S., Sakamoto noted that it still supports music in a big way. He should know. During his career he's worked with nearly every name in the business, including Bryan Adams, the Bee Gees, the Doobie Brothers, Tom Jones, Ricky Nelson, Roy Orbison, Santana, Van Halen and Country artists including Alan Jackson, Brooks & Dunn, Faith Hill and Tim McGraw, the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, Charley Pride, Shania Twain and Keith Urban.
Recognition of outstanding industry contributions is part of the mission of CMA - including those accomplishments outside of our domestic borders. Last September, CMA presented promoter Ron Sakamoto with the CMA International Talent Buyer / Promoter of the Year Award.
"Part of the CMA mission statement is to bring the poetry and emotion of Country Music to the world," said CMA Chief Operating Officer Tammy Genovese. "Throughout many years, Ron has helped build a market for our artists to tour in Canada, and we are proud to recognize him with this Award."
The Award is given to an international talent buyer / promoter who has promoted at least two concerts of Nashville-signed artists outside the United States in the past 12 months. Genovese and CMA Board Member and Chairman of CMA Global Markets Committee Jeff Walker, President of AristoMedia / Marco Promotions, presented the Award to Sakamoto during the Industry Awards Brunch on Sept. 9, as part of the Canadian Country Music Association's Country Music Week in Saint John, New Brunswick. Sakomoto also received the Award in 2001.
"I find myself not only honored, but humbled to be recognized on such a level," Sakamoto said. "I am so fortunate to be able to work with such fine people, right from the talented and amazing artists; their bands and crew members; management and agents and their assistants; to the road crew; sound and light people - everyone involved from start to finish in promoting and producing a first class event. To be rewarded by CMA for doing something I love and feel so passionate about is beyond my largest dreams."
"We are delighted that Ron Sakamoto is the 2006 recipient of the CMA International Talent Buyer / Promoter of the Year Award," said CMA International Director Bobbi Boyce. "He works tirelessly to promote Country Music in Canada and is responsible for introducing some of the biggest names in our industry to the Canadian market place."
A multiple award winner for services to Country Music, Sakamoto, through his agency Gold & Gold Productions, has introduced some of the top names in Country Music to the Canadian marketplace. He co-founded CSA, a full service booking and brokering agency that puts Canadian artists together with major tours, including Charlie Major with Randy Travis, Aaron Prichett with Brooks & Dunn and Johnny Reid with Brad Paisley and Terri Clark. He has been named the Canadian Country Music Association's Talent Buyer / Promoter of the Year for 14 consecutive years.
Sakamoto's ventures include partnerships in casinos, racetracks and a golf course, and ownership of several racehorses, one of which represented Canada at the MNBA Challenge Race in Texas. Retirement hasn't crossed his mind, although Sakamoto conceded that balance is one of the keys to a successful life.
2007 CMA Close Up News Service / Country Music Association, Inc.
Print
Email
