I was sitting in a karaoke bar in Cologne. Yes I freely admit that I enjoy going to these places of false super stardom. A very dark skinned man up stood. He was smiling happily and seemed to be clearly not aware that he was about to destroy a song sung by some old great legend. The destroying the song was not the surprise but the confidence with which he was about to do it was the unusual part.
He began. "long tones that were clear and charismatic in their expression knocked me and everyone into the room almost literally, to the floor. This was no "karaoke singer". This was not just a professional but a world class singer. Even more shocking was that he was in a karaoke bar in Cologne and had waited humbly for his turn to join the happy club of people who like to get to know each other through the medium of musical impersonation, only this was no impersonator.
After a few songs that evening I began to realise that his face was familiar. I had seen him on television. Yes he was that guy that came in the top 10 of the 2007/8 show in America "America's Got Talent", right there with the biggest smile on his face chatting with anyone who wanted to, no allures joining in to life in Germany's 4th largest city.
At some point we got taking. I am normally half "off duty" after midnight and this was well into the early morning. I he asked me what I did and I just told him I had just finished my MBA and was developing a music management business. I expected that usual "Oh how nice!". I mean, someone like him must be represented by Simon Cowell or Sharon Osborne. I was amazed when he asked me if I could do anything for him.
That was how I came to represent Robert Hatcher in Europe.