GIVE IT UP FOR WILLIE

I work for what I consider a benign Fortune 250 corporation. It's not just my opinion. We're regularly characterized as "one of America's most admired companies," not just for our earnings performance, but for our community involvement and charititable activities. We happen to be in a business that luckily doesn't require bribes, consumer fraud or abuse of employees to succeed financially.

But this past week I was trying to book Willie Nelson for a convention of ours, and was completely stymied by Willie's absolute refusal to sing for a corporate event, no matter the cost. I even had access to his sister, who related a story of him recently saying no to a chance to perform for 45 minutes for $300,000 the same night he was performing three blocks away for less than $100,000.

It didn't work out for me, but I have complete respect for an artist whose principles rise above worship for the almighty dollar. As Willie once said, "Seventeen million dollars doesn't sound so much if you say it quickly."