June 1965, London
I’m excited and nervous! I’m taking the day off school to go to meet Nina, her husband/manager Andy Stroud and their 4 year old daughter Lisa at Heathrow airport at 6:30am! I greet Nina with flowers and as the founder of her newly-created appreciation society/fan club, she wants to know where all the fans are! I explain that most of them are at work at this early in the morning! Nina asks me whose music I listen to other than hers. I say ‘Dionne Warwick’ and Andy explains, ‘She’s the girl who works with Burt Bacharach.’ Nina says she’ll check her out when she’s back in America. She then launches into a short rant about her Philips Records’ labelmate, Dusty Springfield saying she’s copying an American singer, note for note and Nina is referring to a cover by Dusty of the song, “Won’t Be Long.” The singer in question is Aretha Franklin whose 1st Columbia LP includes her original version of it. “Have you heard her, David?’ Nina asks imperiously. I respond that I’ve heard the name but not her music and Nina remarks how good Aretha is… Age 17, my musical DNA is about to be set….D(ionne)…N(ina)…A(retha)….
Andy offers me a lift in the limo that Philips Records has sent to pick up Nina, Andy and Lisa up and I am stunned… I’m sitting in the back of this posh car with my musical heroine, the beginning of an amazing journey for Nina and for me…
