An Outlaw, An Ipod and a Producer's Journey

Forty eight years ago, Waylon Jennings’ LP “Are You Ready For The Country” rose to the top of the Billboard country chart for 10 weeks. The album was certified gold with four top ten singles, and reached #34 on the pop charts. With several rock covers (including the title track by Neil Young), this album is most closely associated with the genesis of the outlaw movement in country music. Nine years later, Jennings joined Johnny Cash, Kris Kristofferson and Willie Nelson to form the supergroup known as The Highwaymen.

In 2010, I had the pleasure of interviewing the albums co-producer Ken Mansfield. A former Capitol Records executive, he later became The Beatles' North American manager for their newly formed Apple Records Corp. According to Mansfield, he was struck by how unaffected Jennings was by critics, who felt he abandoned his country roots with a rock music influence. "I've never produced anyone in my life who simply didn't care what the critics wrote", said Mansfield. Jennings followed his instincts and the album was certified gold.

Throughout the 1960s, Mansfield was also associated with an variety of recording artists including:?The Beach Boys,?James Taylor,?Roy Orbison,?Glen Campbell,?Andy Williams,?Judy Garland,?George Shearing, Dolly Parton,?and David Cassidy.

During the time of our interview, Ken had recently released his book, "Between Wyomings: My God and an iPod on the Open Road". The book chronicles a three-month road trip of self discovery as Mansfield revisited his successes in Nashville, Los Angeles and London in search of a renewed life focus. Today, Ken Mansfield is a spiritual author and lecturer.

During "The Beatles: Get Back", a 2021 documentary television series directed and produced by Peter Jackson, Ken Mansfield is visible on the rooftop of the Saville Row Building, London's headquarters of Apple Studios during The Beatles final public performance. Ken is unmistakable wearing a white raincoat. Drawing largely from 60 hours of unused, preserved film footage and 150 hours of audio from the Michael Lindsay-Hogg documentary "Let It Be", Peter Jackson reviewed 21 days of filming for over 2 years. Using the latest digital audio-video technology, he painstakingly edited the new film into eight hours of viewing time that was presented over three consecutive nights to television audiences by The Walt Disney Company.

However, a shorter version of the film titled "The Beatles: Get Back – The Rooftop Concert", was released across US cities on January 30, 2022. This film puts to rest long-held beliefs that production of the "Let It Be" album was infused by interpersonal tensions between the band members. "Get Back" reveals a wider scope of the recording sessions, in a far more positive environment to the production, culminating in the impromptu live rooftop performance.

At the end of my interview, Ken Mansfield recalled his experience revisiting that storied rooftop, seeking closure to this chapter of his career. "As I left, do you know what I found, Michael? It's only a roof", said Mansfield. Career pivots can reveal the unexpected.

[My full interview with Ken Mansfield was published on my old website. After leaving broadcasting, I had the site dismantled. However, I still have the original audio recording and may transpose the visit here at a future date].