#75 Good Riddance to 2020 and looking forward to a GREAT 2021!

If 2020 was a fiction novel, no one would have believed it possible to have this kind of year. Pandemic aside, we had the worst fire year ever, economic depression, riots, and challenges to our democratic elections. Good-bye 2020! And good riddance!

With conventions and travel banned, we learned to zoom and meet online. Musicians learned to record at home, while those of us in the studio took some time to set up podcasting and video studios. We blew the dust off older projects and brought them up to DSD256 using our SEA processes. What's SEA? Systems for Exceptional Audio - we trademarked it a few months ago and plan to replace these tired old delivery systems (that I won't name here) that are making a mockery of HD audio.

There were a few other important moments for us in 2020. Blue Coast Records officially signed a distribution deal with Entertainment One and will launch 29 albums on January 15, 2021 to 240 DSPs worldwide. Now, the artists will be able to play our music to their fans who aren't as tech savvy as most of you who are reading here. I want to thank Ali Khan and Mike Regan for holding my hand through the 18 month ordeal of signing. I must also thank Patrick O'Connor as well as Denis Taniguchi, Miles Ginoza, Robby Moore, Tom Farley and all the other interns who helped us input a ridiculous amount of new metadata into the eOne systems. Also behind the scenes are Albert Llaguno and Shayna Orr who provided us weekly data reports and other information. It was amazing what we could do remotely.

The new Blue Coast Records website ( https://bluecoastrecords.com ) took 5 months to build. I can't thank David Weuste enough for his patience as he got to understand our style. And many thanks to Mike Newman for his decades of experience and friendship as a project manager. Knowing I could call Mike any time of day for advice was a godsend.

Of course, all the artists need to be thanked for their perseverance during such trying times as they learned to livestream and create podcasts. We're very proud of them. I must also thank my friend, Brain, a first call session drummer who became my therapist when I needed it most. Any time of day, for any stupid reason, I knew I could count on him to listen so I could get through these crazy times. Golf, buddy, coming soon!

Lastly, I want to thank all the music lovers who supported us with music purchases whether they needed them or not. To those fans who wrote in to tell us our music changed their life, we thank you for letting us know. Without you, our music lovers, we wouldn't exist.

So, for 2021, here's to growing our business, producing more great music, and getting it to more people.

Sending love, health, happiness and prosperity for 2021!

Cookie Marenco

Founder, Producer and Survivor of 2020