Cherrytree's Martin Kierszenbaum

You can go back in time and see any concert. Whom would you see and when?

One of the Sly and the Family Stone shows at the Fillmore East in 1968. Sly combined rhythms, sounds and melodies in such an inviting way. I would have loved to have seen him and his band deliver those exciting arrangements in person. Luckily, recordings from those shows exist and do a great job conveying what the energy must have been like in the room.

Name a manager not in your company whom you admire.

When I was working as international publicist at Warner Bros. in the late ‘80s, I got the chance to work with Bill Hamm, who was managing ZZ Top. Bill was a dynamic person. He had a lot of experience in both the studio and on the road and was always willing to apply his entire skill set to serving his artists.

Describe your all-time-favorite photo, memento or tchotchke from your job.

One of the greatest honors I’ve had has been to manage Sting. On my desk, I keep a note in his handwriting that reads, “Martin, you are a rare thing in the music business these days—a scholar, a gentleman, a philosopher and a musician.” It’s not only a cherished memento, but a daily reminder of what I should aspire to be.