Ep. 15 Wendy Powell (Executive Asst. to Stan Goman)

2500 DelMonte Street: The Oral History of Tower Records

“It was all music, all the time” is the way our guest this week, Wendy Powell, describes growing up in a family where her father was a musician traveling around the country playing in a variety of bands and styles.

That love of all things music led to Wendy working at Tower Records in Stockton, CA. Her first meeting with her boss from the future, Stan Goman, consisted of him telling her to get her receiving department cleaned up. From there, Wendy wanted to hit the bright lights of NYC. Instead she ended up in the suburbs of Long Island at Carte Place…but eventually ended up in the Village working in Tower Records 4th & Broadway. In the Village store pop artist Keith Haring was a regular shopper and Wendy recalls an interesting interaction with him. Almost every department at Tower consisted of a band that was recording and touring and Wendy tells us about some of them. She also recalls Spike Lee filming “Mo Better Blues” with Wesley Snipes in the Jazz Department.

Opportunity called back in Sacramento CA when a position as an Assistant to Stan Goman opened up. Not holding her messy Stockton receiving department against her (it probably was fine, Stan just *had* to make a point) Wendy got the job and worked 13 years for Mr. Goman. Wendy Powell credits that time with Stan and the hands on experience of working in Record Division/Retail Ops as what has carried her throughout her work career. Wendy talks about the day Stan was let go and how she came home crying as a result.

But there were a lot of joyful times in Wendy Powell’s story. Wendy talks about the ability to work at many Tower Records Grand Openings, especially at Lincoln Center with Elton John. Wendy got to attend Arista Records 15th Anniversary Party at Radio City and meet one of her idols and many icons in the industry. Wendy’s involvement at the Tower Annual Conferences is discussed. She also tells a touching story of Russ Solomon and Stan Goman coming to her and her roommates apartment one year for Thanksgiving dinner.

So whether you were on the receiving end of one of Wendy’s phone calls on behalf of Stan or simply want to learn about another Tower legend’s career, sit back and check out our “2500 DelMonte Street: The Oral History of Tower Records” podcast interview with Wendy Powell.