PENNIE LANE LAUNCHES MUSIC MARKETING DIVISION
Portland, OR-- Pennie Lane, the beloved groupie who met and toured with world famous rock bands and Rolling Stone writer Cameron Crowe in the early 1970's is back. Lane quietly "retired" from being a groupie in 1974 to pursue a college education and her own career. Now, 27 years later, she introduced her marketing services to the music industry at the 2001 SXSW Music Conference in Austin, Texas.
"I feel very fortunate to have this opportunity to help promote people that I admire in an industry that I enjoy," Lane stated. "My life seems to be on a pre-destined path at this point, and it feels as though I've come full circle. My time spent as a groupie was a very positive and empowering experience. It was time to walk away when I did, but it is wonderful to come back to the music business on a professional level, 27 years later".
Since Cameron Crowe's film, Almost Famous was released, Pennie Lane has politely declined book deals and requests for interviews and television talk shows. She accepted an invitation, however, to take part in the Austin Music Awards, presenting awards for Best Horn Player, Best Keyboard Player, and Best Funk Band.
"Margaret Moser (The Austin Chronicle) asked me to be a presenter," Lane said, smiling. "How can anyone say no to one of the original Texas Blondes?"
At SXSW, Lane was working to promote her first music client, Storm, Inc. - a San Francisco based modern rock band. Lead singer Storm Large and Pennie Lane met at the ROCKRGRL Conference in Seattle in November 2000. Several conversations and two performances later, a deal was struck.
Pennie Lane held major marketing positions with Fortune 500 companies for the past 17 years. She formed her first company, The Marketing Director in 1992 in San Diego and relocated her business to her hometown of Portland in 1995. Her company specializes in strategic planning, publicity, promotions, special events and corporate sponsorship with diverse clients in real estate, high tech, sports, retail and healthcare, as well as non-profit industries. Clients are located throughout the US, Mexico and Saudi Arabia.
Pennie Lane, LLC combines several businesses under one umbrella. Lane's other divisions include a vineyard, a conference center, and a cattle ranch, all based in Oregon.