Those who have lived - not just witnessed - the efflorescence of a pivotal culture moment never see the world through veiled eyes again. Jimmy Lyons was there, devising wholly original inventions of words and music while the Beats, the neo-folk troubadours, the post-bop jazz shooting stars, and the tie-dyed psychedelic rockers were scorching through the underbrush and opening new paths of creativity as alternatives to the increasingly bottom line-driven mainstream. Lyons, though, wasn't content to find a niche in one countercultural movement or another. He kept moving, observing, and writing new poems, stories, and songs. But he never gave up on the wry sophistication of the classic American popular song. Indeed, he has dedicated himself to infusing the same hallowed forms perfected by Irving Berlin, George and Ira Gershwin, Cole Porter, Harold Arlen, and others, with his singular fantasias of ingeniously colored and textured wordplay.

These plays have a subtext only Lyons can provide, derived from what he calls the "rituals of the road" and the "the circular rhythms" of the race track, the beats and pulses of everyday American life that rarely raise a ripple on the surface of American culture. Lyons hears the screams and dreams of his countrymen and woman; from them he creates new modes of expression. He has been changed by each of his open-hearted an open-eared encounters, and this body of work is his way of making those changes sing and swing. - Derk Richardson

You've likely heard about or even witnessed horse and dog whisperers at work. They instinctively understand the animal's issues, they somehow gain the animal's trust, and they achieve results that were only envisioned, but never realized. So too in this book, you will learn about whisperers - client whisperers. It was due to these remarkable client whisperers that an entrepreneurial start-up company with no investment capital achieved leader status in a highly competitive market. The book includes descriptions of and stories about all aspects of a complex client service business, including sales, marketing, pricing, risk mitigation, service delivery, mergers and acquisitions, and strategic partnering. But most importantly it is a refreshing story about the client whisperers who focused on the needs and gained the trust of their clients to synergistically achieve success. In doing so, these client whisperers proved that client success begets company success - even against some of the largest consulting companies in the world. Do you know a client whisperer? Have you ever worked with one? Are "you" a client whisperer? For answers to these questions, we invite you to read the engaging success story, Client Whisperers. "It is rare these days to encounter people who can deliver the type of principled leadership that has been missing in so many of our twenty-first century corporations. Jim and Judie's remarkable success story illustrates how to transform passion, purpose, integrity, wisdom and strong professional will into a sustainable market leadership position. This is a story about client whispering at the highest level " Jim Pascarell, former General Manager CMA Consulting Services "This wonderful story is a testament to the theory that client success begets company success. If you want to better understand how to increase the value of your products and services to your served markets, either as a service organization or an individual service provider, this book is a must read " John Roberts, Ph.D., former Chief Financial Officer Santa Rosa Junior College "A great read for anyone in business. Jim reminds us that listening to your customers is the best lesson of all." Neil Boyer, former President The Cedar Group "These folks certainly have mastered the art of differentiation. Their creative and artful execution produced some extraordinary results, including wrestling market share away from some of the largest consulting companies in the world. And their many interesting stories make a terrific 'cook book' for entrepreneurs of all types." John Willie, President Creative Engine