>>> OVER 30 YEARS AGO, WILLIAM ACKERMAN STARTED WINDHAM HILL RECORDS.

JOIN ME WITH WILLIAM ACKERMAN, NEXT ON "PROFILE."

>>> WILLIAM ACKERMAN WAS BROUGHT UP IN PALO ALTO, CALIFORNIA.

ADOPTED SON OF A STANFORD UNIVERSITY ENGLISH PROFESSOR.

HE BEGAN PLAYING GUITAR AT THE AGE OF 9 BUT DIDN'T THINK OF A CAREER IN MUSIC UNTIL ENCOURAGED BY FRIENDS.

A MULTIMILLION DOLLAR RECORDING COMPANY WITH NUMEROUS PLATINUM AND GOLD ALBUMS DEVELOPED UNDER HIS WING.

A TALENTED GUITARIST, COMPOSER AND BUSINESSMAN.

MAR ARE'S TREE WON A GRAMMY LAST YEAR.

HE LIVES IN A HOUSE THAT HE BUILT IN VERMONT WHERE HE ALSO RUNS A STATE-OF-THE-ART RECORDING FACILITY.

AND WE HAVE BEEN LISTENING TO YOUR BRICK LAYER'S BEAUTIFUL DAUGHTER, A WONDERFUL PIECE THAT YOU RECORDED ORIGINALLY ON YOUR ORIGINAL ALBUM BUT RERECORDED ON THE NEW ALBUM RETURNING.

HOW DID THE FIRST RECORDING COME ABOUT?

>> WELL, YOU MEAN THE RECORDING OF TURTLE'S NAVEL.

>> YEAH.

>> YOU DROPPED OUT OF STANFORD AND HAD A COMPANY.

>> I HAD FIVE YEARS TO GO TO GET OUT OF STANFORD UNIVERSITY WHICH WAS -- FIVE UNITS TO GO WHICH WAS MY FATHER'S CHAUCER.

>> OUCH.

>> WASN'T NECESSARILY HIS TEACHING JUST BEING IN A CLASSROOM WITH YOUR DAD WAS A LITTLE DAUNTING.

I ALWAYS PLAYED MUSIC FOR THE THEATER PRODUCTIONS AT STANFORD UNIVERSITY AND I HAD GONE INTO GENERAL CONTRACTING AND FELL SNOW BANK AND AS I WASOE INTO A RECUPERATING MY FRIENDS SAID WE ARE DOING PROFESSIONAL THEATER WHY DON'T YOU COME AND PLAY A LITTLE BIT OF MUSIC WHILE YOU ARE RECUPERATING.

I DID THAT.

THAT IS WHERE I GOT MY FIRST AUDIENCE.

I NEVER DID A PAYING GIG IN MY LIFE AND PEOPLE WOULD COME UP AT THE SHOWS AND ASK ABOUT THE MUSIC.

AND AT FIRST I WOULD GO OVER TO THEIR HOUSES AND RECORD IN THEIR TAPE MACHINES.

MIGHT BE SOME INTERESTING TAPES OUT THERE.

AND SOONER OR LATER THAT GOT TO BE CUMBER SOME.

I HAD NO INTENTION OF STARTING A RECORD LABEL.

>> IT SEEMD THAT ACTUALLY YOUR CONTRACTING BUSINESS WAS CALLED WINDHAM HILL BUILDERS.

>> RIGHT, YEAH.

>> BUT THE MUSIC TOOK OFF AND STARTED PLAYING IN RADIO STATIONS ALL OVER NORTHERN CALIFORNIA AND TOOK OFF.

>> ALL AROUND THE CUPRY.

>> ALL AROUND THE COUNTRY, SURE.

CONNECTION AROUND THE NAME?

>> WHEN I WAS 16 I WAS DATING A GIRL NAMED KATE AND KATE SAID I KNOW WHERE WE CAN GET A ROOM FOR THE WEEKEND.

>> WOW.

>> AND WHEN YOU ARE 16 THAT SOUNDS LIKE A HECK OF AN OFFER AND WE HITCH HIKED UP TO WINDHAM HILL FARM AND REALLY BECAME A HOME AWAY FROM HOME.

MY CHILDHOOD TO SAY THE LEAST WAS MISERABLE AND TROUBLED AND IN HUGH AND MARY AND WINDHAM HILL FARM I FOUND WHAT WAS MY HOME.

EVERYTHING THAT MINT ANYTHING IN MY LIFE SUBSEQUENTLY WAS NAMED WINDHAM HILL.

>> HOW DID WINDHAM HILL GO FROM RECORDING THIS SOLO GUITAR ALBUM THAT YOU DID TO PRODUCING A GROUP OF LIKE MINDED MUSICIANS?

YOU STARTED TO GATHER THAT INCREDIBLE GROUP INCLUDING YOUR COUSIN.

>> ALEX WAS THE SECOND ARTIST ON THE LABEL WHICH I THINK ALSO INDICATES HOW INCREDIBLY PERSONAL THE WHOLE THING WAS.

THIS WASN'T ABOUT A BUSINESS VENTURE AT ALL.

I THINK, FRANKLY, THE INNOCENCE OF THE THING IS WHY IT WORKED.

WE WERE NOT TRYING TO CREATE A RECORD LABEL OR A BUSINESS AND THE SINCERITY AND INNOCENCE IS WHAT COMMUNE KATEED TO PEOPLE IN THE -- DMIEWN KATEED TO PEOPLE -- COMMUNICATED TO PEOPLE IN THE OUTSIDE WORLD.

>> AND YOU A KNACK FOR RECOGNIZING AND ENCOURAGING TALLENT.

GEORGE SWINTON WANTED TO MAKE GUITAR ALBUM AND YOU CONVINCED HIM IT WAS PIANO.

>> HE WAS JUST A PART OF YOUR GROUP OR?

>> WELL, YOU KNOW, GEORGE HAD WRITTEN ME LETTERS, YOU KNOW, WAY, WAY BEFORE E-MAILS, HAD WRITTEN ME A COUPLE OF LETTERS AND WE TALKED ON THE PHONE A FEW TIMES AND WHAT STRUCK ME ABOUT HIM WAS THAT HE WAS THIS AMAZINGLY KNOWLEDGEABLE DISCOGRAPHER.

I HAD NO IDEA HE EVEN PLAYED MUSIC.

>> HE WAS A FAN.

>> HE HADN'T EVEN SAID A WORD.

GUITAR SHOP AND HE SAID COME OVER TO MY PLACE AND LET'S JAM.

>> I SAT DOWN AT HIS KITCHEN TABLE ABOUT THE SIZE OF THIS AND HE PULLED OUT A GUITAR AND PLAYED SOME OF THE BEST SLIDE GUITAR I HAVE HEARD IN MY LIFE.

I STAYED AT HIS HOUSE THAT NIGHT ON THE COUCH IN A SLEEPING BAG.

AND HE SAID DO YOU MIND IF I -- PI ANO A BIT WHILEA LITTLE YOU ARE GOING TO SLEEP, I SAID, FINE.

HE WENT INTO HIS OWN STUFF AND THEN IN THE MORNING I SAID WHAT WATHAT LAST STUFF, OH, JUST SOMETHING OF MINE.

I SAID I THINK WE OUGHT TO DO A PIANO RECORD.

BUT GEORGE WINSTON WAS JUST SOMEBODY WHO INTRODUCED HIMSELF AT CONCERT MORE OR LESS.

ALL OF THE ARTISTS WERE PEOPLE WHO SOMEHOW BECAME KNOWN TO US, YOU KNOW, ALEX WAS PLAYING IN SEATTLE THERE MIGHT BE AN OPENING ACT.

AND HE SAID THERE WAS A BRILLIANT PIANIST.

>> IN THE FIRST DECADE WINDHAM HILL GREW LIKE CRAZY TO A 30 TO $40 MILLION IN ANNUAL SALES AND YOU CAPTAINED THAT REMARKABLE WAVE.

ABOUT THE GROUP AND CREATING FAMILY?

WHAT WAS IT?

>> WELL, WE GET CREDIT FOR BEING BRAVE.

DISCO WAS RULING THE AIR WAVES AND WE COME OUT WITH SOMETHING THAT WAS -- THAT WAS PURELY INSTRUMENTAL ACOUSTIC.

REALLY HAD NOTHING TO DO WITH BRAVERY.

JUST A MUSIC THAT I LIKED AND IT APPEARS THAT I PLAYED SOME SORT OF EVERYMAN ROLE.

WHATEVER I LIKED A WHOLE LOT OF OTHER PEOPLE LIKED AND OFFERED AN ALTERNATIVE THAT WAS NEEDED IN THE MARKETPLACE.

>> I HEAR NATIONAL WORD NEW A BRISTLED WITH THAT.

HOW WOULD YOU TERM WHAT YOU.

>> I ACTUALLY TOLD A WRITER AT THE L.A.

TIMES THAT IF I CATCH THE GUY THAT COINED THE TERM I WOULD NAIL HIS HEAD TO THE WALL, A DECIDEDLY NEW AGE THING TO SAY.

WHAT TO CALL IT.

PART OF THE REASON THAT I DON'T LIKE THE TERM IS IT WAS MORE OR LESS INTRODUCED TO THE RECORD MARKETPLACE BY THE MAJOR LABELS.

THEY WERE SEEING THE SUCCESS OF WINDHAM HILL AND THOUGHT IF A X NUMBER OF RECORDS WE CAN SELL EXPONENTIALLY MORE AND THEY WERE WRONG.

THEY JUMPED IN AND THE NEW AGE TERM WAS BANDIED ABOUT.

UP UNTIL THAT MOMENT, WINDHAM HILL HAD BEEN IT.

IT WAS LIKE BAND AID AND STEER XEREX.

TO BE SUBSUMED INTO A MARKETING HYPE -- WE WERE THE ONLY RECORD LABEL IN THE HISTORY OF THE RECORD BUSINESS TO HAVE OUR OWN BINS.

YOU GO INTO A STORE.

TOWER RECORDS IN FRAN WAS THE FIRST PLACE TO DO IT.

THEY STARTED A WINDHAM HILL BIN.

I SAID WHY?

>> THEY SAID WELL, THEY DON'T NECESSARILY COME IN ASKING FOR THE NEXT GEORGE WINSTON OR THE NEXT WILL ACKERMAN, ANYTHING YOU GUYS BRING OUT THEY LOVE AND THEY WANT THE NEXT ONE.

THAT WAS AN INCREDIBLE THING TO PULL OFF.

>> I GUESS.

1984 HITS.

THE RECORD COMPANY GROWING LEAPS AND BOUNDS.

GOLD AND PLATINUM.

PEAK OF YOUR SUCCESS.

YOU SUFFER A MAJOR DEPRESSION.

WHAT HAPPENED?

>> IT WAS MORE A FRIGHTENING AND CONFUSING THAN ANYTHING.

I HAD NO IDEA WHAT WAS GOING ON.

I THOUGHT I WAS DYING.

I COULD NOT GET OUT OF BED.

I WAS EXHAUSTED.

I WENT FROM HOSPITAL TO HOSPITAL BEING TESTED AND ALL SAID THE SAME THING, YOU ARE IN PERFECT HEALTH?

I SAID WHY DO I FEEL LIKE I'M DYING?

SOME GUY SAID WELL, YOU MIGHT WANT TO CONSIDER THE IDEA THAT YOU ARE GOING THROUGH DEPRESSION?

I WAS LIKE WHAT ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT?

THIS IS THE BEST TIME OF MY LIFE.

I HAVE THIS RECORD COMPANY AND EVERYTHING IS GOING WONDERFULLY.

I GOT A COPY OF A BOOK WITH A BOUT OF DEPRESSION AND I READ IT I WAS LIKE THERE I AM, OKAY.

I SET ABOUT TO DO THERAPY AND FOUND A REALLY USELESS PERSON WHO REALLY JUST WASTED MY TIME.

IN THE SHORT-TERM THAT IS WHEN I MOVED TO VERMONT.

I ALWAYS LOVED VERMONT BUT THAT IS WHEN I BOUGHT THE LAND IN VERMONT AND BEGAN BUILDING.

I REMEMBER GETTING TO VERMONT AND SORT OF RAKING LEAVES FOR THREE MINUTES AND THEN SORT OF FALLING DOWN IN EXHAUSTION AND THEN IT WAS SEVEN MINUTES AND TRENCH ANDS DIG A TRERCHL AND THEN IT WAS POUR A LITTLE CONCRETE AND PUT UP A COUPLE OF STUDS YOU KNOW.

IT WAS BIT BY BIT.

I PUT OFF THE THERAPY STUFF THAT I NEEDED TO DO FOR YEARS AND YEARS AND YEARS BUT FINALLY GOT AROUND TO THAT.

IT HAS BEEN A DECADE OF THAT.

>> THERAPY WAS IN THE BUILDING FOR AWHILE.

>> IT WAS.

>> AND YOU KEPT -- AND YOU KEPT IN THERE WITH THE COMPANY AND THE COMPANY FOR AWHILE.

>> I REMAINED AS C -- HE RESIGNED AS CEO.

I WAS IN A ROLE THAT I NEVER ENVISIONED FOR MYSELF.

IN THE BEGINNING IT WAS A JOKE THE NOTION OF BEING A CEO.

YOU BE THE PRESIDENT, I'LL BE THE VICE PRESIDENT.

IT IS LIKE KIDS PLAYING.

BUT ULTIMATELY WHEN YOU ARE RUNNING A $40 MILLION A YEAR BUSINESS YOU ARE A CEO.

YOU KNOW.

>> YEAH.

>> AND IT ISN'T FUN.

I'M MUSICIAN.

I DON'T WANT TO BE A CEO!

SO THERE WERE THINGS THAT WERE HAPPENING IN MY LIFE BUT I THINK REALLY IT WS MORE INDICATION OF WORK THAT NEEDED TO BE DONE EVENTUALLY.

>> A SIGNIFICANT PART OF YOUR STORY IS YOUR MOTHER'S SUICIDE AT THE AGE OF 12.

YOU WERE ADOPTED.

SHE WAS DEPRESSED PROBABLY MOST OF YOUR LIFE.

>> YES.

>> WAS SOME OF THIS CRISIS DO YOU THINK I GUESS COMING TO GRIPS WITH THAT EARLY TRAGEDY?

>> WITHOUT QUESTION.

ONE OF THE FUNNY THINGS I LEARNED ONE OF THE ODD AND SURPRISING IRONIC THINGS THAT I LEARNED IN THERAPY WAS THAT MY MOTHER'S DEATH WAS PROBABLY NOT A DAY OF SADNESS BUT REALLY A DAY OF LIBERATION AND THERE IS PROBABLY A LOT OF GUILT AROUND THAT AS WELL.

MINEFIELD OF THE MOST IMPORTANT PERSON'S -- MOST IMPORTANT PERSON IN YOUR LIFE'S MENTAL STATE IS AN EXHAUSTING THING.

TO THIS DAY IN RELATIONSHIP, YOU KNOW, WOMEN SAY THAT MY ABILITY TO READ THEIR EMOTIONS IS JUST UNCANNY.

WELL, IT WAS A SURVIVAL TACTIC.

I HAD TO KNOW THAT SOMETHING WAS OFF IN THE MOOD, I HAD TO PREPARE MYSELF, I HAD TO TRY TO ADJUST.

SO ACTUALLY BEING RID OF THAT WAS PROBABLY A GREAT LIBERATION FOR ME.

I WAS -- YOU KNOW, THIS GETS HOLLYWOOD AND I APOLOGIZE BUT IF YOU ARE REALLY TELLING THE STORY OF A LIFE THEN YOU HAVE TO GO THERE.

MORE OR LESS MY JOB WAS OVER.

I WAS ADOPTED TO CHEER UP A DEPRESSED WOMAN AND I FAILED AT IT AND I WAS SHIPPED OUT TO SCHOOL IN MASSACHUSETTS WHERE I FELL INTO A SEXUALLY ABUSIVE RELATIONSHIP WITH A PROFESSOR, TEACHER FOR THREE YEARS.

BELIEVE ME, I HAD.

>> A LOT TO SCROAFER COME.

>> OVER-- A LOT TO OVERCOME.

>> I HAD WORK TO DO.

WHICH I THINK IS AN ONGOING PROCESS.

IT IS NEVER OVER.

BUT I CAN SAY IN ALL HONESTY AFTER A DECADE OF DIGGING INTO THIS, THIS IS TRULY THE HAPPIEST PART OF MY LIFE.

I MEAN -- >> AND YOU ARE ABLE TO ALSO REVEAL SO MUCH OF YOUR EMOTION IT SEEMS IN YOUR PLAYING.

>> WELL, I THINK THAT HAS ALWAYS BEEN A PLACE WHERE I COULD BE ARTICULATE AND EXPRESS WHAT I WAS FEELING.

>> LET'S TALK ABOUT THE GRAMMY THAT YOU WON A YEAR AGO FOR RETURNING PIECES FOR GUITAR 1970 TO 2004.

AND THIS IS AFTER A NUMBER -- YOU HAD MANY GRAMMY NOMINATIONS.

THIS IS THE ONE THAT HIT THE BIG TIME.

>> AND OF THOSE THIS IS THE ONE I WOULD HAVE LIKE TO HAVE BEEN THE CASE, YOU KNOW.

>> WHAT WERE YOU GOING AFTER FOR THIS?

LOOKING BACK OVER YOUR WHOLE YEAR.

WANT TO RETURN TO SOLO GUITAR?

>> I REALLY DO NOT LISTEN TO MY OWN MUSIC.

THAT IS A FACT.

EVERY NOW AND AGAIN I'LL BE OUT AND HEAR SOMETHING WAFTING THROUGH AND SAY THAT IS KIND OF NICE AND SUSIE WILL SAY THAT IS YOU.

>> I DON'T LISTEN TO MY OWN MUSIC OR GO BACK AND LISTEN TO MY OWN RECORDINGS.

IN CONCERT I WOULD HAVE PEOPLE COME UP TO ME AFTER THE CONCERT AND SAY BRICK LAYER'S BEAUTIFUL DAUGHTER OR PROCESSIONAL, I ALWAYS LOVED THESE SONGS BUT WHAT YOU PLAYED TONIGHT WAS JUST, YOU KNOW, OFF THE CHARTS.

AND I SAID, WELL, THAT IS THE WAY I PLAY IT NOW AND AFTER HEARING THAT FOR FOUR YEARS OR FIVE YEARS I SAID I SHOULD GO BACK AND LISTEN TO THAT.

AND WHAT I HEARD WERE NICE COMPOSITIONS THAT WERE PLAYED BY SOME KID WHO WAS SCARED TO DEATH TO BE IN THE STUDIO AND RUSHING THE TEMPO AND THERE WAS ALMOST NO DYNAMICS.

THE GUITAR THAT I PLAYED ON WASN'T THAT GOOD.

THE MICROPHONES WERE LOUSY.

IT SOUNDED A LITTLE LIKE LIKE A MUSIC BOX SORT OF WOUND UP AND RUNNING THROUGH ITS PROGRAM.

AND I THOUGHT WELL, WAIT A MINUTE.

I HAVE GOT TO RENDER THESE PIECES AS I HEAR THEM NOW AND AS I PLAY THEM NOW.

>> AND WHAT THE STATE-OF-THE-ART RECORDING THAT YOU HAVE ACCESS TO.

>> EXACTLY.

>> AND HAVE CREATE.

>> AND THE FROGGY BOTTOM GUITARIST THAT I PLAY WITH.

>> OPEN TUNINGS.

YOU ARE REKNOWNED FOR THESES HEARD THE STATISTICS THAT ONLYI TWO OUT OF 12 ALBUMS WORTH OF SONGS HAVE THE SAME TUNING.

>> I COULDN'T BELIEVE IT.

A GUY NAMED PATRICK BREEN THAT HAS WRITTEN A DEFINITIVE THING MADE THE STATEMENT THAT WILL ACKERMAN ONLY USED THE SAME TUNING TWICE AND I THOIT WELL THAT IS NONSENSE.

>> I'M SURE YOU ROAD MANAGER MUST KNOW SOMETHING AND THAT MUST BE A NIGHTMARE.

>> IT IS PRETTY CRAZY.

I FIGURED OUT WHY I DO THIS.

I HAVE BEEN WORKING ON A BOOK AND I WAS AT MARTHA'S VINEYARD LOOKING AT GREY WATER AND COLDITIS ON THE POND IN MARTHA'S VINEYARD AND I WAS WRESTING WITH THIS AND IT OCCURRED TO ME.

MUSIC IS ABOUT EMOTION.

AND OFTEN QHE WHEN I WRITE I'M ALMOST IN AN ALPHA STATE.

EYES CLOSED AND JUST LOST WITHIN A MEDITATION.

BY GOING TO A NEW TUNING I ELIMINATE THE OPTION FOR INTELLECTUALIZATION.

I'M DISCOVERING MUSIC AND FEELING IT AS IT GOES.

I HAVE NO BLUEPRINT.

I DON'T KNOW THE LANDSCAPE AND I HAVE TO FIND IT BIT BY BIT.

I THINK IT KEEPS THE FRONTAL LOBES OUT.

IT IS NOT ABOUT INTELLECT OR PRECONCEPTION OR WRITING.

JUST ABOUT FEELING.

>> HOW ARE YOU ABLE TO KNOW THAT IT'S BRICK LAYER'S DAUGHTER THEN?

>> HOW DO I TIGHT IT WILL?

>> FROM ONE YEAR TO THE NEXT THEY FOLSOM KIND OF FORM EACH -- FOLLOW SOME KIND OF FORM.

>> EVEN A SONG AS STRUCTURED AS BRICK LAYER'S DAUGHTER SOWNES EMERGED IN 15-20 MINUTES TO MY AMAZEMENT.

>> SO EVERY LIVE PERFORMANCE IS DIFFERENT I WOULD IMAGINE?

>> EVERY COME POSITIONAL PERFORMANCE AND AS FAR AS PERFORMANCE I MEAN ON STAGE.

MY -- MY DEAL WITH MYSELF IS THAT IF I DON'T FEEL EVERY NOTE I PLAY I SHOULDN'T BE UP THERE.

WHICH IS PART OF WHY I'M TAKING THIS FALL OFF OF TOURING IS THAT I LIKE TO KEEP IT REALLY FRESH.

I WANT TO BE ABLE TO -- I HATE IT WHEN A MUSICIAN BEGINS TO STYLIZE A PIECE OUT OF BOREDOM AND I HAVE NEVER COME CLOSE TO THAT BUT I DON'T WANT TO EVER COME CLOSE TO THAT.

I PLAY NOT THAT MUCH.

THERE IS SO MANY OTHER THINGS THAT I'M INVOLVED IN WHETHER IT IS BUILDING OR SURFING OR WRITING.

>> YOU ARE A MASTER BUILDER.

EVEN THAT IS AMAZING.

BACK TO BUSINESS A LITTLE BIT.

YOU SOLD WINDHAM HILL IN '92.

YOU STILL PRODUCE SEVERAL RECORDS FOR YOURSELF AND OTHER FOLKS IT SEEMS EVERY YEAR.

I. I WONDERED ABOUT THAT WHO TECHNOLOGY AND BUSINESS.

YOU TALKED ABOUT BUSINESS FROM HARVARD AND YALE AND STANFORD.

WHAT IS GOING ON IN THE INDUSTRY.

THE BIG COMPANIES ARE STRUGGLING, THE INDEPENDENTS THINK IT MIGHT BE OKAY.

SEEMS LIKE YOU HAD YOU HAND IN ALL OF IT.

>> THE MUSIC INDUSTRY AS WE KNOW IT IS OVER.

IT IS JUST PLAIN OVER.

I WAS TALKING TO ONE OF THE SENIOR VICE PRESIDENTS OF UNIVERSAL RECORDS OVER LUNCH JUST A WEEK AND A HALF AGO AND I TOLD HIM SOMETHING OF A DREAM I HAD HAD AS A KID.

I HAD SEEN THE HUNCHBACK OF NOTRE DAME AND THERE IS A SCENE IN WHICH THE GEE GUILLOTINE IS SEEN FROM A DISTANCE AND THEN A HEAD IS ROLLING INTO A WICKER BASKET.

I HAD A DREAM, AN ACTUAL DREAM WHEREIN I SPECULATED WHETHER THERE WAS ENOUGH OXYGEN LEFT IN THE OCULAR NERVE AND BRAIN SO THAT THE LAST THING THAT PERSON'S HEAD SAW WAS THE SUN GLINTING THROUGH WICKER BASKET AND I SAID -- WHICH IS A PER VERSE THING FOR A CHILD TO THINK BUT I ASKED THIS EXECUTIVE IF HE THOUGHT THIS IS WHERE THE RECORD BUSINESS IS RIGHT NOW.

>> WOW.

>> HE SAID PRECISELY.

IT HAS BEEN BEHEAD AND HAS JUST ENOUGH TO KEEP IT LOOKING LIKE AN INDUSTRY FOR A LITTLE WHILE.

>> DOES THAT BODE WELL FOR INDEPENDENTS AND THINK IT IS REALLY ABOUT SMALL COMPANIES THEN?

TIZAON THAT TAKES PLACE.DEMOCAA I HAVE 16 PROJECTS THAT I AM PRODUCING NOW.

I'M NOT ADVISING ANY ONE TO LOOK FOR A LABEL DEAL.

WHY WOULD YOU GIVE UP 90 OF YOUR PROFITS TO AN ORGANIZATION THAT WOULDN'T KNOW HOW TO SELL IT AS WELL AS YOU DO.

WITH THE INTERNET AND INCREASINGLY FAST DOWNLOAD TIMES AND QUALITIES IT IS ONLY A MATTER OF TIME I THINK BEFORE REALLY VIABLE INTERNET ONLY RECORD LABELS SPRING UP.

I HAVE JUST BEEN APPROACHED THERE BY A COUPLE OF INVESTORS.

>> BE A CEO AGAIN.

>> NEVER.

>> YOU WOULD CALL IT SOMETHING ELSE PERHAPS.

>> WELL, WHATEVER IT IS, IT AIN'T GOING TO BE CEO.

>> DESPITE THERE MAY BE SEEING THE GLIMMER OF SLIGHT THROUGH THE BASKET SONY JUST RELEASED A FOUR CD COLLECTION COMMEMORATING THE ANNIVERSARY OF WINDHAM HILL.

WHAT IS YOUR RELATIONSHIP TO SONY?

ARE YOU HAPPEN ABOUTPY WITH THE COLLECTION?

>> THE COLLECTION WAS PUT TOGETHER BY MY CLOSE FRIEND AND COLLEAGUE DAWN ATKINSON.

SECOND ONLY TO ME SHE WAS THE MOST PROLIFIC PRODUCER AT WINDHAM HILL.

WE HAVE KNOWN EACH OTHER FOR 20 YEARS AND SHE DID A WONDERFUL JOB ON IT.

SHE DID CONSULT ME ON A COUPLE OF TRACKS.

THAT WAS HER DOING.

THERE COULDN'T HAVE BEEN A BETTER PERSON DOING IT.

FOR ME, YOU KNOW, IT IS STUNNING TO THINK THAT IT HAS BEEN 30 YEARS.

FRIGHTENING ALMOST TO THINK IT HAS BEEN 30 YEARS BUT I'M ALSO VERY PROUD OF IT AND APPARENTLY THE SALES HAVE BEEN BRISK AND THERE IS A LOT OF GOOD RESPONSE TO IT.

I HAVE BEEN DOING SOME PRESS AROUND IT AND I HAVE BEEN SUPPORTIVE OF IT.

SONNY HAS BEEN FANTASTIC IN BRINGING ME IN.

>> SEEMS THAT WINDHAM HILL DIDN'T DO A LOT.

AS SOON AS YOU LEFT THERE YOU HAD A WHOLE LABEL ON THE SPOKEN WORD AND A BEAUTIFUL C.D.

CALLED HEARING VOICES WHICH ONLY HAS ONE TRACK IN ENGLISH.

ALMOST AS IF AND MAYBE YOU EVEN WROTE THIS IT IS ABOUT VOICE ASIN' INSTRUMENT.

>> EXACTLY.

>> NOT ABOUT WHAT IT IS SAYING.

>> YEAH.

>> TALK TO ME A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THAT.

YOU ARE WRITING A BOOK.

WHERE THOSE WRITING AND LYRIC COME INTO YOUR SENSE OF IMAGINATION AND CREATIVITY?

>> WELL, I MEAN AS A LISTENER LYRICS ARE TREMENDOUSLY IMPORTANT TO ME GI DON'T THINK I WILL DEVELOP INTO THAT MYSELF.

SOME PEOPLE ASK WHY I'M NOT A GUITAR BUILDER.

I'M A BUILDER AND I PLAY GUITAR -- WELL, IT IS BECAUSE I HAVE TOO MUCH RESPECT FOR THE CRAFT.

I DON'T THINK I'M ABOUT TO BECOME A SONG WRITER BUT THE WRITING PART OF MY LIFE HAS ALWAYS BEEN IMPORTANT.

I ALWAYS THOUGHT THAT WHAT I WAS GOING TO BE.

IN COLLEGE THAT WAS MY DEFINITION AND IN HIGH SCHOOL THAT OF WAS MY DEFINITION.

I WAS THE WRITER.

I ALWAYS EXPECTED THAT IS WHERE I WOULD END UP.

DOING A BOOK A REALLY A REALIZATION OF A DREAM.

SO MANY THINGS THAT HAVE HAPPENED TO ME HAVE HAPPENED WITHOUT LOOKING FORWARD TO IT.

JUST FELL INTO MY LAP.

BOOK HAS BEEN DAUNTING.

>> WHAT ARE KEY THINGS THAT YOU ARE.

>> IT IS A STORY OF A LIFE AND IT HAS BEEN A VERY INTERESTING LIFE SO THERE ARE A MILLION STORIES.

YOU KNOW, BEING IN THE OFFICE IN MOSCOW IN 1986 AND EXPECTING TO SEE SILENTES COME IN THE OFFICE AND HAVE GORBACHEV BE THERE AND THAT HE KNOWS WE ARE THINKING OKAY I'M BUSTINGND ROCKS.

>> THIS IS JUST BEFORE THE FALL.

>> CRAZY THINGS THAT HAPPENED.

PLAYING AT THE IMPERIAL PALACE YOU KNOW, CRAZY LIFE THAT I HAVE HAD.

>> WHAT WAS A HIGHLIGHT?

I KNOW THAT THE JAPANESE GO WILD -- >> PER CAPITA THAT WAS THE BIGGEST MARKET IN THE WORD AND OUR FANS WERE JUST LUNA TICK OVER THERE, YOU KNOW.

I RATHER PLAYING IN THE MOUNTAINS, BEAUTIFUL VERY VERMONT -LIKE COLOR.

YOU KNOW, THE COLORS OF THE TREES, REALLY AS BEAUTIFUL AS VERMONT.

AND THEY HAD LIT THIS MOUNTAIN WITH 104 CLEG LIGHTS AT NIGHT AND WE WERE PLAYING JUST TO THE LIGHT THE REFLECTED LIGHTS OFF THE MOUNTAIN AND TREES SO THE COLOR WAS IN THE ROOM AS WE PLAYED.

YOU KNOW, IT GOES ON AND ON.

JUST CRAZY.

>> I'M HOPEFUL THAT YOU SPECTACULAR EXPERIENCES LIKE THAT.

FIND OUT MORE AT HIS WEBSITE WWW.WILLIAMACKERMAN.COM OR GO TO VPTV.ORG FOR MORE INFORMATION.

THANKS FOR BEING WITH US, WIL AND THANK YOU FOR JOINING US ON "PROFILE."