<p>He&rsquo;s been slapped by Frank Sinatra, punched by John Lennon and ridiculed by the head of Ringo Starr&rsquo;s record company. And all over one song. Brown claims he took every tear and turned it into a musical note. &ldquo;I turned every punch and smashed it into a rhythm. So instead of letting it destroy me, I let it help me become who I am.&rdquo; Consider what L. Russell Brown has accomplished, as a broken child, seriously beaten by an abusive father, living in housing project as a kid, Jewish, and how he had to steal food for himself, and his brothers, and sisters. His is the story of a good kid in a terrible childhood who seemed far more likely to end up with a large number printed on the back of his shirt, serving time in a state prison. Instead, he took the narrow path, on a difficult road, and has lived a life of struggle and fame, by following his passion of writing songs that have been recorded by many of the world&rsquo;s greatest superstars. They have made millions of dollars, and at the same time, have touched our hearts, minds, and souls. L. Russell Brown&#39;s songs have given our nation courage in times of desperation and helped us to share our sense of forgiveness. His song &ldquo;Tie a Yellow Ribbon Round the Ole Tree&rdquo; became a symbol for families of hostages, soldiers, and loved ones who were heart fully missed. &ldquo;Yellow Ribbons&rdquo; led to the pink ribbons used for cancer awareness, and to other meaningful ways of expressing our shared human grief and sorrows. As Brown says, &ldquo;He had more turn downs than a cheap motel bed&rdquo; when it comes to pitching his songs to music publishers. Yet, his is a story of courage, and a life shared with the most famous people in the music and entertainment world.</p>