Ain't No Mountain High Enough
For Concierge Tommy Dean, one of the most rewarding aspects of his job is when repeat guests become friends. “Many of our guests have been travelling to Austin for decades, and I’ve gotten to know them and their children. Now I even know their grandkids,” explains Dean. With countless extra-mile gestures over the years, it’s no surprise folks have come to feel a special fondness for this hospitality veteran.
But few are probably aware of his other talent – a well-trained ear – that befits Austin’s reputation as a music capital. Consoling one bride who refused to march down the aisle when the concert pianist hadn’t yet arrived, Dean once marched toward the ballroom, thinking “how hard could it be for a musician like me to improvise the wedding march in the key of C?” Dean sat at the piano and proceeded to play an impromptu version of the classic march, and it worked!
He’s just as fluent in Motown as he is in Mendelssohn: One South-by-Southwest attendee (during the pre-Google era) ran up to his desk and begged "quick! I need the words to 'Ain’t No Mountain High Enough' in five minutes." Dean calmly excused himself and found a quiet spot where he could hear himself think, and the music exec got his lyrics within five minutes. Not that we’d ever want Dean to consider a career move, but with some 200 live music venues scattered across Austin, he’s certainly be in the right place.
