The Upside of Bertis Downs

THERE PROBABLY ISN’T ANY MUSIC AFICIONADO THAT DOESN’T KNOW R.E.M. AND HOW BERTIS DOWNS BECAME THE MANAGER, LAWYER. AND PROTECTOR OF R.E.M. BERTIS DOWNS CAME TO ATHENS GA AFTER ATTENDING DAVIDSON COLLEGE IN NC, STUDYING AND DOING SOME DJ SHIFTS AT THEIR INFAMOUS RADIO STATION, WFAE. HE ATTENDED LAW SCHOOL AT UGA.BERTIS TRAVELED ALL OVER THE WORLD WITH R.E.M. , TAKING AWAY THE BUSINESS SIDE OF THE TREACHEROUS AND SOMETIMES SLEAZY SIDE OF THE MUSIC INDUSTRY. AS AN ENTERTAINMENT LAWYER, DOWNS MADE SURE ALL OF THEIR WISHES AND DECISIONS THAT THEY FELT WERE BEST FOR THE BAND WERE CARRIED OUT. BERTIS WROTE A SERIES OF “POSTCARDS FROM …” WHICHEVER CITY THEY WERE PLAYING AND DOCUMENTING SO MANY MAGICAL MOMENTS THAT CONTRIBUTED TO THE HISTORY OF THIS ICONIC BAND. ALTHOUGH THE BAND AMICABLY DECIDED TO STOP TOURING AS A BAND IN 2011, DOWNS IS STILL VERY ACTIVE IN MANY OF THE SPECIAL EVENTS, CHARITY, AND AN ADVERSARY FOR EDUCATION AMONG MANY OTHER PROJECTS.HAVING BERTIS ON THE SHOW ALLOWED ME TO GET TO KNOW JUST WHO BERTIS DOWNS WAS AND STILL IS TODAY.HEAR YE HEAR YE TO MY CONVERSATION WITH BERTIS DOWNSAthCastMusic (©): The Music of Athens Georgia, Now and ThenSEASON: 4 EPISODE 38LENGTH: 36:07PUBLISHED: May 29, 2025UPDATED WEEKLY ON THURSDAYENGINEER: KAYLA DOVERRECORDED AT TWEED RECORDING AUDIO PRODUCTION SCHOOLhttps://tweedrecording.com (https://tweedrecording.com/)Produced by The Lightroom-AthPhotos and Camera: Ellison Suhoza & Evelyn McCanlessExecutive Producers: Guillermo Zouain and Wendy MuñizCONTACT FOR ATHCASTMUSIC:mailto:[email protected]: AthCastMusicYouTube: AthCastMusic (@MarleneSokolStewart-12)Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61550294283019THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR LISTENING TO AND WATCHING ATHCASTMUSIC! KINDLY SUBSCRIBE TO OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL, GIVE A REVIEW, FOLLOW US ON SPOTIFY, APPLE PODCASTS AND AMAZON MUSIC.REMEMBER, “IF YOU DON’T LISTEN, YOU CAN’T HEAR.”