Michael McDonald, the Grammy-winning vocalist, legendary keyboardist, and voice behind hits from The Doobie Brothers and Steely Dan, released his long-anticipated memoir, What a Fool Believes, in 2024. Amid stories of musical triumph, personal struggle, and life on the road, McDonald shares a story about John Rosica, co-founder of the agency that seeded Rosica Communications.
Before launching Rosica, Mulhern & Associates in 1980, John Rosica spent years behind the scenes in the music industry, playing a pivotal role in artist development, public relations, advertising, promotion, and talent management. His strategic insight and relentless advocacy helped shape the careers and brands of numerous performers and, over more than two decades, earned him significant media coverage in industry press.
In one passage, McDonald recounts a night on the Sunset Strip with Rosica that left a lasting impression:
“One night, Rick and I had dinner on the Sunset Strip with John Rosica, who at the time was head of promotion at Bell Records. Afterward, as we were walking to our car, a pathetic figure emerged from under a stairwell, startling us as we passed by. Stumbling and distraught, he appeared to have been severely beaten up, covered with cuts and abrasions, his face all swollen, nose broken, eyes blackened, and his shirt bloodstained.
The guy asked John for a few bucks, reporting he’d been mugged, his wallet and money taken from him, but John’s expression told a different story. As we walked away, he explained that he knew the guy, who had not long before been a very well-respected musician and even played with Buffalo Springfield on their rise to great success, but now was on the street, a hopeless addict, sleeping under the stairwell there in the parking lot.”
While sobering, this moment speaks to the raw realities of the music industry and the empathy and insight that defined John Rosica’s career. It’s also a reminder of the deep roots that underpin the firm he later founded.
After leaving the music business, John became president of Famous Amos Cookies, and strictly through public relations, he and Marilyn Rosica made Amos and his company “famous.”
Today, Rosica’s firm, Rosica Communications, is a national PR and nonprofit agency serving the education, healthcare, animal health, food, and nonprofit sectors. But it all began with Rosica’s passion for storytelling, promotion, and cause marketing—whether for a rising rock icon, a societal changemaker, or entrepreneur.
At its core, Rosica has always believed in amplifying voices that matter. That commitment, which started in the recording studios and backstage corridors of the ‘60s and ‘70s, now lives on through award-winning PR programs that empower clients to lead, educate, and inspire.
We are honored to see our founder recognized in such a personal and profound way. It reinforces our belief that, when done strategically, PR can profoundly shape the image and lives of thought leaders.