Greg Bates

Part of Me Video

Part of  Me Story

In 1986, Doug was working as a supermarket produce clerk in Sacramento California . One morning while on a break from stocking shelves, he wrote some heart-felt lyrics on the back of a brown paper bag. The lyrics were turned into a song that Doug titled “PART OF ME.”

The song was about a Vietnam veteran who had just returned from his tour of duty. The soldier’s thoughts were filled with concern over how his future wife would react to him after all he had lived through in Vietnam .

On advice from a friend, Doug left a raw, garage quality tape of Part of Me with the department of Veteran affairs. A few days later, Doug and some friends where on there way to a Sacramento King’s basketball game when they heard the tape being played on a local Sacramento radio station (KNBR).

Radio, TV and talk show appearances followed shortly and Ranno decided to use the publicity he was getting from the song to help Vietnam Veterans raise money to build a well deserved memorial in California ’s Capitol Park .

The words were so powerful; they were transformed into a record called PART of ME. Recorded at Sonic Arts Studio in San Francisco , California and published by BMI, Part of me became the background music for the Emmy nominated NBC Television documentary on the Vietnam War titled, PERCEPTIONS. Doug used the published song to help raise funds to build the California Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Sacramento ’s Capitol Park as well as support many other Vietnam Veteran positive projects. Doug has also written several other songs and compiled them into a CD titled SOME WHERE IN THE MIDDLE (TM) RANNO RECORDS.