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“We were really poor, had very little money and lived in a tiny Like many, when Rocky hit the theatres, I certainly identified
matchbox house.” So when she had an opportunity while still with the film’s title character, who was a million-to-one shot.
in junior high school to record a demo with her classmate Phil The music, the training scenes, and Rocky’s struggles captivat-
Spector, she had to beg her parents to come up with $10 to add ed me – I even started eating raw eggs before working out. I
to the $30 recording fee. figured if it was good enough for Rocky, it was good enough for
me. And, that was my defining moment.
These remarkable talents who have shared their gifts with the
world did not let their circumstances define them. Rather, like The Academy Award winning film Rocky proved to also hold a
other successful people, they used all of their experiences as defining moment for singer songwriter Carol Connors who wrote
building blocks to prolific careers on the stage and screen. the lyrics to the theme song for the film, “Gonna Fly Now.”

Defining Moments Co-written with Bill Conti and Ayn Robbins, the song became
Often there are defining moments where either you rise to the a box office giant and received a Oscar Nomination, a Gram-
occasion or remain content with the status quo. The mindset my Nomination and the ASCAP Award of Excellence. When I
of those who succeed compels them to use those moments to asked Carol about Stallone, her first words were “Yo, Rocky.” I
propel them forward. knew I was in for a great conversation. “Sly was and is the most
focused person I ever met with an incredible belief in himself,”
Stallone’s moment came while staying true to himself after writ- she said. “He is my role model when it comes to work ethic. He
ing the script for Rocky in 1975. The script looked promising, refused to give up on his dream.”
but the movie studios wanted a well-established actor for the
title role. They wanted a star like Burt Reynolds, James Caan, She fondly remembers the moment she came up with the words
Ryan O’Neal – they all were in their heyday, and any of them to Conti’s music for the scene in Rocky where he runs up the
would be a big draw at the box office. Sly, on the other hand, stairs of the Philadelphia Museum of Art. She was in the show-
was relatively unknown. But he had a dream that he simply er replaying the scene and melody in her mind when she came
wouldn’t give up on. up with the iconic three words, “Gonna Fly Now.”

He was offered $25K for the script – then $50K, $150K, and “At that moment in the film, Rocky could go the distance, maybe
finally over $300K. But Sly would have nothing to do with it. win, he could do anything he set his mind to,” she said. “When
He wanted to play the part, and he wasn’t about to give up on John Avildsen (the director) put it in slow motion on the top step,
himself. He stood his ground despite the fact that he had less he could even fly. That is the most pivotal moment of that film.”
than $100 to his name, a pregnant wife, and a dog named But-
kus. (Yes, that was Sly’s real dog in the movie.) Staying Strong and Relevant
Later, he said, “I never would have sold it. I told my wife that What celebrities and those in the public eye accomplished yes-
I’d rather bury it in the backyard and let the caterpillars play terday isn’t always relevant to today’s audience, particularly in
Rocky. I would have hated myself for selling out.” The Arts. In order to be put into the category of “legend” and

At the premiere of Rocky and 40 years later with the success of CREED the picture of perseverance.

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