 Rashkow came to the music business without any background or credentials in the industry, having been a golf professional and a golf equipment manufacturer's rep from 1960 through 1965.His entree was via the recording studio and he became a recording engineer who worked at Bell Sound, Studio 76, Sounds On Broadway, National Recording and Broadway Recording.His first songwriting partner was Mikie Harris, a noted NYC background singer of the 1960s who was later assistant to John Hammond.