Deniece Williams is an incredibly talented singer, songwriter, and producer making hit music for over 50 years. Her voice is enchanting, with a distinctive coloratura soprano and a four-octave range. She is a two-time inductee into The SoulMusic Hall Of Fame in the categories’ Female Artist’ and ‘Lifetime Achievement.’In the early 1970s, Deniece began her career working in a record store and then as a backup singer. She went on to become part of the female vocal trio Honeycone. In 1976, she released her debut solo album “This Is Niecy,” produced by Maurice White of Earth, Wind & Fire and Charles Stepney.
“I met Maurice through a mutual friend. I had some songs on tape that I wanted him to hear,” she said in an interview with Classic Soul 1976. “We had a conversation, and he told me that he thought that I should sing them myself rather than letting them go to everyone else.” Deniece went on to explain she’d been concentrating on writing and getting her songs recorded. “I felt that I should get into one area — publishing — and then concentrate on others. Which is why I waited until I was ready to record.”
She said of Charles Stepney, “He’s probably one of the most incredibly talented arrangers that the music industry ever had. He was a very integral part of my music and the whole production and arrangement of my music and my voice. There’s only been one other person in my musical life who has understood my music the way Charles Stepney did as an arranger, and he is Thom Bell.”
The album featured the hit single “Free,” which rose to #4 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart and was certified gold by the RIAA.
“It’s amazing when you can write a lyric, and you think you’re the only person that’s having this experience,” she said about writing “Free.” “Then you put it out there, and you find out that millions and millions of people feel the same way. I think that is what happened with Free. People really do want the freedom to be themselves and to have self-expression. Also somebody told me that I was the first woman that they heard in music that told those women at that time that ‘you don’t have to stay’.”
Deniece is also known as a prolific songwriter, with Merry Clayton, the Whispers, Frankie Valli, Billy Preston, the Emotions, and Johnny Mathis recording her songs. One of the biggest songs in her career is the infectious dance song “Let’s Hear It for the Boy” from the motion picture “Footloose.” The single hit #1 on Billboard’s Pop and Black charts and went platinum.
Throughout her illustrious career, including 12 Grammy nominations and four wins, Deniece Williams has become known as a singer of catchy, powerful anthems of love and romance. Her music is spiritual, and she considers it an essential part of her life. Deniece’s music has touched millions worldwide, inspiring new generations of musicians and music lovers alike.
Jean Carne has captivated the hearts of jazz and soul enthusiasts alike. Her Philadelphia International recordings are a testament to her unmatched talent, incorporating smooth instrumentation, soulful lyrics, and her remarkable vocal range and versatility.
Jean Carne’s first showbiz exposure was singing “Misty” on a morning radio show as a teenager in Atlanta, GA.
After meeting her husband, she joined his jazz fusion band as a vocalist, and they recorded three albums. Their recordings caught the attention of Earth, Wind & Fire, which Jean Carne joined as a backup vocalist on their first two albums.
Jean’s vocal interpretations of instrumental classics brought by Jazz greats such as John Coltrane, Miles Davis, McCoy Tyner, and Horace Silver expanded the display of her musical abilities to Jazz Lovers worldwide.
While Carne is still called a jazz vocalist in many circles, the label no longer applies to her musical legacy.” That’s how I started out, and I guess a lot of people will always think of me that way,” she told the Chicago Tribune.” Actually, I didn’t start out singing jazz at all. I guess I knew I would be involved in music in some manner. My parents told me I started singing with songs on the radio when I was 3. I joined the church choir when I was 4; I had to stand on a box. My parents thought I would teach music or possibly become an opera singer.” After leaving Earth, Wind & Fire, she toured with Duke Ellington and signed with Buddah Records.
She teamed up with Norman Connors on the top-ten single “Valentine Love” in 1975. Throughout the rest of the 1970s, Carne continued to record and tour, releasing popular singles like “Was That All It Was?” “Free Love?” “Don’t Let It Go To Your Head?” and her number-one hit, “Closer Than Close,” in 1986.
In an interview with Soul & Jazz & Funk, she spoke about her recording experience with Philadelphia International Sound. She said, “Sometimes I would put down a scratch vocal while they did the rhythm tracks, and then the arranger would come in and sweeten it with horns and strings, and then I would come in and do the true vocal. Sometimes, I would stack my own backgrounds, and, sometimes, they were done by ‘The Sweeties’.”
Although she had multiple hits, she never liked to tour. ” I usually don’t enjoy touring. I’m a teetotaler, I don’t smoke, and I don’t party. So on the road, I usually feel out of place.”
Over the years, Jean Carne has worked with some of the most influential soul and jazz artists, producers, and songwriters, including Dizzy Gillespie, Norman Connors, The Temptations, Glenn Jones, and Phyllis Hyman. Her creativity and talent have never waned.
Jean Carne is a true icon in the music industry, and her distinctive voice and impressive body of work will continue to inspire generations to come.
Vesta Wiliams was an American singer-songwriter who started her artistic career.
In her teens, she was a member of her cousin, a former member of the 60’s & 70’s supergroup ‘5th Dimension, Ron Townsend’s group, ‘Wild Honey’. She was a sought-after session singer providing background vocals for Anita Baker (‘Rapture’), Jermaine Jackson (‘Precious Moments’), Jeffrey Osborne (‘Emotional’), Stephanie Mills (‘If I Were Your Woman’), Gladys Knight (‘Good Woman’), and Sting (‘Nothing Like The Sun’) among others. This exposure led her to be signed by A&M Records label. She released her first album in 1986 called “Vesta,” which spawned the hit single “Once Bitten, Twice Shy.”
She was disappointed with her first album. She told Donny Simpson that it could have been better if there had been better energy between her team of e-producers. She said, “You have to let some butterflies be free, and I have to be free.”
On her follow-up album, one of our favorites, “Vesta 4 U”, she showed a flair for dramatics. Working with Attala Zane Giles, Eric Daniels, Tena Clark, Gary Prim, and Billy Osbourne, Vesta poured her heart and soul into every lyric. “I always felt that to deliver a song successfully, you have to be an actress,” she said. “A good actress becomes the part, just as a good singer becomes the song.”
The first single, “Sweet, Sweet Love,” reached #4 on the Billboard R&B chart before she released what I consider her signature song, the mega-hit “Congratulations,” a rollercoaster of emotions and frothy camp perfection! The song’s video is like a soap opera on steroids! The song tells the story of a woman mistakenly congratulated by her old friend on her wedding day, but it’s not her wedding. Her boyfriend is marrying another woman. What? Plot twist!
The song tells the story of a woman mistakenly congratulated by her old friend on her wedding day, but little does she know that her soulmate is marrying another woman. What? Plot twist! Vesta, decked out in 80’s fashion staples, runs to the church with her shopping bags, ready to stop the wedding. She arrives just in time with her red lacquered nails and opens the church door. We can only imagine the sound she must have made because several people turned around to notice her. Why didn’t the director didn’t let her drop to her knees, roll on the ground, and crawl to the altar?
Vesta, decked out in 80’s fashion staples, initially laughs off her old friend’s assumption, but then she is completely gobsmacked at the realization. The next thing you know, she takes off like a freight train to head to the church. She doesn’t even put down her shopping bags or throw them in the trunk of her car; Vesta is determined to stop the wedding. Her shady old friend must have given her the address, or there is only one church in town because Vesta knows exactly where to go. Of course, she arrives just in time. Her glossy red lacquered nails open the church door as the couple exchange vows at the altar.
We can only imagine the sound she must have made, like a wolf howling at the moon, because several people turned around to notice her. Won’t you know one of them who catches Vesta throwing daggers at the altar is her old friend? Okay, so if the old friend received a wedding invitation, why did she ask Vesta if she was getting married? Vesta’s cold-hearted old friend set her up. BFF’s?? No, I didn’t think so! I almost expect the old friend to pull out a bag of popcorn, kick off her shoes, and settle in, getting ready to enjoy the show.
Sadly, brokenhearted Vesta sulks in the back of the church and casts a mean shadow. Why didn’t the director let Vesta drop to her knees, roll on the ground, and crawl to the altar instead of standing at the back of the church looking like the Grim Reaper?
Still in the shadows, Vesta reminisces about the ups and downs of her relationship with the groom before having a crazy fantasy about being the bride. It’s like watching a telenovela but with sassy mermaid-style wedding dresses and fluffy tulle veils with lots of bodacious bows. Why Vesta is so verclemped is puzzling, too. In one of her ‘between the sheets’ flashbacks, we see the groom for who he really is – a dirty dog. After passionately making love, the couple is in the kitchen wearing satin robes. Vesta catches the groom on the phone talking to someone and scowls at him. Was he talking to Vesta’s old friend? I don’t think so.
Back at the church, Vesta faces the hateful hand of cards she’s been dealt. Once the service is over, the newlyweds drive off in a limousine. A disgusted Vesta crosses the street and, I assume, heads to the closest dive bar. Ultimately, we learn that Vesta needs therapy and a new friend. Her old friend knew exactly what button she was pushing when she dropped the bomb of life on Vesta. She didn’t even get up to console Vesta when she saw her lurking in the back of the church. But hey, at least we got an epic song out of a backhanded slap in the face.
The big payoff is listening to Vesta repeatedly deliver the word “congratulations” throughout the video. She flexes, stretches, and marinates in every syllable like she’s getting paid per “congratulations.” It requires repeated listening, but trust me, it’s worth it.
I’m not the only one who loved this song or the video.”Congratulations” received massive airplay, and Vesta‘s popularity soared as a singer and songwriter. I found she co-wrote the song with Tena Clark and Gary Prim, too.
Of “Congratulations,” Vesta said “Tena wanted a situation where ‘congratulations’ is the last word you’d expect to hear. And so we came up with a concept about having it be about a woman who lost her love. She runs into the church and the only thing she could say is congratulations – unless she ran in and blew up the place, which would have ended the song rather abruptly.” Vesta’s performance of the song on “The Arsenio Hall Show” earned Vesta a standing ovation, one of a handful of ovations in the show’s history. When asked during an appearance on the Arsenio Hall show if she had written “Congratulations” based on a personal experience, the songstress replied, “Oh No Honey, if that ever happened to me, I’d probably burn the church down, or something.”
Vesta’s stage show featured much more than music. She liked to tell jokes, make funny quips, and was a gifted impressionist of famous singers like Tina Turner during her live performances. “A lot of people called me the black Bette Midler, and I regard that as a compliment, “she said.
During her music career, Vesta Williams recorded songs for films, including Soul Man and Mississippi Burning, and the theme from the television mini-series Women Of Brewster Place. Sadly, Vesta Williams’s unexpected and untimely death left a hole in our hearts. She became a folk heroine for R&B fans because she beautifully conveyed betrayal and loss, which we laughed along with, not at her. This self-proclaimed diva with a four-octave range is a part of the soundtrack of my life. She epitomizes all the emotions between heartbreak, love, and romance in The Quiet Storm, and we thank her for that.
If you’re living with, at risk of, or affected by diabetes, planning, or attending a wedding, this inside guide to one of life’s most important celebrations is for you! Join Mr. Divabetic as he officiates a full hour featuring a guest list of wedding, food, and fashion experts with tips and suggestions for brides, grooms, attendants, and attendees. Guests include Jessica Issler and Judi Wilcox, certified diabetes educators; Christine Campanelli, wedding cake designer; Holly Clegg, celebrity cookbook author; Catherine Schuller, fashion stylist and a group of former brides.
Sadly, Vesta remains restrained throughout the ceremony, reminiscing about their awkward relationship with the groom and fantasizing about being the bride. It’s like watching a telenovela but with more mermaid-style wedding dresses and fluffy tulle veils with lots of big bows. The big payoff is listening to how Vesta delivers the word “congratulations” repeatedly throughout the video. She flexes, stretches, and marinates in every syllable like she’s getting paid per “congratulations.” It requires repeated listening, but trust me, it’s worth it. Ultimately, we learn that Vesta needs therapy and a new friend. Her old friend knew exactly what button she was pushing and dropped the bomb of life on her. But hey, at least we got an epic song out of it!
Sadly, Vesta Williams’s unexpected and untimely death left a hole in our hearts. She became a folk heroine for R&B fans because she beautifully conveyed betrayal and loss. She was gifted at doing impressions of famous singers like Tina Turner, often telling jokes and making quips during her live performances. “If you got it, flaunt it; if you don’t, cover it up,” is how she defended wearing low-cut dresses. We laughed along with the self-proclaimed diva with a four-octave range, not at her.
Sade’s music has been a staple in the hearts of millions for five decades. With over 50 million records sold worldwide, Sade’s music has been a constant reminder that true talent doesn’t need to be loud or flashy. She has always let her music speak for itself.
Although her body of work is considered paltry by industry standards, her music has been covered by everyone from Frank Ocean and Lauryn Hill to Herbie Hancock. Sade and the band seem obsessed with less rather than more.
This dedication to her craft has made Sade a mystery to her fans even after all these years. She rarely does interviews and shares very little about her personal life, but her music has been covered by some of the biggest names in the industry.
If you have yet to experience Sade’s music live, you’re missing out. When I attended her Madison Square Garden concert, I was blown away. She and her band were positioned behind a scrim on stage, adding an air of mystery to the atmosphere. Although we could see through the scrim, her lighting technicians projected colors and images, providing an extra visual treat for the audience. The show was fantastic, from the mesmerizing visuals to the smooth, calming sounds.
I fell in love with Sade’s sophisticated jet-set, jazzy romance stories from her first album, Diamond Life. Whether it’s ‘Your Love Is King,’ ‘Smooth Operator,’ or ‘Hang on to Love,’ Their music transported me from the ordinary suburban to a swanky European cafe and the sands of St. Topez.
“Kiss Of Life” is my fantasy wedding song. Sade’s voice and the band’s sultry rhythm make it sound timeless to me.
“It’s strange because most bands are forgotten about when there is a long hiatus between albums, but with us, it seems the opposite, particularly in the last few years,” Sade told GQ Magazine.
Her music is a reminder that sometimes less is more and true talent always stays in style.
We’re talking about ‘THE SWEETEST TABOO’ aka ‘SUGAR’ with musical inspiration from Sade on this episode of Divabetic’s podcast.
Added sugar is everywhere. But do we understand the impact it has on our diabetes health? You may think of sweets, chocolate, sodas, table sugar, and perhaps fruit if asked to name sugary foods. However, sugar also appears in savory foods such as ready meals, soups, salads, sauces, and ‘healthy’ foods such as breakfast cereals and yogurt. Furthermore, starches such as bread, pasta, rice, and potatoes also convert to sugar in our bloodstream, having the same impact on our bodies. These ‘hidden sugars’ can add a surprising amount to our daily intake.
Guests include Patricia Addie-Gentle RN, CDCES, Tameka Milline, Catherine Schuller, Kathy Dolgin aka ‘High Voltage’, and Stephanie MacKendree. Throughout the podcast, we play music from ‘The Essential Sade’ album courtesy of SONY Music. If asked to name sugary foods, you may think of sweets, chocolate, sodas, table sugar, and perhaps fruit.
Stephanie Mills’ voice is so distinctive that it is hard to mistake it for anyone else’s. She has been nicknamed “the little lady with a big voice,” but this hardly does justice to her status as a living legend. Although her impressive string of hits in the ’80s and early ’90s might qualify her as an R&B icon, it was her electrifying performance as Dorothy in the Broadway show “The Wiz” that made her a household name.
Did you know an up-and-coming songwriter named Luther Vandross penned “A Brand New Day“, also known as “Everybody Rejoice“?
If you do a few Google searches, you’ll find “The Wiz” wasn’t her first foray into showbiz. At the ripe old age of nine, she achieved considerable success in a background role for the 1968 musical “Maggie Flynn. After that, she won amateur night not once, not twice, but six sensational times at Showtime at the Apollo.
Her Broadway success in “The Wiz” led Stephanie Mills to be signed with 20th Century, scoring her first top 10 R&B hit in 1979 with “What Cha Gonna Do With My Lovin’.” From there, she segued to Casablanca and then MCA, where she recorded five No. 1 R&B singles, including “I Feel Good All Over” and “Home.” She freely admits, “I love all my albums [but] I think my prime album would be the Home album because I put a lot of thought into re-recording ‘Home‘ and the songs on that album. But each of my albums [has] a story of a time in my life [and] what I may have been going through at that time.”
Although we’re glad to hear she loves her albums and still tours, we can imagine the time, dedication, drive, and diligence it takes to be at the top of your game for over six decades. “I sing every day, but I get a lot of rest. I sleep a lot, but I love touring,” she said in an interview with one of our favorite websites, Rated R&B. “It’s not taxing. I’m older, so when I come home, I am tired, but it’s a good tired because I love leaving everything I have on stage with my audience.”
Recently, Stephanie Mills chose to fund her own recording. She explained to the White Mountain Independent, ” “I’m doing this on sheer will, faith, and my experience in the business. I didn’t set out to do this on my own; it just happened. But I believe in this.”
When asked what keeps her inner rhinestones glowing, Stephanie Mills said, “Seeing the audience’s faces and seeing them enjoy my singing. I take pride in trying to sound as close to my records as I can. In fact, when I sing, I sing to my original recording. People pay their hard-earned money to come see you. That’s big. That’s a lot.”On social media, Stephanie Mill has no problem speaking her mind. She’s shared her feelings regarding the R&B whitewashing and defended her friend, the late Michael Jackson.
Her recording of Angela Winbush’s “I Have Learned To Respect The Power Of Love” is a standout. Her voice is rich, clear, and powerful. She pours emotion into every line of lyrical sentiment that speaks to your heart. It’s one of my most beloved Quiet Storm ballads. You don’t hear songs like this anymore.
“I’ve had a fabulous life and fabulous career,” the legendary singer confidently told Rated R&B. Asked what she credits for her longevity in the music industry, she said, “Never following a trend. I’ve always done my own path and stayed on my own path. I didn’t listen to a lot of noise of what people say: “Oh, you should do this, you should do that.” I took the best from whatever they said that I felt was best for me and would work for me and I would do that. I always took my time and just slowly did the slow walk. I didn’t do a fast run. I did a slow walk.”
We can’t forget that our friend, singer, and songwriter Tawatha Agee penned the monumental duet “Two Hearts” for Stephanie Mills and Teddy Pendergrass. Released in 1981, the song reached #3 on the Billboard R & B Charts.
After working in showbiz for half a century, Stephanie Mills must feel content knowing that people still enjoy watching her perform. It’s difficult to imagine the numerous setbacks, disappointments, and frustrations she has faced throughout her career. From the singles that failed to make it to the top of the charts to auditions for roles that she didn’t get, Stephanie has likely endured more challenges than most of us could handle. Therefore, we celebrate her longevity steeped in excellence with great admiration.
Divabetic remembers Luther Vandross (April 20, 1951 – July 1, 2005) with this special podcast. Luther Vandross was a musical master whose style has influenced an entire generation of today’s vocalists. His distinctive brand of satin-smooth vocal magic moved international audiences and continues to touch people today. Max “Mr. Divabetic” Szadek, who worked with Vandross for more than 14 years, hosts this tribute podcast featuring Luther’s former vocalists Paulette McWilliams, Pat Lacy, Tawatha Agee, Cindy Mizelle, and Kevin Owens, band member Bryon Miller, Vandross family member, Seveda Williams, friends Darren Margo and David Jones, the Luther Vandross historian, Leon Petrossian and Luther super fan, Jane Goodman from Great Britain. Throughout the podcast, we will play selected Luther Vandross songs that he recorded during the 1990’s courtesy of SONY Music.
Teena Marie was an R&B singer, songwriter, musician, and producer. She was known by her childhood nickname Tina before taking the stage name Teena Marie, and later, Rick James nicknamed her Lady T.
During her lifetime, she made music that shattered narrow-minded marketing categories and gender roles. Teena Marie was the rare woman in charge of her material. She wrote, produced, and performed her records for much of her career, which took off in 1979.
Early in her career, Teena Marie told Dick Clark on American Bandstand that from the time she was eight years old, she dreamed of being on Motown Records. She said, “I used to look at the blue label and say, Oh, God, it (Motown) must be the most fabulous place’.”
After several creative delays at Motown, she caught the attention of Rick James, who was establishing himself in 1970s soul funk music.
In his autobiography Memoirs Of A Super Freak, Rick James describes his first encounter with Teena Marie as, “Never in my life had I heard such a range with so much passion in a white voice.”
With Rick’s help, Teena’s first single, ‘I’m A Sucker For Your Love,’ conceived initially as a potential duet for Rick James and Diana Ross, exploded into the Top Ten of Billboard’s R&B charts. “We deliberately didn’t put her picture on the album cover,” said Rick James, “because we wanted to confuse people and make them wonder whether Teena was black or white.” The song spent six months on the charts.
Looking back at that time, Teena Marie said, “Black people would always say, “I didn’t know you were White.” But people like good music,” She added, “At the end of the day, you have to sing what’s in your own soul.”
After Rick James passed, Teena Marie became addicted to Vicodin, initially diagnosed for her physical pain from a series of accidents. “Once I realized that those pills not only took away my physical agony by masking my emotional pain, I really became addicted,” she told Essense Magazine.
For Teena, Losing Rick James meant losing her musical soulmate, and her grief was unbearable. “We were like an extension of each other. I miss all our talks. We were like family; only family can talk about family, not anyone else.”
I am grateful to Teena Marie for paving the way for people like me. I was one of a handful of white men working for R&B performers in the 1990s. I traveled my path by following Teena Marie’s footprints.
On this Divabetic podcast, we’re talking about BLUES, Addiction, and Diabetes with musical inspiration from Etta James. Etta James is a Grammy Award-winning singer best known for her iconic hits “At Last.” Guests include Poet Lorraine Brooks, the Charlie’s Angels of Outreach, Dr. Monique Renee Rolle DPM, Catherine Schuller, Susan Greenberg Weiner MS, RDN, CDE, CDN, and Mama Rose Marie. Prize giveaways courtesy of Earth Brand Shoes, Dr. Greenfield’s Diabetic Foot Creams, Cabot Cheese, and Nu Naturals.
On my way to Joe’s salon, Hale Organic, I stumbled upon Frederick Castleberry’s bespoke suit boutique.
New York City offers so many wonderful ways to glamorize good health. Creating your style can empower you to stay on track with your diabetes self-care. Dressing up, showing up, and not giving up are mottos for many women who have faced unexpectedly high and low blood sugars.
The boutique’s pink walls covered in fantastic art looked like a jewel box store, and the sparkle of the jewel-stoned animal lapel pins caught my eye. Nordic Knots described his sense of style as blurring the lines between opulence and playfulness with his bold use of color and mishmash of references and muses, from Jacques Costeau to Pablo Picasso. I was in awe of his eclectic sense of style.
I met Frederick when I walked in, and he introduced himself. He told me how he worked at Ralph Lauren before striking out on his own and appeared on the HBO Max reality show “Stylish with Jenna Lyons.”
We had a great chat about his inspiration for fashion and design, and I saw the similarities between one of his main inspirations, Wes Anderson’s “Royal Tenenbaums,” and his brand.
Frederick’s great sense of humor aligns with his F.E. Castleberry brand’s motto — “The better you dress, the worse you can behave.” His custom-made menswear collection retails for thousands of dollars, along with $550 handmade English loafers, and he has 80,000 followers on social media.
On his website, Frederick emphasizes the importance of shoes for men: “Nothing a man wears is more important than his shoes.” He traveled to Northamptonshire, England, to make his signature footwear.
“The county has been handcrafting Goodyear welted shoes to exacting standards since 1880… The perfect place to try something new, the old-fashioned way.”
As I left the boutique, I couldn’t help but think that Frederick’s designs are truly one-of-a-kind and worth every penny.
If you have a blood glucose level between 100 and 125 mg/dL, you may have prediabetes. If your blood glucose level is 126 mg/dL or higher, you may have diabetes. An unhealthy blood glucose level on a non-fasting test is above 140 mg/dL.
You can either ignore it or choose to make some changes. Consult with your healthcare collaborators about what you can do to reach your goals. Prediabetes is a signal that changes are needed to avoid the development of Type 2 diabetes.
Join us for our Luther Vandross: Never Too Much celebration featuring a Panel discussion, Fashion Show, Luther Games, Live Performances, and Live DJ.
Come dressed in your Big 80s Bling!
Luther Vandross was known for wearing rhinestones, tuxedos, and tailcoats on stage. He wore Versace, Gucci, Dolce & Gabbana, and Tom Ford off-stage! He wasn’t afraid of wearing bright colors, animal prints, geometric patterns, and/or fringe. His style and incredible showmanship brought him legions of fans worldwide.
We’re celebrating the glitz and glamour that made his concerts more memorable and set him apart from other entertainers.
PANEL: How the Magic on Stage happened! Luther’s Vocalist, Cindy Mizelle, Luther’s Choreographer, James Ervin, and Graffiti Glamour Makeup Artistry Founder Alicia Mitchell help us get a closer look at the Shine of the Rhinestones, Big Luscious Hairstyles, and Bold Makeup to the Graceful Moves and Tight Harmonies. Hosted by Max Szadek.
FASHION SHOW: Designers showcase their gorgeous creations inspired by the romance and elegance of Luther Vandross. See the latest styles from Harlem’s Heaven and Modafleur, and more! Hosted by
PERFORMANCE: Luther’s most iconic songs performed by Luther’s most iconic songs by vocalist Keith Anthony Fluitt.
Kevin James talks about the confusion and prevalence of a PreDiabetes diagnosis in this comedy routine.
Approximately 98 million American adults—more than 1 in 3—have prediabetes. Of those with prediabetes, more than 80% don’t know they have it.
While his routine is funny, it’s also misleading. His approach to brushing it off is problematic because prediabetes is a chance to reset and take action. Prediabetes is a serious health condition where blood sugar levels are higher than normal but not high enough yet to be diagnosed as type 2 diabetes.
Letting it slide, a Prediabetes diagnosis will eventually lead to type 2 diabetes. With equal amounts of regret and self-judgment on top of this new diagnosis, no one is setting themselves up for a ‘win.’
Join a National Diabetes Prevention Program lifestyle change program for more guidance and support. This program teaches you how to make gradual lifestyle changes that increase your chances of reversing prediabetes. You’ll have access to professional advice and a community of others on a similar journey to prevent or delay type 2 diabetes. You can joke all you want as you work to achieve optimum health!
Gospel Singer Pat Lacy, who has worked with The Sounds of Blackness and Luther Vandross, shares her experience living with type 2 diabetes and how she modified her lifestyle to take charge of her health.
One positive side effect of Kevin’s comedy routine is that Kelly Clarkson revealed her Prediabetes diagnosis sparked her weight loss journey. The TV show host turned her health around by walking, eating a healthy mix of foods, and not depriving herself of an occasional treat.
Not everyone can indulge in a treat. My friend, health guru Kathie Dolgin, known as ‘High Voltage,’ can’t stop eating sugar once she has it. High Voltage chooses not to eat added sugar. She doesn’t believe in deprivation, so she’s found ways to satisfy her sweet tooth with natural sugars and alternatives. High Voltage joins me on this podcast!
Dr. Stephen Bracci & special guest Kath Dolgin discuss the standard American diet.
Today, I saw an extraordinary exhibit called “Rory McEwen: A New Perspective on Nature” at the Gibbes Museum of Art in Charleston, SC, associated with the Royal Botanic Gardens.
I wanted to share a bit about Rory McEwen with you since I knew nothing about him before heading into the museum. He was a musician who became one of the most influential botanical artists of the 20th century. Sadly, Rory’s life was cut short when he took his own life at the age of 50 after being diagnosed with cancer.
Rory’s work blew me away. His botanical artwork is incredibly detailed and colorful; seeing it in person was a mind-blowing experience. Rory developed a unique painting style on vellum and used large empty backgrounds on which his plant portraits seemed to float.
His work is showcased in this exhibition alongside the works of master botanical artists from the 18th, 19th, and 20th centuries.
“I paint flowers as a way of getting as close as possible to what I perceive as the truth, my truth of the time in which I live,” said Rory McEwen.
He is recognized as one of the standard-bearers of today’s renaissance in botanical painting and has had a lasting impact on the world of botanical art.
Here’s a short film about Rory McEwen, spotlighting his musical and artistic talents. Between 1956 and 1965, Rory McEwen was best known as a guitarist and singer, and performed at venues across the country, including the Edinburgh Festival, the Keele Folk Festival and the Festival Hall, where the demand for tickets was so high that extra rows of chairs had to be put on the stage.
Billboard Magazine posted an article about Pop Goes Country on the heels of Tracy Chapman and Luke Combs’ epic ‘Fast Car’ duet that symbolized how music bridges cultures and unifies us.
Sadly, at a moment when we feel hope that people can set aside their differences and come together, there are people to keep us apart.
I was upset hearing about a Country Radio station refusing to play Beyoncé’s new song, “Texas Hold ‘Em.” They should be thrilled that this incredibly talented songwriter, producer, and singer is creating music for their audiences.
I’ve heard the song, and I love it!
What’s so surprising about Beyoncé making country music? She’s from Texas! And she’s not the first musician to create music for multiple radio formats.
According to the story, Lionel Richie’s hit “Stuck on You” topped the Adult Contemporary chart but also reached No. 24 on the Hot Country Songs chart in 1984. By the way, on a Michael Jackson World Tour, I had one of the most romantic nights of my life singing this song at a Karaoke Bar in South Korea.
Lionel In 2012, Richie (who was also the sole writer on the Kenny Rogers hit “Lady”) released the album Tuskegee, reworking several of his own hits as collaborations with a slew of country artists.
I am someone who grew up on R&B radio. I’ve endured a lot of nasty nicknames over my lifetime for my love of Soul Music. One Christmas, I remember Santa brought my brother, Bob, a “Supertramp” album, and I received the original soundtrack to “The Wiz.”
The memory still makes me laugh. I can’t explain why or how this music appeals to me. Thankfully, people’s taunts and awful name-calling didn’t stop me from pursuing my dreams. I feel fortunate to have worked with talented entertainers like Luther Vandross (who wrote the song “A Brand New Day” for the Wiz), Lionel Richie, and Maxwell. I’ve also written songs with some very talented songwriters, producers, and vocalists, including Ivan Hampden Jr., Cindy Mizelle, Paulette McWilliams, and Crystal Penny.
Back in the 90’s, I wrote the lyrics to a dance song, “That Man Of Mine”, that made on the Billboard Dance Charts.
One of my songs, “Mama’s Kitchen Table,” landed on the UK Soul Chart.
Another one of my songs, “Standards,” made it to #2 on the BCfm Soul Chart last Summer. This song is about how my love of popular ballads from the Quiet Storm radio format influenced my thoughts and attitudes about love.
I want to hold on to the feeling I had watching Tracy Chapman and Luke Combs perform. I know plenty of us in the world believe we can all get along.
