We’re diving into the enchanting world of R&B with one of its all-time greats, Luther Vandross, and his beloved wedding song Here and Now.
Joining our host, Max ‘Mr. Divabetic’ Szadek, is Terry Steele, the talented co-writer who helped bring this classic to life. Terry will take us behind the scenes of the creative process, sharing the inspiration that fueled the heartfelt lyrics and the song’s enduring legacy.
Terry Steele also reflects on Luther’s hero, Dionne Warwick’s pivotal role in Luther’s song recording.
Growing up in the Bronx, Luther Vandross was mesmerized by the magic of music, particularly by Dionne Warwick‘s enchanting voice.
Hearing her on the radio ignited a passion in him, and seeing her perform live at the Brooklyn Fox Theater left a mark on his heart. He fondly remembers, “She came on stage and just killed me,” capturing how deeply her music resonated with him. The song Anyone Who Has a Heart inspired him to pursue his own musical dreams.
Luther Vandross won his first Grammy in 1991 for Here and Now after being nominated 9 times.
Billboard magazine included Here And Now on their list of the Best30 Wedding Songs of All Time stating, “everything about the song suggests flowing curtains and candlelight, and Luther’s voice is pure butter.”
Terry Steele is a two-time Grammy-nominated singer and songwriter who has toured internationally and performed in places like Russia, Japan, and Brazil.
As a professional songwriter, he has collaborated with superstars like Whitney Houston, Dionne Warwick, and Stevie Wonder, among others. As the principal writer of the hit Here and Now.
Terry received his first Grammy nomination for “Best Rhythm and Blues Song” in 1990. He has held esteemed songwriting roles at major music companies and even tours occasionally with the renowned jazz band HIROSHIMA as their lead singer.
Angela Bofill suffered two strokes but neither stroke could take away her positive, humorous personality and her fighter spirit. After she lost the ability to sing, she returned to the stage for “The Angela Bofill Experience” in which she skillfully narrated her life story, while her band and other singers. Enjoy our exclusive interview with this iconic singer and songwriter.
Luther Vandross‘s journey into the world of entertainment was sparked by a memorable experience at the Fox Theater in Brooklyn, NY, where he had the chance to watch Dionne Warwick perform.
Luther shared with the New York Times that witnessing her magic on stage inspired him to connect with audiences in a similar way. Luther fondly remarked, “It was women like Dionne Warwick, Aretha Franklin, and The Supremes who drove me to the stereo.” He believed that women, in their performances, were more willing to dive deep emotionally and take creative risks, showcasing their talents with flair.
A beautiful friendship blossomed between Luther and Dionne after Cissy Houston, Luther’s friend, introduced them backstage at Radio City Music Hall. They became so close that when he recorded A House Is Not A Home, Dionne was the first person he wanted to share it with. Dionne praised Luther’s ability to put his unique spin on her songs, saying, “He didn’t do Dionne Warwick. He did Luther Vandross interpreting what Dionne Warwick had done, and he was a genius.”
In 1983, Clive Davis enlisted Luther to produce Dionne’s album, How Many Times Can You Say Goodbye. The final track on the album features Dionne’s interpretation of Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow, a classic penned by Carole King and Gerry Grolnick.
Not everyone knows that before she left to get married, Dionne joined the Shirelles, stepping in for Shirley Owens and Doris Coley, and continued with the group starting in 1963.
Luther, a devoted fan of the Shirelles, would later share with the New York Times, “First, I was a down and desperate fan of the Shirelles. Then, when I saw Dionne Warwick at the Brooklyn Fox, my life changed. She showed me there were standards.” To honor her legacy, Luther surprised Dionne by bringing in the original Shirelles members to join her on a track.
Dionne reminisced, “We had a ball recording that song. We laughed a lot, let me tell you!” Luther even playfully told her, “See! You ARE a rock and roll singer!”
How great was 2018? Well it was fabulously great for our Diabetes Late Nite podcast with ground-breaking topics, expert guests, exciting games and trending musical inspiration. Let’s look back at the top 3 most popular podcasts from the past year.
Show Synopsis:When the happy healthcare host, Mr. Divabetic heads to the Gotham City Ballet Company’s box office to fix a mix up with his ‘Swan Lake’ tickets he’s faced with a even bigger problem – a MURDER! To make matters worse, one of his latest culinary creations, a gluten free cheesecake, seems to be covering the victim’s face. Could our happy healthcare host’s wacky culinary skills make him an accessory to the crime? Mr. Divabetic and his team must whip a crime-solving recipe before a deadly dash of danger ends his diabetes advocacy and healthy catering career once and for all. Guests included Best-Selling Author Tonya Kappes, We Are Diabetes organization founder Asha Brown, Seveda Williams, Catherine Schuller AICI, CIP, Patricia Addie-Gentle RN, CDE, Mary Ann Nicolay MEd, DTR, Mama Rose Marie, Chef Robert Lewis aka ‘The Happy Diabetic’ and Poet Lorraine Brooks. Throughout the podcast we featured music from Leonard Bernstein’s recording of Tchaikovsky: Swan Lake, Op. 20 in celebration of the centennial of America’s greatest classical composer and conductor courtesy of SONY Music. LISTEN NOW
Behind the scenes of the Broadcast:I am thrilled that this podcast is one of our highest rated of the year! I spent more hours researching, writing and editing this mystery podcast than the previous four mystery podcasts combined. Since a physical injury prevented me from having much of a social life, I had no excuses but to write. My daily mantra: “if you can’t have an active body then, at least have an active mind” helped me when I was dealing with another physical setback.
It’s interesting to note that some dialogue at the very end includes actual quotes from women who are involved in the MeToo movement. I am excited to be working on the next diabetes mystery podcasts scheduled for September 2019 – details soon!
Show synopsis:We’re honored to celebrate Luther Vandross and his musical legacy as well as raise awareness for diabetes health-related complications (such as stroke) on our annual Luther Vandross Tribute podcast. This podcast presented details of the inaugural Fandross Festival in New York City. In the years since Luther’s passing, one constant has remained to define his life and musical success: the voice. Like any great singer of the past 100 years, Luther Vandross’ voice and distinct singing style led to not only monumental success, but an instant recognition when you hear him singing–through your stereo, car radio, on TV or in a movie. Coupled with that voice was Luther’s unique ability to write and sing about love and the shared emotions we all feel in that search for and enjoyment of love. Through his songs, for the last two generations Luther Vandross became a staple in the most joyous moments of people’s lives. Guests included Eat What You Love, Love What You Eat with Diabetes Author Dr. Michelle May, Patricia Addie-Gentle RN, CDE, R & B Singer Alyson Williams, “Here & Now” Songwriter and Entertainer Terry Steele, Seveda Williams, Luther Vandross Historian Leon Petrossian and Luther Superfan John Price. Throughout the podcast we featured songs from Luther’s third album, Busy Body courtesy of SONY Music. It featured such hits as “Superstar,” “For the Sweetness Of Your Love” and the duet with Dionne Warwick entitled “How Many Times Can We Say Goodbye.” LISTEN NOW
Behind the scenes of the Broadcast:After we finished the live broadcast of our Annual Luther Tribute podcast in 2017, I thought it would be great to bring a tribute podcast to life! I wanted to connect the fans with Luther’s vocalists, musicians, friends and family members to celebrate his legacy. That’s how our 4 day celebration entitled Fandross was born. Fandross 2018 featured four wonderful events in New York City including a Live Tribute Concert at Ashford & Simpson’s Sugar Bar, Lisa Fischer & Grand Baton in concert at the Blue Note, a Luther Film & Video Presentation and Panel Discussion at SVA Theater and a Luther-themed Brunch, Fashion Show & Dress Auction with Runway the Realway. It was a magical experience to hear Luther’s music performed live by his musicians and vocalists. Just thinking about it gives me goosebumps.
Show synopsis:We’re taking about MINDFULNESS with musical inspiration from P!nk. Mindfulness is a technique to be aware of moment-by-moment thoughts, emotions and physical sensations in a non-judgmental way and is increasingly used for eating habits and diabetes management. Research has shown that mindfulness enhances clinical effect of glycemic control. Mindfulness also allows you to accept the way you are feeling rather than constantly battling to try and change it. Guests include Chilbrook Kennels Breeder Author, Diabetes Alert Dog and Scent Detection Expert, Debby Kay, Walking with Peety Author Eric O’Grey, Poet Lorraine Brooks, Yoga for Diabetes Author, Rachel Zinman, and the Charlie’s Angels of Outreach featuring Patricia Addie-Gentle RN, CDE. Throughout the podcast we featured songs from Pink’s Beautiful Trauma album courtesy of SONY Music. LISTEN NOW
Behind the scenes of the Broadcast:I can’t always personally pick the CDs we play on our podcasts. Sometimes the artists and/or albums I want are not available in the SONY catalogue or as in this case, I featured music that SONY recommended. As a P!nk fan, I was welcomed their suggestion. Over the years I’ve come to realized just how big a role the music plays in our monthly podcast. It creates a theme, reinforces a key message, adds excitement to our games and leaves the listener with a beautiful final thought. Several of P!nk’s songs “Beautiful Trauma,” “What About Us” and “Better Life” inspired me to tackle the topics discussed on this podcast. I usually listen to an album about 20 times prior to producing the podcast. I listen to it while I’m developing the show, choosing and booking guests, researching topics and coming up with game ideas. Then, I listen to it one more time about an hour before we broadcast to get in the right frame of mind.
Thanks for being a part of our 8th year of Diabetes Late Nite and Cheers to you for an inspiring and productive 2019.
We’re talking about ways to proceed with ‘CAUTION’ in 2019 with musical inspiration from the iconic Mariah Carey on Tuesday, January 8, 2019, 6 PM, EST. TUNE IN
Join us as we talk to experts about the link between Diabetes and Cardiovascular Disease (CVD).
Do you know living with type 2 diabetes puts you at greater risk for heart disease and stroke? Unfortunately most people don’t. We want to help you get CLUED INN and make a healthy comeback worthy of Mariah Carey. Music critics agree that Mariah’s latest collection of songs not only maintains her status as one the best singer/songwriters in the game, but also eloquently displays her truth. She opens up about love, loneliness, and self-worth in a cautionary album that reminds us that she is still a force to be reckoned with after nearly three decades in the industry. Guests include Poet Lorraine Brooks, 2015 AADE Diabetes Educator of the Year Susan Weiner, MS RDN CDE FAADE, Mama Rose Marie, WeAreEatNeat.com’s Lloyd Owens, Nick Zevgolis, and the Charlie’s Angels of Outreach. Throughout the podcast we will be playing music from Mariah Carey’s “CAUTION” courtesy of SONY Music.
Diabetes Late Nite is a fast-paced, full-filled hour of diabetes education and wellness advice that encourages listeners to “laugh a little, learn a lot.”
Join Mr. Divabetic and cast of Diabetes Late NIte for the first-ever Diabetes & Cardiovascular Disease Escape Room Experience, Clued Inn,on National Diabetes Alert Day (March 26, 2019) in New York City sponsored by Boehringer Ingelheim.
