Luther Vandross – Page 20

02/02/201902/02/2019

Divabetic Remembers James Ingram

Two-time Grammy winner James Ingram, whose wonderful voice instantly evokes the classic R&B sound of the 1980s, has died. He was 66.

He died from a battle with a form of brain cancer reported TMZ. Sources close to the singer tell us James Ingram had been fighting the cancer for an extended period.

“He will always be cherished, loved and remembered for his genius, his love of family and his humanity. I am blessed to have been so close,” says actress Debbie Allen.

He was a staple of the romantic Quiet Storm R&B radio format, alongside Divabetic’s inspiration Luther Vandross and others such as George Benson, Anita Baker and Barry White. His collaborations with Patti Austin — 1981’s “Baby Come to Me” and “How Do You Keep The Music Playing” helped define adult contemporary R&B in the early ’80’s.

Originally raised in Akron, Ohio, a teenaged Ingram pounded the pavement in ’70s Los Angeles, making demos for a publishing company and churning out tunes for his band Revelation Funk. Comparing himself to his bandmates, Ingram underestimated his own vocal abilities. “I knew I couldn’t sing,” he said. “I wasn’t trying. I was just doing background.”

After the band broke up, James Ingram got great backup gigs, working with Marvin Gaye. He would sing and write demos at a studio on Sunset Boulevard for $50 per song. The studio had a relationship with veteran producer Quincy Jones, who heard Ingram’s recording of “Just Once.” Jones, impressed, called Ingram.

“I hung up on Quincy,” he told the Tribune. “I was never no singer. I never shopped a deal, none of that. My wife said, ‘James, that was Quincy.’ He called back, and we started talking. I said, ‘Yeah, that’s me.’ He put that on his album.”

James Ingram ended up singing that song and “One Hundred Ways” on Jones’ 1981 album, The Dude. Both songs ended up in the top 20 of the Billboard Hot 100. His performance of “One Hundred Ways” won him the Grammy in 1981 for best male R&B performance. In 1984 he won his second Grammy, for “Yah Mo B There” with singer Michael McDonald. Throughout his career, Ingram was nominated for 14 Grammys.

He won back-to-back best original song Oscar nominations in 1993 and 1994, for co-writing the Dolly Parton (February’s Divabetic Inspiration) duet “The Day I Fall in Love,” from Beethoven’s 2nd, and Patty Smyth’s “Look What Love Has Done,” from Junior.

James Ingram won hearts with “Somewhere Out There,” his 1987 Peter Asher-produced duet with Linda Ronstadt. The song was featured in Don Bluth’s animated movie An American Tail, the emotion-tugging power ballad rose to number two on the Billboard Hot 100 chart in 1987 and won the Grammy for song of the year.

Tune in to February’s Diabetes Late NIte podcast with musical inspiration from Dolly Parton on Tuesday, February 12, 2019, 6 PM, EST. We’re talking about ‘SELF ACCEPTANCE & DIABETES’ with Poet Lorraine Brooks, Dr.Beverly S. Adler PhD, CDE, Patricia Addie-Gentle RN, CDE, Catherine Schuller AICI, CIP, Lisa R Young, PhD, RDN and more. Enjoy selected songs from Dolly Parton’s new album Dumplin’ Original Motion Picture Soundtrack courtesy of SONY Music. TUNE IN

06/01/2018

What’s On Your Plate?: The Plate Poetry Project Depicts Emotional Eating & Diabetes

Fine Artist Susan McCaslin’s Plate Poetry Project will be on display at Mosaic Central Farm Market on Sunday, June 3, 2018 as part of Divabetic’s Diabetes Awareness Day outreach program.

What words do you bring to the table?

Emotions can influence what, when, and how much we eat. For example, you have probably heard that some people eat to cope with stress. Others eat to preoccupy themselves when they feel bored.

When you eat based on your emotions, it can hinder your diabetes wellness management. Often, situations that trigger certain negative emotions prompt eating.

If you have recently eaten and find yourself craving food again, do a quick emotional check. Do you want food because you are hungry—or to fill an emotional need?

Eating is such a central part of our lives that food becomes associated with almost everything we do. If we’re happy, sad, angry, celebrating, grieving, lonely, or bored, we eat. Emotions become connected with food.

Each Plate Poetry Project place setting (5 pieces) has a complete statement written on it depicting a conversation that someone had while eating.

Visitors are encouraged to interact with the table and take apart the place settings to read each statement.

The eight Plate Poetry Project statements are:

“She says I am always eating too much”

“Be happy and eat joyfully for good health”

” You always help me when I need it the most”

“Love is my drug of choice not food”

It hurts when you say I am too heavy”

“How dare you step on my dreams”

“He helps me face illness with lots of love”

“So tough when I hear you cry at night!”

The Plate Poetry Project is made possible thanks in part to the generous donation from Onieda. Oneida offers the largest selection of flatware and a great assortment of dinnerware, serveware, cookware, bakeware, and more.

An important component of diabetes self-management, but often unaddressed, is the topic of emotional well being.

If you are having a hard time, reach out for help. Involve family members and friends to help support your weight loss efforts. Support groups, therapy, and members of your health care team can also help.

Our Plate Poetry Project video series aims to assess the emotions associated with managing diabetes and the underlying reasons attributed to those emotions.

Divabetic presents Diabetes Awareness Day featuring a Dog Fashion Show, Health Screenings, Healthy Food Tours, Diabetes Alert Dog Demonstrations, Poetry Readings, Art Displays & More at Mosaic Central Farm Market in Fairfax, VA on Sunday, June 3, 2018, 9:30 AM – 2 PM.

RAIN OR SHINE: Here’s a complete listing of Diabetes Awareness Day Events & Activities at Mosaic Central Farm Market:

9:30 AM Lions Free Sight & Hearing Screenings for Adults & Children (until 12 PM): Lions Club District 24A Sight and Hearing Van will also offer a paper screening test for diabetes and blood pressure testing.

10 AM Healthy Food Tour of Mosaic Central Farm Market with Registered Dietitian, Certified Diabetes Educator Nadine Young RD, CDE with Virginia Hospital Center: Learn how the season’s best fruits, vegetables and artisanal foods can fit into your meal plan. Visit different booths to pick up tips on preparing seasonal fruits and vegetables, as well as local dairy, grain and protein products so you can build your healthy plate.

10:30 AM Dog Fashion Show Registration & Rehearsal: Dogs of all breeds and sizes are welcome to compete on the red carpet for fabulous prize awards compliments of Mosaic Central Farm Market vendors. REGISTER NOW: https://goo.gl/forms/WWxkBrs7ugpfK38P2

10:45 AM Healthy Food Tour of Mosaic Central Farm Market with Dietitian Nadine Young RD, CDE with Virginia Hospital Center: Learn how the season’s best fruits, vegetables and artisanal foods can fit into your meal plan. Visit different booths to pick up tips on preparing seasonal fruits and vegetables, as well as local dairy, grain and protein products so you can build your healthy plate.

11:30 AM Dog Fashion Show: See the best dressed dogs pose on the Red Carpet at our 2^ndAnnual Dog Fashion Show. Hosted by Mr. Divabetic:

12 PM Diabetes Alert Dog Demonstration & Talk: Find out how dogs help people manage their blood sugar high’s and low’s, answer your questions and share resources for purchasing a diabetes alert dog and/or training your own pet. Presented by internationally known Scent Detection Dog Expert, Debby Kay and Health Educator, Kathy Gold RN, CDE

1 PM Plate Poetry Project & Workshop: What’s Eating You? Fine Artist Susan McCalsin’s Plate Poetry Project explores the conversations that people have with themselves while eating. Divabetic volunteers help adults and kids to express their mealtime thoughts and concern after reading aloud several of her poems.

Acoustic Blues Musician and songwriter, Rick Franklin will be performing throughout at Diabetes Awareness Day. Rick’s musical style of blues is known as the “Piedmont” style identified with such legendary players as Blind Blake, Blind Boy Fuller and William Moore along with players and friends like “Bowling Green” John Cephas, John Jackson, and Archie Edwards.

Stop by the Capital Jazz Fest featuring Luther Vandross’ longtime collaborator, renowned bassist, producer and songwriter Marcus Miller. Marcus Miller hosts the Late-Night Jam Session on Friday, June 1, 2018, 11:30 PM – 2 AM. The Capital Jazz Fest takes place at Merriweather Post Pavilion, located at 10475 Little Patuxent Parkway in Columbia, Maryland. The venue is 28 miles northeast of Washington, D.C. and 18 miles southwest of Baltimore.

Founded in 2005, Divabetic promotes diabetes wellness. We take diabetes education out of the clinical setting and combine it with art, music, and fashion to broaden the appeal of diabetes outreach. Join us!

05/24/201805/29/2018

Patriotic Cookies Recipe by the Diabetic Pastry Chef

Memorial Day festivities are times to gather together with family and friends and celebrate the beginning of the summer season while also remembering lots of U.S. citizens who were drafted and who were required to fight far away from home and loved ones. They can also become ways to commit to healthy living and activity to avoid diabetes health-related complications.

The Diabetic Pastry Chef Stacey Harris is helping Divabetic encourage you to celebrate the holidays without compromising your diabetes wellness.

When Stacey Harris was studying to become a pastry chef, she was diagnosed with type 2 diabetes. Rather than give up her chosen profession, she began creating more diabetic-friendly desserts. By using blended flours and a combination of sugar and sugar substitutes, reducing milk carbohydrates, and eliminating trans fats, Stacey Harris has transformed more than 200 desserts into diabetic-friendly delights.

Patriotic Cookies Recipe by the Diabetic Pastry Chef

Cookie Dough Ingredients

1 1/2 cup white whole wheat flour

1 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp baking soda

1 stick butter, sliced

1 large egg

1/2 cup granulated sugar substitute such as Swerve

Directions:

Sift together flour, baking powder and baking soda. Cut in butter until crumbly.

Beat together the remaining ingredients with mixer until well blended; add to dry mixture. Divide dough in half and chill for several hours.

Roll out the dough on a floured board 1/4 at a time. Cut into star shapes with floured cookie cutter. Bake in preheated oven at 350 degrees until cookies are a pale golden color. Remove from oven and cool cookies on a baking rack. Once cool, frost with icing and decorate with tubes of red and blue decorating gel.

Swerve Icing Ingredients

1 stick butter, softened

1/3 to 1/2 cup Swerve Confectioners

1 tsp pure vanilla extract

1 Tbsp milK

Directions:

With mixer, beat butter until light and fluffy. Add Swerve and beat for 5 minutes. Add vanilla and milk and beat for an additional 5 minutes.

Divabetic presents Diabetes Awareness Day featuring a Dog Fashion Show, Health Screenings, Healthy Food Tours, Diabetes Alert Dog Demonstrations, Poetry Readings, Art Displays & More on Sunday, June 3, 2018 at Mosaic Central Farm Market in Fairfax, VA

Here’s a complete listing of Events & Activities:

9AM -12 PM Lions Free Sight & Hearing Screenings for Adults & Children: Lions Club District 24A Sight and Hearing Van hosts free sight (including glaucoma) and hearing screenings for all visitors (men, women, and children). They will also offer a paper screening test for diabetes and blood pressure testing.

11:30 AM Dog Fashion Show: See the best dressed dogs pose on the red carpet at our 2^ndAnnual Dog Fashion Show. Hosted by Mr. Divabetic:

1 PM Plate Poetry Project & Workshop: What’s Eating You? Fine Artist Susan McCaslin’s Plate Poetry Project explores the conversations that people have with themselves while eating. Our Divabetic volunteers help adults and kids to express their mealtime thoughts and concern after reading aloud several of her poems. Generous donation provided by Onieda.

Don’t miss the Capital Jazz Fest featuring Luther Vandross’ longtime collaborator, renowned bassist, producer and songwriter Marcus Miller. Marcus Miller hosts the Late-Night Jam Session on Friday, June 1, 2018, 11:30 PM – 2 AM. The Capital Jazz Fest takes place at Merriweather Post Pavilion, located at 10475 Little Patuxent Parkway in Columbia, Maryland. The venue is 28 miles northeast of Washington, D.C. and 18 miles southwest of Baltimore.

One of Divabetic’s favorite Marcus Miller and Luther Vandross tunes is “Never Too Much” featured on Luther’s platinum album, ‘Never Too Much‘.

05/23/2018

‘I’ve Got A Secret’ by Lorraine Brooks

We’re only as sick as our secrets, it’s true.

There’s dozens of things that I’m not telling you.

Some of my secrets are not to be shared,

Some are about being angry or scared.

Some are just things I don’t want you to know

But aren’t that important, as far as things go.

Some are not secrets, but just information,

Like where I’ll be going on my next vacation.

Some things are personal, and this is OK,

Like who you just voted for, or how much you weigh.

But there are some times when a secret can hurt.

And those times it’s better if you can assert.

Secrets can harm, ‘cause if no one’s aware,

You may not get help if you need something there.

Take diabetes, and if no one knows,

You might not be able to treat your own lows.

Or maybe you’re having a symptom or feeling

That doctors can deal with, if you’re not concealing.

Maybe just talking can help you with stuff

That maybe you thought weren’t important enough.

Maybe disclosing your troubles and strife

Can one day be helpful in saving your life.

So don’t be afraid to be clear and be strong

That you have diabetes, but there’s nothing wrong.

One day that honesty may just be the way

You get help if you need it. So please don’t downplay.

Don’t hold THIS secret, don’t hide THIS well.

Make diabetes the “secret” you TELL!

LISTEN NOW: Poet Lorraine Brooks reads her ‘I’ve Got A Secret’ aloud on May’s Diabetes Late Nite podcast. Podcast guests include Poet Lorraine Brooks, PCOS Diva founder Amy Medling, Dr. Beverly S. Adler PhD, CDE, Dr. Sara (Mandy) Reece PharmD, CDE, BC-ADM- PCOM, Patricia Addie-Gentle RN, CDE, Jeff James and Mama Rose Marie. Throughout this podcast we will feature songs from ‘Stone Hits: The Very Best of Angie Stone’ courtesy of SONY Music.

Divabetic presents Diabetes Awareness Day featuring a Dog Fashion Show, Health Screenings, Healthy Food Tours, Diabetes Alert Dog Demonstrations, Poetry Readings, Art Displays & More on Sunday, June 3, 2018 at Mosaic Central Farm Market in Fairfax, VA

Here’s a complete listing of Diabetes Awareness Day Events & Activities at Mosaic Central Farm Market:

9AM Lions Free Sight & Hearing Screenings for Adults & Children (until 12 PM): Lions Club District 24A Sight and Hearing Van hosts free sight (including glaucoma) and hearing screenings for all visitors (men, women, and children). They will also offer a paper screening test for diabetes and blood pressure testing.

11:30 AM Dog Fashion Show: See the best dressed dogs pose on the Red Carpet at our 2^ndAnnual Dog Fashion Show. Hosted by Mr. Divabetic:

1 PM Plate Poetry Project & Workshop: What’s Eating You? Fine Artist Susan McCalsin’s Plate Poetry Project explores the conservations that people have with themselves while eating. Poet Lorraine Brooks helps adults and kids to express their mealtime thoughts and concern after reading aloud several of her poems.

One of Divabetic’s favorite Marcus Miller and Luther Vandross tunes is “Til My Baby Comes Home” featured on Luther’s platinum album The Night I Fell in Love.

04/29/2018

Fandross Festival 2018: We Believe in the ‘Power Of Love’

“When I say goodbye it is never for long

‘Cause I know our love still lives on

It will be again exactly like it was

‘Cause I believe in the Power of Love”

‘Power Of Love/Love Power’ by Luther Vandross

Divabetic is proud to partner with the Vandross Family Estate to present the inaugural Fandross Festival celebrating the musical legacy of Luther Vandross.

As much as we’re looking forward to seeing Luther’s outstanding band members and vocalists perform again and meeting fans we are more interested in helping those at risk, affected by and living with diabetes to stay happy and healthy.

Luther Vandross had over 50 people supporting him with his music but when it came to managing his type 2 diabetes, he chose to manage it alone. That was a terrible mistake because daily diabetes management is challenging as well as overwhelming for many. Don’t go it alone choose to manage your diabetes with ‘team approach’ and build your own healthcare entourage. Working with different healthcare providers, family members and friends helps you to learn in-depth information regarding their health and well-being, boost confidence and find comfort during difficult times. It also ensures that your needs are cared for and addressed.

If Luther’s music has brought joy to your life, then please take a minute to “Keep your House A Home” and learn how to prevent diabetes health-related complications (such as stroke) from occurring. The first step is learning to love yourself and your diabetes health without shame.

Are you ashamed of your diabetes? Afraid of judgment?

Denial of a diagnosis plays a significant role in why people may experience diabetes health-related complications. Ignoring your diabetes has significant repercussions. Learning to accept your diagnosis is not easy and for some, takes years.

Here are three ways to help break the diabetes shame cycle.

1. Respond, don’t react. If your medical professionals are judgmental, consider switching. Realize that you’re in a system that creates shame. Change your mind about how you’re going to see that system.

2. Think about how to transform your behavior and why. “When we really let ourselves understand what our values are and value those things, we are less likely to call ourselves bad people,” says Joseph Nelson, a psychologist in Minneapolis and spokesperson for the American Association of Diabetes Educators. “By getting in touch with what we want in the world, we can tell ourselves that we’re OK and get rid of the shame. Value who you are, no matter what.”

3. Seek support. “Surround yourself with people who know your deeper motivation to change, who aren’t critical, and who are open enough in your relationship with them so that when they do act in a shaming way, you can approach them and tell them why what they’re saying is counterproductive,” says Ann Goebel-Fabbri, PhD, a psychologist at the Joslin Diabetes Center in Boston and an assistant professor of psychiatry at Harvard Medical School.

Fandross Festival 2018 Calendar of Events: Fandross Kick-Off Party & Live Music Tribute hosted by Alfa Anderson at Ashford & Simpson’s Sugar Bar on 5/10/18, Lisa Fischer & Grand Baton Concert with VIP Meet & Greet at the Blue Note on 5/11/18, Fandross Festival (Film & Panel Discussion) at SVA Theater on 5/12/18, Fandross ’80’s Music & Fashion Brunch featuring Catherine Schuller AICI, CIP and Dr. Beverly S. Adler PhD, CDE at Casa de Femme on 5/13/18. All tickets sold separately on Eventbrite. More event details at Divabetic.org

Enoy our Annual Luther Vandross Tribute podcast with guests include ‘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 will be featuring selected songs from the album entitled ‘Busy Body’ courtesy of SONY Music. On ‘Busy Body’, Luther Vandross’ third album features ‘Superstar’, ‘For the Sweetness Of Your Love’, and the duet with Dionne Warwick entitled ‘ How Many Times Can We Say Goodbye’. LISTEN NOW

04/03/2018

Join us for Fandross ’80’s Fashion Brunch on Sunday, May 13, 2018

New York City’s liveliest brunch spotlights ’80’s ‘GLAM’ Fashions as a tribute to Luther Vandross and his love of all things Gianni Versace. $45 Brunch Special. Come and enjoy a Fun-Filled Sunday afternoon featuring:

‘80’s FASHION SHOW: Our inclusive catwalk features innovative integration with all sizes, shapes, heights, genders, ages, ethnicities, nationalities, persuasions and orientations on the same runway.

DIABETES DISCUSSION: Diabetes by the Decades Spotlights the ’80’s: A Dynasty of Self-Care Discoveries with Dr. Beverly S. Adler, PhD, CDE known as ‘Dr. Bev’. Dr. Bev is a Clinical Psychologist and Certified Diabetes Educator who has been living well with type 1 diabetes for over 40 years. Moderated by Max ‘Mr. Divabetic’ Szadek

DIVA RAFFLES: Win a copy of one of Dr. Beverly S. Adler’s books, ‘MY SWEET LIFE: Successful Men Living with Diabetes‘ and ‘MY SWEET LIFE: Successful Women Living with Diabetes’ and the ’80’s Dress of Your Choice!

’80’s DRESS AUCTION: Bid for your favorites over a Bloody Mary or Mimosa and help raise funding for America’s leading women’s diabetes outreach organization, Divabetic.

SPECIAL GUEST PERFORMERS!

Hosted by Divabetic Image & Style Advisor, Catherine Schuller AICI, CIP and Max ‘Mr. Divabetic’ Szadek.

Reservations Required: (212) 505-0005

ADMISSION: $45.00 (Includes Brunch Entree, one Mimosa or Bloody Mary and Gratuity. Tax not included)

EARLY BIRD SPECIAL TICKETS: Receive 2 Free Raffle Prize Tickets & Goody Bag before 4/20/18

The Vandross Family Estate and the national diabetes nonprofit organization, Divabetic (divabetic.org), proudly present Fandross Festival. “Keep your House a Home” and learn how to prevent diabetes health-related complications (such as stroke) from occurring.

We invite Luther fans of all ages to attend and celebrate Luther’s “so amazing” contributions to music, arts, and culture from Thursday, March 10 – Sunday, March 13, 2018 in New York City.

Fandross Calendar of Events: Fandross Kick-Off Party at Ashford & Simpson’s Sugar Bar on 5/10/18, Lisa Fischer & Grand Baton at the Blue Note on 5/11/18, Fandross Festival at SVA Theater on 5/12/18, Fandross Sunday Brunch at Casa de Femme on 5/13/18. All tickets sold separately on Eventbrite. More event details at Divabetic.org

Fandross Festival 2018 Hotel Accommodations:

Vandross Family Estate and Divabetic have secured a discounted room rate ($239.00) per night at the New York Marriott East Side located at 525 Lexington Avenue at 49th Street, New York, NY 10017.

Call: (212) 755-4000 mentioned ‘Luther Vandross Fan Club’. Hotel’s room rates are subject to applicable state and local taxes.

02/10/2018

Divabetic Remembers Rock n’Roll Hall of Famer, LaVern Baker

Our ‘beyond the music’ series continues exploring the diabetes hardships experienced by beloved musicians who have passed away to help you ‘keep your house a home’ by learning how diabetes health-related complications from occur.

In many instances their obituaries make little mention of their diabetes diagnosis and/or diabetes health-related complications which results in the general public’s continued ignorance about the subject.

LaVern Baker, whose hits such as “Tweedle-Dee” and “Jim Dandy” put her at the top of the rhythm and blues charts in the 1950s and earned her a spot in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

LaVern Baker figured that she was living with type 2 diabetes for about five or six years before she was diagnosed. She received the news soon after completing an triumphant run in “Black and Blue” that marked her return to the United States after two decades living in the Philippines, where she performed on a military base.

She suffered a stroke in the early 1990’s, and then was forced to withdraw from the spotlight in 1994 when her right leg was removed. Initially her doctors thought that only part of her left foot would have to be removed, but a few days after that operation, it became necessary to amputate the entire leg. Ultimately, both of her legs had to be amputated.

“I lost my legs,” Baker, 65, announces. “But I didn’t lose my mind. I’m tired of just sittin’. I want to do something. God gave me a talent and I can still use it. I can still go out and sing.”

And that’s precisely what she did. LaVern Baker returned to performing in 1996 with an undiminished voice and an indomitable spirit. Her repertory include 12 to 15 songs spanning her career around the world. Her shows included the ’50s–songs like “Tweedle Dee,” “Jim Dandy” and “I Cried a Tear”–to numbers from the 1990 Broadway revue “Black and Blue” and from her most recent album, 1992’s “Woke Up This Mornin’ “–a collection of pop and blues standards.

“We’re planning for LaVern to have a motorized wheelchair,” her manager said. “So she’ll make her entrance by herself, rather than being pushed on. You know, I can’t think of anybody in the history of show business who has performed with two legs amputated. Some people think audiences will be squeamish, but aside from her spirit, LaVern’s got great showmanship. And she’s kept her sense of humor, even though her life has been such a roller coaster.”

LaVern Baker, whose original name was Delores Williams, was born in Chicago; an aunt was the blues singer Memphis Minnie. Ms. Baker sang gospel in church, and in the mid-1940’s she worked as a blues singer, calling herself Little Miss Sharecropper and Bea Baker.

She became the second woman signed to Atlantic Records–right after Ruth Brown, who coincidentally originated the role in “Black and Blue”. In 1955, Baker scored her first R&B hit for Atlantic, “Tweedle Dee”–though, in a move typical of that period, it was a re-recorded version by white artist Georgia Gibbs that took it to the pop charts.

More than a dozen R&B hits followed, and–eventually–even some crossover success. Her crowning achievement came in 1958 with the ballad “I Cried a Tear,” a No. 6 pop hit.

But as new divas like Gladys Knight and Atlantic’s own Aretha Franklin started to emerge, Baker’s star was falling. She left Atlantic in 1964. By the end of that decade, her second marriage (to comic Slappy White) had also fallen on troubled times.

Baker was inducted into the rock hall of fame in 1991, telling the audience, “Regardless of how old you are when you get this, it’s still good, baby.”

Why Do People Suffer Double Amputations?

In people with diabetes, a trifecta of trouble can set the stage for amputations: Numbness in the feet due to diabetic neuropathy (nerve damage) can make people less aware of injuries and foot ulcers. These ulcers may fail to heal, which can in turn lead to serious infections.

Over half of limb amputations (about 67 percent) in the United States are attributable to diabetes and related complications. The majority of limb amputations are performed on the lower extremities.

Nerve damage or diabetic neuropathy causes decreased feeling, and a person with diabetes cannot feel it when they get a tack in their foot, or injure their limb

Skin changes from diabetes causes skin to break down, and this combined with diabetic nerve damage and poor circulation leads to non-healing ulcers

Join us for the inaugural Fandross Festival presented by the Vandross Family Estate and Divabetic celebrating the musical legacy of Luther Vandross and raising awareness for the prevention of diabetes health-related complications such as stroke. Enjoy an interactive Panel Discussion featuring Luther Vandross’s former musical director, Nat Adderley Jr., singer-songwriter Fonzi Thornton, vocalists Alfa Anderson, Robin Clark, and Tawatha Agee, Luther Vandross historian Leon Petrossian and more. Tickets are on sale now (50% Off). Get your ticket now by clicking the link below for the inaugural Fandross Festival on Saturday, May 12, 2018, 6:30 -8:30 PM at SVA Theater at 333 West 23rd Street, NY, NY 10011. Please join us! BUY TICKETS

02/08/201802/10/2018

Fandross Festival Coming In May 2018

Luther Vandross
© Robert Matheu
© Retna Ltd.

Fandross Festival recaptures the elegance and excellence of Luther’s career with a film presentation of his iconic performances, stage memorabilia and an in-depth discussion with Luther’s former band members, vocalists, and superfans.

+ See Luther Vandross Exclusive Memorabilia: Luther’s dazzling music awards, bejeweled stage costumes and more will be on display

+ Watch R & B legend Luther Vandross on the Big Screen: His most iconic live performances, biggest songs, popular videos and rare clips larger than life with Dolby sound.

+ Meet the Team! Enjoy an interactive Panel Discussion hosted by Max ‘Mr. Divabetic’ Szadek featuring Luther Vandross’s former musical director, Nat Adderley Jr., singer-songwriter Fonzi Thornton, vocalist Alfa Anderson, vocalist Robin Clark, guitarist, composer and arranger Carlos Alomar, vocalist and songwriter Tawatha Agee, Luther Vandross historian Leon Petrossian, and more.

+ Sing Back Up! Vocalist Patricia Lacy leads the audience in several of Luther’s most iconic background vocals. Learn how to create harmony parts and hold firm no matter which other vocal parts surround you. Don’t miss this once in a lifetime opportunity!

+ Greet other Luther fans, share your stories and revisit memories of one of the world’s most treasured performers.

We will be spotlighting the 35 Anniversary of the release of Luther Vandross’ Busy Body album featuring ‘Superstar/Until You Come Back to Me (That’s What I’m Gonna Do)’.

Admission: $10 Advance. $20 Door

If Luther’s “smooth as silk” voice, dramatic ballads and up-tempo jams are a major part of the soundtrack of your life, you do not want to miss Fandross Festival. We invite Luther fans of all ages to attend and celebrate Luther’s “so amazing” contributions to music, arts, and culture.

Fandross Festival 2018 on Saturday, May 12, 2018, 6:30 – 9:30 PM at SVA Theater, 333 West 23rd Street, New York, NY, 10011. Tickets available at Eventbrite. BUY TICKETS

Can’t wait? Listen now to our Annual Luther Vandross Tribute podcast featuring Patricia Addie-Gentle RN, CDE, Luther percussionist Steve Kroon, Luther vocalists Tawatha Agee and Pat Lacy, Luther historian Leon Petrossian, members of ‘The Luther Re-Lives Experience’, family members, friends and superfans. Throughout the podcast we will be featuring selected songs from the album entitled ‘Luther Vandross’ courtesy of SONY Music.

01/16/201801/16/2018

Serena Williams Talks Near-Death Experience After Giving Birth

Tennis champion, Serena Williams knew something had gone terribly wrong just a day after giving birth to her child.

She explained what happened in Vogue Magazine stating,”The next day, while recovering in the hospital, Serena suddenly felt short of breath. Because of her history of blood clots, and because she was off her daily anticoagulant regimen due to the recent surgery, she immediately assumed she was having another pulmonary embolism. (Serena lives in fear of blood clots.) She walked out of the hospital room so her mother wouldn’t worry and told the nearest nurse, between gasps, that she needed a CT scan with contrast and IV heparin (a blood thinner) right away. The nurse thought her pain medicine might be making her confused. But Serena insisted, and soon enough a doctor was performing an ultrasound of her legs. “I was like, a Doppler? I told you, I need a CT scan and a heparin drip,” she remembers telling the team. The ultrasound revealed nothing, so they sent her for the CT, and sure enough, several small blood clots had settled in her lungs. Minutes later she was on the drip. “I was like, listen to Dr. Williams!”

A near death experience in childbirth involving one of the greatest female athletes of all-time will inevitably create buzz on social media but it’s also the story of millions of women of color across the nation.

ProPublica has published an investigative series on the effect socioeconomics has on motherhood in America. One piece in that series, titled “How Hospitals Are Failing Black Mothers,” reports, “It’s been long-established that black women… fare worse in pregnancy and childbirth, dying at a rate more than triple that of white mothers. And while part of the disparity can be attributed to factors like poverty and inadequate access to health care, there is growing evidence that points to the quality of care at hospitals where a disproportionate number of black women deliver, which are often in neighborhoods disadvantaged by segregation,” writes Annie Waldman.

Data like this highlights the fact that the American medical system has a long-standing racial gap for dealing with diseases such as diabetes.

Let’s not forget that compared to the general population, African Americans are disproportionately affected by diabetes as reported by the American Diabetes Association:

13.2% of all African Americans aged 20 years or older have diagnosed diabetes.

African Americans are 1.7 times more likely to have diabetes as non Hispanic whites.

African-Americans are significantly more likely to suffer from blindness, kidney disease and amputations.

Good diabetes management can help reduce your risk of developing a diabetes health-related complication; however, many people are not even aware that they have diabetes until they develop one of its complications.

About 2.8 percent of U.S. adults — one-third of those with diabetes — still don’t know they have it reports the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

You cane help us change that staggering stastistic!

Join us for Fandross Festival on Saturday, May 12 2018, 6:30 – 9:30 PM in New York, NY. We will be raising awareness of the prevention of diabetes health-related complications such as stroke by celebrating the legacy of R & B superstar, Luther Vandross. Don’t miss it! TICKETS ON SALE NOW

One final thought, Serena Williams reflecteed on her post-birth complications and said, “it made me stronger’ on the Today Show. Words to live by.

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Divabetic Remembers R & B/Gospel Singer David Peaston

We’re going ‘beyond the music’ to explore the diabetes hardships experienced by beloved musicians who have passed away so you can ‘keep your house a home’ and learn how to prevent diabetes health-related complications from occurring.

David Peaston was an American R&B and gospel singer who was mostly known for the hit singles, “Two Wrongs (Don’t Make it Right)” and “Can I?”. David Peaston died from complications of diabetes in St. Louis, Missouri, on February 1, 2012, at the age of 54.

After being laid off as a teacher in 1981, David Peaston moved to New York to pursue music. Quickly thereafter, Peaston who scored national fame after winning on “Showtime at the Apollo”. He wowed audiences with his sky-high falsetto and his rendition of “God Bless the Child.” His multiple wins on the show led to his signing a major recording deal in the late ’80s with Geffen Records. He released two albums, 1989’s “Introducing … David Peaston” and 1991’s “Mixed Emotions,” on Geffen. in 1990 won a Soul Train Music Award for Best R&B/Soul or Rap New Artist.

Check out Peaston perform “Everything Must Change” at Showtime at the Apollo below.

During the 1990’s, David Peaston was diagnosed with type 2 diabetes. His right leg was amputated at the knee in March 2004; his left leg also was later amputated, forcing him to use prostheses. When he was preparing to be honored at the 2004 event “A Celebration of Love in St. Louis,” he struggled with whether he had let his disease prevent him from ever performing on stage again.

“I didn’t want to be back in the public,” he told the Post-Dispatch that year. “I wasn’t embarrassed or ashamed, but I felt I let myself down and, therefore, I let everyone else down. It was my fault for being sick, and I didn’t want anybody to see me like that.”

But by 2004, he lost 200 pounds, and sang with the St. Louis group the Distinguished Gents for five years. The group performed a mix of classical, jazz and gospel songs annually at the Ethical Society of St. Louis. He also toured Europe until his older sister, Fontella Bass, fell ill.

In 2006, David Peaston returned to studio and issued the album, ‘Song Book: Songs of Soul & Inspiration’. The album featured eight new tracks by Peaston, as well as several of his biggest hits.

David Peaston was also a veteran of traveling gospel plays such as “Momma Don’t.” Singer Cheryl Pepsii Riley toured with him in “Momma Don’t” and other shows. He enlisted on the gospel show “His Woman, His Wife: The Musical,” touring across the U.S. In his last years, he still ran Pea-Stain Productions, his own production company.

Cheryl Pepsii Riley described her colleague, David Peaston as, ”this man with the hearty laugh, great sense of humor, that incredible voice, and he was the most amazing friend.”

What we can learn from David Peaston’s Story

From reading David Peaston’s journey living with diabetes we can assume he had a diabetic foot ulcer that went untreated which developed gangrene and resulted in a below the knee amputation.

David Peaston’s story is a testament that you can still be active and participate in life the way you wish to after experiencing an amputation. He continued to hit high notes on stage until his untimely death.

However, to avoid a similar fate you must practice daily foot care.

Always check shoes for foreign objects, and make sure footwear fits well, and does not pinch the skin. People who try to remove their own callouses, warts, or corns by performing “bathroom surgery,” can give themselves a non-healing ulcer that later requires an amputation. This is why people with diabetes should never try to remove their own callouses, warts or corns. They also should not use any over-the-counter callous, wart, or corn remover products on their skin.

Diabetes can cause neuropathy, making it hard to feel pain in the feet and cause wounds to heal slowly. On top of that, poor circulation, and changes in the shape and anatomy of the foot make it more likely for a person with diabetes to injure their feet which can lead to peripheral artery disease (PAD). PAD causes your blood vessels to narrow and reduces blood flow to your legs and increase your risk of amputation. The most common amputations in people with diabetes are the toes, feet, and lower legs.

Let’s talk about some statistics related to amputations in the diabetes community.

Diabetes and peripheral artery disease (PAD) hit harder in the African American population.

African Americans are twice as likely as whites to have PAD, and 1 in 4 older African Americans has diabetes. In a California claims study recently published in the Journal of Vascular Surgery, African Americans who had both diabetes and PAD had the highest rates of preventable amputations.

The cost of amputations is high, financially and emotionally.

Amputation doesn’t have to be part of your diabetes journey. If you do all you can to manage your blood sugars and care for your feet as well as visiting a podiatrist annually for a Comprehensive Foot Exam, you’ll reduce your risk of major complications.

https://youtu.be/zOspndjaE9Y

Small steps lead to big changes. ‘Walking With Peety’ author, Eric O’Grey shares how adopting a shelter dog inspired his successful weight loss journey on Diabetes Late Nite LISTEN NOW

Don’t miss our inagural Fandross Festival celebrating the legacy of Luther Vandross and raising awareness for diabetes and diabetes health-related complication prevention from May 10 – May 13 in New York City. Visit: divabetic.org