Tag: Max Szadek

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Nancy Wilson Inspires New Holiday Song: Pink Champage

I’m thrilled to share my new holiday song, “Pink Champagne,” by Ivan Hampden Jr. and Paulette McWilliams, with you.
Pink Champagne’s lyrics came to me from binge-watching Hallmark Holiday movies. After watching three or more of these films (!) I longed to see more about the breakup that led to the main character returning to her hometown and finding her soul mate. This is why Pink Champagne’s main character is a woman ending her relationship at Christmastime on her terms.
Paulette’s voice has so many rich, sophisticated and varied textures and tones; I knew she had more than enough talent to capture the character’s essence.  She created the song’s melody and phrasing, filling my words with raw emotion.
Ivan’s incredible musicianship took over from there. He polished the track, adding a lush, elegant orchestration worthy of our former friend, colleague, and employer Luther Vandross.

“When I received the story from Max, I quickly thought of the connection “Pink Champagne” has to Nancy Wilson’s “Guess Who I Saw Today, ” says Ivan Hampden Jr. He adds, “The classy breakup song and one of her biggest hits. It also brought back memories of being on the stage performing with Eartha Kitt, an amazing storyteller, through her songs, particularly her rendition of “All By Myself.”

Feeling ‘blue’ while the rest of the world is acting ‘merry’ isn’t ideal for anyone. Especially if the proverb, “misery loves company,” rings true. I hope anyone with a broken heart finds some comfort in our song, “Pink Champagne.”
Cheers!

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Mama Rose Marie Stars in Divabetic’s Mystery Podcast

From time to time, podcast listeners ask me who plays ‘my mother’ on Divabetic’s mystery podcasts. The talented actress playing “Mama Rose Marie” is my actual mom. It’s a blessing that she participates every year. She’s a good sport too.

Our mystery podcast storylines routinely put her in dangerous situations to rescue me. She’s escaped prison, shook her shimmy in a Coney Island burlesque show, hit glass-shattering high notes in Christmas carols like Celine Dion, and dressed up as a pirate, ninja, and snow leopard. Once, she was even knocked unconscious by a deranged scientist who impersonated her in an attempt to get me to endorse a ‘magic pill’ for curing diabetes. Thankfully, she woke up in time to kick his butt and save me from jeopardizing my reputation.
In reality, my mom has been with me every step of the way on the Divabetic journey and I couldn’t be happier. She sold the first “Divabetic” t-shirt in Columbia, SC, in 2003. She was a  National team member of our signature Divabetic – Makeover Your Diabetes outreach program, worked backstage on the national TV show, dLife, demonstrated How to Prada Your Pineapple on several local TV shows, judged Divabetic’s Hat Boxing Competition, beautifully decorated our healthy Halloween program, The Broomstick Bash, and much much more over the past nineteen (!) years of outreach.

I love my Mom. Thank you, thank you! You have given my mom and me so many wonderful and magical memories. Working side-by-side with her to present diabetes outreach diva-style has brought me joy, enriched my life, and made me a better person.
I hope you will tune in to this year’s mystery podcast to find out what trouble my mom gets in to save me! I wish everyone could have a mom like mine; if you don’t, let us team up with you so we can stay happy and healthy together.
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Tonight! Don’t Miss Divabetic’s 9th Annual Mystery Podcast Live Broadcast

The BIG DAY is finally here!!!

Join us tonight for Divabetic’s 9th Annual Mystery podcast, Tomorrow Is Not On The Menu!

Find out what happens when the happy healthcare host, Mr. Divabetic, lands a to-die-for job as a caterer for the nation’s hottest health guru, Wendy Wattage‘s Wellness Retreat on the Jersey Shore. Everything seems low pressure and low calorie until the body of the nasty food critic, Marilyn Macaroni, is found stabbed to death with one of Max’s new chef knives. Now he’s the prime suspect in a big, fat murder investigation!

Can he and his team of friends, diabetes educators, and his nosey Italian mother, Mama Rose Marie, find the killer before the police arrive? Or will he be trading his fruit suit for coveralls with stripes?

The fun begins at 6 PM EST.

Enjoy loads of diabetes information and self-care tips wrapped up in a cozy mystery radio drama. Tune in using this link.

Weight loss murder never tasted so good.

Starring Mr. Divabetic, Best-Selling Author Tonya Kappes, Mama Rose Marie, Patricia Addie-Gentle RN, CDCES, Maryann Horst Nicolay MEd, NTDR, Kathie Dolgin aka ‘High Voltage,’ Seveda Williams, Catherine Schuller and Lorraine Brooks. Produced by Leisa Chester Weir. Special thanks to our colleague, the multi-talented Wendy Radford.

Music from The Pink Panther and The Return of The Pink Panther soundtracks by Henry Mancini courtesy of SONY Music.

 

The fun begins at 6 PM EST.

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Collage Artist Tom Cocotos Guests On Divabetic’s Podcast

“It was a surprise to my family and me when I was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes in 2002,” says, Collage Artist Tom Cocotos. “No one in my family is living with diabetes, but I had all the classic symptoms.”

Over the past twenty years, he has changed his insulin therapy. “I started with insulin injections and switched to an insulin pump,” says Tom. “The switch made it much easier than shots. I also use a continuous glucose meter.”

Tom created a series of 1500 small self-portraits based on his blood sugar levels. He would sketch his face and write down his blood sugar levels after giving himself a finger stick test.

“I would take the blood from the test strip and apply it to a small piece of watercolor paper. That blood smear would become my mouth, and I would do an ink drawing for my face. I noticed my line quality would often be shaky if my blood sugar levels were low.”

Tom’s commissioned work has taken him worldwide to Buenos Aires, Moscow, Berlin, and Miami, where he has staged one-person exhibitions in many of these cities. His clients include The New York Times, Sports Illustrated, Newsweek, Random House, Ford Motors, and Yahoo.  He is currently working on his fifth children’s book for National Geographic.

Divabetic’s 12th Year Podcast Anniversary Special’s musical inspiration is Kenneth Edmonds, known professionally as Babyface. He has written over 250 top-10 R&B and pop hits, working with Beyoncé, Aretha Franklin, Celine Dion, Luther Vandross, and Whitney Houston.

“The blessing of being able to write music and let the music speak for itself is you let the melodies and the lyrics and the groove talk to people instead of me talking to people,” says Babyface.

What makes Babyface so great? His ability to craft a song that touches our emotions captivates our ears and aligns every word in perfect harmony. It’s a rare gift that not many people have in music.

“I would say that I’ve been lucky. Being blessed and not ever giving up,” says Babyface.

Anniversary podcast guests include Poet Lorraine Brooks, Susan Weiner MS, RDN, CDCES, FADCES, and Collage Artist Tom Cocotos.

Thank you for allowing us to be part of your diabetes wellness journey! We’re looking forward to sharing more insight and advice on diabetes self-care from experts and peers, along with more great music in the next year!

 

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Celebrating 12 Years of Divabetic Podcasting

Tonight I celebrate my twelfth consecutive year of hosting monthly Divabetic podcasts. I am grateful to our listeners, guests, podcast team, and Sony Music for helping me stay true to a commitment I made to myself in 2003. I decided to help others affected by, at risk of, and living with diabetes to ‘keep their house a home’ by offering tools, time, and the expertise of professional credentialed healthcare collaborators.

My goal was then and continues to be to help others “keep their house a home” by preventing a stroke, related to mismanagement of diabetes, from occurring. I do this in memory of my boss, Luther Vandross.

Our Anniversary podcast’s musical inspiration is Kenneth Edmonds, who is known professionally as Babyface. He has written over 250 top-10 R&B and pop hits, working with the likes of Beyoncé, Aretha Franklin, Celine Dion, Luther Vandross, and Whitney Houston.

“The blessing of being able to write music and let music speak for itself is you let the melodies and let the lyrics and the groove talk to people instead of me talking to people,” says Babyface.

What makes Babyface so great? His ability to craft a song that touches our emotions captivates our ears and aligns every word in perfect harmony. It’s a rare gift that not many people have in music.

“I would say that I’ve been lucky. Being blessed and not really ever giving up,” says Babyface.

Anniversary podcast guests include Poet Lorraine Brooks, Susan Weiner MS, RDN, CDCES, FADCES, and Collage Artist Tom Cocotos.

Thank you for allowing us to be part of your diabetes wellness journey! We’re looking forward to sharing more insight and advice on diabetes self-care from experts and peers, along with more great music in the next year!

 

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Patti LaBelle Inspires A New Attitude In Diabetes Outreach

Patti LaBelle‘s outspoken attitude about living well with type 2 diabetes at a Luther Vandross Tribute concert changed my life 20 years ago. She said, “diabetes doesn’t control me, I control my diabetes!”. Those words inspired me to coin the phrase ‘Divabetic’ (Divabetic.Org).

My former boss, Luther Vandross, never spoke openly about his type 2 diabetes beyond a prescription refill. At that moment,  watching her on stage, I wished that I had the chance to talk about diabetes self-care with Luther prior to his stroke. Like everyone else, I thought he had his type 2 diabetes in the bag and didn’t need any support, or encouragement. When I found him on the floor after experiencing a stroke (related to mismanagement of type 2 diabetes) in April 2002, prior to the release of Dance With My Father, I deeply regretted my ignorance. To this day, I still wonder “what if?”

Patti LaBelle’s candidness or ‘new attitude’ about her diabetes health is probably the singular reason why I started a nonprofit organization. As hard as it might seem to ask for help, it’s worth it when you know there’s someone looking out for you. You deserve an entourage – a group of loving collaborators supporting you to live your best life!

Looking for a fun way to socialize without putting your diabetes wellness at risk? Do you need a little help staying on track with your diabetes self-care?

Back by popular demand! The happy healthcare host, Mr. Divabetic, hosts this free, fun Virtual Baking Party with our special guest, Stacey Harris, aka The Diabetic Pastry Chef on Wednesday, June 29, 2022, 7 – 8:30 PM, EST on Zoom.

REGISTER NOW

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Mama’s Kitchen Table Song Added to Solar Radio’s Playlist

Yesterday was an exciting day! DJ Richard Marzetti featured the song, Mama’s Kitchen Table, that I co-wrote with Ivan Hampden Jr. and Paulette McWilliams on his show Soul Life on Solar Radio!  Paulette McWilliams returns for an exclusive interview on Richard’s show on Friday, June 3, 2022.

Mama’s Kitchen Table is about a woman’s desire for a good, reliable, honest, and decent guy. Someone who doesn’t give up when times are tough but shows up. A respectable man you can bring home to your mama’s kitchen table – the heart of the home. The place where your family gathers to mark milestones, celebrate accomplishments, and honor commitments —the one place in the world where you feel comfortable being your true, authentic self.

Mama’s Kitchen Table continues Luther Vandross‘s musical legacy by uniting his background vocalist, Paulette McWilliams, his songwriter, drummer, and studio engineer Ivan Hampden Jr. and his long-time assistant, Max Szadek.  

Paulette McWilliams is a singer and songwriter. She began her career singing with the bands The American Breed and Rufus and has appeared as a backing vocalist on recordings and on tour for numerous artists. She worked with Marvin Gaye, Luther Vandross, Aretha Franklin, The Jacksons, Michael Jackson, Quincy Jones, and as a member of Bette Midler’s backing group the Harlettes, among many others.

Ivan Hampden Jr. is a jazz and R&B drummer, composer, and record producer. He was Luther Vandross’ tour and session drummer from 1987 to 2003. Throughout his career, Hampden toured and performed with a number of celebrated artists, including Roberta Flack, Chaka Khan, Eartha Kitt, Jennifer Lopez, Bonnie Raitt, India Arie, Stevie Wonder, Dionne Warwick, Little Richard, Gladys Knight, Vanessa Williams, among many others. Ivan Hampden Jr. was recognized for his participation as Arranger/Musician/Programmer on two Grammy Award-winning recordings at the 2004 Grammy Awards: Best R&B Album “Dance With My Father” performed by Luther Vandross, and Best R&B Performance By A Duo or Group with Vocals “The Closer I Get to You” performed by Beyoncé and Luther Vandross.

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Chocolate Radio Adds Mama’s Kitchen Table to Playlist

Mama’s Kitchen Table written by Luther Vandross band alumni Ivan Hampden Jr. and Paulette McWilliams, and Luther’s longtime assistant, Max Szadek was added to the UK Soul internet-based radio station, Chocolate Radio‘s playlist.

Chocolate Radio London was first formed in 1992 by Roger Brooks who was inspired to do so after London’s Pioneers of Soul Music Radio, Invicta (1979 to 1984), JFM (1981 until 1985) and the legendary Horizon Radio (1981 – 1985) on 102.5fm and 94.5fm ceased broadcasting in a quest to obtain licenses. During the early 80’s these radio stations took soul music broadcasting on FM in the UK to a whole new level that saw Horizon Radio on par with London’s top music station for listeners. Read more about Chocolate Radio London & Soul Music in London in those early days.

Today, the Worldwide Soul Radio Station Chocolate Radio broadcasts 24hrs a day, delivering the best in Soul, R&B, Jazz-Funk, Soulful House, Hip Hop, House, Northern Soul & Reggae music, coast to coast around the world. The music played on the station covers over 6 decades, from the pioneering sound of Detroit.

After successfully establishing Hampton Music Institute in Clayton, North Carolina, Grammy Winner Ivan Hampden Jr. returns to his first love of making music with the release of Hamptown’s Mama’s Kitchen Table featuring Paulette McWilliams, available on streaming apps.

“I love teaching,” says Ivan Hampden Jr. “But making music is in my blood. I spent half of my life touring, recording, composing, and producing music.”

Ivan has previously collaborated with many prominent artists such as Luther Vandross, Nick Ashford, Chaka Khan, Eartha Kitt, and others. He has been recognized on four Grammy Awards for his work as a musician, arranger, and programmer on Luther Vandross’ multiple platinum recordings.

Mama’s Kitchen Table was a chance to rekindle making soulful music that Luther fans love for Ivan, Paulette, and Max.

“Max came up with the hook, and Paulette and I just took it from there,” says Ivan. “It feels great to still be making music after Luther’s passing.” Still, he adds, “Luther and Nat (Nat Adderley Jr.) taught me so much about the aspects of recording when we were working in the studio for Luther’s albums.”

He’s also applying his knowledge to help younger up-and-coming musicians.
Hampton Music Institute’s mission is to help the next generation of music creators succeed on their journeys.

“My students have taught me a lot, too,” says Ivan. “I’m applying what they’re listening to on their playlists to my music.”

Mama’s Kitchen Table is available on streaming apps, including Spotify and Apple Music. Additionally, Max Szadek’s national diabetes nonprofit, Divabetic.Org,  features Mama’s Kitchen Table in the organization’s Mother’s Day outreach programming. 

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Divabetic Supports Word Obesity Day on March 4, 2022

I witnessed how SHAME and BLAME associated with SIZE can break a person’s spirit can cause harm. Divabetic is proud to support World Obesity Day on March 4, 2022. The goal of World Obesity Day is to stimulate and support practical actions that will help people achieve and maintain a healthy weight and reverse the global obesity crisis

My former boss, Luther Vandross‘s weight struggles seemed to sour each and every career success.

In April 2003, I found my boss, Luther Vandross, on his apartment floor after he suffered a stroke. I knew Luther was living with type 2 diabetes but never discussed it past refilling his medications. Looking back, I think that was a mistake. I feel the frustration, anger surrounding his size lit the match that sparked the mismanagement of his type 2 diabetes which lead to his devastating stroke and early death at the age of 54.
Divabetic’s Luther Vandross Tribute podcast talks about Luther’s ongoing weight issues and his history of yo-yo dieting.  By the time Luther Vandross headed to the studio for a photoshoot for his fifth album Give Me the Reason in 1986, he lost a considerable amount of weight. Unfortunately, he was unable to maintain his weight loss when he went on tour to support the album. Radio DJ’s often commented on whether or not ‘Big Luther’ sounded better than ‘Thin Luther’. His weight struggles were a topic of public opinion.  Throughout the podcast, we will be featuring music from Luther Vandross’s Give Me The Reason album courtesy of SONY Music.

For the past 19 years, I have dedicated myself to being a diabetes advocate. I founded the diabetes nonprofit, Divabetic (the ‘V’ stands for Vandross) at Divabetic.Org.  We aim to inspire others living with, at-risk, and affected by diabetes ‘keep their house a home’ by learning how to prevent a diabetes health-related complication such as stroke. Managing diabetes is not easy. It’s a daily grind that relies on a team effort. Luther had about fifty people on tour supporting him with his music. Still, he chose to go it alone when managing his diabetes. I will be forever haunted by the experience of finding such a strong, kind, powerful, immensely talented man taken down by the mismanagement of diabetes.
Luther
This picture was taken at the auction we held after Luther’s passing in 2005. Looking back, I was shellshocked from Luther’s unexpected stroke and passing. It was devastating. So many of his fans blamed me as well as everyone who worked for Luther for his death. They thought we should have been able to intervene and prevent his stroke from happening. At the time, I didn’t realize that the mismanagement of diabetes could strike down one of the most powerful men I knew. My lingering regret has fueled my passion for diabetes advocacy. Please ‘keep your house a home’ and take time to learn how to prevent a diabetes health-related complication such as stroke.
Please visit Divabetic.Org and/or like Divabetic on Facebook. Your support keeps Luther’s memory and music alive!

This wonderful advocate, Patty Nece, JD, talks about her experiences with being stereotyped and shamed because of her weight during an important medical appointment.

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Quiet Storm Fans Listening Party Today On Zoom At 3 PM

Join other Quiet Storm Fans for this fun, free listening party on Zoom featuring music from Luther Vandross. Our DJ, Luther historian, Leon Petrossian plays tracks from the group Luther’s second album, This Close To You, released on Cotillion Records in 1977.

Cotillion, a subsidiary of Atlantic Records, signed Luther Vandross as part of the group, including fellow vocalists Anthony Hinton, and Diane Sumler.

Luther Vandross performs the lead vocals on the majority of the album. He also wrote and produced all of the songs. This Close to You was the Luther group’s final album, and by 1980 Luther Vandross signed a solo deal with Epic Records, leading to the release of his debut album Never Too Much in 1981

Quiet Storm is a radio format and genre of contemporary R&B, performed in a smooth, romantic, jazz-influenced style.

Quiet Storm Fans is part of diabetes nonprofit, Divabetic’s ongoing outreach efforts. Our aim is to help music fans at risk, living with, and affected by diabetes prevent diabetes health-related complications such as stroke. We want you to ‘Keep Your House A Home’ by staying healthy and on track with your diabetes self-care.

Hear for yourself how the Luther album serves as the blueprint for establishing Luther Vandross as the premier balladeer of his generation.

The happy healthcare host, Max “Mr. Divabetic” Szadek, who worked with Vandross for more than 14 years, hosts this tribute podcast featuring Luther’s vocalists Paulette McWilliams, Pat Lacy, Tawatha Agee, Cindy Mizelle and Kevin Owens, band member Bryon Miller, Luther’s niece Seveda Williams, friends Darren Margo and David Jones, the Luther Vandross historian, Leon Petrossian and Luther super fan, Jane Goodman from Great Britain.

Keep Your House A Home!

Since Luther’s sudden and unexpected stroke in 2003, I have been committed to helping Luther fans at risk, affected by and living with diabetes to stay healthy and upbeat about their health. Help me to honor Luther’s legacy by learning how to prevent diabetes health-related complications from occurring. Stay well, speak up, and get the help you need to take care of yourself and your diabetes health.

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