Divabetic Salutes Jean Carne

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.

Diabetes And Mental Health

We’re talking about ‘Diabetes, Sleep & Mental Health Issues’ on this episode of Divabetic’s podcast with musical inspiration from the iconic Phyllis Hyman.

People with diabetes are 2 to 3 times more likely to have depression than people without diabetes. Don’t be afraid to seek help if you’re struggling with anxiety, eating disorders, and other mental health issues.

Phyllis Hyman was a sensational singer-songwriter and actress. Deep-voiced and statuesque, Phyllis Hyman sang with a life-affirming energy and emotional intensity found in a few others.

Unfortunately, Phyllis Hyman died by suicide, leaving a suicide note behind in 1995. Part of the note read, “I’m tired. I’m tired. Those of you that I love know who you are. May God bless you.”  It has been reported that she suffered from bipolar disorder and depression and had a history of substance abuse, which involved alcohol and cocaine.

Phyllis teamed up with producer Norman Connors for her stunning cover hit of “Betcha By Golly Wow.”

Phyllis signed with Buddah Records in 1977 and moved to Arista Records in 1979, working with Barry Manilow on Somewhere In My Lifetime.

Podcast guests include Alyson Williams, Queen Diva, Patricia Farrell PhD, Kristina Wolfe, ‘Tabouli: The Story of a Heart-Driven Diabetes Alert Dog’ Author Matt Pelicano, Elizabeth Vaughan Gallagher, Stacie Shonkwiler, and Patricia Addie-Gentle CDCES.

This podcast features music from The Essential Phyllis Hyman album courtesy of SONY Music.

Join us for Divabetic’s Menopause & Diabetes Panel Discussion  & SugarFree Baking Demonstration on Zoom in honor of World Menopause Day on Wednesday, October 18, 2023, from 7 – 8:30 PM.

Catherine Schuller moderates a panel featuring Dr Julianne Arena, MD, FACOG, ABAARM,  Sweet Romance: A Woman’s Guide to Love And Intimacy With Diabetes co-author, COO for Diabetes Sisters Donna Rice MBA, BSN, RN, CDCES, FADCES, and photographer, Amparo.  Amparo discovered, quite unexpectedly, in the ER, that she has diabetes after doctors told her her glucose level was over 800! Over the past six months, she’s taking charge of managing her diabetes while facing hormonal changes during menopause – it’s a true Divabetic Victory story.

After our panel, Stacey Harris aka The Diabetic Pastry Chef, demonstrates how to make her popular Sugar-Free Rum Cake Recipe.

One lucky winner will win a Divabetic Prize at the end of the program.
The purpose of World Menopause Day is to raise awareness of menopause and the support options = for improving health and wellness.

FREE – REGISTER NOW

Crystal Penny Guest on Richard Marzetti’s Soul Life on Solar Radio Today!

I’m thrilled my friends, Crystal Wilson Blackmon and Penni Wilson, professionally known as Crystal Penny, will be on Richard Marzetti’s Soul Life show on Solar Radio today.

They will be discussing their new song, “Standards.” I wrote this song with them and my Luther Vandross musical family member, Ivan Hampden Jr. – it means so much to return to music twenty years after Luther’s passing.

Ivan and I have had professional and personal ups and down’s over these past two decades.

Thanks to you, I channeled my grief into helping people affected by and at risk for diabetes through my work with Divabetic. Like anyone in the entertainment industry, I experienced disappointments and setbacks throughout my career. I feel fortunate that I still have the passion, perseverance, and imagination to write song lyrics. “Standards” is my ode to all my favorite divas – Dionne Warwick, Etta James, Phyllis Hyman, Sarah Vaughan, Chaka Khan, Nina Simone, Gladys Knight, and Patti LaBelle (who has once again sparked my creativity!)

Penni and Crystal are super-talented sisters who have survived several music career setbacks and disappointments to continue making incredible music. Their passion for making music began in Pittsburgh, performing as teenagers as The Lovations preserved a bad record deal and several broken promises to continue today. Another retro disco song I wrote with Crystal and Penni, “Are You Ready?” was the theme song for the first year of Divabetic podcasts.

During the pandemic, UK audiences rediscovered the Lovation’s Original Soul Classics records on multiple music streaming apps, which sparked Penni and Crystal’s interest in returning to the studio. Fortunately, I was the lucky fool who called them up to collaborate on a song. I wrote lyrics and recorded (an off-key) melody for a song called “Standards,” paying tribute to several female vocalists they idolized growing up. With Ivan Hampden Jr.‘s magic touch and polish, we released “Standards” earlier this Spring.


Crystal Penny Guest on Richard Marzetti’s Soul Life on Solar Radio LISTEN NOW

It’s been a fantastic journey for all of us. We were surprised and delighted by the response our song, “Standards,” received from UK Audiences. For the past six weeks, “Standards” has been on the BCfm Soul Chart hosted by Tony Griffin. We climbed as high as #3, which isn’t too shabby!

Check out “Standards” on YouTube using this link:

 

Crystal Penny’s Standards Is #3 on BCfm Official Soul Chart

Crystal Penny’s new single, Standards  is #3 on the BCfm Radio’s Official Soul Chart hosted by Tony Griffin.

Sisters Crystal Wilson Blackmon and Penni Wilson, are known as the singing-songwriting duo Crystal Penny. Their timeless R&B tune is brought to life by Crystal and Penni’s trademark vocal harmonies, an engaging melody, and lyrics praising the legendary soul music divas.

Standards’ catchy hook is a list of famous divas’ names, including Etta James, Sarah Vaughan, Gladys Knight, Dionne Warwick, Chaka Khan, Phyllis Hyman, and Patti LaBelle. These women taught higher standards of romance to generations of Quiet Storm listeners.

Many of these legendary ladies’ personal and professional journeys hit close to home to the Wilson sisters. “The women mentioned in the song are our icons,” says Crystal Blackmon Wilson. “We grew up listening to Sarah Vaughan and idolized Etta James and Dionne Warwick. These women inspired us to sing in the first place.”

 Crystal and Penni understand how love songs affect the way we love, live, and interact with one another. “Our favorite vocalists express the grand illusion of what love should be and what we should feel,” Penni adds.  “We hear it on the radio and strive to find it in our lives.”

The track was produced by Ivan Hampden Jr., who scored a UK Soul Chart hit with his song, Mama’s Kitchen Table, featuring Paulette McWilliams last Spring.

Already embraced by UK audiences, Crystal Penny’s new single, Standards,  is a follow-up to their original soul classic recordings (performed under the group name The Lovations) that have gone viral and will be available on all music app platforms, including Apple Music, Spotify, and Amazon.

Crystal Blackmon Wilson and Penni Wilson began their singing career known as The Lovations. They wrote and performed a string of original classical soul hits that recently went viral.

Their immortal hit, the Lovations‘ I Keep Singing (La La La Ooh), gains 1,000 new listens each month on Spotify.  They don’t know who uploaded their songs to Spotify and YouTube, but they were shocked to see how many people enjoyed them. They hope a promoter will bring them to Europe to share the new and old material with fans.

Since then, they have shared the stage or recorded with such icons as Barry White, Maurice White, Rick James, Lou Rawls, Diana Ross, and Curtis Mayfield & the Impressions, among many others. Their sweet harmonies accompany the late maestro Barry White on his classic hit “Practice What You Preach.” The two also appeared on OWN network’s reality TV show, “Flex & Shanice,” starring Crystal’s daughter, Grammy-nominated recording artist Shanice Wilson, her husband, actor and comedian, Flex, and their children.

 

Release Day: Crystal Penny’s New Single, Standards Is Out

Sisters Crystal Wilson Blackmon and Penni Wilson, the singer-songwriter duo known as  Crystal Penny,  released a new song, Standards, on all music streaming platforms. Their timeless R&B tune is brought to life by Crystal and Penni’s trademark vocal harmonies, an engaging melody, and lyrics praising the legendary soul music divas. The track was produced by Ivan Hampden Jr., who scored a UK Soul Chart hit with his song, Mama’s Kitchen Table, featuring Paulette McWilliams last Spring.

 

Already embraced by UK audiences, Crystal Penny’s new single, Standards,  is a follow-up to their original soul classic recordings (performed under the group name The Lovations) that have gone viral and will be available on all music app platforms, including Apple Music, Spotify, and Amazon starting April 21, 2023.

The core sentiment of their new single is a celebration of the Queens of the Quiet Storm. Many of these legendary ladies’ personal and professional journeys hit close to home to the Wilson sisters. “The women mentioned in the song are our icons,” says Crystal Blackmon Wilson. “We grew up listening to Sarah Vaughan and idolized Etta James and Dionne Warwick. These women inspired us to sing in the first place.”

 Crystal and Penni understand how love songs affect the way we love, live, and interact with one another. “Our favorite vocalists express the grand illusion of what love should be and what we should feel,” Penni adds.  “We hear it on the radio and strive to find it in our lives.”

Crystal Blackmon Wilson and Penni Wilson guest on Toni B’s radio program for UG:ONE on Saturday, April 22, 2023. The dynamic diva duo are celebrating their song charting at #3 on BCfm Radio’s Official Soul Chart hosted by Tony Griffin.

Standards’ catchy hook is a list of famous divas’ names, including Etta James, Sarah Vaughan, Gladys Knight, Dionne Warwick, Chaka Khan, Phyllis Hyman, and Patti LaBelle. These women taught higher standards of romance to generations of Quiet Storm listeners.

Don’t miss Crystal Penny when they appear on Richard Marzetti’s Soul Life program at Solar Radio on May 12, 2023.

Crystal Penny is the dynamic duo of singer-songwriter sisters Crystal and Penni Wilson. They began their career known as The Lovations with a string of original classical soul hits that recently went viral. Since then, they have shared the stage or recorded with such icons as Barry White, Maurice White, Rick James, Lou Rawls, Diana Ross, and Curtis Mayfield & the Impressions, among many others. Their sweet harmonies accompany the late maestro Barry White on his classic hit “Practice What You Preach.” The two also appeared on OWN network’s reality TV show, “Flex & Shanice,” starring Crystal’s daughter, Grammy-nominated recording artist Shanice Wilson, her husband, actor and comedian, Flex, and their children.

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How Gut Health Affects Mental Health

Have you ever felt “butterflies” in your stomach? This funny silly expression about our stomaches having the ability to feel anxiety is much more factual than you might think.

It’s been proven that our gastrointestinal tract is sensitive to emotion. Anger, anxiety, sadness, elation — all of these feelings can trigger symptoms in the gut.

Additionally, troubled stomaches and intestines send signals to our brains. Researchers say controlling the bacterial population of the gastrointestinal tract may help improve symptoms of mental disorders.

Current thinking in the field of neuropsychology and the study of mental health problems includes strong speculation that bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, and other psychological or neurological problems may also be associated with alternations in the microbiome reports PSYCOM.

READ MORE

Photo by Ehimetalor Akhere Unuabona on Unsplash

 

We’re talking about ‘Diabetes & Mental Health Issues’ on Divabetic’s Diabetes Late Nite podcast with musical inspiration from the iconic Phyllis Hyman.

Phyllis Hyman was a sensational singer-songwriter and actress. Deep-voiced and statuesque, Phyllis Hyman sang with a life-affirming energy and emotional intensity found in few other female vocalists.

Unfortunately Phyllis Hyman committed suicide, leaving a suicide note behind in 1995. Part of the note read “I’m tired. I’m tired. Those of you that I love know who you are. May God bless you.”  It has been reported that she suffered from bi-polar disorder and depression and had a history of substance abuse which involved alcohol and cocaine. Who knows what accomplishments she would have achieved if she had lived longer?

Podcast guests include Alyson Williams, Queen Diva, Patricia Farrell PhD, Kristina Wolfe, ‘Tabouli: The Story of a Heart-Driven Diabetes Alert Dog’ Author Matt Pelicano, Elizabeth Vaughan Gallagher, Stacie Shonkwiler, and the Charlie’s Angels of Outreach with Patricia Addie-Gentle.

Throughout the podcast we will be featuring music from The Essential Phyllis Hyman album courtesy of SONY Music.

Can A Selfie Monitor Your Blood Pressure?

Great news for the Kardashians! Future blood pressure monitoring could become as easy as taking a video selfie. Researchers have developed smartphone-based technology that can accurately measure blood pressure from a video of a person’s face.

Finding an accessible, easy way to monitor blood pressure could be a breakthrough in healthcare. Nearly half of American adults have high blood pressure and many don’t even know they have it, according to the American Heart Association.

“High blood pressure is a major contributor to cardiovascular disease — a leading cause of death and disability. To manage and prevent it, regular monitoring of one’s blood pressure is essential,” said study lead author Kang Lee, Ph.D., professor and research chair in developmental neuroscience at the University of Toronto in Canada. 

READ MORE 

Diabetes Late Nite Inspired by Phyllis Hyman

Don’t miss August’s Diabetes Late Nite on Tuesday, August 13, 2019 starting at 6 PM, EST. We’re talking about ‘Diabetes, Sleep & Mental Health Issues’ on Diabetes Late Nite with musical inspiration from the iconic Phyllis Hyman.

Guests include Alyson Williams, Queen Diva, Patricia Farrell PhD, Kristina Wolfe, ‘Tabouli: The Story of a Heart-Driven Diabetes Alert Dog’ Author Matt Pelicano, Elizabeth Vaughan Gallagher, Stacie Shonkwiler, and the Charlie’s Angels of Outreach with Patricia Addie-Gentle.

Throughout the podcast we will be featuring music from ‘The Essential Phyllis Hyman’ album courtesy of SONY Music.

TUNE IN

Cricket Star with Type 1 Diabetes Felt “Humiliated” at Airport

Former Pakistan cricket player, Wasim Akram with type 1 diabetes has slammed security officials at Manchester airport for saying they made him feel “embarrassed” and “humiliated”. He was rudely questioned and then ordered publicly to take his insulin out of its travel cold-case and place it in a plastic bag.

“I travel around the world with my insulin but never have I been made to feel embarrassed.I felt very humiliated as I was rudely questioned & ordered publicly to take my insulin out of its travel cold-case & dumped in to a plastic bag,” he posted on Twitter.

The sports star was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes in 1997 during the peak of his career but refused to let the condition hold him back. He is generally regarded as one of the greatest fast bowlers in the history of cricket.

READ MORE

We’re talking about ‘Diabetes, Sleep & Mental Health Issues’ on Diabetes Late Nitewith musical inspiration from the iconic Phyllis Hyman on Tuesday, August 13, 2019, 6 PM, EST.

R & B superstar Phyllis Hyman was a sensational singer-songwriter and actress. Deep-voiced and statuesque, Phyllis Hyman sang with a life-affirming energy and emotional intensity found in few other female vocalists.

Unfortunately Phyllis Hyman committed suicide, leaving a suicide note behind in 1995. Part of the note read “I’m tired. I’m tired. Those of you that I love know who you are. May God bless you.”  It has been reported that she suffered from bi-polar disorder and depression and had a history of substance abuse which involved alcohol and cocaine. Who knows what accomplishments she would have achieved if she had lived longer?

Podcast guests include Poet Lorraine Brooks, ‘Sleep, Insomnia, Stress’ Author Patricia Farrell PhD, Kristina Wolfe, Tabouli: The Story of a Heart-Driven Diabetes Alert Dog’Author Matt Pelicano, Elizabeth Vaughan Gallagher, the Charlie’s Angels of Outreach with Patricia Addie-Gentle.

Throughout the podcast we will be featuring music from ‘The Essential Phyllis Hyman’ album courtesy of SONY Music

TUNE IN

Carbohydrate Counting Made Easy

Producer/DJ Ras G Dies At Age 39

Ras G’s experimental sound has come to an end, as the Los Angeles-based producer & DJ has died as confirmed by his longtime label BRAINFEEDER. He was 39 years old.

Ras G’s musical legacy exists heavily in the underground, releasing 14 albums from 2008 to 2016 and over a dozen EPs within the same timeframe.

The cause of death hasn’t been revealed yet, but last December, the Beats of Mind mixmaster revealed on Instagram that he was suffering from pneumonia, high blood pressure, diabetes, hypothyroid and even heart failure. In the same post he described his condition at the time as “breathing and feeling better than ever,” with plans to eat healthy, get on special herbs and inhabit a plant-based lifestyle. We cannot confirm if these conditions had anything to do with his death, but either way his untimely passing is still a sad situation nonetheless.

READ MORE

Diabetes Late Nite Inspired by Phyllis Hyman

We’re talking about ‘Diabetes, Sleep & Mental Health Issues’ on Diabetes Late Nite with musical inspiration from the iconic Phyllis Hyman on Tuesday, August 13, 2019, 6 PM, EST.

R & B superstar Phyllis Hyman was a sensational singer-songwriter and actress. Deep-voiced and statuesque, Phyllis Hyman sang with a life-affirming energy and emotional intensity found in few other female vocalists.

Unfortunately Phyllis Hyman committed suicide, leaving a suicide note behind in 1995. Part of the note read “I’m tired. I’m tired. Those of you that I love know who you are. May God bless you.”  It has been reported that she suffered from bi-polar disorder and depression and had a history of substance abuse which involved alcohol and cocaine. Who knows what accomplishments she would have achieved if she had lived longer?

Podcast guests include Poet Lorraine Brooks, ‘Sleep, Insomnia, Stress’ Author Patricia Farrell PhD, Kristina Wolfe, Tabouli: The Story of a Heart-Driven Diabetes Alert Dog’Author Matt Pelicano, Elizabeth Vaughan Gallagher, the Charlie’s Angels of Outreach with Patricia Addie-Gentle.

Throughout the podcast we will be featuring music from ‘The Essential Phyllis Hyman’ album courtesy of SONY Music

TUNE IN

Diabetes Late Inspired by Phyllis Hyman

We’re talking about ‘Diabetes, Sleep & Mental Health Issues’ on Diabetes Late Nite with musical inspiration from Phyllis Hyman scheduled for Tuesday, August 13, 2019, 6 PM, EST. TUNE IN

Phyllis Hyman was a sensational singer-songwriter and actress. Deep-voiced and statuesque, Phyllis Hyman sang with a life-affirming energy and emotional intensity found in few other female vocalists.

Though her uncompromising principles put her at odds with the mainstream music business, she worked consistently for 20 years—from the moment that jazz drummer Norman Connors discovered her in a New York club in 1975 to when she took her life in June 1995

Phyllis Hyman committed suicide, leaving a note behind in 1995. Part of the note read “I’m tired. I’m tired. Those of you that I love know who you are. May God bless you.”  It has been reported that she suffered from bi-polar disorder and depression and had a history of substance abuse which involved alcohol and cocaine. Who knows what accomplishments she would have achieved if she had lived longer?

If you’re struggling with some tough emotions or feeling lonely, don’t hesitate to call the Lifeline at 1-800-273-TALK (8255).

Podcast guests include Poet Lorraine Brooks, ‘Sleep, Insomnia, Stress: What You Don’t Know Can Hurt You’ Author Patricia Farrell PhD, Elizabeth Gallagher, Kristina Wolfe, ‘Tabouli: The Story of a Heart-Driven Diabetes Alert Dog‘ Author Matt Pelicano, the Charlie’s Angels of Outreach with Patricia Addie-Gentle.

Throughout the podcast we will be featuring music from ‘The Essential Phyllis Hyman’ album courtesy of SONY Music.