Divabetic Salutes Vesta Williams

Vesta Wiliams was an American singer-songwriter who started her artistic career.

In her teens, she was a member of her cousin, a former member of the 60’s & 70’s supergroup ‘5th Dimension,  Ron Townsend’s group, ‘Wild Honey’. She was a sought-after session singer providing background vocals for Anita Baker (‘Rapture’), Jermaine Jackson (‘Precious Moments’), Jeffrey Osborne (‘Emotional’), Stephanie Mills (‘If I Were Your Woman’), Gladys Knight (‘Good Woman’), and Sting (‘Nothing Like The Sun’) among others.  This exposure led her to be signed by  A&M Records label. She released her first album in 1986 called “Vesta,” which spawned the hit single “Once Bitten, Twice Shy.”

She was disappointed with her first album. She told Donny Simpson that it could have been better if there had been better energy between her team of e-producers. She said, “You have to let some butterflies be free, and I have to be free.” 


On her follow-up album, one of our favorites, “Vesta 4 U”, she showed a flair for dramatics. Working with Attala Zane Giles, Eric Daniels, Tena Clark, Gary Prim, and Billy Osbourne, Vesta poured her heart and soul into every lyric. “I always felt that to deliver a song successfully, you have to be an actress,” she said. “A good actress becomes the part, just as a good singer becomes the song.”

The first single, “Sweet, Sweet Love,” reached #4 on the Billboard R&B chart before she released what I consider her signature song, the mega-hit “Congratulations,” a rollercoaster of emotions and frothy camp perfection! The song’s video is like a soap opera on steroids! The song tells the story of a woman mistakenly congratulated by her old friend on her wedding day, but it’s not her wedding. Her boyfriend is marrying another woman. What? Plot twist!

The song tells the story of a woman mistakenly congratulated by her old friend on her wedding day, but little does she know that her soulmate is marrying another woman. What? Plot twist! Vesta, decked out in 80’s fashion staples, runs to the church with her shopping bags, ready to stop the wedding. She arrives just in time with her red lacquered nails and opens the church door. We can only imagine the sound she must have made because several people turned around to notice her. Why didn’t the director didn’t let her drop to her knees, roll on the ground, and crawl to the altar?


Vesta, decked out in 80’s fashion staples, initially laughs off her old friend’s assumption, but then she is completely gobsmacked at the realization. The next thing you know, she takes off like a freight train to head to the church. She doesn’t even put down her shopping bags or throw them in the trunk of her car; Vesta is determined to stop the wedding. Her shady old friend must have given her the address, or there is only one church in town because Vesta knows exactly where to go. Of course, she arrives just in time. Her glossy red lacquered nails open the church door as the couple exchange vows at the altar.

We can only imagine the sound she must have made, like a wolf howling at the moon, because several people turned around to notice her. Won’t you know one of them who catches Vesta throwing daggers at the altar is her old friend? Okay, so if the old friend received a wedding invitation, why did she ask Vesta if she was getting married? Vesta’s cold-hearted old friend set her up.  BFF’s?? No, I didn’t think so! I almost expect the old friend to pull out a bag of popcorn, kick off her shoes, and settle in, getting ready to enjoy the show. 

Sadly, brokenhearted Vesta sulks in the back of the church and casts a mean shadow. Why didn’t the director let Vesta drop to her knees, roll on the ground, and crawl to the altar instead of standing at the back of the church looking like the Grim Reaper? 

Still in the shadows, Vesta reminisces about the ups and downs of her relationship with the groom before having a crazy fantasy about being the bride. It’s like watching a telenovela but with sassy mermaid-style wedding dresses and fluffy tulle veils with lots of bodacious bows. Why Vesta is so verclemped is puzzling, too.  In one of her ‘between the sheets’ flashbacks, we see the groom for who he really is –  a dirty dog. After passionately making love, the couple is in the kitchen wearing satin robes. Vesta catches the groom on the phone talking to someone and scowls at him. Was he talking to Vesta’s old friend? I don’t think so. 

Back at the church, Vesta faces the hateful hand of cards she’s been dealt. Once the service is over, the newlyweds drive off in a limousine. A disgusted Vesta crosses the street and, I assume, heads to the closest dive bar. Ultimately, we learn that Vesta needs therapy and a new friend. Her old friend knew exactly what button she was pushing when she dropped the bomb of life on Vesta. She didn’t even get up to console Vesta when she saw her lurking in the back of the church. But hey, at least we got an epic song out of a backhanded slap in the face. 

The big payoff is listening to Vesta repeatedly deliver the word “congratulations” throughout the video. She flexes, stretches, and marinates in every syllable like she’s getting paid per “congratulations.” It requires repeated listening, but trust me, it’s worth it. 

I’m not the only one who loved this song or the video.”Congratulations” received massive airplay, and Vesta‘s popularity soared as a singer and songwriter.  I found she co-wrote the song with Tena Clark and Gary Prim, too.  

Of “Congratulations,” Vesta said “Tena wanted a situation where ‘congratulations’ is the last word you’d expect to hear. And so we came up with a concept about having it be about a woman who lost her love. She runs into the church and the only thing she could say is congratulations – unless she ran in and blew up the place, which would have ended the song rather abruptly.” Vesta’s performance of the song on “The Arsenio Hall Show” earned Vesta a standing ovation, one of a handful of ovations in the show’s history. When asked during an appearance on the Arsenio Hall show if she had written “Congratulations” based on a personal experience, the songstress replied, “Oh No Honey, if that ever happened to me, I’d probably burn the church down, or something.”

Vesta’s stage show featured much more than music. She liked to tell jokes, make funny quips, and was a gifted impressionist of famous singers like Tina Turner during her live performances. “A lot of people called me the black Bette Midler, and I regard that as a compliment, “she said. 

During her music career, Vesta Williams recorded songs for films, including Soul Man and Mississippi Burning, and the theme from the television mini-series Women Of Brewster Place.  Sadly, Vesta Williams’s unexpected and untimely death left a hole in our hearts. She became a folk heroine for R&B fans because she beautifully conveyed betrayal and loss, which we laughed along with, not at her. This self-proclaimed diva with a four-octave range is a part of the soundtrack of my life. She epitomizes all the emotions between heartbreak, love, and romance in The Quiet Storm, and we thank her for that. 

If you’re living with, at risk of, or affected by diabetes, planning, or attending a wedding, this inside guide to one of life’s most important celebrations is for you! Join Mr. Divabetic as he officiates a full hour featuring a guest list of wedding, food, and fashion experts with tips and suggestions for brides, grooms, attendants, and attendees. Guests include Jessica Issler and Judi Wilcox, certified diabetes educators; Christine Campanelli, wedding cake designer; Holly Clegg, celebrity cookbook author; Catherine Schuller, fashion stylist and a group of former brides.

Sadly, Vesta remains restrained throughout the ceremony, reminiscing about their awkward relationship with the groom and fantasizing about being the bride. It’s like watching a telenovela but with more mermaid-style wedding dresses and fluffy tulle veils with lots of big bows. The big payoff is listening to how Vesta delivers the word “congratulations” repeatedly throughout the video. She flexes, stretches, and marinates in every syllable like she’s getting paid per “congratulations.” It requires repeated listening, but trust me, it’s worth it. Ultimately, we learn that Vesta needs therapy and a new friend. Her old friend knew exactly what button she was pushing and dropped the bomb of life on her. But hey, at least we got an epic song out of it!

Sadly, Vesta Williams’s unexpected and untimely death left a hole in our hearts. She became a folk heroine for R&B fans because she beautifully conveyed betrayal and loss. She was gifted at doing impressions of famous singers like Tina Turner, often telling jokes and making quips during her live performances. “If you got it, flaunt it; if you don’t, cover it up,” is how she defended wearing low-cut dresses. We laughed along with the self-proclaimed diva with a four-octave range, not at her. 

Divabetic Salutes Stephanie Mills



Stephanie Mills’ voice is so distinctive that it is hard to mistake it for anyone else’s. She has been nicknamed “the little lady with a big voice,” but this hardly does justice to her status as a living legend. Although her impressive string of hits in the ’80s and early ’90s might qualify her as an R&B icon, it was her electrifying performance as Dorothy in the Broadway show “The Wiz” that made her a household name.

Did you know an up-and-coming songwriter named Luther Vandross penned “A Brand New Day“, also known as “Everybody Rejoice“? 


If you do a few Google searches,  you’ll find “The Wiz” wasn’t her first foray into showbiz. At the ripe old age of nine, she achieved considerable success in a background role for the 1968 musical “Maggie Flynn. After that, she won amateur night not once, not twice, but six sensational times at Showtime at the Apollo. 

Her Broadway success in “The Wiz” led Stephanie Mills to be signed with 20th Century, scoring her first top 10 R&B hit in 1979 with “What Cha Gonna Do With My Lovin’.” From there, she segued to Casablanca and then MCA, where she recorded five No. 1 R&B singles, including “I Feel Good All Over” and “Home.”
She freely admits, “I love all my albums [but] I think my prime album would be the Home album because I put a lot of thought into re-recording ‘Home‘ and the songs on that album. But each of my albums [has] a story of a time in my life [and] what I may have been going through at that time.”

Although we’re glad to hear she loves her albums and still tours, we can imagine the time, dedication, drive, and diligence it takes to be at the top of your game for over six decades. “I sing every day, but I get a lot of rest. I sleep a lot, but I love touring,” she said in an interview with one of our favorite websites, Rated R&B. “It’s not taxing. I’m older, so when I come home, I am tired, but it’s a good tired because I love leaving everything I have on stage with my audience.”

Recently, Stephanie Mills chose to fund her own recording. She explained to the White Mountain Independent, ” “I’m doing this on sheer will, faith, and my experience in the business. I didn’t set out to do this on my own; it just happened. But I believe in this.”

When asked what keeps her inner rhinestones glowing, Stephanie Mills said, “Seeing the audience’s faces and seeing them enjoy my singing. I take pride in trying to sound as close to my records as I can. In fact, when I sing, I sing to my original recording. People pay their hard-earned money to come see you. That’s big. That’s a lot.”On social media, Stephanie Mill has no problem speaking her mind. She’s shared her feelings regarding the R&B whitewashing and defended her friend, the late Michael Jackson. 

Her recording of Angela Winbush’s “I Have Learned To Respect The Power Of Love” is a standout. Her voice is rich, clear, and powerful. She pours emotion into every line of lyrical sentiment that speaks to your heart. It’s one of my most beloved Quiet Storm ballads. You don’t hear songs like this anymore. 

“I’ve had a fabulous life and fabulous career,” the legendary singer confidently told Rated R&B. Asked what she credits for her longevity in the music industry, she said, “Never following a trend. I’ve always done my own path and stayed on my own path. I didn’t listen to a lot of noise of what people say: “Oh, you should do this, you should do that.” I took the best from whatever they said that I felt was best for me and would work for me and I would do that. I always took my time and just slowly did the slow walk. I didn’t do a fast run. I did a slow walk.”

We can’t forget that our friend, singer, and songwriter Tawatha Agee penned the monumental duet “Two Hearts” for Stephanie Mills and Teddy Pendergrass. Released in 1981, the song reached #3 on the Billboard R & B Charts.


After working in showbiz for half a century, Stephanie Mills must feel content knowing that people still enjoy watching her perform. It’s difficult to imagine the numerous setbacks, disappointments, and frustrations she has faced throughout her career. From the singles that failed to make it to the top of the charts to auditions for roles that she didn’t get, Stephanie has likely endured more challenges than most of us could handle. Therefore, we celebrate her longevity steeped in excellence with great admiration.

Divabetic remembers Luther Vandross (April 20, 1951 – July 1, 2005) with this special podcast. Luther Vandross was a musical master whose style has influenced an entire generation of today’s vocalists. His distinctive brand of satin-smooth vocal magic moved international audiences and continues to touch people today. Max “Mr. Divabetic” Szadek, who worked with Vandross for more than 14 years, hosts this tribute podcast featuring Luther’s former vocalists Paulette McWilliams, Pat Lacy, Tawatha Agee, Cindy Mizelle, and Kevin Owens, band member Bryon Miller, Vandross family member, Seveda Williams, friends Darren Margo and David Jones, the Luther Vandross historian, Leon Petrossian and Luther super fan, Jane Goodman from Great Britain. Throughout the podcast, we will play selected Luther Vandross songs that he recorded during the 1990’s courtesy of SONY Music.

Luther Vandross Celebration

I miss the glamour and elegance of Luther Vandross’ performances. All of his dressed-up, glitzy, romanticized love songs were performed to perfection night after night. I loved every sparkling rhinestone, crystal bugle bead, luminous pearl, and shiny metallic thread on his breathtaking encrusted tuxedos. Designer Tony Chase’s wonderous mix of sweeping Art Noveau and geometric Art Deco designs helped Luther transport his audience to a magical place. 

Since every show had to look like the first show, these costumes were worn, and the upkeep of these costumes was a nightmare for Luther’s experienced wardrobe department. Beads would break, threads would snag and pull, and collars would get stained. It was aggravating! 

But, looking back over a glass of wine, I can appreciate Luther’s keen eye for detail and his unique way of putting on a spectacular show. Combine these costumes with graceful choreography, sophisticated orchestration, and glorious backing vocals, and you get every heart in the audience melt. 

It’s incredible to think about the level of detail that went into each show, from the costumes and lighting to the choreography and chrome sets, not to mention the phenomenal talents of his band members and backing vocalists. I’m sure Luther’s performances left a lasting impression on everyone in the audience.

I’m so passionate about this stuff that I’m hosting a Luther Celebration program in New York City on Wednesday, April 17, 2024.  This fabulous free event will feature a Panel Discussion with Luther’s backing vocalist, Cindy Mizelle, Luther’s choreographer, James Ervin, a live performance by Keith Anthony Fluitt, a Fashion Show curated by Catherine Schuller spotlighting Luther’s timeless elegance (Harlem’s Hats and Modafluer), a Live DJ, and an inspiring weight loss journey with Graffiti Glamour founder, Alicia Mitchell

I remember Luther performing “The Other Side Of The World” a few times in concert. He would sing a verse or two before sequing into another hit song. Why does this stunning song not get more airplay? 

Divabetic remembers the 10th anniversary of losing a legend, the late Luther Vandross (April 20, 1951 – July 1, 2005) with this special podcast, Tribute to Luther Vandross, celebrating his career during the 1990’s. Luther Vandross was a musical master whose style has influenced an entire generation of today’s vocalists. His distinctive brand of smooth satin vocal magic moved international audiences and continues to touch people today.

The happy healthcare host, Max “Mr. Divabetic” Szadek, who worked with Vandross for more than 14 years, hosts this tribute podcast featuring Luther’s former vocalists Paulette McWilliams, Pat Lacy, Tawatha Agee, Cindy Mizelle and Kevin Owens, band member Bryon Miller, Vandross family member, Seveda Williams, friends Darren Margo and David Jones, the Luther Vandross historian, Leon Petrossian and Luther super fan, Jane Goodman from Great Britain.
Throughout the podcast we will be playing selected Luther Vandross songs that he recorded during the 1990’s courtesy of SONY Music.

Divabetic, inspired by Luther’s diabetes journey revisits the singer’s career in the decade of hair scrunchies, boy bands, grunge and rave parties. This Luther tribute remembers the moments, the music the man and the motivation to ensure that no one struggles with diabetes alone or in silence. Keep ‘your house a home’ and learn how to prevent a diabetes health-related complication from occurring. Visit: www.divabetic.org

Thanks for letting me share my memories.

Tell me I can’t so I can show you I CAN!

Need a dose of diva inspiration to help you gain some confidence to overcome an obstacle in your diabetes self-care rountine?
Let singer, songwriter Ledisi’s journey to success inspire you to stay strong and go on!
Just before Ledisi recorded her ‘Lost & Found” album, which has earned her a nomination for Best New Artist as well as Best R&B album, she felt she was floundering.
“When you don’t know how beautiful you are, you will always be in search of happiness.” – Ledisi

Although Ledisi had released two critically acclaimed albums independently and worked on Broadway, she still was unable to garner much mainstream attention.
She recalls being told consistently that she didn’t have the “look” necessary to be a star. In addition, while her music could be classified as R&B, she also sang with jazz inflections that left some industry people confused about how to categorize her, or to market her.
“Be careful of who and what you let into your space.Not everyone is worthy of your presence.” – Ledisi
Fed up, Ledisi was about to quit the business until she met a friend and producer who encouraged her to give her recording career one more try. So she took a leap of faith and was rewarded.
Tell me I can’t so I can show you I CAN! – Ledisi 

31 Days of Divabetic Podcasts, Day Thirteen

Divabetic (Divabetic.org) presents a month-long showcase celebrating 10 years of diabetes podcasting. Each of the featured podcasts spotlights our favorite guests, topics, poems, games and/or musical inspiration. Enjoy!

On Day 13, we’re spotlighting Divabetic’s Dabetes Roundtable podcast inspired by 20 Feet From Stardom podcast from 2013.

The compelling Academy Award winning documentary, 20 Feet from Stardom,  focuses on the untold true story of the backup singers behind some of the greatest musical legends of the 21st century including Bruce Springsteen, The Rolling Stone, Bette Midler and Luther Vandross. Triumphant and heartbreaking in equal measure, the film is both a tribute to the unsung voices who brought shape and style to popular music and a reflection on the conflicts, sacrifices and rewards of a career spent harmonizing with others.

The happy healthcare, Mr. Divabetic aims to encourage everyone with diabetes to back up their daily self-care management with a team of professionals. Strive to create a team aka ‘entourage’ to help you perform at your best in the same way your favorite famous ‘diva’ has done. Managing blood sugars can be challenging and overwhelming at times. It’s important to find answers to your questions, connect with others and get the support you need during difficult times.

Tonight’s special guests include: 20 Feet From Stardom star, Lisa Fischer, Actor, Screenwriter and Author of ‘Good Like This’ Peter Arpesella, Authors Ginger Vieira and Riva Greenberg, Poet Lorraine BrooksMama Rose MariePatricia Addie-Gentle, RN, CDE, Pam Butler MS, CDE, Janice Harris RN, CDE and Asha Brown, the founder of the We Are Diabetes organization (wearediabetes.org) and is living with type 1 diabetes.

Our monthly podcasts are dedicated to Music Lovers living with, at risk and/or affected by diabetes. We aim to be the epicenter of the circle of care, a link between patients and their health care providers, a translator of clinical speak and a bridge between denial and acceptance, fear and confidence

Divabetic was inspired by the late music legend, Luther Vandross and created in 2005 by Max ‘Mr. Divabetic’ Szadek, who, as Vandross’ assistant of 14 years, witnessed his boss, mentor, and friend struggle in silence and solitude with the diabetes and its related complications. Since its inception, Divabetic has presented outreach programs in 15 major U.S. cities, reaching hundreds of thousands of women, their families and health care professionals.

Experience more of our GLAM MORE, FEAR LESS philosophy at divabetic.org