Musicians Reveal with Joe Kelley

Best known as the lead vocalist of the Staple Singers, a family soul-gospel ensemble that flourished from the 1950s through the 1970s and beyond, Mavis Staples has also released a series of albums as a solo artist. Her voice, not a gospel power-house, was instantly compelling with its deep-like-a-river quality of moral conviction. Over her long career, Staples won other musicians, including Bob Dylan and Prince as admirers, and her solo work, which had never quite found its course among the shifting winds of musical fashion, won new recognition with the release of her 2004 album, Have a Little Faith. In 2005 Staples was set to accept a Grammy award for lifetime achievement on behalf of the Staple Singers, of whom she was the last surviving original member.

Mavis Staples was born in Chicago, Illinois, on July 10, 1939 (or, according to some sources, 1940). Her father, Roebuck "Pops" Staples, had grown up on Mississippi's Dockery Plantation, a key site in the development of the blues, and had learned to play the guitar from the great early bluesman Charley Patton. After he moved north to Chicago in 1936 he began to organize gospel quartets after finishing work at a meatpacking plant, and it was gospel that Mavis Staples heard at home. "He used to play records by the Dixie Hummingbirds, the Soul Sisters, the Blind Boys of Mississippi as well as the Blind Boys of Alabama, but after I heard [gospel great] Mahalia [Jackson] sing 'Move On Up a Little Higher,' I had to play her music every day," Staples told Greg Quill of the Toronto Star.

www.mavisstaples.com

www.joekelleyradio.com

Carlton J. Smith is a fantastic R&B/Soul entertainer and songwriter very much in the tradition of James Brown, Al Green, The Temptations, etc. He is a true expert and afficionado of the music genre and era. He has dedicated his life to composing his own music in the tradition of the great Soul/R&B legends and night after night he channels the energy and magic into a memorable performance. His magnificent stage presence and dynamic performances excite audiences all over the world from the USA, all the way to Europe and Asia. 

www.carltonjsmithofficial.com

The R&B all female funk band KLYMAXX is KLYMAXXTIC! Still going strong their music is a staple on the radio and in dance clubs around the world. Belting out hits like, “The Men All Pause” and “Meeting in the Ladies Room” the group’s name is synonymous with classic women’s anthems.   Their beautiful ballad, “I Miss You”, was Billboard Magazine’s #3 song of 1986 and still to this day is played when love is in the air. Continuing into the 90’s with the #4 R&B hit, “Good Love” followed their sultry Neo-Soul groove entitled, “Private Party” showed evident that they could flow with the changing music trends. 

Much of the group’s success can be credited to Cheryl Cooley, Co-founder and original member.   She has personally nurtured the group’s unique sound by overseeing the infusion of 80’s funk with a modern swag. 

Her enthusiasm and vision have transformed KLYMAXX into a leaner meaner entity producing live music that delivers dynamic vocals and uncompromised grooves.

These ladies are serious about entertaining their fans and continuing with the KLYMAXX legacy.

PC Muñoz is an American recording artist, drummer, and producer in the contemporary classical, funk, pop, and experimental genres. He is based in the San Francisco Bay Area. He has collaborated with Jackson Browne, Ingrid Chavez. Matt "Dr" Fink of Prince and the Revolution, Scott Amendola and others.

www.pcmunoz.com

www.joekelleyradio.com

Join us for an exclusive interview with the legendary jazz pianist Michael Wolff. Known for his virtuosic playing and innovative compositions, Michael has made a significant mark in the world of jazz. With a career spanning over four decades, he has worked with a host of iconic musicians including Cannonball Adderley, Nancy Wilson, and the Thad Jones/Mel Lewis Orchestra. As the bandleader of The Arsenio Hall Show, Michael's dynamic performances captivated millions. He's also a celebrated recording artist, with numerous acclaimed albums that showcase his eclectic style and profound musicality. Don't miss this deep dive into the life and artistry of Michael Wolff, where he shares insights from his illustrious career and his passion for jazz.

www.michaelwolff.com

It’s hard to believe that it’s been over 26 years since Candy Dulfer rose to fame with her high-profile collaborations with Dave Stewart (the worldwide number 1 smash “Lily was here”) and of course the legendary Prince, whose tongue-in-cheek recommendation (“When I want sax, I call Candy”) in the "Partyman" video made the world sit up and notice the young, glamorous and talented sax player at his side. Their collaboration continued over the years with many studio sessions, TV show appearances, award show performances (including the Grammy Awards), and concert tours around the globe, including Candy joining Prince’s NPG band as a permanent member for his record-shattering Musicology tour & album.

Candy has been fortunate to work - both in the studio and on stage - with some of the biggest names in music, including Van Morrison,

Maceo Parker, Sheila E., Mavis Staples, Lionel Richie, Beyoncé, Pink Floyd, Chaka Khan, Aretha Franklin, and many others.

Despite these high-profile collaborations, Candy mainly focused on her solo career, starting her own band at age 13 and touring the world ever since.

www.candydulfer.nl

www.joekelleyradio.com

Estaire Godinez, a world renowned musician and self-described Renaissance Woman, came into Prince’s orbit in the spring of 1999 and stayed till the end of that year. Beginning with a show at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas that Memorial Day, till just before the Rave 2000 show at Paisley Park in December, Estaire spent the better part of a year as a percussionist and background singer with the New Power Generation. She would accent the band’s thick funk with her own rhythmic flourish and Latin beat.

Besides leading her own band, Estaire has played percussion in George Benson's band.

https://prnalumni.org/members/spotlight/spotlight-estaire-godinez/

It’s no surprise that Amy Lynn Zanetto brings star power to the stage whenever she performs live, fronting her band The Honey Men. With a career in musical theater that includes a 10-year stint in the cast of the Radio City Christmas Spectacular, the New York City-based vocalist also has an established track record as a bandleader. At its performance at the Milford Arts Council last year, Amy Lynn & The Honey Men “blew the roof off,” according to MAC officials. So by popular demand, the rock and R&B ensemble sporting a three-piece horn section made a return engagement to the MAC on Feb. 22nd.

Amy Lynn & The Honey Men have toured throughout the United States and often gig up and down the East Coast, averaging 30 shows last year. Zanetto and her husband, Alex Hamlin, who plays baritone sax and does all the horn arranging, started the band about 10 years ago. The two also perform as a duo and write songs together. Zanetto is originally from Meriden and studied musical theater at the Hart School of Music in West Hartford.

https://amylynnandthehoneymen.com/

Boogie Cindy anchors and founded the Montreal band Boogie Wonder Band. She is an innovator in funk bass. Boogie Wonder Band has toured the world sharing the stage with great bands such as EWF, Kool & the Gang, Chic, and more.

www.boogiewonderband.com

www.joekelleyradio.com

Charles Neville was an American R&B and jazz musician best known as part of The Neville Brothers. Known onstage as "Charlie the horn man", his saxophone playing helped earn the group a Grammy Award for best pop instrumental performance.

www.aaronneville.com