The Bob Lefsetz Podcast

Uber-manager Ken Kragen, who steered the careers of Kenny Rogers, Lionel Richie, Trisha Yearwood, Olivia Newton-John, the Bee Gees, the Smothers Brothers, Travis Tritt, Gallagher and more, sadly just passed at 85. After Kenny Rogers died in 2020, Ken did a podcast with me about Kenny that was never aired. In fact, it's more about Ken than Kenny, so in tribute to him I am posting it now. If you're interested in going deeper, you can listen to my podcast with Ken about his life and career posted on September 12, 2019.

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Dave Schools is the bassist for Widespread Panic. We discuss the band, but we also cover the "Get Back" documentary and Dave's personal life and... Dave is quite the raconteur, you will be entertained and edified!

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Brinsley Schwarz was a king of the pub rock scene with his own band and then became a member of the Rumour, which backed up Graham Parker and ultimately released records under its own moniker. Brinsley went on to work as a guitar tech in a music shop and then reunited with Graham Parker after getting over his fear of flying. Listen to the story of a journeyman who was never a star, but made a life out of music, who has a new album to boot!

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Tommy James cut "Hanky Panky" when he was just a teenager, and then he signed with Morris Levy's Roulette Records and ended up with tons of hits, but very little money. Listen to the story of an artist who pushed the limits of the hit single idiom (remember the tremolo effect in "Crimson and Clover"?) and toured with all the stars of the sixties as well as Hubert Humphrey!

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Paul Carrack wrote and sang the classic "How Long" for his band Ace, and sang "Tempted" for Squeeze and "Silent Running" and "The Living Years" for Mike and the Mechanics. Carrack also played keys on such varied albums as Roxy Music's "Avalon," the Pretenders' "Learning to Crawl" and Elton John's "Made in England." He's part of Eric Clapton's touring band and is on the road doing solo shows. Listen to how a boy from Sheffield makes a life in music.

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You'll like Donny Osmond after listening to this podcast, he's definitely not a bad apple! We talk about growing up in Southern California, the Osmonds, the Donny & Marie TV show, as well as Vegas and his new album. Donny talks about being broke and needing to resuscitate his career, he's fully aware of his public image. And who inspired his comeback, none other than PETER GABRIEL!

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You're gonna love this. Chris Kimsey, producer and engineer for the Rolling Stones, Peter Frampton, Duran Duran and more, not only opines on those records, he also goes deep into equipment, technique and Dolby Atmos. If you have any interest in the studio, this is right up your alley. And even if not, you'll dig the stories. Amazing!

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From the Baltimore docks to the Hollywood Bowl... Gina Schock is the drummer of the Go-Go's, a songwriter for Miley Cyrus and Selena Gomez and the author of a new photo book about her band. Tune in to hear how a woman with a passion for rock made it to the top.

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Stevie Van Zandt, aka "Miami Steve," aka "Little Steven," aka "Silvio Dante," has written an autobiography, "Unrequited Infatuations." We dig into the process of writing the book, and we also cover the landscape from New Jersey...back to New Jersey! Growing up with the radio, the greatness of the Beatles, struggling in Asbury Park, failing to make the E Street Band, going straight and doing construction, playing the oldies circuit, making the E Street Band, going solo, returning to the E Street Band and appearing in "The Sopranos" and... Steven says he's not good with money, but he's had a jam-packed career, his life is rich with experiences, listen as we go deep!

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Gary Katz produced every Steely Dan album from "Can't Buy a Thrill" to "Gaucho" as well as Donald Fagen's "Nightfly." Listen as we chart Gary's career from Brooklyn to Hollywood, from Bobby Darin to Warner Brothers, with ABC/Dunhill in between. I guarantee you'll learn something about Steely Dan you didn't know!

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