Originally broadcast on Chocolate-Radio.com on the 29th May, 2021.

Today's guest is the founder and editor of BluesMatters.com, a leading British Blues magazine.  Alan's life has been about music and we learn how it has also been integral to his survival.

My guest today is a women who grew up in the Baltimore projects and was looked after by an aunt who ensured she and her brother were exposed to the arts, Denise Joyner.  In the military she served in Operation Desert Storm as an operating room technician and now is an emerging multi-media baron. We learn what keeps her grounded and the music that helps her stay focused.

This Saturday, my next guest on The Music: My Life is the handsome Rusty Hamilton. From growing up in South Central LA to attending school with members of the Jackson family, we learn about the music that has informed this self-titled “Scientist of Sound”, who has been Music Director for the likes of Kool and the Gang, KC And The Sunshine Band, Barry White and what he is owed by BabyFace, and it’s not money.

My latest guest is the Grammy nominated singer/songwriter Bey Bright who, having worked for Diddy and his Bad Boy Entertainment company, decided that music, rather than sport would be his focus. Bey talks to me about how being introduced to the music of Michael Jackson aged 3 by his father gives him fond, lasting memories and how hearing a track by Gladys Knight and The Pips can still move him to tears today.

#interview #music #Grammy

@ChocolateRadio

Originally broadcast on Chocolate-Radio.com, 24 April 2021.

Today’s guest is Ralph Tee from Expansion Records. Ralph’s five key tracks takes us on his journey beginning with writing his weekly magazine Groove Weekly, which offended the opposition and how he ended up working for one of them; how promoting dance releases for Arista Records bought him his first BMW and moving to another record label he received his worst criticism of his career.  This year Expansion Records celebrates its 35th year as the longest serving independent soul label in the UK.

First broadcast on the 17 April 2021 at 8pm on Chocolate-Radio.  Listen to my conversation with David Lee Brewer, the former Vidal Sassoon model turned opera singer, vocal coach and author, who takes us on a journey through his relationship with music which includes tracks from Barbara Streisand, opera singer Grace Bumbry and Destiny's Child. He discusses how listening to his ‘inner voice’ led him to become vocal teacher to eight year old Beyonce, a professional relationship which lasted some 11 years.

We learn how singing along to a commercial aged three helped decide his future, the hilarious story behind his first day at university with those Gucci suitcases, and what he would go back and tell his younger self.

(Connection was lost more than half way through this conversation, so we had to pick up via telephone; the wonders of technology!)

#interview #singing #teacher #author

David Hamilton is one of our much loved broadcasters. Join me in conversation to discover how he got his nickname 'Diddy', what Ken Dodd said to the Queen after a Royal Variety Show performance, what happened to his beloved MGB sports car, what happened when he was asked to introduce an episode of Monty Python's Flying Circus and whom he introduced at the grounds of Fulham FC. He will most likely have you, like me, laughing at this stories.

#broadcaster #music #interview Boom Radio

@chocolateradio

First broadcast on Chocloate-Radio.com.

Maggie Bell is the Glaswegian born singer, who fronted “Stone The Crows”, the British Rock Blues band which recorded four studio albums “Stone The Crows” (1970), “Ode To John Law” (1970); “Teenage Licks”, (1971) and “Ontinuous Performance, (1972), giving the band a UK no. 33 chart position.

Their live albums include “The BBC Sessions - Volume 1, “The BBC Sessions Volume 2; “Live Montreux 1972” (2002); “Radio Sessions” 1969-1972 (2CD) (2009) and “BBC Sessions 1969-1972” 2014, (2LP).

Stone The Crows split in 1973 and Maggie recorded two albums, still allegedly unreleased.    Maggie’s first solo album release was Queen Of The Night in 1974 and produced by Jerry Wexler.

In this interview you will hear exclusive news about Maggie’s unique relationship with Aretha Franklin, meeting Groucho Marx and what Nina Simone told her.

View Maggie and the band’s performance on “The Old Grey Whistle Test”: https://youtu.be/wRyOzJtU34Q.

From his debut aged five winning a singing competition in Blackpool with his rendition of a popular children’s nursery rhyme, eviction from his family home due to the local council’s Compulsory Purchase, Gee Bello takes us on his musical journey from percussionist to lead singer of Light Of The World. Gee shares how he paid a touching tribute to the band member he replaced, and highlights the song with which he honours those who paved the way for those like him to perform their #BritFunk style of music.

Originally broadcast on Chocolate-Radio.com on the 27th March 2021 and again on the 28 March 2021.  

Kenya, a Denver native who began singing at eight and playing flute in third grade. By middle school, she was fully active in the arts as a member of advanced and exclusive citywide choirs, jazz ensembles and theater troupes.

Kenya released two EPs prior to My Own Skin: the self-penned Starting Over in 2010 and another covering favorite songs Jazz Made Rhythm in 2012 (both via her own label), building world-wide fan base. Her song "Starting Over" was produced by Maurice Joshua who won a Best Remix GRAMMY® for Beyonce’s "Crazy in Love." Kenya has opened shows for Lalah Hathaway, Rachelle Ferrell and Raul Midon.

In this interview Kenya reveals whose song’s lyrics, on album sleeve liners, helped her learn to read and their music, which helped her intuitively find harmonies; to which music her drummer father exposed Kenya and her sister, and who helped her over come pubescent weight gain which caused feelings of insecurity.