Archive
Lalah Love!
Be sure to check out PRI’s Studio 360 this weekend for a new Lalah Hathaway feature! Lalah is a contemporary R&B/Jazz singer who’s also the daughter of the late, soul legend, Donny Hathaway.
With the duration of the 360 piece only 8 minutes and our interview lasting for an hour, there were tons of tape left on the cutting room floor! (lol)
During our session, I reminded her that she was actually the very first celebrity I had ever interviewed! I conducted this interview for an NPR-affiliate, KPVU-FM back in 1991 inside her tour bus at the time. Right when the interview started, Lalah pulls out a cigarette! Lalah then asks if I would be offended if she smoked! I was so caught up in the moment of meeting her at the time that I actually told her: “Sure, Ms. Hathaway, it’s totally fine!” But in my mind, I was literally DYING — friends who know me are completely aware of my hatred of cigarette smoke! But yet, we conducted the interview on that tour bus anyway.
That was 20 years ago! And I shared that story with Lalah during our 360 interview — and she cracked up! Thankfully, she informs me that she’s given up smoking!
Lalah and I also talked about one of my favorite songs, “Small of My Back,” taken from her latest album, “Where It All Begins.” I told Lalah that it reminded me of a track leftover from the “Off The Wall” recording sessions of Michael Jackson! She flipped out! According to Lalah, the background vocals of that track [which are all sung by Lalah] are actually a tribute to Michael Jackson! She mentioned that all the layered vocals you hear in the song are reminiscent of what Janet and Michael would do in their recordings!
My interview with Lalah’s mother, Eulaulah Hathaway, was also very rewarding. I actually had an opportunity to meet her during Lalah’s NYC performance at the Highline Ballroom a couple of days after we conducted our interview.
I would love to hear your comments about the feature! Amazing shout-outs to Andrea Greene, Rick Nuhn, and Joel Amsterdam for making this interview happen!
The (R)evolution of Gospel: Defy StereoTypes
This week, NPR’s “STUDIO 360″ Radio Show, will air another feature of mine entitled, “Kim Burrell‘s New Gospel of Love.” In the segment, the singer talks about how many people, particularly Christians, should step back and re-evaluate the meaning of the word, “LOVE.” According to Kim Burrell, love is about being genuine, being authentic — not only to others but also to ourselves.
During the interview, we talked for over an hour about a number of things. Yes, there was some spectacular audio left on the cutting room floor — including private conversations she’s had with artists like Stevie Wonder, Harry Connick, Jr., Herbie Hancock, Brandy, Tyrese, and a host of others. She also talks rather candidly about her weight loss and issues regarding an outfit she wore during last year’s BET Honors event which featured a Whitney Houston tribute.
And surprisingly enough, Kim Burrell and I spoke about her views and opinions relating to equal rights for gays and lesbians.
So even if you don’t listen to or like gospel music, take a listen to this feature below. I’d love your feedback and comments as well as your stance on the word “love” and the notion of acceptance — both within and outside the boundaries of religion.
Many of us were probably raised a certain way with certain values and principles to live by. But as we continue to grow and begin to interact with people of different backgrounds, ethnicities, or even sexual orientations, I sincerely hope we’re able to expand our minds more on a personal level. If you’re a person who has the ability to ‘put yourself in the other person’s shoe,’ then I think you’ve already started the process of becoming one step closer to a more enhanced, culturally-diverse world of acceptance and understanding towards another human being.
Eddie Robinson with Gospel singer, Kim Burrell
The election of President Barack Obama has definitely silenced those nationwide who thought we would never see an African-American Commander-In-Chief in the White House. Perhaps this limited thinking of not having a Black U.S. President would have been considered radical five or ten years ago — definitely radical perhaps 50 years ago!
But now that we’re living in the 21st century, battling issues of same-sex marriage where people’s religious ideals and morals are at stake, would it be so radical to think that Christian men or women could open up their hearts and minds to actually love and accept someone who’s gay or lesbian? Is this act of love and acceptance really that radical?
When the bible states, “God is Love,” do you honestly think God would reject someone of His own creation?
That sense of rejection (from family members, Christians/Church leaders, etc.) is what hurts so many young gay children to this day as it relates to being victims of bullying and suicide. Even as a 29-year-old adult, I wanted to take my own life, so imagine what a young child could be thinking. Suicide is real. Being bullied is real.
Re-discover and meditate on the real truth about what LOVE really means to you.
Once again, thanks for reading my blog post and for your continued support.
By the way, more QUANTUM news to come as well! Subscribe to blog for future updates.
