DeDe McGuire Marks 1st Year In Dual Drives

         It would be difficult to find someone in radio who works harder than DeDe McGuire. Not only does she work a.m. and p.m. drives, but she also wears two different format hats. Celebrating her one-year anniversary in juggling both roles, she successfully steers the morning wake-up team towards an urban demo at Service Broadcasting KKDA-FM (K104) in Dallas, while catering to the urban AC crowd in her afternoon drive gig with the syndicated Doug Banks (“The Ride With Doug & DeDe”). DeDe does double demo duty!

And she just exudes exuberance. Add in her wealth of knowledge, experience and her all-American work ethic and no wonder she’s a winner. Her longevity in broadcasting, however, she readily attributes to staying true to her mantra: “Educate, inform and entertain.”

Her biggest challenge?

“Getting up so early every morning. People think you get used to it, but you don’t,” she tells BRE in an exclusive interview in between shows recently.

The Dallas-based McGuire gets up at 4 a.m., has her morning coffee and drives 35 minutes to K104. She watches the overnight news before she hits the airwaves “so I know what’s going on,” she explains. After being on the air from 6 until 10 a.m., she has an after-show meeting. Then she drives the 35 minutes home and may sneak in an hour nap. Then she’s back on the road to do the afternoon drive show with Doug Banks at another studio.

“I love working with Doug,” she declares in that perky upbeat style that comes so naturally to her. “We have so much fun on the air.”

With today’s technology, McGuire could actually do her dynamic duet with Banks from her home, but she chooses to be face to face with her on-air partner with whom she has worked for 15 years.

And, speaking of partners, McGuire recently married a businessman she calls “Baby Black.” And yes, marriage did have an impact on her single “cougar” style.

“That’s my character and my soul on the air,” she explains. “I went from being the single lady to the married lady. When I first got married, one of my listeners told me, ‘I’m so sure you are going to bring the ups and downs of married life to the air like you did the single life’. So I continue to grow up with my audience.”

Even though there’s some commonality between both her shows, there are also differences not only in the music but also the topics of discussions. “We do more adult conversations on Doug Banks, talking about everything from politics to relationships. It’s a little more adult focused. But the one commonality is that people want to be informed and entertained. I think that’s the key no matter what the demo.”

“And I have a great team around me,” she exclaims about both the young-end talent at K104 whom she describes as “amazing,” and then with Doug. ”We’ve been doing this for 15 years…what more can I say!”

Averaging maybe five hours of sleep a night, McGuire explains why she works so hard.

“I wanted to do it. I was stuck in that demo of 18-34. But I love R&B and the AC urban format too, so I thought, ‘Why couldn’t I do both… why do I have to choose one or the other.’ So now I have the best of both worlds.”

Besides, she adds, there’s no guarantee the same job will be available tomorrow. Radio has changed drastically over the last several years. Technology and syndication have caused a great loss of positions. Indeed, in Dallas alone, McGuire and her crew, which includes Lady Jade and Kevvy Kev of “The Crazy Azz Morning Show,” are up against no less than three nationally syndicated urban morning shows – Tom Joyner, Steve Harvey and Rickey Smiley.

“We have to work harder now,” she says. “I really admire people such as Egypt… she’s doing so many things. You have to constantly re-invent. Things are constantly changing. You have to change your game to stay in it.”

One of McGuire’s many attributes includes being able to attract major celebrities for interviews. Key, she says, is the approach. “There’s a way to talk to a celebrity… you can’t attack them,” she explains. “If they don’t want to talk about it, then don’t push it. I honor that and then they are also easier to get to next time. They will remember this person is fair. Working with Doug, I learned so much from him. I got that from Doug – never attack an artist.”

Her Do’s and Don’ts…

• Don’t attack.

• Make the artist comfortable.

• Always make sure to end on a high note.

• Pre-record – you can take out awkward moments.

McGuire has an admirable work ethic, but she also admits to a guilty pleasure. “I watch reality shows… I’m so addicted to them. “Housewives of Orange County”…all the Housewives, as a matter of fact. Anything reality, I watch. That’s how I relax.”

Looking back McGuire recalls how she got her start at a country station where she was initially hired as the receptionist. It wasn’t long, though, that management recognized her dynamic voice and personality and she went to work on air. He climb was swift, as she soon went on to program KIIZ-FM (Z92.3). She held down gigs at KTFM-FM (94.1) in San Antonio before taking on afternoons at heritage K104. Her career then took her to WPNT in Chicago, where she tried her hand at a late-night dating show for two years before heading to Top 40 WIQQ-FM (Q102) in Philadelphia as the midday afternoon drive personality.

In addition to co-hosting “The Ride With Doug & DeDe” and now doing morning drive on K104, she is also a popular television personality. She has successfully hosted two syndicated video programs and makes numerous guest appearances on top local and national talk shows.

And speaking of television, it’s too soon to tell, but word is that McGuire is about to announce another major gig, this one on television. Stay tuned!

“I have an incredible support crew… brothers and sisters, co-workers,” she says. “I don’t know how long this is going to last. This biz is getting smaller and smaller…but I’m going to ride it until the wheels fall off.”

 

Boyz II Men Star

With more than 60 million records sold,Shawn Stockman, Wayna Morris, and Nathan Morris, aka Boyz II Men, received the 2,456th star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame joined by such luminaries in their lives as Babyface, Michael Bivins, Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis.—Photo by Getty Images

J. Dash Tabloid Truth

StereoFame Records   Released exclusively through Wal-Mart    Available through iTunes

Described as ‘Mozart meets Outkast’, hip hop artist J. Dash is infusing rap with a new level of sophistication that has it headed for world domination. His tracks are way more than a beat with a rap; they contain layers of instrumentation. Revolutionary yet steeped in the melodic tradition of music. At the same time, it’s at once classic and contemporary.

Indeed, the debut single, “WOP (Without Prejudice),” from the Jacksonville, FL, resident’s CD, Tabloid Truth, that started a viral dance craze and claimed a #1 hit on TuneCore, has been charting on a global level, counting 10,000 downloads on just Christmas Day alone that have added to its more than 250,000 in sales. The “WOP” video has earned 30 million hits and is still counting.

Such is the appeal of J. Dash. And what’s really cool about this artist is that it all stems from a real source of talent. A classically trained pianist, he also plays several instruments and has a degree in computer science from the University of Florida. All this adds up to tracks that are musically infused and lyrically intelligent.

While all the tracks on Tabloid Truth feature Dash’s trademark flavorful flow, the music makes it glow. The anthemic “Take It Hard” with its uptempo beat could just as easily be the theme song to a racing scene on TV or a sports competition. On the other hand, the catchy cut “Strut,” another uptempo movement with a hot hook, is truly a chick song (meaning it’s complimentary to the ladies). While many of the cuts are steeped in the bass basic to hip-hop, the background vocals and Dash’s fluorescent flow give it all a pop presence. “Dance All Night” is an example, while “Drugged” goes on another journey that shows off Dash’s southern roots. “Fresh” could easily be another single, with its sing-song liquidity yet fun, carefree feel that would blast well in a convertible ride down the I-95.

Loaded with hit singles, Tabloid Truth dropped January 31. Look for this artist to shine on a global level!

Whitney Elizabeth Houston: August 9, 1963- February 11, 2012

Official Program

John Levy (April 11, 1912-January 20, 2012)

 

Recognized in 2006 by the National Endowment for the Arts with its highest jazz honor as a Jazz Master, John Levy was just a few months short of turning 100 when he died at his home in Altadena, California with his wife and business partner, Devra Hall Levy, by his side. And, although born in New Orleans, Levy credits Chicago where his family moved when he was five, with his formative years in the music business from their apartment above the Royal Gardens, a dance hall that featured New Orleans jazz. Gaining a foothold in the Chicago jazz scene as a musician, Levy performed with such jazz greats as Stuff Smith, Billie Holiday, Erroll Garner and Billy Taylor before joining pianist George Shearing’s original quintet where his next career as a personal manager took root and the eventual launch of John Levy Enterprises in 1951.

The accomplished jazz musician had walked the walk so he could successfully talk the talk for his fellow jazz artists. That soon became evident to artists like Betty Carter, Abbey Lincoln, Shirley Horn, Ahmad Jamal, Ramsey Lewis, Freddie Hubbard, Roberta Flack, Les McCann, Joe Williams, Cannonball Adderley, Wes Montgomery and Nancy Wilson, who sought him out to manage their careers.

Levy was inducted into the International Jazz Hall of Fame in 1997 and presented a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Los Angeles Jazz Society. And in keeping with his well-thought out plans, there was no funeral service, but just a private remembrance with the request that donations be made to the MCG Jazz John Levy Fund, which is earmarked for the Manchester Craftsmen’s Guild’s nationwide “Jazz Is Life” educational programs.

 

Etta James (January 25, 1938 – January 20, 2012)

 

Rev. Al Sharpton conducted the services for the late Etta James at Greater Bethany Community Church, City of Refuge, relating how James helped break down the culture curtain of America before the Civil Rights Act of 1964. “She was able to get us to sing the same rhythms and melodies … humming the same ballads and understanding each other’s melodies way before we could even use the same hotels.” Sharpton also conveyed President Barack Obama’s sentiments for whom Beyoncé performed James’ immortal song “At Last” as his inaugural festivities: “Etta will be remembered for her legendary voice and her contributions to our nation’s musical heritage.”

Such was the homecoming of one of America’s legendary voices as James’ back up band, The Roots, Stevie Wonder and Christina Aguilera joined in the farewell. Both Stevie and Christina performed some of James’ iconic hits: Stevie did “Shelter in the Rain” while Christina delivered “At Last.”

Survived by her husband of 42 years Artis Mills and two sons, Donto and Sametto James, Etta was thronged by many of her fans who waited in line for hours at her public viewing at Inglewood Cemetery with her songs wafting over the line.

Added Rep. Maxine Waters (D-Los Angeles), “Etta is special to me because she represents the life, the trials and the tribulations of a lot of black women all over this world…. She was a survivor, and I love her for that.”

The Recording Academy President/CEO Neal Portnow issued this statement about the three-time Grammy winner and Recording Academy Lifetime Achievement Award recipient: “Etta James leaves behind a dynamic legacy spanning six decades. Her music knew no boundaries as she explored diverse genres including blues, soul, R&B, rock and roll, gospel and jazz. She will forever be remembered for her timeless ballad “At Last,” and a powerful voice that will echo around the world for generations to come.”

Artists from around the world expressed their sentiments via websites, tweets and in performance. Beyoncé, who played Etta in “Cadillac Records,” wrote: “Etta James was one of the greatest vocalists of our time. I am so fortunate to have met such a queen. Her musical contributions will last a lifetime. When she effortlessly opened her mouth, you could hear her pain and triumph. Her deeply emotional way of delivering a song told her story with no filter. She was fearless, and had guts.” Pink wrote, “Your voice and your fight inspired me and many. I love that through recordings, people can live forever.” While Kelly Clarkson covered James’ “I’d Rather Go Blind” at her performance at Radio City Music Hall.

Don Cornelius Soul Train Founder (September 27, 1936 – February 1, 2012)

 

Don Cornelius, originally a radio news announcer from Chicago, brought his silken voice to the BRE stage honoring artists, industry executives and radio personalities as the “drummers among us” as he hosted the BRE Annual Awards Shows in the ‘70s and ‘80s. Shortly thereafter, he launched his own Soul Train Awards shows, bringing his by then, weekly branded Soul Train television show, full circle. And it is that iconic brand that not only gave visibility to a people but also united them with the rest of the world.

His dance show with unknown dancers and unseen performers suddenly gave a face and sound to what would soon become a global cultural explosion. Soul Train became the longest running nationally syndicated show in history, running from 1971 through 2006.  Cornelius stepped down as host in 1993 but remained the executive producer and creative visionary until the show closed in 2006. And even now, the Soul Train franchise continues with its annual awards shows and myriad dance lines around the country.

Celebrating the life of Don Cornelius, who tragically died on February 1 at the age of 75, is like celebrating the black explosion of its culture over the last 40 years.

Says Aretha Franklin, “Don Cornelius single-handedly brought about a melding and unity of brother and sisterhood among young adults worldwide and globally with the unforgettable creation of Soul Train.”

“Don was a visionary pioneer and a giant in our business,” commented Quincy Jones, adding, “Before MTV there was `Soul Train,’ that will be the great legacy of Don Cornelius.”

Clarance Avant explains that legacy: “`Soul Train’ was the first and only television show to showcase and put a spotlight on black artists at a time when there were few African-Americans on television at all, and that was the great vision of Don.”

And from a man who knows a thing or two about legends, the legendary songwriter Kenny Gamble commented: “Soul Train became such a great icon, not only did black people want to be on Soul Train, but you had Elton John, you had The Bee Gees, you had every white artist wanting to be on. Soul Train became the thing to do.”

BRE founder Sidney Miller concurs that not only did they want to be on Soul Train but did not want to miss it either. Recalling an experience in the ‘80s when he called on his personal dentist who was white for emergency Saturday duty, Miller related, “The dentist asked me how long it would take for me to get to his office and I replied, ‘about 25 minutes.’ Okay, hurry, he said, I don’t want to miss Soul Train.”

Rev. Jesse Jackson called him a “transformer,” while radio personality and TV host himself, Donnie Simpson, whom Don once asked to take over as Soul Train host some day, described him as “very, very classy.”

R&B artist Raheem DeVaughn captured the essence: “I’m thankful for the platform he created not just for black music, but for music as a whole. We didn’t have it before him.”

In VH-1′s 2010 documentary “Soul Train: The Hippest Trip in America,” the story behind Soul Train reveals the pioneer Cornelius truly was when he explained to James Brown’s query of ‘Who’s backing you?’ that ‘It’s just me, James.” NBA legend and Soul Train Holdings Chairman Earvin “Magic” Johnson emphasized that point: “He was the first African-American to create, produce, host and more importantly OWN his own show.” It was Don Cornelius who created the first black-owned nationally syndicated TV franchise.

Carried on now by Soul Train Holdings, the legacy is preserved in Time Life collections and its annual awards shows. Kenard Gibbs, CEO of Soul Train Holdings, commented, “He was a true television visionary and his contributions to African American culture, music, and entertainment are incomparable. The outpouring of affection and tributes to his legacy are a true testament to the profound impact that his life’s work had on many generations.” And last year the Smithsonian’s Museum of African-American History and Culture got on board.

Backed up by infectious African-American raw talent and exuberance, Cornelius opened the doors to mainstream for African-American culture. As Cornelius always promised in his show closing, “… and you can bet your last money, it’s all gonna be a stone gas, honey! I’m Don Cornelius, and as always in parting, we wish you love, peace and soul!”

Nationally syndicated radio personality Tom Joyner, who aired his own special tribute to Cornelius, added, “He opened doors for black ad agencies and black products showing mainstream media the power of black consumerism. When Sid McCoy told us Soul Train was “brought to you by Ultra Sheen, Afro Sheen, and Ultra Sheen Hair Care Products,” that meant something special… Kids today will never know what it’s like to have to wait a full week to watch one program that almost every other black person you knew was watching at the exact same time. You couldn’t record it, you couldn’t rewind it.  It was a truly hip experience…”

And as his family mourns its loss, his son Tony Cornelius wanted to thank “all the well-wishers and the fans who have supported the Soul Train legacy” with the wishes of his father, “Love Peace and Soul.”

And from all of us, Don, thanks for the ride!

Diana, Gil and Steve Grammy Lifetime Achievement Awards

 

Describing their influence as “making lasting impressions on our culture” is how Recording Academy President Neil Portnoy characterized this year’s Grammy Lifetime Achievement Awards. Included in this year’s honors which will be handed out the night before the 54th Annual Grammy Awards on February 11, are the 12-time nominee who never won a Grammy Motown diva Diana Ross, Glen Campbell, the Allman Brothers Band, George Jones, the Memphis Horns and two posthumous tributes to pianist/guitarist Carlos Jobim and Gil Scott-Heron. Trustees Awards for non-performance musical contributions will also be awarded to Apple co-founder Steve Jobs, recording engineer Rudy Van Gelder and songwriter Dave Bartholomew.

Gil Scott-Heron, who died on May 28, 2011 at the age of 62,  was praised for pushing the boundaries of music, poetry and social commentary. “For more than 40 years, Gil Scott-Heron generated an international following with his dynamic, revolutionary musical performances, unforgettable voice, and profound lyrics,” said the Grammy Committee about this cultural icon who had been dubbed the “Godfather of Rap.” 

Don Mizell On Gil Scott-Heron

Grammy-winner Don Mizell, Esq, who produced the 2005 Album of the Year on Ray Charles, Genius Loves Company, shares his insight on the Recording Academy’s selection of cultural icon Gil Scott-Heron. 

 

Gil Scott-Heron receiving the Lifetime Achievement Grammy is entirely fitting and proper because his significance as an historic artist is indelible. He was truly brilliant as a pioneer in fusing scintillating spoken word poetry/rap with a  powerful musical brew of blues, jazz, soul and world pop into a fresh, startling presentation of the world probed through a sharp prism of politically conscious, existentially-charged lyrics full of deep wisdom and real heart at a crucial time in our nation’s struggle to fully realize the potential of its professed ideals.

Gil was a charismatic genius, gifted with a keen intelligence, highly literate, educated, erudite, articulate and professorial by nature but steeped in the life of the urban streets. His ruminating voice was a unique and commanding instrument of serene strength and sensitivity, of gutty grit and grace. He was witty, caustic and smart-ass funny-as-hell. His work was a clarion call bravely speaking truth to power and challenging us all to stand up for Right for all human rights. He cautioned us about the debilitating, often irresistible lure of various addictions. He cared deeply about the fate of Black folks and the future of all humanity. In the ‘70s he and fellow spirit traveller Brian Jackson made sublime music together that raised the consciousness of a whole generation of Black collegians and liberation minded creative folk in ways that have resonated down through the years now to a generation of great rappers who rightfully call him the Godfather of Rap.  Indeed he was, but his artistry was also much more than that.

Because Gil was always, like Stevie Wonder his friend and colleague, always, and in all ways, all about The Truth, about Justice and Righteousness and connecting the dots of those supreme ideals to the power of great music. And that was what he did, in so many remarkable collaborations with comrade Brian Jackson.

I knew him right before they started making music together when we were both 19 in neighboring colleges (he at Lincoln and me at Swarthmore), going around performing black liberation poetry at  gigs in the Philly area. He was cool then, already an Old Soul in a way, way ahead of the rest of us poets in his precocious grasp of being a Full Grown Man in Life. I mean, he had already written a novel, put out a book and an album of dope poetry and was cooking up the magic music he and Brian concocted for The Pieces of A Man album which launched his career with a bang in 1971. I think it is fair to say that most of his storied recognition stems from the music they made during the ‘70s because it is without a doubt the music for which he is most remembered.

I’ve always been a huge fan and I’m also really proud  to say I knew him well back in the day when he was at his best…and Gil was certainly one of the best when he was at his best!

And we are all the better for it, too. The provocative, compelling  music he and Brian made for Bob Thiele and later with Malcolm Cecil and The Midnight Band for Clive Davis will surely stand the test of time. The urgent messages he courageously championed in his entire lifetime will never die in the minds and hearts of those of us who care about freedom, fairness and human progress.

Finally, I’m sure he would be deeply grateful to know he is being honored in such a profound way and also that his legacy will be properly recognized, protected and advanced with dedication in the capable hands of his family estate heirs, valued past comrades and trusted colleagues going forward at gilscottherononline.com

 

 

 

Art Sims Designs Red Tails Key Art

 

If the posters for the Lucas Films story of the Tuskegee Airmen, “Red Tails,” strike a chord, look to their designer, veteran artist Art Sims, CEO of his own Los Angeles-based 11:24 Design Company. Sims has worked with some of Hollywood’s top filmmakers from George Lucas to Spike Lee, Quincy Jones to Steve Spielberg, creating movie posters and print ad campaigns for films like “Malcolm X,” “Do The Right Thing,” “Jungle Fever,” “Love & Basketball,” “When the Levees Broke” and “The Color Purple.”

Joining in the testament to Sims designs of the two official posters for “Red Tails” is Lucas Films own kudos from its starwars.com site: “For Lucasfilm’s latest cinematic endeavor – Red Tails – that legacy of memorable movie poster graphics lives on in the stunning artwork of Art Sims.”

Red Tails Flies High

The 20^th Century Fox film “Red Tails,” produced by George Lucas, about the first all-black squadron of fighter pilots in World War II, didn’t disappoint its studio in its opening week, grossing more than expected with more than $19 million. And the accolades keep coming in, from President and First Lady Obama at the White House to the Friends of Tuskegee Airmen National Historic Site, Inc, (FTANHS) who, along with the National Parks Service and communities from Tuskegee to Macon, displayed red ribbons and held commemorative parades. Jeep, which transported troops on land during WWII and is highlighted in the film, joined in the celebration sponsoring four premieres in Detroit, Chicago, Los Angeles and New York attended by surviving Tuskegee Airmen and a Red Tail pilot.

Nationally syndicated Tom Joyner Morning Show host Tom Joyner joined in the salute to Tuskegee Airmen by not only delivering a convocation on MLK Day at his alma mater the Tuskegee Institute, but also airing a live show from Dallas and another four-hour Sky Show from Atlanta through WALR-FM (Kiss 104.1) with Ashanti, SWV and Estelle. Declaring, “I’m the son of the Tuskegee Airmen program,” Joyner proudly explained that his father, Hercules, was part of the Tuskegee Airmen program, while his mother worked in the airmen’s office.

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