Alan Mercer's PROFILE

photo: Alan Mercer

Let there be peace on earth

And let it begin with me.

Let there be peace on earth

The peace that was meant to be.

With God as our father

Brothers all are we.

Let me walk with my brother

In perfect harmony.

Few symbols have a tradition as long and as rich as the dove. A particular favorite in art and iconography, the dove often represents some aspect of the divine, and its use has been shared, adapted and reinterpreted across cultures and millennia to suit changing belief systems.

Photo of my brother Deven, his wife Angel and their sons Preston and William: Alan Mercer

From the ancient world to modern times, this simple bird developed layer upon layer of meaning and interpretive significance, making it a complex and powerful addition to religious texts and visual representations.

These gentle birds, that mate for life and take care of their young, were used as a peace symbol almost universally from the beginning of recorded history. The birds have always nested in areas close to developments with an unusual trust that they will be unharmed or even protected by humans. Egyptians were the first to record doves used in ceremonies to announce, to the people, the rise of a new pharaoh.

Photo of my sister Dee Anna, her husband Brian and their daughter Hannah: Alan Mercer

Central Asia also has a legend about two kings heading for war. One king calls for his armor and is told a dove has made a nest in his helmet. The king’s mother pleads with her son to leave the mother dove, a gentle bird associated with love, innocence, tenderness and purity, undisturbed.

The king agrees to leave the dove family and heads out to meet his enemy without protection. The second king sees the king without armor and calls for a parley. Both kings lay down their weapons and talk. When the second king hears about the first king’s compassion for the mother dove he wonders if he has misjudged the man he thought was a tyrant. Both kings come to an agreement to seek peace for the two kingdoms instead of war. And the dove becomes known throughout the land as a bird of peace.

Photo of my niece Hannah: Alan Mercer

In ancient Greek myth, Aphrodite, was often depicted with doves because She brought love and beauty and peace in which to enjoy the bounties of love. And the dove was the bird of Athena because it represented the renewal of life.

In Hinduism the dove is an emblem of the spirit, and the infinite capacity the spirit has for love.

Photo of my nephew Preston: Alan Mercer

Japan uses the dove with a sword as a symbol to announce the end of war.

In America, perhaps the most well known depiction of the dove is from the bible. In the Old Testament a dove is released by Noah after the great flood to search for land. It returns with an olive branch to show that the Biblical flood has receded. The dove then symbolized deliverance and God's forgiveness. (Genesis 8:11).

Photo of my nephew William: Alan Mercer

These peaceful birds have woven themselves into histories of cultures all around the world through their gentle presence and fearlessness of humans. Their soulful calls and coos bring many people hope in a chaotic world.

Let peace begin with me

Let this be the moment now.

With every step I take

Let this be my solemn vow.

To take each moment

And live each moment

With peace eternally.

Let there be peace on earth,

And let it begin with me.

Photo of Alan Mercer: William Mercer

Wishing everyone of you a beautiful Holiday Season from ALL OF US!!!

All Photos: Alan Mercer

Native Texan Ron Ely was born Ronald Pierce Ely. He grew up in Amarillo, Texas and attended Amarillo High School. There is a letter sweater from him in the trophy cases saved from a 1970 fire in the older school. He attended The University of Texas at Austin in mid-1950s and was in ROTC. He soon made his way to California. After signing with 20th Century Fox in the late 1950’s, Ron appeared in small roles in several films and television shows.

Ron Ely played the title role in the TV series ‘Tarzan’ and in two movies made from that series in 1970. He refused to use a stunt double in his vine-swinging or animal fights and was often injured. It has been noted that Ron's physical appearance and dialogue were much more like those of Edgar Rice Burroughs' character than could be said for any other Tarzan.

He won the role of Tarzan in 1966 after playing various bit-parts, including an airplane navigator in the 1958 film ‘South Pacific’ and a guest-starring role on Barbara Eden's first television series, the romantic comedy ‘How to Marry a Millionaire.’ Ron's height at 6' 4" and athletic build also won him the title role in the 1975 film ‘Doc Savage,’ as well as various guest shots. In a 1978 ‘Fantasy Island’ episode, for example, Ron portrayed Mark Antony in a Roman military short tunic and breastplate that displayed almost as much of his physique as his Tarzan costume had.

From 1960-61, Ron Ely starred in the series ‘The Aquanauts.’ In the 1980s, Ron hosted the musical game show ‘Face the Music.’ Additionally, he hosted the 1980 and 1981 ‘Miss America Pageants,’ replacing longtime host Bert Parks. He replaced Lloyd Bridges as ‘Mike Nelson’ in the last season of ‘Sea Hunt,’ from 1987-1988.

In the 1990s, Ron’s roles included a retired Superman from an alternate reality in the 1991 two-part episode ‘The Road to Hell’ of the ‘Superboy’ syndicated television series, and a big game hunter named Gordon Shaw in the 1992 episode ‘Tarzan the Hunted’ of the syndicated ‘Tarzán’ TV series starring Wolf Larson.

Until about 2001, Ron Ely made appearances on popular TV shows, his most recent being ‘Sheena’ and ‘Renegade.’ He is now retired from acting. In recent years Ron has embarked on a successful writing career and has penned two mystery novels featuring private eye Jake Sands: Night Shadows in 1994 and East Beach in 1995.

I’m the right age to remember Ron as Tarzan when I was a small boy. I loved that show. I continued to watch Ron in anything he did for the rest of his career. I’ve always appreciated his easy going charm. When I had the chance to take some photos and talk with Ron at the Hollywood Collectors Show, I was living out a fantasy. Ron Ely does not disappoint. He is gracious and kind and exudes a calmness and inner peace with a touch of restlessness now that his children are grown. Oh yeah, he is tall and extremely handsome...

AM: I didn’t realize you grew up in Texas.

RE: I was born in Hereford and lived in Tulia and Amarillo. Later I bought a house in Midland, Texas and I went to the University of Texas.

AM: When did you leave Texas?

RE: I left in my freshman year and came to California to check it out.

AM: Did you always want to be an actor?

RE: I wouldn’t say I always wanted to do it but I realized by the time I graduated from high school that I’d taken every speech and acting class that was available.

AM: So you must have already liked acting to take those classes.

RE: I did that because I could get good grades in those classes. It kept my GPA up. By the time I finished all that, I had a pretty good background.

AM: What did you study in college?

RE: I never got to my major because I hadn’t got that far yet. It was a toss up between petroleum engineering or radio/television. I was at the point of making that decision when I left school.

AM: Did you just decide to take a chance and audition for roles?

RE: I felt like a fish out of water in college. I felt like I was spinning my wheels. Actually I had a fraternity brother who asked me if I ever had any inclination to go to Los Angeles and act. I told him, “Yes, I’d thought about it.” So we began to talk about it. He already had the idea to come to LA in his head. We drove a car out together to be delivered. You used to do that back in the days when you could hitchhike. Actually I ended up driving the car to San Jose and hitchhiking back to LA.

AM: And you enjoyed that?

RE: It was as wonderful experience. It was in April with all the night blossoms making the air smell like perfume. When that hit me, I was a goner. I knew I was here to stay. No matter what, I would do something out here. Things fell into place for me. I made the right moves and did the right things. I worked with the right people.

AM: What year are we talking about?

RE: 1958.

AM: Did you start getting parts right away?

RE: The first part I got in anything was in ‘South Pacific.’

AM: That’s a good one.

RE: Yes it is. I had about five lines in that. I did work quite a lot.

AM: Was your height ever an issue?

RE: It was, but anytime they read me, I got the part. At the same time I was doing ‘South Pacific’ there was a process called the new talent program going on at 20th Century Fox. In this process they whittled down from 200 to 20. I made the cut each time. Then we did 10 short scenes for all the producers, writers, directors and everybody who was under contract at Fox. I don’t think they ever did it before or ever did it again after, but from that, they chose people to do a screen test for a contract. Only two of us were chosen to test and I was the only one given a contract. I did want to do television. I was very serious about it.

AM: Why did you want to do television so badly?

RE: I thought it was a way to work a lot. I went to Billy Gordon who was the casting director at Fox and asked him if I could do television. There was a show wanting me and I loved that show.

AM: What show was it?

RE: It was ‘Father Knows Best.’ Billy told me I was coming up on a contract renewal and we could let it drop. He said, “You can go into television and you can always come back.” So I went into television and worked in the last 'Playhouse 90' and lots of things I could have never done had I stayed under contract with Fox. Things just developed from there. I seem to have no control over what happens in my career.

AM: You were just riding your life, which is great.

RE: Exactly.

AM: Were you married during this time?

RE: I married my high school sweetheart. We were way to young and she was not comfortable out in California. However she ended up staying out here and married someone I introduced her to. He’s a great guy and I was really pleased about all that. I stayed single for a number of years until I met my wife. I started having my family late in life and that’s when I stopped acting. I wanted to raise my children. They are all up and ready to fly now or already flying.

AM: Do you find yourself with more time now?

RE: Yes, more time and able to involve myself in other things. I was so totally wrapped up in their lives.

AM: You have to be. That means you’re a good father.

RE: I was a good father. I know that from my own children and I know it from seeing other families. I coached everything so I see the other parents and what’s happening with those kids. I know I’m a good father and I know my wife is a great mother.

AM: The proof is how the kids turn out.

RE: Yes it is. My kids are all wonderful, kind people.

AM: Where did you film ‘Tarzan?’

RE: We filmed it in Brazil, Central America and Mexico. Don’t look too closely at the natives because the wigs don’t work sometimes. (laughter)

AM: Were you excited to get that part?

RE: Not really, excitement was a luxury I didn’t have. I was too busy from the get go. I stayed busy until the last day of shooting. It was a lot of hard work and a grueling show to produce.

AM: It was so extra physical. Did you like that part?

RE: I don’t remember if I liked it or endured it. I had so many injuries that it did become a matter of endurance.

AM: So were you happy when it ended?

RE: Quite frankly I don’t know that I could have even done anymore. I was mentally and physically worn out. At the very least I would have needed a few months to recover. My body was a wreck. I had so many muscle pulls and tears and busted shoulders, wrists and bones. Every part of me had been hurt. I pay for it today when I get out of bed in stages. (laughter)

AM: The work you did after ‘Tarzan’ was less difficult wasn’t it?

RE: Yes, I did a lot of films in Europe.

AM: You also hosted a game show in the 80‘s. Did you enjoy that?

RE: Yes, I was trying to break the stereotype of me being a high powered adventure guy.

AM: That reminds me, can you tell me about making 'Doc Savage?’

RE: I came back from Europe to do the film. I was halfway through it when I realized I had jumped from the frying pan into the fire! This character is even more iconic than Tarzan. It was huge at the time. It had so much industry wide attention. It was unbelievable. People from other studios were coming over to look at our dailies. The buzz about it was something else! They made a 20 minute short about the film to show to distributors. It was a home run. We finished principle photography and I went to Europe to make another film. When I finished it, I came back and saw the cut version. When we finished principle photography the hierarchy at the studio changed hands. The new guys didn’t want the product of the old guys so they cut off all the post production funding.

AM: Was there still a lot left to do?

RE: It still needed the special effects, editing and music and they couldn’t do any of it. George Pall had to go back to his old technique of doing special effects. The advanced editing techniques were denied us so they had to edit the old fashioned way. It was supposed to be John Williams music but ended up being John Phillips Sousa marches so the picture was totally changed. George Pal just reached over, patted me and said, “Sorry.” I was silent but they read my silence quite well.

AM: You have to really learn how to be resilient.

RE: Every actor has to learn that. They thing I tell anyone who is interested in acting, including my own children is if you’re going to be an actor, the first thing you have to get by is rejection. You have to understand it. It’s a little like baseball. If you hit the ball three times out of ten swings you have a pretty good batting average. The same is true with this business. If you get three out of ten jobs you go after, you’re doing fantastic. Most people don’t. It’s the same with life. If you’re going to stop your course of interest simply because someone rejects it, then you don’t have a prayer of succeeding. You can’t just depend on luck. Also you have to go out there for it. You have to put yourself on the line. No one is going to drag you out of the house to put you in a film.

AM: You also worked on 'Sea Hunt.’ What was that like?

RE: That’s when I really began to hang it up. My oldest was two years old and my next daughter had just been born. My wife and I talked about it and decided we could mange if I didn’t work other than writing. I stayed home so I could be with the kids all day long. I was able to coach all their teams and be at every function. I was there when they came home. I was never absent.

AM: What is your life like today?

RE: It’s been totally about my kids but my youngest graduated last May so they’re all out of college. My oldest is a lawyer. She went to law school and passed the bar the first time out. My kids need me less and less. My attention is beginning to drift away from such a constancy with them to a more eclectic set of interests.

AM: It’s time for things you always wanted to do but hadn’t made the time for yet.

RE: Exactly, I’m even thinking of taking up painting.

AM: Why not? You should!

RE: I really want to do that. I like so many things, but so many of those things are physical. I have to change my interests. I can’t do those physical things anymore. I’ve been under the knife so many times due to my past injuries that it really makes you change the course of your life.

AM: You are fortunate to be able to explore some new areas of interest.

RE: I like people too.

AM: Well that’s good because people are attracted to you.

RE: Maybe that’s what happened. You have a tendency to like people who like you.

All Photos: Alan Mercer

At the very beginning of her career Mackenzie Phillips was best known for her role in the 1973 hit movie ‘American Graffiti.’ Two years later, she got the role that changed her life in the 1975 sitcom ‘One Day at a Time’ as rebellious teenager Julie Cooper Horvath.

Mackenzie Phillips attended Highland Hall Waldorf School in Northridge, California. At age 12, she formed a band with three of her classmates and was spotted by a casting agent during one of their performances. From the mid-1980s to the early 1990s, Mackenzie performed with a re-formed version of The Mamas & the Papas known as The New Mamas and The Papas.

In 1999, Mackenzie co-starred in the Disney Channel series ‘So Weird,’ playing a fictional rock star coincidentally named Molly Phillips. She was mother to Fiona, played by Cara DeLizia, and Jack played by Patrick Levis. She sang original songs written by show producers Jon Cooksey and Ann Marie Montade. In 2002, she appeared in the Disney Channel original movie ‘Double Teamed.’ Mackenzie has since guest-starred on episodes of ‘ER,’ ‘Without a Trace,’ ‘7th Heaven,’ and ‘Cold Case.’

Mackenzie Phillips won an Honorary Best Actress award on March 20, 2011 at the closing night awards gala of the Female Eye Film Festival in Toronto, Canada for her performance as Sharon in the 2010 independent film ‘Peach Plum Pear.’

Mackenzie has been married twice, first to rock-group manager Jeffrey Sessler from 1979 to 1981, and to rock guitarist Shane Fontayne from 1996 to 2000. She has one child, a son, Shane Barakan born 1987, also a musician.

Mackenzie has had a lifetime troubled by drug abuse. She pleaded guilty to one felony count of cocaine possession, and was sentenced to a drug rehabilitation program. Her drug case was dismissed after she successfully completed a drug diversion program. "Mackenzie deserves great credit for seizing the opportunity she was given to get clean and prove she was worthy of the dismissal of her case," her attorney Blair Berk said in a statement.

In September 2009, Mackenzies' memoir ‘High on Arrival’ was released, after which she appeared on ‘The Oprah Winfrey Show’ for an hour-long interview. She told Oprah that she first tried cocaine when she was 11 years old, and that her father did drugs with her. She appeared on the third season of ‘Celebrity Rehab,’ which aired in January and February 2010. She later discussed her recovery on the March 17, 2010 episode of ‘The View.’

AM: Mackenzie you have been a lot more visible since your book came out. How did the book do?

MP: It debuted at number three on the New York Times Bestseller list in 2009.

AM: Was it difficult to promote the book when it came out?

MP: It was absolutely devastating. Maybe I’m naive, and you would think with a history like mine, I wouldn’t be, but I’m still full of wonder like a little kid. I always think the best of people and I’m very positive.

AM: Those are lovely traits to have.

MP: I’m ridiculously cheerful and too trusting. Anyway I was shocked and devastated at some of the reaction, not only from members of the press but also from people who are very close to me.

AM: That must be hard.

MP: It was really hard. I was not at all emotionally prepared for the onslaught.

AM: So how did you deal with it?

MP: I have a great program for recovery and I have really great friends. I have an absolutely magical 26 year old son. My ex-husband, who is his father, is one of my dearest friends. His name is Shane Fontayne and he’s a real good Rock n’ Roll guitar player. When Springsteen got rid of the E Street Band he became Bruce’s player. He’s also been out with Crosby, Stills & Nash. I also have a great support system. I have lovely people in my life. We are all born with a family of origin and some of us end up with a family of choice and I’m OK with that.

AM: Everyone ultimately ends up choosing a kind of family with their friends anyway.

MP: Yes, I just didn’t expect that to be the arbiter of change.

AM: The common assumption is that anything tough that someone goes through makes them a stronger person. Do you feel stronger?

MP: I’ve always been an incredibly strong person. I feel that God, or whatever you want to call it, didn’t bring me this far to drop me in a ditch. I’ve always believed you must persevere, be of service and help other people. Be the change you want to see in the world.

AM: Is this how you fill your time now? What’s a regular day like for you?

MP: I live in my dream home with my son. We have four dogs and five cats. My time is pretty much my own so I do whatever pleases me. I help take care of my elderly mother, Susie, who lives in an assisted living center near by. I’m very active in a program of recovery. I have a really good life. I have no right to complain. Compared to most I have really simple problems. I have to remember that at times. Sometimes if I find myself complaining I just tell myself to cool it and shut up.

AM: Do you donate a lot of time to helping others now and is it natural for you?

MP: Whenever I can and yes it is absolutely natural for me. I think I’m a born councillor. I almost finished my degree in counseling but then acting jobs came up and I never finished it. I donate my time by speaking on recovery and addiction to care-givers, families and employee assistant programs and addicts. I do a lot of things. I’m a busy girl, but I’m not as busy as I pretend to be.

AM: Nobody is, that’s the new lie.

MP: Nobody is. Everyone always says,”I’m too busy.” Meanwhile I’m liking kitten pictures on Facebook!

AM: Are you active on social media?

MP: I’m really active. I built my Twitter following brick by brick. I have over 44,000 followers.

AM: Are you still interested in acting?

MP: Oh yes! It’s my passion.

AM: Do you audition?

MP: Yes I do and I work. Last year I had a great guest role on ‘Criminal Minds.’ I played a serial killer. Then I played in a Lifetime movie that was really fun. I just finished a couple of independent films.

AM: It’s hard to work these days.

MP: It is hard to work, especially for a woman of a certain age. They hire 40 year olds to play the parents of 30 year olds. With everything there is an ebb and flow. I believe it will get back to more realistic relationships in terms of age but right now it just isn’t.

AM: Is there anything you want to happen or do that you haven’t yet?

MP: I’d like to be a grandmother.

AM: How does your son feel about that? Is he ready to be a father?

MP: Are you kidding me? He’s a brilliant guitarist, a great songwriter and he works for a music library. He’s into video games. Forgive me Shane if you ever read this, but from my perspective, 26 is the new 15. I don’t know how I would have gotten through a lot of this stuff without him. He’s a spectacular human being.

AM: I love that you gave birth to a soul mate.

MP: Oh my God, he’s incredible.

To learn more about Makenzie Phillips follow her on Twitter https://twitter.com/MackPhillips

5th Anniversary Blog

All Photos: Alan Mercer Lighting: Eric V.

Tai Babilonia is an American former pair skater, who along with Randy Gardner, began skating together when Tai was eight years old and Randy was ten. The pair became five-time U.S. national champions and won the gold medal at the 1979 World Championships.

Tai and Randy first came into prominence by winning the National Junior Pairs Championship in 1973. By 1974, they had become the youngest pair team ever to represent the United States in the World Championships. By 1976 they had won the first of five consecutive U.S. Senior Pairs titles. And, by 1979 they had earned the highest score ever recorded in Pairs skating at the U.S. National Competitions. That same year they were crowned World Figure Skating Champions in Vienna, Austria and, with victory in hand, they simultaneously upset a 14 year Soviet domination of pairs skating by becoming the first Americans in 29 years to capture the much heralded title.

By 1980 and the Winter Olympics in Lake Placid, NY, Tai and Randy had not only become the sweethearts of figure skating, but had also won the hearts of America. As America's greatest hope, they were highly favored to win the Olympic Gold medal.

However, as history began to write itself, this victory was tragically one not meant for Tai and Randy. During the warm-up prior to their premier Olympic performance, Randy fell due to a previous injury. As the audience in the arena gasped for breath, so did a television viewing audience of millions. The pair was forced to withdraw from Olympic competition. Indeed, at that moment in time, they knew a lifelong dream had been shattered. But what they didn't know...was that they had begun to embark on a career of such longevity and such staying power, that it would prove incomparable to any team before them and, perhaps, any in the future.

A few months later, Tai and Randy were invited to turn professional as special guest stars with the Ice Capades. From 1980 until 1983, they toured 30 weeks a year with engagements in every major and secondary market in the country. America embraced them with open arms.

Starring appearances in numerous ice spectaculars followed, and, so did countless awards and honors. One of the most distinguished, was in September of 1987 when the United States Olympic Committee announced a unique program to honor athletes who have demonstrated exceptional achievement and represented the spirit of the Olympic Games. The program honored one Olympian from each of the games since 1968 and was voted on by a panel of pre-1968 Olympians, USOC officials, and over 2,000 members of the national press. By overwhelming response, Tai and Randy received the first Olympic Spirit Award.

Having already become annual headliners in the main showroom of Harrah's Hotel in Lake Tahoe and, by the early 1990's, headliners at the Desert Inn Hotel in Las Vegas and Balley's in Atlantic City, Tai and Randy continued to epitomize the meaning of true marquee value. If audiences didn't have the chance to see them in person, they saw them frequently on various network television specials and in print and television advertising campaigns for such products as Nestle's Crunch and Lee Jeans. They were also the subject of ‘On Thin Ice,’ a fact based NBC television movie which chronicled Tai's life, in particular, but featured both Tai and Randy's personal relationship and budding career.

In 1992, to add to an already remarkable list of achievements, Tai and Randy were inducted into the United States Figure Skating Hall of Fame. Joining the company of such skating greats as Scott Hamilton and Peggy Fleming, the induction was followed by Tai and Randy's 25th Anniversary celebrated in a 40 city nationwide Tour of World Figure Skating Champions.

Tai was the first figure skater of partial African American descent to win U.S. and World titles. She is also part Filipino on her father's side and part Native American. In 1990, a biographical film of her rise to fame was aired on television, ‘On Thin Ice: The Tai Babilonia Story.’

Tai Babilonia was inspired at the age of six to begin ice skating after watching Peggy Fleming on television. Tai is a single mother to her son Scout.

AM: Tai, I’m so happy you are everywhere all the time these days. What changed in your life to allow this?

TB: I had to leave Los Angeles five years ago. Not intentionally to get sober, but I knew I had to leave home to save myself.

AM: How did you know?

TB: I could feel myself slipping. It was instinct. It just happened to be Ashland, Oregon where I got sober. So I was gone and then I got it under control, so it was time to get back to work.

AM: Do you mean skating?

TB: The work as a figure skater doesn’t role in like it used to.

AM: That makes sense.

TB: Skating isn’t as popular as it used to be. For years it was the number one most watched sport. It’s taken a big dive. I don’t want to say I had to reinvent myself, but I told myself to try everything. Be open to everything. I had nothing to lose. At the time I didn’t have a manager or an agent. I didn’t have anyone. It was all up to me.

AM: Did you use social media?

TB: Yes, facebook and twitter. I started posting pictures and little things. I built on all that.

AM: Did you realize the importance of social media when you started?

TB: I knew I had to keep myself out there. It was the only platform I had.

AM: Were you surprised at how quickly you have re-established a following?

TB: Shocked! I’m very open with my sobriety. I’m not hiding. I am proud of it. I posted this information right away and I got such a strong and good reaction. People just embraced me. That’s when I realized it was about the honesty. Don’t lie to them and don’t lie to yourself. No more secrets. That was key to get them back.

AM: So you really understand the importance of being authentic.

TB: Being authentic and being honest. The fans are my cheer leading squad and I need that. I don’t want to say I’m needy but for what I know I have to do, I’m not a good cheer leader for myself. I need the die hard fans and family to help me along. Thank God for facebook and twitter.

AM: You can’t make people be interested in you, so they were already interested in you to begin with.

TB: They were waiting. They knew I was gone. I didn’t say exactly why I went. I kept that kind of on the down low. I didn’t tell my skating partner or even my family. I high tailed it out of town because I knew that if I didn’t, there would be a major problem. I caught myself just in time. Thank God for my sobriety and being open to new adventures.

AM: Is one of those adventures your Tai Treats candy?

TB: Yes, thank God for Frank Sheftel and his family. They believed in me. Frank saw I was hungry and motivated. So once again I post a lot about the candy and someone sees it. It’s all word of mouth. It has snowballed. How lucky am I?

AM: Yes, but it’s a lot of work too.

TB: I am working my butt off!

AM: And you’ve raised a child too.

TB: Yes, he’s eighteen. His father just got him a car so I do not even see Scout anymore. I want to hold on but my Mom says you have to let him go, let him be a man. She told me he will come back. The whole growing up period caught me off guard. It’s so fast and I was not prepared for it. It’s nice to see him turn into a good young man.

AM: Well it gives you a chance to skate again. How is that after a few years?

TB: The last time Randy and I performed was 2005. We did a reunion in Lake Placid. It was the 25th Anniversary of the Olympics which we did not compete in.

AM: That must have been awesome!

TB: That was an emotional moment for us. We hadn’t been back on the ice in front of a crowd since then. We recently got invited to the Scott Hamilton Annual Cancer Charity event.

AM: I bet you enjoyed that didn’t you?

TB: It’s like we never left. We heard about the event and we had 6 weeks to practice. We did it in Cleveland and it was great because we did a number after the finale. No one quite knew what it would be and Cyndi Lauper sang ‘True Colors’ live. Scott and Dorothy Hamill did something and then Randy and I came out and the place erupted. This was old school. What a moment! It showed Randy and myself that there’s still something there. I like to say, “We still have some glitter left up our sleeves.”

AM: Back in the 80’s did you ever imagine yourself performing like this in 2014?

TB: No, at 54 years of age, absolutely not.

AM: And yet it’s so do-able for you.

TB: It’s so do-able, although we don’t do the same things we used to do. We have about 5 moves now. Scott Hamilton says stay vertical and we all did. I can now appreciate my past skating career more than ever. I don’t think I did before now.

AM: Back in the day when it was really happening was it a lot to deal with?

TB: Yes it was a lot, especially when we turned professional. It was big money, big tours, big hair, big drinking...big everything. It was the 80's, a big party. It’s easy to get lost. You lose the whole point of why you did it in the first place. It becomes about all this other stuff.

AM: It becomes about celebrity, but now you are in a place where you can actually enjoy your celebrity aren’t you?

TB: Absolutely, I’m embracing everything, but I couldn’t have done this today if I weren’t sober. I take nothing for granted. Back in the 80's I took things for granted.

AM: So what’s your ideal future?

TB: Staying productive and creative. I’m open to whatever comes my way. I want to try it all and give it my best shot. I’m so lucky I was given a second chance.

AM: And we, as your audience are lucky too.

TB: Thank you. You guys are so supportive.

AM: You give us hope. Do you understand why?

TB: I know why. People saw the slide down. I was very open about it. They made a movie about it. There was a People magazine cover story and I think the fans love the honesty. It’s about the honesty.

Follow Tai on Twitter https://twitter.com/taiskates

All Photos: Alan Mercer

Ted Neeley was born in Ranger, Texas. He signed his first record deal in 1965, at age 22, with Capitol Records. He and his group, The Teddy Neeley Five, recorded an album titled ‘Teddy Neeley.’ They played the club circuit for years, and at one point their name on a marquee appeared in an episode of Dragnet. In 1968 Ted starred in the Los Angeles productions of Larry Norman's rock musicals ‘Alison’ and ‘Birthday for Shakespeare,’ with Norman, Richard Hatch and Kay Cole. Then, in 1969, Ted played the lead role of Claude in both the New York and Los Angeles productions of ‘Hair.’ His work with that show's director, Tom O'Horgan, led to his being called when O'Horgan was hired to stage Jesus Christ Superstar for Broadway.

Ironically, Ted originally auditioned for the role of Judas, seeing it as a great opportunity to play a character few understand. However, when Ben Vereen was chosen for the role, Ted signed on as chorus and also became the Christ understudy. This particular opportunity led to his taking on the title role in the Los Angeles stage version, which played at the Universal Amphitheatre, after receiving a standing ovation during a performance earlier in the tour. Castmate and close friend Carl Anderson was touring also as a Judas understudy.

Ted also performed the title role in ‘Tommy’ in Los Angeles, which in turn led him to reprise the title role in the film version of ‘Superstar,’ directed by Norman Jewison, alongside Carl Anderson as Judas. For his performance in the film, he was nominated for Best Motion Picture Actor in a Musical or Comedy, as well as Best Newcomer, at the 1974 Golden Globe Awards.

Fresh from the success of ‘Superstar,’ Ted released a solo album, ‘1974 A.D.,’ in 1974, and played the role of Billy Shears in ‘Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band on the Road’ in New York. From then on, he was a frequent musical guest star on network variety programs such as ‘The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour,’ and ‘A Touch of Gold’ and as a guest actor in network dramas during the 1970s and 1980s, such as ‘Starsky and Hutch,’ and NBC movies including ‘Of Mice and Men’ as Curly and ‘McLaren's Riders.’

At the same time, Ted Neeley also provided his abilities as singer, songwriter, vocal arranger, and producer to albums and appearances by such artists as Nigel Olsson, Tina Turner, Disco Tex and the Sex-O-Lettes, Ray Charles, Bo Diddley, Keith Carradine, and Meat Loaf. In the late Seventies, Ted expanded his talents once more to live performance with his band Pacific Coast Highway.

However, while Ted moved on in his career, the specter of ‘Superstar’ still loomed large. In the late 1970s, he reprised his performance in the title role for two regional productions in California, both under the auspices of the California Youth Theatre organization. The first reunited him with his Broadway and film co-stars Carl Anderson and Yvonne Elliman (as Judas and Mary Magdalene), and the second reunited him again with his close friend Carl.

Twenty years after first playing the role, Ted gained renewed success in the lead role of Jesus in the 1990s touring company of ‘Jesus Christ Superstar’ which once again co-starred Carl Anderson as Judas. This modernized version of the original production included a day-glo temple scene, and a glass crucifixion cross that elevated above the stage and was lit from within. Originally planned as a three-month tour to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the motion picture, the "A.D. Tour" went on to become the longest running revival in North American theater history. From 1992 to 1997, the hugely successful tour criss-crossed the nation multiple times, allowing Ted the opportunity to reprise his role over 1,700 times.

In 2012, Ted performed a new cabaret style retrospective show of his work called "Ted Neeley and the Little Big Band" , from January 20-29th at the Rubicon Theatre Company. Neeley also had a cameo role in Quentin Tarantino's 2012 blockbuster Django Unchained and contributed a background music track, "Tracker's Chant", to the film, which is included on his new CD, ‘Workin’ For The Words.’

Ted Neeley met his wife, the former Leeyan Granger, during the making of the film, Jesus Christ Superstar. They currently reside in California with their children Tessa and Zack.

I have been a “Tedhead” since 1973 when the movie came out. I’ve had the pleasure of seeing Ted Neeley perform the role of Jesus twice on stage and he is always in top form. I’m very happy to share these new photos and my conversation with the remarkable and very kind Mr. Ted Neeley.

AM: I had no idea you were from Texas. Where did you grow up?

TN: A town called Ranger like Texas Rangers.

AM: I lived in Dallas forever.

TN: Ranger is half way between Fort Worth and Abilene. If you go on Highway 81 to Abilene you go right through it. You don’t even know it’s there.

AM: How did you get out?

TN: They chased me out! Too much rock n’ roll! (laughter)

AM: You’ve been singing since day one haven’t you?

TN: Oh yeah! I’ve been singing since the day I was born. I was working in a band since the time I was seven in the church. We couldn’t really call it a band but we pretended to be one. All through school I knew these guys who were my buddies that I grew up with and we didn’t know what we were doing but we played instruments since we knew three or four chords. We could sing anything. When we graduated from high school our parents were happy about us taking off on the road for the summer. We went from Ranger out to Los Angeles. When we got to LA we were hired constantly because we were the only band doing something other than surfer songs. We played all the nightclubs back then.

AM: What was it like auditioning for 'Hair?’

TN: I didn’t even know I was auditioning for it. I like to talk to people so anytime we were playing in the clubs I’d go around and introduce myself to people so after a while we built up this following. We were the band that created ‘Cheers.’ Everywhere we played everybody would come because we all knew each other. The club owners loved us because we had created a following. At the end of the night we’d all sit around and have a good time. Since we were in Hollywood it would be all these actors, singers, dancers, writers and producers who were all coming to see the band from Texas.

AM: So that’s how you met a lot of industry people.

TN: We got in this conversation about working and one of the actors told me to come with him tomorrow to an audition. He wanted me to see what he had to go through to even get a job. I didn’t work in the daytime so I went to the audition. We got there and there were so many people waiting. He told me he forgot it was an open call so the only way you can get in is to “Follow me in line and do what I do.”

AM: What did that involve?

TN: I filled out some forms and they gave me a number. So we finally got to the point where they called his number and he went on stage and did his thing while I watched. When he was finished we started to walk out, but before we left they called my number. He told me to get up there and see what it feels like, so I did. I walked up on stage and it was absolutely dark except for one little light on the piano. I just stood there in silence and all of a sudden a voice goes, “Are you Mr. Neeley?” I said, “Yes sir.” Then the voice said, “What have you prepared for us today Mr. Neeley?” I said, “Nothing. I’m just here to watch.” Then he said, “Since you’re on the stage can you sing an up tempo song that shows us your rhythm and your vocal power?” I was performing Stevie Wonder’s 'For Once my Life’ at the time so I sang that and I start to walk off, then the voice said, “Excuse me Mr. Neeley can you sing us a love song ballad that shows your passion and vocal range?” Well I was also doing impressions at the time and I was doing Tony Bennett, so I turned to the piano player and said, “Think Tony Bennett, same song.” So I did ‘For Once In my Life’ Tony Bennett style. I start to walk off and the guy came and talked to me and hired me. They didn’t hire the actor who took me. The show was 'HAIR.’

AM: That’s quite a Hollywood story!

TN: It wasn’t that I was better than the actor. He was brilliant and still is today, but I could hit the high notes. That director, Tom O’Horgan was the man who nurtured me for three years in 'HAIR’ as an actor/performer. He also directed 'Superstar’ on Broadway and he wanted me in that show. That’s how I got into this business.

AM: You are such a natural playing Jesus. Has playing the role for so many years influenced your personality?

TN: It has certainly affected me spiritually as a human being.

AM: You have a peaceful Jesus quality to your personality.

TN: I don’t think anybody who pretends to be a character and does it over a period of time doesn’t get influenced by the character he plays. Obviously growing up in a little town in Texas I had all the Biblical knowledge since I was in church every day. If you grow up in the Bible belt, you go to church. When I did the stage show and the film the directors would tell the cast if they had any questions on Biblical scriptures or theory, talk to Ted. He knows all that stuff.

AM: I have to tell you I love your 1974 A.D. album.

TN: Oh that one! Wow! Thank you.

AM: Did you enjoy making that one?

TN: I loved every second of it.

AM: It’s a timeless recording and so is your new one, ‘Workin’ For The Words.’ It’s very exciting to me as a Tedhead. The new album is just so good! There is passion and hunger in this new music. You wrote all the music didn’t you?

TN: I collaborated on the music with Bruce Yauger.

AM: What was your main inspiration for this?

TN: The main inspiration was I really wanted to record with a new band. We did one leg of our tour back east just to test the waters and see if anybody would show up.

AM: You enjoyed it didn’t you?

TN: We had the time of our life! The people who came heard all the songs off the CD. They sat there and listened to the new songs as if they’d already heard them a thousand times. They made us feel like we knew what we were doing up on stage. I showcased my band at the Rubicon Theater in Ventura. It’s a beautiful theater. I’ve been there forever. They are wonderful people. Bruce and I have known each other forever. We met on one of the ‘Superstar’ tours. He is a genius sound engineer. By nature he is a guitar player and a singer/songwriter so we decided to write together for this CD.

AM: You all did a great job writing these new songs.

TN: He just pops out songs. We recorded it at his backyard studio in Virginia. He plays every instrument in the world. I’m just a drummer and singer. We just sit down and start talking and the next thing you know we’ve written a song. Then an hour later we are in the studio recording it. It happens all the time. It’s inspirational and it’s fun. When we finish we’ve had a good time and hope that it’s worthy of somebody listening to it. I’m blessed that it’s still so enthusiastic so long after we did ‘Superstar.’

AM: As an artist you are in a unique position as a Rock n’ Roll singer and a Broadway singer. That doesn’t happen.

TN: That comes from when I started out in Texas because we were copying everybody. Anything we heard on the radio we would play. We were a Texas band that played country rock. We’d be playing for dances and someone would walk up and ask if we knew the song, 'For Once In my Life’ and I’d say, “No, what is it?” They would tell me it was from a Broadway show so I’d go listen to it and the next night we’d be playing it.

AM: Will us fans get some more new music with less time between your first two releases?

TN: There’s no question, I’ve already got three more songs ready and I am definitely recording a Christmas album because I’ve never done one of those. It will be classic Christmas songs. I’m writing for other people as well. I can do anything musically but there’s a public out there who will doubt that so it’s better for me to write for other people who they will accept doing it.

To learn more about Ted Neeley visit his web site http://neeleytour.com/

All Photos: Alan Mercer

Julie Budd is one of those enduring talents who has outlived her almost premature early success. Discovered at age 12 in the late 1960s, she played her first engagement in the Catskills that same year, and was appearing on the ‘Merv Griffin Show’ six months later; she subsequently became a fixture on the talk show and supper club circuits. She routinely received standing ovations. Since that phenomenal reception in 1968, Julie has continued to command with her own cabaret shows, and in show rooms and symphonic halls as well as in her many recordings of pop songs, show music and lush standards. Julie Budd continues to be a force to be reckoned with.

Julie's vocal skills were tapped into quite early. While participating in (and winning) a talent contest in the Catskill Mountains, the 12-year-old singing prodigy was spotted by producer/arranger Herb Bernstein, who would become her longtime friend, conductor, pianist, songwriter and mentor. It would not be long before the girl with the throbbing, powerful belt was dubbed "The Mini-Girl with the Maxi-Voice." Signed to a recording contract with MGM, she released her first album at age 13 with 1968's ‘Child of Plenty’ and was pointed towards TV starting with Merv Griffin who was impressed after Bernstein sent him Julie's demo.

Steered for a time by Griffin after her 1968 TV debut on his program, where she made about 40 Griffin appearances in all, Julie proceeded to become a regular fixture on the variety and talk show circuit of the time ‘Della,’ ‘The Ed Sullivan Show,’ ‘The Kraft Music Hall,’ ‘The Jim Nabors Show,’ ‘The Carol Burnett Show,’ ‘The David Frost Show,’ ‘The Tonight Show’ and ‘Entertainment Tonight.’ The teen phenom went on to serve as the opening act for such top entertainment icons as Frank Sinatra, Bob Hope, Bill Cosby, Joan Rivers, George Burns and Liberace. Around this time Julie was asked to sing the title song for the film Living Free in 1972.

While the transition from child to adult star can be a rocky and often unsuccessful road, the grown-up Julie, having endured the expected ups and downs of a career, remains the showstopper she has always been and has an extremely devoted following. Considered one of the great Amerian female singers still performing today, she continues to tour the club and concert circuit with her own one-woman shows both here in venues like Carnegie Hall, Lincoln Center, Algonquin Hotel, Savoy Room, various Las Vegas/Atlantic City show rooms and occasionally abroad at the The London Palladium and the Israeli Arts Center.

While Julie has branched out on occasion into acting work both on stage and in film, she prefers "live" concerts where she can feel her audience. As for film, she had a showy vehicle in the Disney film feature ‘The Devil and Max Devlin’ in 1981, co-starring with Elliott Gould and Bill Cosby in which she sang ‘Any Fools Can See’ and, what would become her signature song, ‘Roses and Rainbows.’ Julie would not make another film until decades later when she played the minor role of a Brooklyn mother in ‘Two Lovers’ in 2008 which starred Joaquin Phoenix, Isabella Rossellini and Gwyneth Paltrow.

Known for her grandly theatrical and emotionally vibrant performances, Julie enjoyed an enduring working relationship with conductor/composer/musical director Marvin Hamlisch that lasted until his death in August of 2012. It was Hamlisch and Carole Bayer Sager who wrote Julie's movie theme song ‘Roses and Rainbows.’ She has also been from time to time back in the recording studio with her albums, ‘Pure Imagination’ and ‘The New Classics.’ Julie has performed as a soloist with such other preeminent classical orchestras including the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra, the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra, The Kennedy Center with the National Symphony, The Austin Symphony, the Philadelphia Pops, the Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra, and the Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra.

AM: Julie, you have been working more these days haven’t you? Is this because you are wanting to or is it just happening?

JB: Sometimes I wonder , if anything just happens? What I mean is...this is a business , just like any other business. You need to work real hard, devoting yourself fully to your work, and I think as a result of that, things begin to change. Not only do things change….but, YOU change. And then, the people around you see the change. And all of a sudden…new experiences begin to appear and open up for you, because it sparks the growth.

AM: You never stopped working either, did you?

JB: I have been very lucky. I have always worked. But, the truth is...this business is crazy. Any artist can have times when all you do is work, work, work and then, all of a sudden there are times when you say, “Why am I not working more?” It's just nuts, but truly at the end of the day I think that when you put in the efforts, you get the results.

AM: Can you tell me something about the new album you are recording?

JB: Yes! I am so excited about this recording. I know that when everyone is in a new project, they tend to say, "Oh... this is my best work." But You know what? It is my best work!

Julie performing with Terry Wollman

AM: Why is it your best so far?

JB: It is the culmination of everything that I have been doing and working on. It is all of the years of singing and performing, and it all shows up in these performances.

AM: I’m so excited to hear it!

JB: I'm so excited to share with you and all...real soon. Herb Bernstein, my long time orchestrator and conductor, was so at the top of his game, in his orchestrations and arrangements. The man is just brilliant, and he really knows me.

AM: Did you enjoy being a child prodigy/star?

JB: Such an interesting question! No one ever asked me that. The truth is, as a young little girl, since I began at 12, working as I did, along side the greatest legends in our industry, I never saw myself that way. And it kind of feels odd to even think of it that way now. Even though the truth is I was a child prodigy. I had a real life with a real family and a real home life and bless them, parents who never pushed me to be in this business.

AM: So was it all you?

JB: It was all my desire, believe me, not my parents idea. Lucky for me, I was guided all the way with the love and encouragement from them. I was really just a plain kid, training all the time.

AM: So you were an artist who took her craft and talent seriously.

JB: I owe so much to my teachers, Lydia Summers and Willard Young. Again, plain people with one goal in mind, to keep my instrument on target and to keep me grounded as an artist as well.

AM: Did you realize your life was special and a little different?

JB: I knew I was having this extraordinary life, but it was my life and the only thing I knew. It felt natural to me. I even kept all of my old friends from Brooklyn even to this day!

AM: Sounds like you’ve always had a lot of fun too.

JB: Yes, I enjoyed it tremendously, but I worked harder than you could imagine balancing school, travel, training and rehearsals. There was a huge amount of pressure. Somehow I got through it all, and I stayed out of trouble too!

AM: You have been blessed to work with entertainment legends like Sinatra, Marvin Hamlisch and Liberace, just to name a few. How does it make you feel today when you are still so vital and many of them are gone?

JB: When I think of it sometimes, it is heart breaking. I was so connected to these people, especially Liberace, and now with the passing of Marvin…sometimes I cannot even believe that he is gone. I think of Frank Sinatra and all of the screaming fans and how wonderful he was to me. Because I am very vital and I am still in my prime, I take them on stage with me every night. I hope they would be proud. Believe me…I do!

AM: I know they would be proud! If you saw the recent Liberace bio movie, what did you think of it?

JB: Oh My Gosh...You cannot believe how absolutely horrible that was, not just for me, but for anyone who really really knew Lee. It is so frightening to think that anyone can write a book. Anyone can say anything they want and because they wrote it and they released it, people will believe it all. And who is there to defend you?? No one! And did anyone ever bother to look at the source? Who wrote this book? Please, please OYE! Don't get me started!

AM: Do you ever feel pressure about living up to your stellar reputation as a vocal artist?

JB: That is so lovely of you to say. Thank you so much. All I can say is ego kills more voices. You must always remain the student and thank you again!

AM: When you were on the ‘Merv Griffin Show’ all the time, you constantly received standing ovations and I know you still get them. Do you expect it now or is it still a thrill when the audience stands up?

JB: Not only is it a total thrill when the audience stands for you, it is a thrill when they have chosen to buy a ticket for my show! Remember, people have so many choices for entertainment these days. If they are going to choose you, be humble and grateful. Standing is a beautiful gesture from an audience. They are giving you the ultimate gift of thanks. It will always be a grand thrill for me...always!

AM: What’s it like to play Carnagie Hall? It seems like it might be surreal.

JB: Oh yes! It certainly is!! Think of it...all of the grand artists that have been in that hall before you and there you are! That little kid from Brooklyn with a dream. And Now...YOU are there!
How lucky and how wonderful that it can happen. That's what hard work…and Mazel can do.

AM: Are you still teaching master classes?

JB: Yes I am, every opportunity that I can. I teach a few students in NYC privately and I also do ‘Mater classes’ all over the country. Teaching is terrific and if you are paying attention, it makes YOU a better student too and a much better artist.

AM: What is the first bit of advice you give up and coming singers?

JB: Art is a process. Everyone has a very different learning curve and depending on who it is, the thoughts and observations can change tremendously. We all need different help at different times. Anyone can feel stuck at times. And this business can make even the most gifted feel lost. We all know that feeling. And believe me, it has nothing to do with starting out. Some of the most acclaimed artists have the biggest fears. Doubt is something that resides in all of us. We must learn to work through our moments of confusion or the unkindness and harshness of this industry. Stay in your faith and work hard. Keep your eye on the ball.

AM: Have you accomplished all your professional goals?

JB: Absolutely not!!! Every day I am washed with thoughts and flooded with creative projects that I need to work on. I would love to do more film work. I have loved the recording process and want to do more. I want to continue my writing and teaching. Oh my dear, I will be doing this, Please GOD, for a long time! I am going to be one busy old lady!

AM: What is your day to day regular life like when you aren’t performing?

JB: Truthfully, I am really a homebody. I can be home for days at a time and not need to talk to anyone! I love to cook. I love to have family and friends at my house. Never ask me to sing at a party. I would rather disappear in the back of the room and just enjoy the songs of another. But I regret that I don't have the opportunity to enjoy that as much as I would like to. It just always seems like even if I am not performing there is business to tend to. Remember, this is still an industry and we are in it like little workers always preparing for that next concert or the next tour. Always planning ahead for the new season. But, as of late, I have learned to take more of my moments. I have learned that everything is not always about singing and dancing. Sometimes it's just a delicious pot roast with my family.

To learn more about Julie Budd visit her web site http://www.juliebudd.com/

Gilles & Carole Marini

Every February 14, across the United States and in other places around the world, candy, flowers and gifts are exchanged between loved ones, all in the name of St. Valentine. Here are photos I have taken of ten couples who express love and devotion to each other.

Bebe Buell & Jimmy Walls

The day was first associated with romantic love in the circle of Geoffrey Chaucer in the High Middle Ages, when the tradition of courtly love flourished. In 18th-century England, it evolved into an occasion in which lovers expressed their love for each other by presenting flowers, offering confectionery, and sending greeting cards. Valentine's Day symbols that are used today include the heart-shaped outline, doves, and the figure of the winged Cupid. Since the 19th century, handwritten valentines have given way to mass-produced greeting cards.

Kevin & Kristen Richardson

The earliest surviving valentines in English appear to be those in the Paston Letters, written in 1477 by Margery Brewes to her future husband John Paston "my right well-beloved Valentine".

Joe & Kim Dallesandro

In 1797, a British publisher issued The Young Man's Valentine Writer, which contained scores of suggested sentimental verses for the young lover unable to compose his own. Printers had already begun producing a limited number of cards with verses and sketches, called ‘mechanical valentines.’

Val Garay & Nicole Dunn

Paper Valentines became so popular in England in the early 19th century that they were assembled in factories. Fancy Valentines were made with real lace and ribbons, with paper lace introduced in the mid-19th century.

David Blackstock & Tony Colbert

Love refers to a variety of different feelings, states, and attitudes that ranges from interpersonal affection such as "I love my mother" to pleasure "I loved that meal." It can refer to an emotion of a strong attraction and personal attachment. It can also be a virtue representing human kindness, compassion, and affection, "the unselfish loyal and benevolent concern for the good of another." It may also describe compassionate and affectionate actions towards other humans, one's self or animals.

Rebecca Holden & Joel Diamond

Love in its various forms acts as a major facilitator of interpersonal relationships and, owing to its central psychological importance, is one of the most common themes in the creative arts.

Nazim Artist & Celeste Yarnall

In the United States, the first mass-produced valentines of embossed paper lace were produced and sold shortly after 1847 by Esther Howland (1828–1904) of Worcester, Massachusetts.

Rex & Dr. Tracy Lin Smith

Many different theories attempt to explain the nature and function of love. Explaining love to a hypothetical person who had not himself or herself experienced love or being loved would be very difficult because to such a person love would appear to be quite strange if not outright irrational behavior.

Paul & Mariana Williams

All Photos: Alan Mercer

Tall, statuesque, beautiful, sexy and buxom, Francine York carved out a nice career for herself in cult movies, feature films and television sitcoms in the 1960‘s and 1970‘s. She worked as a model in her late teens and early 20's before one of her modeling supervisors decided she would be good in Hollywood. She guested on some of the most popular TV shows of the era, including Bewitched , Batman and My Favorite Martian , and got small parts in big films like ‘The Nutty Professor’ and big parts in smaller films like ‘Space Probe Taurus’ and ‘Secret File: Hollywood.’

Francine lived in a small mining town in Aurora, Minnesota with parents Frank and Sophie Yerich and appeared in her school plays as a teen. She wrote, produced, directed, and starred in a three-act play called Keen Teens or Campus Quarantine, charging five cents admission to the show that the whole town turned out for. While studying journalism and drama at Aurora High School, she worked as the feature editor of her school newspaper, and she won all of the school's declamation contests with her dramatic readings. She was a baton-twirling majorette for the school band and active in the 4-H club, where she won several blue ribbons for cooking in both county and state fairs.

At age 17, she won the local Miss Eveleth beauty contest and became a runner-up in the Miss Minnesota contest. Moving to Minneapolis, she got a job modeling sweaters for New York-based Jane Richards Sportswear, and began traveling throughout the U. S. She then moved to San Francisco and took a modeling course at the House of Charm agency, which helped her begin a successful modeling career for all of the major department stores, including Macy's. Her modeling got the attention of the producers of the Miss San Francisco beauty pageant,. She entered the contest and was voted runner-up, but ended up taking over the title after the winner became too ill to participate. Francine soon got a job as a showgirl at San Francisco’s Bimbo’s nightclub. Bimbo’s headliner, Mary Meade French, brought Francine to Hollywood and helped get her signed with an agent.

Francine's first big break came when Jerry Lewis cast her in his film, ‘It's Only Money,’ in which she played a tantalizing sexpot, a role which brought her much publicity. This led to Lewis hiring her for five more of his films, including ‘The Nutty Professor,’ ‘The Patsy,’ ‘The Disorderly Orderly,’ ‘The Family Jewels,’ and ‘Cracking Up,’ in which she portrayed a fifteenth-century marquise.

Other notable film appearances include ‘Bedtime Story’ with Marlon Brando and David Niven, ‘Tickle Me’ with Elvis Presley, ‘Cannon For Cordoba’ with George Peppard, and science fiction cult films ‘Curse of the Swamp Creature,’ ‘Mutiny From Outer Space,’ and ‘Space Probe Taurus.’ Her most popular film was ‘The Doll Squad’ in 1973, in which she played Sabrina Kincaid, leader of an elite team of gorgeous female assassins who attempt to stop a diabolical madman from destroying the world with a deadly plague virus. She portrayed Marilyn Monroe in ‘Marilyn: Alive and Behind Bars,’ and in 2000 she played Nicolas Cage's mother-in-law in ‘The Family Man.’

Francine has appeared in countless TV Shows including ‘Perry Mason,’ ‘Route 66,’ ‘Hawaiian Eye,’ ‘77 Sunset Strip,’ ‘My Favorite Martian,’ ‘Batman,’ ‘Gomer Pyle, U.S.M.C.,’ ‘Lost In Space,’ ‘It Takes A Thief,’ ‘Green Acres,’ ‘The Wild Wild West,’ ‘Ironside,’ ‘I Dream Of Jeannie,’ ‘Love American Style,’ ‘Mannix,’ ‘Bewitched,’ ‘Adam-12,’ ‘Mission: Impossible,’ ‘Kojak,’ ‘Columbo,’ ‘Matlock,’ ‘The King Of Queens,’ and ‘Las Vegas’ just to name a few.

Francine continues to act in films and on television, with two recent TV appearances including ‘Hot In Cleveland’ and ‘Bucket and Skinner's Epic Adventures.’ She has also done work as a fitness/nutrition expert and a gourmet cook, making many appearances on television demonstrating her culinary skills. Many of her recipes and exercise programs have been published in national health magazines.

AM: Francine did you always want to be a movie star?

FY: When I was in the 8th and 9th grade I would read movie magazines and dream of being in Hollywood so in high school I starred in all the class plays. My classmates all knew I would get the lead part because the teacher favored me. She knew I was the one who could handle it.

AM: You were a beauty contestant weren’t you?

FY: I was in the Miss Minnesota contest in 1954. Miss America 1948, Bebe Shopp was the host and she told me she thought I was going to go far. I just remember thinking how? How will I ever get out of Minnesota? Ultimately the how took care of itself.

AM: Did your parents support your dreams?

FY: I was born in Aurora, Minnesota to the right parents. They liked to sing and dance. My father taught me how to polka and waltz when I was three years old.

AM: So your parents were happy people.

FY: My parents were full of joy all the time. My sister and I would sing in the car. Everyone knew the only thing I wanted was to be a star.

AM: Did that make going to school easier or harder?

FY: It made it hard at times. Some of the girls and the teachers weren’t so nice to me. I wore make-up before most of them.

AM: Were they just jealous of your beauty?

FY: I didn’t understand why they were mean. It didn’t occur to me that I was pretty.

AM: What about the boys?

FY: The boys never asked me out. I had to go out with boys who were from out of town. Later I found out they were afraid of me. Now I look back and say thank goodness I didn’t marry any of those guys there.

AM: You would have been miserable.

FY: I didn’t want to marry someone who I would have to fix lunch for and then he’d go off to the iron mines. It just wasn’t for me.

AM: I bet your creative energy was always strong.

FY: I did write plays when I was in high school. I started writing a book. I was always doing something creative. I wrote short stories for our newspaper.

AM: So how did you get out of Minnesota?

FY: I’ve always believed in destiny. If you state what you want, some how it takes care of itself. I went to an airline school because I thought if I was an airline stewardess I could get out of Minnesota.

AM: A school in Minnesota?

FY: Yes, I went to Minneapolis and lived with a family. Then I saw an ad in the paper for sweater models. Now today you would never want to answer an ad like that, but back then I met these two New York ladies who were so different than anyone I had ever seen before. They wore eyeliner.

AM: (Laughing) Oh my!

FY: I had worn lipstick but never eyeliner! They were great gals who started training me to model and they sent me to Omaha. I had never been on an airplane yet. After that I started traveling all over the country. That’s how I got out of Minnesota.

AM: You were known for your stunning figure weren’t you?

FY: Well yes, I always had that problem! (laughter)

AM: Where did you go after Minnesota?

FY: I ended up being Miss San Francisco, which was nice. All the TV people there told me I had to go to Hollywood. I was in a gold bathing suit and modeling and in the papers all the time. Then I saw an ad for show girls and decided to try for that at a place called Bimbo’s.

AM: I’ve heard of that place.

FY: It was a very famous place in San Francisco. I was still underage at this time. I wasn’t 21 yet. This was quite an experience! While I was there I met a singer, Mary Meade French. Every Christmas my mother sent me all these Yugoslavian coffee cakes, so I knocked on her door and said, “Miss French, would you like to share some of this?” She had coffee in her room and before you know it we became great friends. It was her manager who brought me down to Hollywood.

AM: What was life in San Francisco like?

FY: I paid $55.00 a month for rent and I had a bed that came down out of the wall. My kitchen overlooked the brick wall of a garage. I had no furniture. I had a turned over orange crate that had a TV set on it, but I sold it for a tape recorder.

AM: Did you get to act while living in San Francisco?

FY: I did a lot of plays while I lived there. I had five or six dresses and wore my shoes out since I walked up and down hills all the time. It was kind of rough.

AM: I bet you were glad to get to Hollywood.

FY: Yes, I got my one little suitcase and went to live with a girlfriend in Hollywood. She took me over to a commercial agent and they put me in a show at the Moulin Rouge where, as a show girl, I made $85.00 a week and my rent was $77.00. I lived above a garage next to Columbia Studios. I did three shows a night so we had to go out after hours.

AM: Who were some of the names who performed there?

FY: People like Jerry Lewis, The Mills Brothers, Sammy Davis Jr., Johnny Ray and Jack Jones. We had a who’s who of entertainers. I would peek out of the upstairs balcony and watch everybody. When I watched Jerry Lewis little did I know that in less than three years I would be doing my first Jerry Lewis film.

AM: How did you get out of the Moulin Rouge and into movies?

FY: I am a real stickler for being on time and I am always on time, but one day the line captain said the next girl that walks in one minute late is fired and I happen to be two minutes late that day so I was fired!

AM: Oh my! How horrible!

FY: Out of the darkness comes the dawn. It turned out to be great. I was in acting school and I was discovered by this German man who thought I was great and put me in my first movie which was the now infamous ‘Secret File: Hollywood.’

AM: That film’s a type of classic now!

FY: I had never been in front of a camera before, but nobody knew it because I had such an extensive stage background. Right after that, I got an agent. I was sent in to meet Jerry and I made 'It’s Only Money.’ That opened the door for me working with many great Hollywood stars.

AM: I bet you were very excited to work with so many Hollywood legends.

FY: I couldn’t believe I was working with actors like David Niven, Marlon Brando and Bob Hope. I watched all them as I was growing up.

AM: You seemed to play a large variety of roles.

FY: I did a variety of parts where I played Italian, French, German and Southern. I had done all these things in school. It’s a lot of work.

AM: Not everyone realizes how much effort goes into being a good actress.

FY: The loneliest part is sitting at home alone and learning your lines and then they change them at the last minute.

AM: I don’t know how you all do that.

FY: Somehow the brain kicks in and you learn them. You have to know and study your craft to keep it going.

AM: What are you doing now?

FY: Right now I’m in the process of writing my book about the trials and tribulations...and the rejection of Hollywood.

AM: How do you handle rejection?

FY: Rejection is rarely about you. They just have somebody else in mind, but they have to look at everyone!

Francine as Marilyn

To learn more about Francine York visit her web site http://www.francineyork.com/

All Photos: Alan Mercer

Named a “Rising Star” Male Vocalist in Downbeat magazine’s 2009 Critics Poll, Tony DeSare has lived up to the distinction by winning critical and popular acclaim for his concert performances throughout the United States, as well as in Australia, Japan and Hong Kong. From jazz clubs to Carnegie Hall to Las Vegas headlining with Don Rickles, Tony has brought his fresh take on old school class around the globe. Tony has three top ten Billboard jazz albums under his belt and has been featured on the CBS Early Show, NPR, the Today Show and his music was even recently posted by social media celebrity juggernaut, George Takei.

The critics agree. “He is two parts Sinatra to one part Billy Joel, meshed seamlessly…. A Sinatra acolyte in his early 30‘s who sings Prince as well as Johnny Mercer,” raved the New York Times. The Wall Street Journal adds its own flattering comparisons, stating, “He is one third Bobby Darin, one third Bobby Short and one third Bobby Kennedy.” Rounding out the accolades is USA Today, proclaiming “DeSare belongs to a group of neo-traditional upstarts stretching from Harry Connick, Jr., to Michael Bublé and Jamie Cullum. DeSare covers old and newer pop and jazz standards without smothering or over-thinking the material.”

Not withstanding his critically acclaimed turns as a singer/pianist, Tony is also an accomplished award-winning composer. He not only won first place in this year’s USA Songwriting Contest, but Tony has also written the theme song for the motion picture ‘My Date With Drew,’ along with several broadcast commercials. His compositions include a wide-range of romantic, funny and soulful tunes that can be found on his top-selling recordings as well as on his YouTube page, which is frequently updated with recordings not available on his current releases.

His latest achievement includes putting together a brand new live show, ‘My Generation: The Contemporary American Songbook,’ which pays tribute to the traditional genius of Gershwin, Berlin, Porter and Kern, while introducing the many great songwriters who created iconic music over the past half century. These new inductees include Ray Charles, Billy Joel, Bob Dylan and Michael McDonald, as well as ‘adopted’ American songwriters like Paul McCartney, Elton John, and Barry Gibb.

Aside from a busy touring schedule throughout the 2013-14 season, Tony’s other major project last year was the October 1st release of his CD titled, ‘PiANO,’ an ambitious album recorded entirely by multi-tracking an acoustic piano into fully orchestrated arrangements.

Tony performs with infectious joy, wry playfulness, and robust musicality. His sound is romantic, swinging and sensual, but what sets Tony apart is his ability to write original material that sounds fresh and contemporary, yet pays homage to the Great American Songbook. As a result, Tony DeSare can deftly glide from a Gershwin standard, to a Dylan or Paul McCartney classic, to one of his inventive original songs.

Tony and his wife Daisy have a son Christopher Anthony, who was born on September 2, 2013.

AM: Tony how did you even come up with the concept for your magnificent new album ‘PiANO’?

TD: It came about because I have a home studio and my manager gave me an assignment to come up with an arrangement of a Bon Jovi song that John might like. I decided to try ‘You Give Love A Bad Name.’ I had just purchased an acoustic piano so I was experimenting and the synth drums and bass sounded cheesy like a cruise ship review, but the piano sounded cool. Then in one instant I thought the piano sounded so great I wish I could just do the whole song like that. So I thought rather than drums why don’t I just hit the side of the piano and rather than a muted guitar why don’t I just mute the strings. Then I went into a mad scientist mode and emerged three days later with the initial demo.

AM: Has anyone else ever done this before?

TD: There has been experimenting with getting different sounds out of the piano but I think mine is the only one that is a combination of the raw piano sounds with a fair amount of sound design with it and making a pop music album out of it.

AM: You made every last sound on the album, right?

TD: Yes, everything you hear except my voice comes out of an acoustic piano. There are no synthesizers, no drums, it’s 100% piano.

AM: The recording really opens up when the listener knows this. It becomes fascinating to listen to.

TD: Thanks, I just thought since I’m associated with a genre that is so traditional, I would try something different and make some new sounds. I’m sure I’ll still make jazz trio recordings as well.

AM: You are at the forefront of your artistry by bridging the past with the future in a unique way.

TD: Nobody is recording Cole Porter with modern recording techniques either. Some of the songs have 80 tracks.

AM: I love what you did with ‘Autumn Leaves.’ You really woke it up!

TD: What I like about that song is when I introduce it people are kind of “Oh Autumn Leaves...yawn.” (Laughter) I love the element of surprise that is unexpected to the ear. It was one of the first songs I learned how to play on piano. It’s a fun song to perform live and I think it works even better live.

AM: Tony as good as your albums are you are an even better live performer.

TD: Thanks, that’s what I’ve done most of my career. I’ve been performing night after night. I’ve learned slowly but surely. My whole purpose every time I perform is to get just a little bit better.

AM: The record you did before was a concept album as well. Do you like the idea of concept albums?

TD: I hadn’t really thought about it. What happens is I get an idea that I’m passionate about, so with my last record, ‘Radio Show’ I had been listening to the old Frank Sinatra World War 2 era recordings when he had a weekly radio show. It was all live and he would sing songs that were hits at the time. He would do songs that he didn’t record. I realized nobody thinks of music that way anymore since television came along. So I got lit up by this idea.

AM: I’m glad you cover songs that are less likely for you to record.

TD: I just like to do songs that I like.

AM: Is that how you choose what songs to cover?

TD: Yes I have loved the Journey song ‘Faithfully’ since I was eight years old.

AM: You really do that one good but I have to mention how wonderful your original compositions are. You have quite a knack for melody.

TD: Thanks, it’s fun to be able to share these songs. In the context of what I’m doing now, I mix them with these other songs that are classics.

AM: They fit in perfectly.

TD: I hope they do. At first I wondered if I should do a Cole Porter song and then something I just wrote. I let my audience be my teacher so I try it and let them tell me if it works or not. So the audience really encouraged me to keep it up.

AM: Are you liking being an independent artist?

TD: Yes I am liking it a lot. First of all I like owning my own recordings and what I do sell I can make money from. Record deals are constructed where it’s hard to make any money. I feel lucky to have the run that I’ve had.

AM: You’ve got the kind of career that you can be 70 and still going strong.

TD: Yes, I feel like it’s a slow burn. I love doing my music so much I hope I can continue to do it for a long time.

AM: Tony, you are here to stay.

TD: Well, I’m determined to stay.

AM: You’re a family man now so that must make life different.

TD: It sure does. I’ve been on the road a week and a half and I don’t think I’ve ever missed being home more. That’s a different feeling. In the last ten years I’ve been on the road and wherever I was, that was home. Now my wife tells me all the things my son did this past week, so to miss that is not easy, but on the other hand I have to pay the bills and it’s what I do.

To learn more about Tony DeSare visit his web site http://www.tonydesare.com/

All Photos: Alan Mercer

Feisty, hard-working, famously liberal, with the trademark blonde hair, actress Sally Kirkland has certainly made an indelible mark on Hollywood history. Born in New York City, her mother was the fashion editor at Vogue magazine. Sally began her career on the off-Broadway circuit and trained under Lee Strasberg in the 1960's. It was not long before she made her transition into Hollywood movies, gaining more recognizable roles as the decade progressed. Sally's first role in a high profile film came in ‘The Sting,’ playing the role of "Crystal". Throughout the 1970's, Sally remained very busy in a variety of roles in movies such as the made-for-television ‘The Kansas City Massacre,’ ‘Breakheart Pass,’ 'The Way We Were,' and ‘Private Benjamin.’

Her work in the 1980's was mainly seen in movies including 'Paint It Black' and 'High Stakes' opposite Kathy Bates. Sally appeared in the martial arts drama 'Best of the Best' opposite Eric Roberts and James Earl Jones. There were also roles in TV soap opera, 'General Hospital' in 1982, and 'Falcon Crest' in 1983. Amidst all of this, Sally managed to garner critical & commercial acclaim and an Oscar nomination for her role as a struggling Czech has-been actress in 'Anna.' The New York-set drama proved an exceptional vehicle for Sally's talent. Sally won the Golden Globe and the Independent Spirit awards for her lead role. Although she did not win the Academy Award, the role is often remembered as Sally's best and most challenging role to date.

In the 1990's, Sally appeared in many films. She spent more time on television in TV movies or guest appearances, and appeared in many feature films, as well. 'The Haunted' is worth mentioning for featuring Sally in a central role based on actual events. She also surprised many with her role in the erotic thriller 'In the Heat of Passion,' playing a wealthy housewife who strips down for some passionate scenes with Jsu Garcia. In the same vein, Sally teamed up with erotic thriller connoisseur Andrew Stevens for 'Double Threat,' playing a washed-up actress involved with a double-crossing younger husband. Sally also appeared in a small role in the major feature 'JFK.' Her television guest appearances include 'Murder, She Wrote' in 1995, 'The Nanny' in 1996 and 'Felicity' in 1999. She played Barbara Healy on 'Roseanne.'

From 2000 onward, Sally's roles in film changed noticeably. She became involved in many independent movies on the film festival circuit. Notable films include the short movie 'Audit,''The Rose Technique,''Mango Kiss' and 'Coffee Date.' Many of her appearances highlight her liberal attitude towards contemporary social issues.

Also an artist, she has her own gallery in Los Angeles displaying her unique work. She resides in Los Angeles. Looking great, Sally still sports her trademark blonde hair and, after over 150 film appearances, shows no sign of letting up.

AM: Sally, you have been making short films lately. What do you think about them?

SK: I believe in short films. I believe in a short amount of time you can really open the heart. I’ve won three Best Actress and three Lifetime Achievement awards for the film, ‘Posey.’ It’s been a real good luck charm for me.

AM: What is the story about?

SK: The character Posey has Alzheimers and her granddaughter is trying to get her into assisted living and she really doesn’t want to go. She has a break down scene with her granddaughter and she doesn’t like anyone there so Posey disappears and goes to the beach and falls asleep. There she has a dream that she is the star of a Bollywood film. Everyone in the assisted living home is in the dream and Posey falls in love with all of them in the dream. After that experience she opens her heart to everyone around her instead of being closed off and fearful.

AM: That sounds like an emotional and ultimately feel good film. You’ve had your own transformations in life too haven’t you?

SK: Yes, when I was a kid I did too much LSD. To cut to the chase, I was pronounced dead from a suicide attempt. I was sitting on the ledge of the thirteenth floor of a building and trying to jump. I’d taken a hundred pills. I ended up on the pavement of Fifth Avenue right outside Jackie Kennedy’s building. My heart and lungs stopped. They said last rites. When I came out of that I immediately got into yoga at the Intrigual Yoga Institute and eight years later was ordained as a minister of light in the Church of The Movement of Spiritual Inner Awareness. There was a transformation that happened ironically like Posey. She has all this rage in her and then has this experience of unconditional love.

AM: What was it like growing up in such an affluent atmosphere?

SK: It was incredible! My father was Main Line Philadelphia, he wanted me to be a debutante so I was a debutante at the Waldorf Astoria Cotillion. I went to an all girls prep school. My mother was the fashion editor of Vogue in the Forties and then became the fashion editor and senior editor of LIFE under Henry Luce for twenty years. She was the first person, along with photographer Irving Penn to put multiple models on one page at Vogue. Up until then you saw one model on a page like a stick figure. My mother said let’s get some step ladders and put all the models around. She was the first person to show the no bra look, the mini skirt, Italian fashions, hippie chic, etc.

AM: Did you ever model for your Mother?

SK: She always put me in front of the cameras and I was very shy. Irving Penn took a photo of me that was in Vogue. I was a celebrity kid model and a runway model. I never made any money from it but I was always in front of the camera which led to the acting.

AM: Your Mother must have known everyone.

SK: Yes, she would hang out with Jackie Onassis, Grace Kelly, Audrey Hepburn, Picasso and Dior. Andy Warhol had a crush on her. It was a hard act to follow.

AM: Did she ever ask your opinion of pop culture?

SK: She’d call me up and say, “Come to the office dear. Who are these Mopheads?” I said, “Are you kidding? Those are the BEATLES! Just put them on the cover of LIFE and be done with it.” So I was the one who talked them into featuring the Beatles, Elvis Presley and Bob Dylan, etc. They counted on me to represent my generation. So that’s what it was like growing up with her.

Some of Sallys' paintings in her home

AM: So you’ve influenced the masses with your opinions.

SK: I'm not sure about influencing the masses, but the editors of LIFE definitely listened to me.

AM: How do you stay grounded?

SK: Well, I watch baseball and I meditate. My biggest nemesis in life is I can’t stand being bored.

More of Sallys' paintings in her bedroom

AM: Perhaps that’s why you overindulged in drugs at times.

SK: I only did cocaine once in 1976 with Bob Dylan and that was enough to teach me, but when I was a kid, no one knew about LSD. I was an experiment with the doctors. Once I started having those experiences I started doing bad acid off the street. Then I got in trouble.

AM: What changed in you and saved you?

SK: At the point where I had a nervous breakdown I needed to know that Christ existed. I had been brought up believing in Christ and then I didn’t believe anymore because my father fired my black nurse and broke her heart. I thought, what is all this religion stuff if people don’t have a fair shot because of the color of their skin? So, before I went to the thirteenth story to jump I went to a church to have a conversation with Jesus Christ. I needed a miracle or I wanted out. I was told that by the time I made it to the Metropolitan Hospital in Harlem I was brain dead so it was a miracle. That was a huge turning point for me.

AM: That’s understandable.

SK: In the Church of The Movement of Spiritual Awareness in which I am Reverend Sally Kirkland, we believe "out of God comes all creation" and "no soul is lost". I’ve been on that path since 1973. It’s very much my priority in life. Initially acting was my priority now Spirit is my priority.

AM: That was a good shift.

SK: A lot of people who know me well tell me, "had I not picked such an intense spiritual path I may have been a much more famous actress because that would have been my whole focus". I had such a life changing experience that life became, for me, about wanting to give back. I grew up in the Sixties and a third of my friends didn’t make it out of the Sixties. During the Sixties, there was a Sexual Revolution in the Arts. In 1968 I became the first nude actress in American Theater in Terrence McNally’s play ‘Sweet Eros.’ That was before ‘Hair’ and ‘Oh Calcutta.’ The New York Times called me and asked, "Why?" I said, "I'm opposed to the Vietnam War and you can't carry a gun on a naked body." They had cops lined up at the back of the theater every night.

AM: That is just remarkable Sally. Since you mentioned spirituality being your priority, I’m curious what your concept of God is?

SK: God is love. He's in you, me and everyone. God is all creation. I believe in the cessation of againstness. There is radical forgiveness like when Jesus forgave the murderer on his right and left while on the cross. I was brought up in a traditional Episcopalian religion, my path now is inclusive of all paths. Christ still sits at the head of the church, but there is Buddha, Alla and Krishna, all the different beings who held the light.

AM: How long have you been on this path?

SK: I’ve been on this path since 1973 and it took me until 1988 to get all the initiations of going through my emotional karma, my mental karma, my imagination karma and finally the soul. There are 27 levels above soul that I’m still working my way through. I believe in looking for ways to serve humanity. I belong to an organization called ‘Heartfelt Foundation’ and we go to the home bound, the at risk and the dying. I’ve been trained as a care-taker for patients with AIDS, heart disease and cancer.

To learn more about Sally Kirkland visit her web site http://www.sallykirkland.com/

All Photos: Alan Mercer Lighting: Eric V.

Jaye P. Morgan made a recording of ‘Life Is Just a Bowl of Cherries’ which made it to the Top 10 in the U.S. Billboard record chart a few months after graduating from high school. Soon after, she received an RCA Victor recording contract where she had five hits in one year, including ‘That's All I Want from You,’ her biggest hit, which reached #3 on the charts. Other notable hits include ‘The Longest Walk’ and ‘Pepper Hot Baby.’

From 1954 to 1955, Jaye P. was a vocalist on the television show ‘Stop the Music.’ In November 1955, the British music magazine, NME, reported that Jaye P. Morgan was the top female vocalist in the U.S. Cash Box poll. In 1956, she had her own television program, named for her, and made guest appearances on a number of other variety shows. She was a charter member of the Robert Q. Lewis "gang" on Lewis's weekday program on CBS, and was featured on a special episode of ‘The Jackie Gleason Show’ in which Lewis's entire company substituted for the vacationing Gleason. In 1958, Jaye P. appeared on ABC's ‘The Pat Boone Chevy Showroom.’ On October 6, 1960, she guest starred on NBC's ‘The Ford Show,’ Starring Tennessee Ernie Ford.

In the 1970’s, Morgan was a panelist on the game/variety shows ‘The Gong Show’ and ‘Rhyme and Reason’ and ‘Match Game’ and in the 1980 "behind-the-scenes" movie version of ‘The Gong Show.’

During her post Gong Show days, Jaye P. Morgan returned to live performances focusing on her new club act and the theatrical stage. She starred in the 1981-1982 national tour of ‘Sugar Babies’ and starred in the role of Miss Mona in ‘The Best Little Whorehouse In Texas’ from Atlantic City with co-star George Maharis and for Pittsburgh Civic Light Opera. Jaye P. has also starred in productions of ‘Nunsense,’ ‘Miss Margarida’s Way,’ and ‘The Fabulous Palm Springs Follies.’

Her film credits include ‘The All-American Boy’ with Jon Voight, ‘Loose Shoes,’ ‘The Gong Show Movie,’ ‘Night Patrol,’ and the 2002 Miramax release of ‘Confessions Of A Dangerous Mind,’ directed by George Clooney.

AM: You started off your life as a singer didn’t you?

JPM: I was a child of three when I started singing.

AM: Your whole family was into show business weren’t they?

JPM: Yes I had five brothers but I worked with four of them. My Dad put me on stage when I was three and told me to sing. He’d teach me certain songs and I’d sing them. It was that simple.

AM: Where was this taking place?

JPM: In Colorado where I was born in a log cabin. This was during the depression.

AM: So it was very normal for you.

JPM: Yes that was my childhood. I thought everybody sang. Everybody in my family sang. I was always surrounded by music. It was a nice family to grow up in. It was easy to go on the road with the boys.

AM: Did it feel natural when you started singing on your own?

JPM: Yes, I was thirteen after the war ended and I started singing with groups. I knew I was going to be a singer because it’s all I knew how to do.

AM: Did you dream of being a singer as an artist or did you want to be a star?

JPM: I thought about being a singer. I never thought about being a famous star. By the time I got busy enough to be “somebody” I never had time to think. I moved to New York when I was 23 and started doing television shows. I was always working.

AM: Did you enjoy working with Perry Como?

JPM: I thought it was wonderful because my Mother was in love with him. I brought her to the show and she was all over him. She was taken with him and thought a lot of me because I worked with him.

AM: What did you think of Perry Como?

JPM: I loved him. He was a nice man.

AM: Your music from that time was considered pop but I hear a boogie woogie quality in it.

JPM: I always liked African American performers. Those are the people I listened too. Ella Fitzgerald and Billie Holiday were my trainers.

AM: I can believe that. Did people ever tell you that you sounded African American?

JPM: Yes, they told me that all the time. I was so surprised. I couldn’t believe it.

AM: I have to say your 1976 album produced by David Foster may be the best album he ever produced! Was that the beginning of his career?

JPM: Yes that was the first album he ever produced.

AM: Did you think of him as an exceptionally gifted producer?

JPM: Absolutely, I knew he was going all the way to the top.

AM: It really is a stunning record.

JPM: I’m surprised you even know about it.

AM: I know it very well. Your voice is unbelievable.

JPM: Thank you, I was really in shape vocally, when I recorded that one. I thought I could do anything I wanted to. Also I had a lot of confidence in him as a producer.

AM: It’s such a soulful album.

JPM: I tried to make it that way and I loved David’s work. We got along very well. We used the best musicians in the world. It’s all A list musicians. David worked with all those guys.

AM: By this time you were deep into a television career. I LOVE you on ‘The Muppet Show!’ Did you enjoy that?

JPM: It was really fun! Jim Hensen was a wonderful, nice man. I liked him a lot. I loved the Muppets. They were so sharp and witty.

AM: That is really a pop culture milestone. The other milestone people know you from is ‘The Gong Show.’ Everyone still knows ‘The Gong Show’ like it was on TV yesterday.

JPM: I can’t imagine how they know it. It’s not running anyplace is it?

AM: I don’t think so, but it’s also on Youtube. That show was notorious in some ways.

JPM: Yes it was notorious.

AM: What was your experience of that?

JPM: I had a ball because I could do anything I wanted to. Of course I got fired for it.

AM: I remember that, but why did you get fired?

JPM: Because I opened my blouse and I don’t wear a bra so there I was. Chuck asked me not to do that anymore because the standards and practice guy went crazy so I said I wouldn’t but I forgot! In the heat of the battle I did it again!

AM: The show didn’t last without you.

JPM: No it didn’t. It went off the air six weeks later.

AM: There are clips of you on ‘My Three Sons’ and ‘The Odd Couple.’ Do you remember filming those shows?

JPM: Yes I do. I remember Tony Randall being full of drama.

AM: I’ve heard many stories about him being difficult.

JPM: Oh he was a pain in the ass...but not with me. I would have slammed him anyway. I didn’t care.

AM: I saw you on ‘The Dating Game’ too!

JPM: I hardly remember that show.

AM: Do you remember if you went on the date?

JPM: No I didn’t go. I told them I would only do the show if I didn’t have to go on a date.

AM: You really got a lot of experience working on ‘Stop The Music’ I bet.

JPM: I did that as I was doing ‘The Robert Q. Lewis Show.’ On ‘Stop The Music’ they would have you sing and then stop the song a few bars in. My agent was mortified that they would do that. He went to the producers and arranged they would never stop me in the middle of a song. It was embarrassing.

AM: How long have you been retired?

JPM: I retired about four years ago.

AM: Have you been enjoying your life since retirement?

JPM: Very much.

AM: You look happy, healthy and radiant!

JPM: Well, I feel great.

AM: What’s a typical day like for you now?

JPM: I have to go to the market and do things like that.

AM: Do you cook?

JPM: A bit. I walk in the morning. I keep myself busy.

AM: Do you miss not singing?

JPM: No, I am fulfilled. I started at three. It’s over for me.

AM: Now you just get to be “you for you” instead of “on” for everybody.

JPM: Exactly. It’s very comforting to not have to get my hair and make-up done and all dressed up to go perform. Just keeping your body up for that kind of schedule is trying. Now I don’t ever sing or even hum.

AM: Do you listen to music?

JPM: I do listen to music. Jacob Collier is a talented young man on Youtube. He’s only 19 years old but he is exceptional. He is astounding and brilliant. I like him. He’s from England. He’s magnificent. He’s really a genius.

To learn more about Jaye P. Morgan visit her web site http://jayepmorgan.com

All Photos: Alan Mercer Lighting: Eric V.

The founding member of ‘The Pointer Sisters,’ Bonnie Pointer began her performing career in San Francisco nightclubs in 1969. Soon joined by youngest sister June, then by elder sisters Ruth and Anita, ‘The Pointer Sisters’ released a string of hits on Blue Thumb, trailblazing from genre to genre, including funk and jazz, and won their first Grammy award for the country song ‘Fairytale,’ written by Anita and Bonnie, which would be recorded by Elvis Presley two years before his death.

Bonnie Pointer was born in Oakland, California. She began singing in the choir of her father Reverend Elton Pointer's church. Bonnie and youngest sister June began singing together as teenagers and in 1969 the duo had co-founded The Pointers, otherwise known as ‘The Pair.’ After Anita joined the duo that same year, they changed their name to ‘The Pointer Sisters’ and recorded several singles for Atlantic Records between 1971 and 1972. In December 1972, they recruited oldest sister Ruth and released their debut album as ‘The Pointer Sisters’ in 1973. Their self-titled debut yielded the classic hit ‘Yes We Can Can.’

Between 1973 and 1977, the Pointers' donned 1940‘s fashions and sang in a style reminiscent of ‘The Andrews Sisters.’ They also melded the sounds of R&B, funk, rock and roll, gospel, country and soul. Bonnie recorded five albums with ‘The Pointer Sisters.’

In 1977, Bonnie left the group to begin a solo career. In 1978, she married Motown Records Producer Jeffrey Bowen and signed with Motown. Bonnie released ‘Heaven Must Have Sent You,’ which reached No. 11 on Billboard Hot 100 chart. Her debut album is considered a classic and includes beautiful ballads written by Bonnie.

In 1979 Bonnie released her second and final album on Motown. Her third album ‘If The Price is Right’ came out in 1984. Bonnie sings the songs ‘Heaven’ and ‘The Beast in Me’ on the soundtrack to the movie ‘Heavenly Bodies.’ In 2010 Bonnie released her fourth album titled ‘Like A Picasso.’ Every soul filled cut on the album stands out.

Bonnie continues to perform today with some upcoming gigs this summer and fall. She reunited with her sisters on two separate occasions, when the group received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 1994, and during a Las Vegas performance in 1996 singing ‘Jump (for My Love).’ It’s no secret that Bonnie has suffered through substance abuse issues over the years but she has found the help she needs through her family and is working hard to stay sober and healthy at this time in her life. Bonnie has always been a vivacious, beautiful and intelligent woman with a lot of musical talent. I love her!

A special THANK YOU to Roxie McKain and Gregeory Batsch

AM: Bonnie, I get the feeling that you are very free spirited and what you see is what you get.

BP: Exactly.

AM: I also know you are the one who started ‘The Pointer Sisters.’ What gave you the belief that you all could make it as pop stars?

BP: I knew I didn’t want to work a regular 9 to 5 job. I wanted to do something that I like to do. I am an entertainer and I’ve always done that since I was a little girl. My Mother always used to tell me to dance for her friends. When my parents went to church, me and my sisters would get up on the coffee table and sing. We would use a pie pan as a tambourine. Then, when I was in high school someone told me I could sing. I never thought I really could. I would sing along with Marvin Gaye and Tammi Terrell. So when they told me I could sing I started to believe them.

AM: You’re a great singer Bonnie.

BP: I love singing. I love entertaining. We sang with Sylvester once on a gay cruise. We had the best time.

AM: Who else did you work with?

BP: Alice Cooper, Grace Jones, Grace Slick, Janis Joplin, Taj Mahal, Dave Mason, Elvin Bishop, Boz Scaggs and Bobby Womack. It’s been a fun life. We played the Fillmore West and the Fillmore East.

AM: You were really driven to be a performer weren’t you?

BP: It was desperation. I wanted out of the ghetto. I wasn’t even in the ghetto really, but I still wanted out. I was smarter than the average student and I went to Mills College at Berkeley University of Arts and Crafts at an early age. I was ahead of my time. I wrote poetry with Angela Davis. We started the Black Panthers party in Oakland. Huey Newton was my boyfriend.

AM: There are so many stories that people don’t know about.

BP: I’m just remembering all these things because I don’t work as hard as I used to so I have time to sit back and reflect. It’s so fun to think back about all the shows we were on like Carol Burnett, Flip Wilson and Helen Reddy.

AM: The Helen Reddy Show was your television debut.

BP: Yes it was. We also did the Cher show and went on tour with Carol Burnett. We had the greatest time!

AM: The concert you did in South Africa when you went with Muhammad Ali is out on DVD now.

BP: On the way to Zaire, James Brown tried to kill Bill Withers with a butcher knife while we were on the plane, over Denise Nicholas. It was us, Sister Sledge and the Spinners and we were all screaming, “No!” We were in that plane for 27 hours. Muhammad Ali was waiting for us every day to go watch him at training camp. We were saying, “I hope Muhammad Ali isn’t waiting for us. Please don’t let him be there.” We wanted to go shopping! (Laughter) Ultimately it was all fun. I look back now and I really appreciate it all. At the time we were just moving so fast traveling all over the world.

AM: How did you all get into that vintage 40‘s look?

BP: Anita was a legal secretary and Ruth was a key punch operator at the toll gate in San Francisco. We had to go to church and all they wanted was for us to get saved. I told them I wasn’t ready to get saved. I had a little more sinning I wanted to do! (Laughter) I told the women at my father’s church that I wanted to wear their old sinful clothes, the ones they wore going to the Cotton Club. I wanted to wear those dresses. So we went to the Old Saints Church and raided the closet and got all those "sinning clothes" out. We wore them on the cover of our first album. So we started getting thrift store clothes that I wore to school all the time because we couldn’t afford the things that I liked.

AM: How did the people at school react to your fashion choices?

BP: I was always getting kicked out of school for being over-dressed. I would wear a hat and look like Bette Davis or Greta Garbo. I got kicked out all the time for disturbing the peace in the class. The kids would laugh at me. I was the first one in my class with an afro.

AM: Did you like the 40‘s music too?

BP: I heard Lambert, Hendricks & Ross and liked that 40‘s sound.

AM: How did you get your first break?

BP: We were stuck in Texas one time and I found a card I had, so I called David Rubinson and Bill Graham. I told them they had never heard of me, but my sisters and I can sing. If you get us out of here I’ll show you. They sent us plane tickets the next day and all of a sudden we were Elvin Bishops’ back-up group. That’s how we got our start.

AM: Bonnie you recorded the standard ‘Black Coffee’ when you were very young. How did you even understand the emotion you were singing about?

BP: I always felt older than I was. I’m an old soul.

AM: Would you consider a project where you recorded some old standards now?

BP: Absolutely! I love it! I’m such a drama queen, you have no idea! I love the drama of a smokey blue club. I want to be draped across a piano. I’m a living Erte’. I would love to do a club show in West Hollywood every week.

AM: You could do that or you could do dance music.

BP: Did you know ‘Heaven Must Have Sent You’ was the very first digital recording?

AM: No.

BP: I got the first Billboard award ever at Roseland in New York.

AM: Did you want to record ‘Heaven Must Have Sent You’?

BP: Yes I wanted to do it as a dance song. The Elgins recorded it first. I heard the Village People sing ‘YMCA’ so that gave me the idea to sing it like that. That’s where we got the rhythm and the beat. So I called up Berry Gordy and told him that’s what we had to do. I didn’t know I was going to scat. That was impromptu. I just did it in the moment out of inspiration. Aretha’s sister Carolyn Franklin sang background for me on the song. She was the only other singer on my album. I did all the other vocals.

AM: I’d love you to record an album of your own ballads as well.

BP: I would love to do that.

AM: How do you feel these days Bonnie? You seem like you are feeling good and doing good.

BP: I feel wonderful! I’m in a program that will be finished in September. I’m working at the Eisenhower Theater in New York. I’m working, writing, walking and exercising and trying to stay healthy. My niece Roxie is helping me. She is my savior and I love her. I don’t even know how to express how thankful I am to have her in my life and how much I love her.

All Photos: Alan Mercer

Thaao Penghlis was born and raised in Sydney, Australia to Greek parents. After high school, he moved to New York City. While studying art history and fashion he was encouraged to pursue a career in drama by acting coach and theater director, Milton Katselas. Thaao made his stage debut in the critically-acclaimed play, ‘Jockeys.’ He has appeared in several movies, television shows, and travels all over the world, including such places as Egypt, Israel, Jordan, and back home to Australia.

Thaao Penghlis first appeared to daytime audiences in 1981 on ‘General Hospital’ during the Ice Princess saga when he played the role of Victor Cassadine. After his character was written out of the show, by being taken to prison, he was cast as the villainous Count Tony DiMera in the NBC daytime drama ‘Days of Our Lives.’ Thaao returned to daytime in his one-time role of Victor Cassadine of ‘General Hospital’ from January 30th 2014 to March 4, 2014. He has also been a regular on ‘Santa Barbara.’

Thaao starred in the 1980's revival of ‘Mission: Impossible,’ which was filmed in his native Australia. Thaao Penghlis' role as actor, makeup artist, and voice impersonator Nicholas Black in the revival was a counterpart to Martin Landau's "Rollin Hand" and Leonard Nimoy's "The Great Paris."

In 2003, Thaao was nominated for the ‘Soap Opera Digest Award’ for ‘Favorite Return’ for his return to the cast of ‘Days of our Lives.’ He left the show in the fall of 2005. He returned to Days in May, 2007 to reprise the role of the dastardly Andre DiMera. He also began reprising the role of nice guy Tony DiMera in July, 2007. Thaao was nominated for "Outstanding Leading Actor" at the ‘Daytime Emmy Awards’ in 2008. In 2009, Thaaos' character was once again written out by having him die. In 2010 he returned to stage acting, performing in New Jersey's Cape May Stage Theatre.

Thaao enjoyed tea for two with Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis, carried the mythical Gloria Swanson into a Hollywood acting class and fitted Robert Redford for a suit. The former career diplomat pursued the curious and complex path of an actor's life to fund his unyielding desire for spiritual & exotic travel. His newest book, ‘Places: The Journey of My Days, My Lives’ will be published this Jule 2014. With the fervor of an archeologist and the passion of a seeker, Thaao takes readers with him on spectacluar adventures as he crosses Egypt's Sinai Desert, ascends Mt. Moses, is cleansed in a remarkable and shocking ritual in Havana, crashes in a balloon ride over the Valley of the Kings in Luxor and navigates the behind the scenes drama of daytime television, often more sudsy and tumultuous than what appeared on screen. This compelling and candid memoir weaves his deep Greek and Australian heritage with Hollywood escapades and captivating spiritual journeys to places few travel. Thaao is currently back filming on ‘General Hospital’ right now. A self-described citizen of the world, Thaao makes his permanent home in the hills of Los Angeles, California.

AM: I’d love to hear about your upcoming book Thaao, like where did you get the idea from?

TP: I thought to myself, where did the idea of my journeys come from? I think it came from the director of a play called ‘Class’ I did on the east coast. The director heard about my journeys so he suggested I do ‘an evening’ where we invite people and it will be a support for the theater, so I said, “OK.” Suddenly it dawned on me, “What was I going to talk about?”

AM: Are you able to remember all your journeys?

TP: It’s easy to recall my journeys but when you are on the spot how do you tell stories? How do you make it interesting? So I made a list of all the things I wanted to talk about. We filled the house with what we thought was an hour and fifteen minute show, but it was now two and a half hours.

AM: Where do you even start?

TP: I remembered Cavafy, the poet who had the story of Ithica. This is the poem Jacqueline Kennedy wanted recited at her funeral. It’s about one’s journey in life. This is about my journey and the beginnings and where I’ve reached so far. So I began talking about it. I knew the poem by heart and started like that, going into my journey to Israel.

AM: I bet you have some amazing stories from there.

TP: That’s where I was surrounded by Mossad agents who thought I was a terrorist. I embarrassed them by cutting to the chase when they realized I was a celebrity there because of NBC.

AM: I bet they were feeling foolish.

TP: I stopped wearing black when I went into airports after that. So the idea of the book came from going on these journeys.

AM: Had you written before?

TP: I had written eight short stories because I was going to do a series with Discovery. Cut to two years later and I have written twenty-five chapters. My publisher heard about my stories of meeting people like John Gielgud, Lillian Gish and Robert Redford and when she heard about my journey from Australia she told me I had to write it down.

AM: So did you write a short version of what became the book?

TP: I ended up writing a twenty-eight page story. It was amazing to recall.

AM: Who will be able to relate to your book?

TP: We all want to journey somewhere. Some people are couch travelers, but there are others who really want to get into it. I call them the great lovers of life. They are the ones who really want to go into the unknown. That’s what the book is about. It’s about all the spiritual journeys I have had.

AM: What is the title?

TP: The title of the book is ‘Places’ and I love that because it’s not a word you ever use on it’s own. It took me a year to get a meeting with the publisher because she was so busy.

AM: Did you have the book already outlined in your mind?

TP: I didn’t really know what the concept of the book would be until I wrote my journey to America, then everything else fell into place.

AM: Did you write about your time on 'Days Of Our Lives?’

TP: I had a bad taste in my mouth from ‘Days’ because of the way they always killed me off so violently, but my publisher told me I had to write about it, so I said, “OK.” How do you tell a story that didn’t feel complete?

AM: So how did you start this part of the story?

TP: My voice mail had a message from the show’s producer and I knew that was never good news, so instead of listening to it, I went to Cuba and went with a Babalawo priest of the Santaria religion, which originated in Egypt in ancient times.

AM: Yes I have heard of them before.

TP: He told me I had a knife in my back and he had to cleanse me. I didn’t understand what he meant so he stripped me naked and got a chicken to absorb all the negative energy.

AM: That must have been a unique experience.

TP: It was an amazing experience. The chicken died in his hands absorbing the negative energy that was put on me.

AM: Did you feel uplifted after this?

TP: Oh, felt so light afterwards. Then he told me I had much to look forward to and I had much to confront. So I called back the producer and he told me the usual...that I would be dying again. So I thought this would be an interesting way to get into the story of ‘Days.’ Most of the book deals with my journeys to the Middle East and those dangerous situations.

AM: Weren’t you ever scared in your travels?

TP: I could have been killed so many times but I never thought about death.

To learn more about Thaao Penghlis visit his web site http://www.thaaopenghlis.com/id2.htm

Cover Painting by Luca Morici

Canadian Singer Khea Emmanuel recently self released her latest recording, simply titled ‘Khea’ expertly produced by her father Leroy Emmanuel and Robert Beacon. This album, on the whole, is quite admirable and Khea shows great promise as a life long performer and musical artist.

The seven cut CD is sheer bliss from the opening drum beat of Cole Porter’s 1932 song ‘Night And Day’ to the closing notes of the popular 1930 song ‘Body And Soul.’ Book ending the album with these two cuts seems like the perfect way to begin and end the musical journey. The CD is music for night and day and for body and soul. This is a real ambient music record, full of lush, slowly shifting sounds. By definition an ambient record is meant to be able to function as aural wallpaper and be fascinating to listen to at the same time. ‘Khea’ never lapses into background music. The arrangements and Khea’s stunning vocals allows the listener to really hear every nuance.

Khea delivers a tender and vulnerable treatment of the Sade classic, ‘Is It A Crime.’ It really takes a lot of courage to sing a song so closely associated with another contemporary artist, but Khea pulls it off like the song was written for her. This is the most modern song on the album and it fits right in.

She provides a warm and gentle take of the 1937 Richard Rodgers and Lorenz Hart standard ‘My Funny Valentine.’ Considering how many artists have covered this jazz standard, appearing on over 1300 albums performed by over 600 artists, it’s a wonder when anyone can make it sound fresh and vital, but Khea does just that.

Fast forward to 1979 with the Michael Jackson penned ‘I Can’t Help It’ from his ‘Off The Wall’ album. Perhaps this is a tribute to the late Superstar and if so then Mr. Jackson is smiling down from Heaven very happy with Khea’s rendition.

What collection of jazz standards would be complete without a Duke Ellington selection? Khea and her team have picked a real winner in the 1932 composition, ‘Sophistocated Lady’ with a gorgeous flute solo opening the number. 1955’s ‘Whatever Lola Wants’ from ‘Damn Yankees’ is next and it displays the singer's playful vocals. Khea has done the unimaginable with these two cuts by making me forget these recordings by two of my favorite legendary performers, Ella Fitzgerald and Sarah Vaughn.

When Khea sings, ‘I’d gladly surrender myself to you, body and soul,’ you know she has, with this dynamic recording. Khea is still very young but sings like someone twice her age. She's capable of deep spiritual and musical depth. Her voice is powerful, vulnerable and yearning, a combination that very few people can manage, and she has great control. The CD has the power to haunt and stun at the same time. This collection of jazz, show tunes and pop oldies never sounded better.

All Photos: Alan Mercer

The music of Grammy-nominated Singer/Songwriter Kenny Lattimore reflects the best of all worlds because he combines the timeless sounds of traditional R&B with his own unique contemporary flair to create a universal sound that transcends boundaries and appeals to audiences of all ages, races and genres. His body of work, which includes hits such as ‘Never Too Busy’ and the Grammy-nominated ‘For You,’ has garnered two Gold-selling albums, the NAACP Image Award For Best New Artist as well as nominations from The Soul Train and Stellar Awards.

The music of Kenny Lattimore powerfully connects with the hearts of women and the minds of men. Considered a “Modern Soul Man” by the New York Times, Kenny has received rave reviews for his dramatic stage shows, musical sensuality and a vocal agility perfectly coupled with a compelling subtlety. He performed the duet ‘Love Will Find A Way’ With Heather Headley that was featured in ‘The Lion King II: Simba’s Pride.’ He And Chanté Moore recorded the Marvin Gaye/Tammi Terrell Duet ‘You’re All I Need To Get By’ that was chosen as the theme song for the BET show, ‘The Family Crews.’

Much Like John Legend, Lionel Richie, Frank Sinatra And Aaron Neville, his artistically respected music defies categorization and attracts racially mixed audiences in widely varied settings, such as Jazz Festivals, Adult Contemporary Events, R&B Tours and All-American Musical Gatherings. He is currently completing a new album and preparing for a world tour.

His charismatic personality and powerful presence have also made him an in-demand actor of film, stage and screen and a captivating motivational speaker. He has appeared in movies such as ‘The Seat Filler’ and The Kim Fields-Directed ‘Holiday Love’ and The Gospel Music Channel’s ‘A Cross To Bear.’ His Television credits include ‘The Young And The Restless,’ ‘Moesha,’ ‘The Parkers’ and ‘Abby.’ In his theatrical journey, he has starred alongside reality sensation NeNe Leakes, singer Angie Stone and supermodel Tyson Beckford in the hit play, ‘Loving Him Is Killing Me.’ He joined Vanessa Bell Calloway, Dorien Wilson and Jackee in The Don B. Welch productions of ‘Heavenbound’ and ‘A Change Is Gonna Come.’

The single father combines movie-star good looks with a strong sense of family and responsibility. He’s a positive role model for young men of all races and is dedicated to using his life and platform as a tool to inspire others to pursue excellence and focus on the right priorities in life. He is committed to elevating the conversation about art, culture, family and faith.

He is driven by a mission to show the "Strong, But Sensitive And Caring Side Of Black Men." It is a message that isn’t just needed for black men, but for all men who are receiving a barrage of mixed messages in today’s society.

In 2009, he was the spokesman for the ASHE Foundation, which provides shoes and basic necessities to African children. In 2011, he established ‘The Kenny Lattimore Foundation’ to transform the lives of young people through mentoring, education and the Arts. He supports ‘The United Negro College Fund’ and participated in The 2011 UNCF Empower Me Tour.

His love and music and philosophies of faith and positivity were instilled during his childhood in Washington, D.C., where he grew up singing in the church and talent shows and studying classical and chamber music. He won The Honor Of Maryland Distinguished Scholar For Performing Arts and then studied architecture and planning at Howard University. While in college, he joined the group ‘Maniquin,’ which was signed to Epic Records.

He launched a solo career with The 1996 Columbia Records self-titled album that contained the hits ‘Never Too Busy’ and ‘For You,’ which remains a staple at weddings around the world. The album achieved Gold Status and an ‘NAACP Image Award’ for Best New Artist. Next came the 1998 popular album, ‘From The Soul Of Man,’ another gold-certified album that received critical acclaim for its classical styling on hits such as ‘Days Like This’ and ‘If I Lose My Woman.’ He received tremendous praise for his cover of George Harrison’s ‘While My Guitar Gently Weeps.’

Legendary Music Mogul Clive Davis signed him To Arista Records, where he unveiled a more contemporary sound on the 2001 album, ‘Weekend.’ The title track became an international hit. Two years later, he recorded the duets album, ‘Things That Lovers Do’ with his then-wife Chante’ Moore that contained the hits, ‘Loveable (From Your Head To Your Toes)’ and ‘You Don’t Have To Cry.’ They followed that with the double-CD duets album of Gospel And R&B love songs called ‘Uncovered/Covered’ that spawned hits such as ‘Figure It Out’ and ‘Make Me Like The Moon.’ The album debuted at No. 2 on the Billboard Gospel Albums Chart and No. 10 On The Billboard R&B Albums Chart.

In 2008, Kenny released ‘Timeless,’ a Verve Records cover album that offered new interpretations of classic songs originally recorded by The Beatles, Marvin Gaye, Otis Redding, Al Green, Donny Hathaway and others. He has continued to show depth and growth as a recording artist, producer and songwriter.

He launched his own label, SincereSoul Records, in 2012 and is preparing to release his new album in 2014. He has earned the reputation as one of today’s Premier Male Vocalists, as well as a compelling songwriter who passionately explores universal themes and truths in a fresh new way. He makes music from his heart that feeds his listeners’ souls both lyrically and melodically. His music offers a much-needed oasis of depth and substance in a world that is hungry for both.

AM: Kenny your ‘Soul of a Man’ CD is one of the best R&B albums of all time.

KL: Thank you, it’s strange that the record company did not understand that album. Thank God it still sold, but it was never celebrated. ‘USA Today’ made it one of their Top Ten Albums that year but the label still just let it go.

AM: That must have been difficult to understand.

KL: I understood because they were excited about the Lauren Hill album that year. That’s the way it is when you are with a major label. They decide who they are going to promote and leave the rest to fend for themselves.

AM: Well now is the best time for success anyway.

KL: I agree. I feel like I know what to do with success now. Now I have an eleven year old son and my life has gone through so many transitions. I feel very grown and experienced. I feel like whatever success I am blessed with from this point on will be lasting.

AM: I know you have new music coming out this year. What is the title of your upcoming release?

KL: The title is ‘Being One.’ The people who have been listening to my music for years know the message is always positive about ‘being one’ with someone else. The only way to be really strong at ‘being one’ with someone else is to be whole within yourself. This is an exploration of ‘being one’ by myself since I’m single again.

AM: Another challenge is to go through a divorce in the public eye.

KL: The public has seen me go through a lot so I’m healing from all of that. I’m still talking about what I believe.

AM: I like that you sing about love in most of your songs.

KL: Love will always be synonymous with R&B and Pop music. You have to take the proper steps to give what you didn’t get. That’s the kind of love it takes to be one. This is the kind of love I want to exude in my music and in my life. That is what’s authentic to me. I’ve been thinking about my community more. It’s not all about me.

AM: Thinking about the bigger picture is the way to learn more about yourself too.

KL: One of the most incredible things I have found is when you are going through hard times, if you give your time and energy to influencing someone’s life in a positive way, you find yourself.

AM: Exactly!

KL: This is about being one with the world. We live in a super global society with all this technology now. There is so much information that we tend to feel we are not a part of it all, but we are. God has allowed me to go through some things in the past few years, like running my own business and losing a lot.

AM: That must have been very difficult.

KL: This is not something people like to talk about. I’ve lost a lot of money transitioning my life and re-establishing myself. I’ve had to start my entire life all over again. I’ve lived very close to the edge rebuilding my life. In the past year I’ve grown to understand what living from month to month is. It’s given me more respect for people. Now my music has taken on a deeper meaning and purpose for me to go out there and share love.

AM: I like the way you make the effort to be proactive, inspirational and influence others in a positive way on social media and in your music.

KL: I grew up in the church. I wanted to be like Bebe and Cece Winans. A lot of people don’t know that because when I started out in the business there was such a strong emphasis on me being a sex symbol and how I looked. That was great but I didn’t feel that way on the inside.

AM: You didn’t relate to being a sex symbol?

KL: I was never fascinated with that and I never looked at myself that way. I couldn’t authentically walk in that. I wanted to keep the message strong and for my grandmother to be proud of me. I wanted to be able to sing the gospel and not get people confused.

AM: Did you have to open your mind outside the church?

KL: I think my influences taught me correctly. I’m going to separate the church from true Christianity. I think about who Jesus Christ is and how he gave to people and how he didn’t judge people even though he was judged because he was with people that other religious folks thought he shouldn’t be with. Jesus was about understanding and influencing the souls of people. There wasn’t this negativity that exists so heavily today.

AM: I think people lose out because they are too judgmental at times.

KL: It takes effort to be at one where you keep a certain perspective of yourself. Sometimes people put in the effort and they do things ritualistically. That’s what I think religion is a lot of the time. People want a certain image. I often think, is that who you really are?

AM: I think people are born the way they are and you were just born a decent person.

KL: It’s hard because the same temptations come but now I think about the consequences of everything. What I do now is going to reflect on my son.

AM: Your son was born on your birthday!

KL: His Mom had a C-section and I remember the doctors telling us they were very sorry but they didn’t have any choices they could give us for a birth date. The only day they had available was April 10. (Laughter) I told them I was cool with it but I would have felt really corny if I had asked them for that date.

AM: Well it was meant to be then. Is he a lot like you?

KL: In some ways, yes. He started out that way but now I see his Mom’s personality too.

AM: Is he a singer?

KL: He can sing and he wants to be an entertainer. He likes to act too. He does all the Christmas plays at his Mom’s church and he likes to take dance classes. As he gets older and really commits to it I can see him being a part of some really great circles that would help him perfect his talent.

AM: I know you’ll be a supportive father.

KL: I just don’t want to be overbearing like a Soccer Mom or Dad.

AM: I hope we get to see some more live performance videos of you.

KL: Thank you. I had to really get my team together. We have a lot coming up. For years I found myself surrounded by good people but they didn’t always understand how to propel me to the next level. They didn’t always have vision, but my new manager, Michelle Tafoya has been really phenomenal. She’s worked with Barbra Streisand, Neil Diamond and Lionel Richie, so I know she has a vision for me.

AM: I think you are going to just keep getting better and better.

KL: Thank you, I feel better. I feel like I was a good singer and a good recording artist when I started but I was trying to find out who I was. As much as I was clear on my messages, I wasn’t as clear on my approach and how I wanted to present myself. Now I’m very comfortable in my skin and I’m comfortable with my voice and my body. Singing is a physical thing. I give a lot more. I know how to emphasis the emotion of a song more effectively now.

To learn more about Kenny Lattimore visit his web site http://www.kennylattimore.com/

All Photos: Alan Mercer

From the runways of Milan, to Animated TV shows, magazine racks, toy stores, book shelves and even the fragrance isle of your local drug store, Glen Hanson's witty, stylish and sexy imagery is everywhere! Over the course of his multifaceted career, Canadian born Glen Hanson has predominantly divided his time between the two worlds of illustration and animation.

His illustrations have appeared in a variety of publications around the world including BRITISH VOGUE and GQ, ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY, NEWSWEEK, THE WALL ST. JOURNAL, MAXIM, VARIETY and D.C. COMICS and on book covers for RANDOM HOUSE, KENSINGTON, HARLEQUIN, and most recently, the popular ‘GODDESS GIRLS’ series for SIMON & SCHUSTER.

His roster of advertising clients includes TIMEX, GRAND MARNIER, McDonald's, and SUNSILK shampoo. His development illustrations for MATTEL'S "MONSTER HIGH" dolls set the tone for the brand on packaging, design and the animated spin off. He has created poster images for the Off-Broadway hit musical "ALTAR BOYZ", Seth Rudetsky's "SETH'S BIG FAT BROADWAY SHOW" and the play "MISS ABIGAIL'S GUIDE TO DATING, MATING and MARRIAGE", on CD covers for House Music Label PURPLE MUSIC and BLINK 182's "THE MARK, TOM and TRAVIS SHOW" for which Glen was awarded a certificate of excellence from the AMERICAN INSTITUTE OF GRAPHIC ARTS.

All Illustrations: Glen Hanson

Throughout North America, Glen's images adorn gift set boxes and print ads for BOD men's and women's fragrance products. They have also appeared on the runways of Milan on a series of t-shirts as part of the spring and fall '05 collections of European men's wear designer, ANDREW MACKENZIE. Ads designed by Glen for those collections were featured in both L'UOMO VOGUE and FLAUNT magazines. REV JEANS Italy as well hired him to create a line of sexy t-shirt images and NYC based designer KARA ROSS has used his fashion illustrations to promote her line of high end accessories.

In Animation, Glen started out by designing characters for TV's BABAR, BEETLEJUICE and DARIA cartoon shows. In 2000 he was nominated for an ANNIE AWARD for his art direction and design on MTV's internationally syndicated SPY GROOVE series. He has since developed shows for NICKELODEON, FILM ROMAN, STUDIO B, and DISNEY. He co-wrote, designed and storyboarded a series of animated promo spots for SOAP NET entitled "CRESCENT HOLLOW" and in 2009 he combined all his talents to direct, design and storyboard the animated music video "GHOST TOWN" for UNIVERSAL MUSIC recording artists SHINY TOY GUNS.

Whatever the medium, Glen brings his unique talent, passion and enthusiasm to everything he creates... writing comics and TV shows, conceptualizing visual merchandise and campaigns for entertainment or corporate clients, or just capturing the likenesses of the famous and the fabulous with his signature style.

AM: Glen aren’t you originally from Toronto?

GH: Yes I am.

AM: Did you go to Art School?

GH: I went to Animation School. That was the first formal training I got. As a kid I was obsessed with Disney and Hanna Barbera and comics. I did a lot of self study. I drew all the time. When I was in school I drew, when I was home I drew, when my mother wanted me to go outside and play I was drawing. In Animation School I got to do life drawing for the first time. I also got to learn about technical things in animation and drawing.

AM: Do you do any animation now?

GH: I haven’t for a few years but one of the last things I did was to direct a video for Shiny Toy Guns. The link is on my web site. I do animation development and character design and art direction. I’m hoping to do more. It’s just a matter of finding the right project.

AM: You have quite a range in your work. I’ve seen some very adult work from you as well as child friendly.

GH: Yes, I would probably be a bit more successful had I stayed in one genre or one media, but I love doing everything. I’ve been working on the covers for a series of tween girl books for Simon & Schuster called ‘Goddess Girls.’ I love mythology and doing covers of kid’s books but I also love doing fashion illustration, caricatures and sexy girls and guys. That’s all part of me as a person and I want to be able to manifest that creatively. I would be bored with just one thing.

AM: What has changed about your profession since you first started?

GH: It’s gotten much harder, not technically because of digital, but it’s harder now for two reasons. I find myself discussing this with my peers on a daily basis. The first reason is the economy and the second is because print is disappearing. This has really reduced the work for illustrators.

AM: I remember when everything was illustrated.

GH: During the first 60 years of the 20th Century all advertising was illustration. Every ad was illustrated no matter what the product was. Even into the 90’s there were still illustrated covers on TV Guide. I was lucky enough to get five illustrations in TV Guide for the final Seinfeld in 1998.

AM: That was a legendary issue.

GH: They don’t use illustration anymore. The paparazzi has taken over illustration. Publications aren’t as interested anymore. I also find that kids who see my work on line have no interest in buying it. They aren’t interested in originals either. They always want a print, but a print doesn’t have any value. Only an original done by the artist has any value. So we aren’t in the best time now. All the changes in media have an effect on this too.

AM: Can you predict the future?

GH: My prediction, that will happen in our lifetime, is there will be no more cell phones. We will have something implanted in our skin that allows us to think and send the text. Look how quickly Skype took over. That was once in the future and now we live with it in our own homes. We are able to communicate instantaneously all over the world.

AM: I’ve heard things like this before too.

GH: I also have concerns about the corporate aspect of how everything has gone and where it will ultimately end up. I don’t mean to be dire about this, creativity still exists out there but it is becoming more and more difficult to earn a living.

AM: It’s difficult to recommend anyone get into a creative field these days.

GH: I don’t think they should even offer a creative degree anymore. They shouldn’t even offer those courses. It’s lying to kids to have them graduate from school with this degree and there’s no work.

AM: I have to agree with you.

GH: I find myself lucky that I knew a period where I could make good money and that I have success. I know of a 22 year old artist in Texas who is insanely talented and he can hardly get work. He should be working all the time. At least I’ve had the chance to experience a period of plenty.

AM: Do you have favorites among your work?

GH: Yes I do. Often times it’s not the same things that other people like. I find that when others respond to an image, it’s not just the image but it’s an emotional response to what it brings up in them.

AM: Yes I agree. They love Lucy!

GH: Exactly! The Golden Girls image that I did has been tattooed on four people. That blows my mind. I think I captured them well but it’s not the best thing I’ve ever done. There are just certain things like Lucy, Bewitched or Golden Girls that have a cross market appeal and live in peoples hearts and minds. I know when I’ve done a good job, but I can’t control how people will respond to my work. You just have to throw things out there and see what sticks.

AM: I know you are fortunate to have a lot of projects coming up this summer. Can you give me a run down of all you have going on?

GH: As for what's coming up this Summer…a whole new line of Glen Hanson t-shirts and tank tops including the ever popular ‘Golden Girls’ caricature, other caricatures and some of my sexy male images, the ‘Paper Doll’ costumes I designed currently in the Lady Gaga ‘Artpop’ tour, a collectible poster for the punk/pop band ‘A Day To Remember’ and some very special ‘Broadway Legend’ merchandise for Broadway Cares coming out this Fall for the Holiday Season. As always, I have color caricature prints available and a whole line of my greeting cards through http://www.nobleworkscards.com/humor-cards-by-line-divas.html

So, it's been an exciting year so far and I have a feeling it's only going to get better!

AM: Glen, you are a good looking hirsute man. Is body hair coming back?

GH: It’s not coming back. It’s back! I spent the entire decade of the 90‘s getting rid of all mine and that was a huge amount of work. Now I can be hairy and people love it! Young guys are into beards now. They are huge on the runways of Paris, New York and LA. Anyone who is young and hip is no longer trimming and shaving. They are very much about natural. I love the whole mind set that goes with that.

To learn more about Glen Hanson visit his website http://www.glenhanson.com/

All Photos: Alan Mercer

Vivian Reed is a multi-award winner with two Tony Award nominations, Drama Desk Award, Theatre world Award, Outer Critics Circle Award, Dance Education of America Award, NAACP Award and several others. Vivian began formal voice training at the age of eight at the Pittsburgh Musical Institute, later continuing at New York's Juilliard School of Music followed by years of extensive dance training.

She became a polished performer under the guidance of Honi Coles and Bobby Schiffman of the Apollo Theater. Vivian received critical acclaim for her work in 'Bubbling Brown Sugar' on Broadway and Europe. She captured the attention of Pierre Cardin who booked her into his theater and held her over for several weeks. Through Cardin she went to Japan for the first time and later made her first European TV special. Later she was invited by the Prince and Princess of Monaco to perform in Monte Carlo.

Vivian has appeared on many TV variety and talk shows both nationally and internationally including ‘The Tonight Show,’ ‘The Today Show’ and the ABC-TV daytime drama, ‘One Life To Live.’ She has shared the bill with such notable performers as Bill Cosby, Pattie Labelle, Brian Stokes Mitchell, Audra McDonald, Elaine Stritch, Alan King, Sammy Davis Jr., Quincy Jones, Ashford and Simpson and Charles Aznavour just to name a few. Her film credits include ‘Heading for Broadway,’ ‘L'Africaine’ with Catherine Deneuve and ‘Le Rumba,’ in which she portrayed Josephine Baker. Recently she produced and starred in a short film ‘What Goes Around’ written by Angela Gibbs.

Vivian has also brought her nightclub act to major gatherings of organizations and dignitaries, including Mercedes Benz, IBM, Top Fashion Designers Gala at the Theatre Champs Elysees and the American Film Festival in Deauville. She appeared at the Festival del Vina in Chile along with other top performers and received the coveted ‘Torch Award,’ an honor bestowed by the mayor and citizens of Vina for only the most exceptional and stirring performances.

Vivian has been featured in the world's most read and influential news and fashion magazines such as Vogue, Elle, Paris Match, People, Ebony, Cover of Jet and Time Magazine. Her personal style and taste for designer clothes have won her a place on Mr. Blackwell's Best Dressed Women List and she was selected by People Magazine as one of the ‘25 Most Intriguing People of the Year.’

Vivian has received critical acclaim in major productions of ‘Sophisticated Ladies,’ ‘Roar of the Greasepaint,’ ‘Smell of the Crowd,’ ‘Blues in the Night,’ ‘Don't Bother Me, I Can't Cope,’ ‘High Rollers’ and ‘Show Boat’ in which she portrayed the role of 'Queenie' and Tintypes. Her recent plays include ‘Blues for an Alabama Sky,’ ‘Crumbs from the Table of Joy,’ ‘Pork Pie’ and ‘Cookin' at the Cookery.’ Vivian was featured in the highly anticipated ‘Marie Christine’ at Lincoln Center. She also portrayed Lena Horne in a new piece, ‘More Than A Song’ with the Pittsburgh Ballet Company at the Benedum Theater in Pittsburgh.

Vivian contributed her talents to the Lena Horne Awards Show hosted by Bill Cosby honoring Rosie O'Donnell and Quincy Jones at the Ford Center for the Performing Arts in New York. She appeared in ‘Three Mo' Divas,’ the follow-up to ‘Three Mo' Tenors’ at the San Diego Rep. and Arena Stage in Washington, DC and as an actress received critical acclaim for her portrayal as Gloria Franklin in ‘The Second Tosca.’ Vivian has also given back of her talent by teaching nearly three years at Berklee College of Music in Boston where she created a performance class teaching the many aspects of performing and also establishing a yearly concert event called Singer's Night. Recently she presented her nightclub act to two sold out houses and concluded two book musical workshops ‘One For My Baby’ and ‘The Countess Of Storyville.’

Vivian took a few years off from performing to help care fro her elderly parents in their last years. Now she is back to her career full time. Besides her theatrical career she has made a total of six albums, done voice overs and TV commercials and she is a professional photographer and scarf designer for VJR scarves.

AM: Vivian you are what I think of as a Renaissance woman since you do so many things. How did you get started designing scarves?

VR: My mother was an incredible seamstress. She made all our clothes as we were growing up. Even the gowns for my first concerts. She taught me how to sew. I always wanted to design scarves, but because I was taking care of her, my heart just wasn’t in it. Being the Gemini that I am, I wanted to launch into it with passion and everything. After she passed, I said I was going to start doing some of the things I really wanted to do. I took three months off and went to the fabric district and bought a bunch of fabric and started sewing. I sew every scarf myself. I painted every one of the 30 inch square scarves. I like to paint in the abstract and see what comes out.

AM: So you have a lot of creative energy.

VR: Yes I do.

AM: Do you notice if this creative energy has stayed the same all your life or has it increased or decreased?

VR: The only thing that has decreased is my passion for building things. I can rival any contractor with power tools. I have every tool imaginable. I’ve built cabinets. My father was a Mr. Fix-It person. I think I got this from him. When I bought my brownstone up in Harlem, I wanted to build cabinets for my television and things like that.

AM: How did you even get started learning about building furniture?

VR: I went out and bought a lot of power tools and read a lot of books until I became very good at it. That energy has decreased in me because it takes a certain amount of strength when you are dealing with heavy, large pieces of wood. But that would be the only thing that has decreased. I’m so creative and I love doing things with my hands. The scarves and photography will go on for a while.

AM: You’re an amazing photographer too and I don’t get to say that very often.

VR: I feel honored that you would say that. Thank you.

AM: How did you get started with photography?

VR: I didn’t start off wanting to be a photographer but I had a bad experience with a photographer in New York. To this day I didn’t get a photo I can use out of the session. I had a feeling the photos wouldn’t be right after the session was over and they were not.

AM: That can actually hurt.

VR: I got angry and cried because it cost a lot of money. So I pulled my little camera out of the closet and moved my furniture around. I started shooting with my remote control and one shot turned out. I was surprised that it looked good. So that’s how it started. Once again I bought lots of books and took thousands of photos.

AM: That’s how you get good!

VR: I would bring people over and shoot them for nothing. At first I didn’t light the background but I learned how important that is so I started lighting it.

AM: What is your favorite type of photo to take?

VR: I love dark, creative, dramatic, theatrical lighting. I understand it because I come from the theater.

AM: I love that style too. So did you buy a bunch of photography equipment?

VR: Yes I did and as you know it is expensive.

AM: People don’t always realize how expensive photography is. You have certainly mastered the art of taking portraits.

VR: Thank you!

AM: You will always be an amazing singer since that is how I first knew of you. I know you had an album out before ‘Bubbling Brown Sugar.’

VR: I had a couple of albums out there. I don’t even like to talk about my recording career.

AM: That album on Epic is stellar.

VR: I was a baby then. When you look at the cover you can still see the baby fat in my face.

AM: You make every song on that album your own. You always do cover songs in a special and unique way.

VR: When Bobby Schiffman and Honi Coles owned the Apollo Theater and became my managers, I was eighteen and still going to Juilliard. We talked about when you have music that everyone knows you have to take that piece of music and see how you can put your stamp on it. Otherwise, why else would you do it? I teach this same thing to my students now. Now that I’m doing my show at 54 Below I met with the musicians and one of them said, “Oh I know that song.” and I said, “No you don’t. You only know the title.”

AM: Your arrangements and phrasing are always very specific to you.

VR: Yes I will sometimes work with arrangers to get the right key so it becomes a collaborative work but the phrasing is all me. Nobody can tell me how to sing it.

AM: It seems so innate for you. It’s like it magically happens.

VR: Well a lot of times it does. A lot of people believe that if you are African American you can automatically riff and that’s not true. That is crazy. I tell my students don’t do what isn’t natural because then it will sound like that.

AM: One of your most famous songs is ‘God Bless The Child.’

VR: I put a different stamp on ‘God Bless The Child’ for 'Bubbling Brown Sugar.’ There were some jazz enthusiasts that were upset because I had touched the great Billie Holliday. I didn't even want to do the song. It wasn’t my kind of thing. I didn’t want a bunch of heavy jazz chords, and I like jazz, but just not for that song. So we changed some of the chords and that’s how my version of ‘God Bless The Child’ came out. Now I can’t do a show without including it some 30 years later.

AM: What makes your version different?

VR: I sing it with a bit of R&B and Gospel so it’s not how people are used to hearing it. One time a few years ago I did a pre-Grammy show with Merry Clayton and Darlene Love for Clive Davis and I sang 'Wind Beneath My Wings.' When I was done singing the song, Clive came up to me and told me it was the best arrangement and I made him forget Bette Midler’s version. I said that was the whole point. He loved it and I got a standing ovation.

AM: You can make us forget all other singers when you are singing.

VR: I think that’s the approach any artist should take if you are doing covers. I’m all about keeping the integrity of the piece. That is essential, but you have to find a way to make it yours.

To learn more about Vivian Reed visit her web site http://www.vivianreed.com/ and facebook page https://www.facebook.com/VivianReedOfficial

All Photos: Alan Mercer Lighting: Eric V.

Frederic Forrest, the Oscar-nominated character actor, was born two days before Christmas Day in Waxahachie, Texas, the same home town as director Robert Benton. Frederic had long wanted to be an actor, but he was so nervous that he ran out of auditions for school plays. Later, at Texas Christian University, he took a minor in theater arts while majoring in radio and television studies. His parents opposed his aspirations as a thespian as it was a precarious existence, but he moved on to New York and studied with renowned acting teacher Sanford Meisner. He eventually became an observer at the Actors Studio, where he was tutored by Lee Strasberg. During this time, he supported himself as a page at the NBC Studios in Rockefeller Plaza.

His theatrical debut was in the Off-Broadway production of "Viet-Rock", an anti-war play featuring music. He made his uncredited debut in ‘The Filthy Five’ in 1968, a low-budget movie directed by sexploitation auteur Andy Milligan, but he racked up his first credit in the very bizarre screen adaptation of ‘Futz’ in 1969, a satire about a farmer who falls in love with a hog.

After starring in the off-Broadway play "Silhouettes", Frederic moved with the production to Los Angeles, intent on breaking into movies. While the production ran for three months and was visited by agents bird-dogging new talent, Frederic got no offers and had to support himself as a pizza-baker after the show closed. Eventually, he began auditing classes at Actors Studio West, and director Stuart Millar saw him in a student showcase production and cast him in ‘When Legends Die’ in 1972. He copped a 1973 Golden Globe nomination as "Most Promising Newcomer - Male" for the role. For the first time in his film acting career, Frederic Forrest looked like he was poised for stardom.

A small part in "Godfather" director Francis Ford Coppola's ‘The Conversation’ in 1974 would later pay dividends. Except for a small role in the disappointing ‘The Missouri Breaks’ in 1976 and his TV turn as Lee Harvey Oswald in CBS' ‘Ruby and Oswald’ in 1978, Frederic had little to show in the first part of his career. Coppola was about to change that.

Playing "Chef Hicks" in ‘Apocalypse Now’ in 1979 garnered Frederic the best notices of his career, and he parlayed that into Academy Award and Golden Globe nominations as Best Supporting Actor for ‘The Rose’ in 1979, his second hit that year. He was named Best Supporting Actor by the National Society of Film Critics for both films, and once again he seemed poised on the verge of stardom. Like the first time, stardom did not come.

His aspirations were to do quality work and play a romantic lead. "I would like to not have to fit into somebody else's story and have my scenes cut because I'm too strong", he told a journalist circa 1980. "And next time, I'd like to get the girl instead of the horse".

He did get the romantic lead he pined for, but it was a case of "Be careful what you wish for, as you might just get it". Coppola, so instrumental in propelling Forrest into the first rank of character actors, cast him as the romantic lead in ‘One from the Heart’ in 1982, a picture that proved to be one of the great financial debacles of all time. It bankrupted Coppola's studio, American Zoetrope, and engendered a fierce backlash against the director and the film in Hollywood.

In 1983, he played a supporting role in ‘Valley Girl’ in 1983 in an unmemorable performance, a role that could have been played by any actor, something one couldn't say about his "Chef" in ‘Apocalypse Now.’ Increasingly, Frederic began appearing on television and, by 1987, was in the cast of the series ‘21 Jump Street’ in 1987 on the new Fox TV network, lasting only one season before being ignominiously replaced. In addition to an appearance in the mini-series ‘Lonesome Dove’ in 1989, Mr. Forrest's fine portrayal of "Lomax" in ‘Die Kinder’ in 1990, showed the ability which has been too often unrealized.

AM: Frederic I love how your character talks about Waxahachie when you first appear in the film ‘The Rose.’ Did you do suggest that?

FF: We wanted a joke for a light moment since the movie was heavy. It was an awkward moment. Someone had just told me that joke so I asked the director, Mark Rydell about saying it in the film. People in Waxahachie got a little upset, but it was just a joke.

AM: When was the last time you were in Texas?

FF: It’s been three or four years now. I was there in the summer and I’d forgotten how hot it can be. I remember going to school and playing sports against all the other teams.

AM: Did you enjoy playing sports?

FF: It was fun but I wasn’t that good at any of it.

AM: What sports did you play?

FF: I played football and ran track. I enjoyed the spring days and running the track and meeting other guys from other places. In those days it was more about sportsmanship and the game. There was less animosity.

AM: Were you always interested in being an actor?

FF: Not consciously, but I would act out movies when I was a kid. All we had was the picture show. There was no television so we’d go see all the movies. We had three movie theaters in Waxahachie. Back in those days, actors would tour with the movies, so we’d get some Cowboy Stars that would come through. B movies were big in little towns because you had the Saturday matinee.

AM: You must have seen all the serial films.

FF: Yes they always kept you hanging. You couldn’t wait to get back the next week to see how they got out of trouble. Movies were great back then! Kids would line up for blocks.

AM: So did you struggle to get in movies or did you fall into it?

FF: I fell into movies. I never thought about it. I didn’t think I was good at anything. I didn’t feel like I had a “so called” talent. I wasn’t good at anything people considered important. I really didn’t know what I was going to do. I felt if I could make a living doing something I liked, I’d be very blessed. I kept going back to acting in Community Theater.

AM: So you were acting for fun.

FF: Yes I thought it was fun, but after I saw James Dean in ‘East of Eden,’ I got the acting bug to go to New York. I knew he was from a little farming town in Indiana so I identified with that. Then all I heard about was the Actors Studio.

AM: What year did you get to New York?

FF: I got some guys to give me a ride to New York in 1957 for my first visit. I remember very vividly standing across the street from the Actors Studio thinking I would see Marlon Brando coming in or out. I was scared to death. I thought, “What am I doing here?”

AM: Did you come right back to Texas?

FF: Yes I had to go into the army. You had to back then. You could get drafted or choose to join on your own and then only do six months, so I did that. A lot of guys in college did that just to get it over with and then you had six years in reserve.

AM: Did you like being in the military?

FF: While you are in it, it’s so mad. The army is so full of life. It’s such a tapestry of human beings. So many different personalities are everywhere. You could think you were in a nut house. It did seem quite surreal, but I did it. We had to do basic training in Fort Knox, Kentucky.

AM: So you did your military time before there was a war?

FF: I was lucky as I got out just before Vietnam started.

AM: So after the army you went back into acting?

FF: Yes I decided I wanted to act more and get my equity card. I went back to Houston to the Alley Theater after being in New York for a couple of years. I got a scholarship so I didn’t have to pay them.

AM: Did you do a lot of stage work?

FF: I did as much as I could. I felt like the more acting I could do the better I would be at it. I would do anything or any character. I actually got stranded in Dallas after Kennedy’s assassination. I would go to the Dallas Theater Center and see all the plays.

AM: How did you get back to New York?

FF: I hitched a ride with an antique dealer who went to Boston routinely. We got to the outskirts of New York City and there was a big snow storm so we couldn’t get in the city. He had to drive me to Albany and I took a bus back into the City. My sister met me at the bus station. I had a big black cowboy hat.

AM: So it took a while before you made it into films in the middle 70’s.

FF: Oh yes I was old already.

AM: You look so young in ‘Apocalypse Now’ and ‘The Rose.’ Did you always look young for your age?

FF: I did. Hollywood never knew how to peg me. I had to learn to lie and ask them how old do I look? They’d tell me I looked 24 so I’d say no I’m 25 and they’d go, “I thought so.” If I had been honest and said I was 35 they would have told me I was too old.

AM: You have played a few Native Americans. Do you know why you have been cast like that?

FF: I have no idea. I turned down ‘Lonesome Dove’ three times because it was written as a full blooded Native American. I knew I could do the character once I read the novel.

AM: Is that one of your favorite parts?

FF: It is one of my favorites. I got incredible reviews. Better than anything else I ever did.

AM: So you knew you were talented.

FF: That part did change my life. Suddenly I was the new Brando, the new Newman and the new James Dean.

AM: You became a household name.

FF: I was lucky because ‘Apocalypse Now’ and ‘The Rose’ came out at the same time. People saw me in both films and I got the National Film Critics Award for both of them. It was a strange new era where I was wanted for all the movies.

All Photos: Alan Mercer

It is difficult to imagine the world of country music without the vast contribution that Gene Watson has made to it. Between his major label debut on Capitol Records in 1975 and the present day, Gene Watson has excelled with his traditional slant within country music.

Gene Watson is a singer in country music's grand tradition and has the skill to give powerful vocal performances and draw all the emotion from his selected material effortlessly. Gene has remained true to his Texas music roots for the best part of 50 years and is a standard bearer for honest, traditional country music.

Following years of honing his country music craft around Texas, Gene Watson emerged on the American country music scene in July 1975. He immediately earned himself a reputation as one of the best of the new 'real country' singers to emerge on the scene and for adhering to a traditional country sound, characterized by prominent steel guitar and swirling fiddle.

Gene Watson was born in Palestine, Texas, and began his music career in the early 1970s, performing in local clubs at night while working in a Houston auto body shop during the day. He only recorded for a few small, regional record labels until 1974, when Capitol Records picked up his album ‘Love in the Hot Afternoon’ and released it nationally. The title track was released in June 1975 and it quickly reached Number 3 on the Billboard magazine Hot Country Singles chart. Gene Watson's national success continued throughout the late 1970s and early 1980s, as he recorded several Billboard top-40 hits, including "Where Love Begins,""Paper Rosie,""Should I Go Home (or Should I Go Crazy),""Nothing Sure Looked Good on You." and "Farewell Party" which was released in 1979 and quickly became Gene's signature song and soon allowed Gene to name his band after the tragic ballad.

Since 1975, Gene Watson has been an artist who has adhered to, and remained faithful to, a 'hard' traditional country sound. Gene Watson is truly a 'Lone Star Hero', not only within the state boundary of Texas but also around the wider country music world.

Gene Watson's 'Beautiful Country' speaks for itself. It is a music of the people, for the people and ultimately by one of the people. His music is part of the very constitution of country music. It is in Gene Watson's recordings that the tradition of heartfelt, country music is preserved for all time.

Gary Gene Watson never intended becoming a professional singer within the country music genre. Apparently, he didn't go searching for music - music found him. For those of us who love traditional country music, we have a lot to be thankful to Gene Watson for.

I had the opportunity to meet up with Gene in Weatherford , Texas when he performed at The Texas Opry. We took these shots and visited before he went on stage to a sold-out audience.

AM: Gene, your newest album, ‘My Heroes Have Always Been Country’ is just fantastic. How did you come up with this idea to record these classic songs?

GW: Well the hardest part was picking the songs I recorded.

AM: I bet! There are so many good songs to choose from.

GW: The object of this recording was to go back and let people know who Gene Watson is, where he came from and why. I thought what better way than to go back and record some of my favorite songs that were recorded by my favorite artists. I used to sing these songs back in the day so I could get local bookings. I never dreamed I’d be an artist at that time. I would use these songs in all the places I would play. These songs were recorded by my heroes. Most of them aren’t even here now.

AM: Who are some of the artists you covered?

GW: I covered Marty Robbins, Ray Price, George Jones, Dottie West and Lefty Frizzell. Like I said, these people are my heroes so if people hear this CD and can’t figure out where I came from, there’s no need in me preaching to them. These are the songs that made me who I am and this is what keeps me going. This is the reason I have sustained for fifty-two years. I don’t want to change too much because something is gotta be going right.

AM: I encourage you to keep going. I’d love a new album of classic covers at least once a year.

GW: It’s so much fun. I didn’t think about it at the time, but these are the only sessions that I can ever remember doing, where I didn’t need a lyric sheet in the studio. I walked in the studio and just sang them right off the top of my head. I had never sung the Dottie West song, ‘Here Comes My Baby’ in my life. I thought Dottie West was just fantastic and when she got through, the song had been sung. All I can do now is let them hear me sing it, which is what I had in mind when I recorded it.

AM: You also covered another song a few years ago that is hard to cover and that’s Etta James version of ‘At Last.’ You made it yours!

GW: I think that comes from the love of a song. I’ve always been privileged and honored to be able to pick and choose the songs I wanted to record. I’ve always had final say. I picked that song because I love Etta’s version. People always ask me what my favorite song is and that’s impossible for me to answer. I saw something in every song I have ever recorded. I have never recorded a song that I didn’t think was capable of being a single.

AM: I like the songs you sing that have a dark humor to them. Is that part of you?

GW: I think so. A lot of people think that I am an outgoing guy and really I’m not. The older I get, the more laid back I get, but when I get on stage all that reverses. I have a great time on stage. I play off the crowd and I don’t plan a show. The band has to pay attention to what I say because that’s the only intro they are going to get to these songs. The crowd helps me more than anything in the world.

AM: So your show is completely spontaneous.

GW: Oh yes. I’ll start telling a story and the band picks up on it just like that.

AM: That keeps it very fresh for you.

GW: I have to do it that way. I’ve worked with so many artists that have a planned set and they do it night after night after night. It gets to be trying on your nerves just doing the same songs for fifty years, but if I can play it loose and do the requests off the top of my head it keeps it fresh for me and the audience. I decide when is the right time to do a certain song during each show.

AM: Do you still get a chance to work on cars?

GW: (laughing) I love cars and I’ve got too many. I love to dabble around with cars, but as far as heavy work, no I don’t have the time. I’ve dedicated the rest of my road time to the singing business and I’m trying to hang in there as long as I can. I said this a long time ago and I meant it. I hope the good Lord grants me the wisdom to hang it up when it’s the right time. When I can’t walk out there and do it the way I think it should be done then it’s time for me to pack it up and there will be plenty of time to play with cars.

AM: How do you maintain your voice?

GW: I try to get as much rest as I can. That’s one of the most important things about me maintaining. When I first started I used to drink and smoke like a freight train. I haven’t had a drink in 34 years and I haven’t smoked in 24 years. I’ve really dedicated myself to taking care of my throat. It’s all I’ve got as far as the music business goes. When I get through performing I am tired. I’m older now and been in the business so long so when I get through I like to sit back, relax and get as much sleep as I can. To me, that’s the key, when I get tired my voice is the first thing to go. The good Lord blessed me with a voice and I try to take care of it the best I can. He can take it away anytime he wants to.

AM: You also did another difficult thing by re-recording 25 of your best songs a couple years ago. I’ve heard many artists re-record songs and they didn’t turn out as good, but you changed that concept for me by doing such a phenomenal job.

GW: That was probably the hardest undertaking I ever went through. I was real meticulous about it. My producer, Dirk Johnson and I went back and got every one of the original cuts and took them to the studio. I re-recorded them all in the same key and tempo. I tried to create the same feeling. Some of the players from the originals are playing on the new recordings. If there was a thought in my mind that it wasn’t as good, I’d go back and play the original and refer back to that. I had to do that a few times because over the years you evolve and change some things. We tried to double track the originals as close as they could be. I’ll say this, I think I did a better job on some of them. It pushed me, but I wanted to do it so much. I’m like you, I don’t like covers because they are always lacking.

AM: You changed the rules because your covers are not lacking. Did it take longer than normal to get the recording finished?

GW: It was more strenuous on me because of myself. I wanted to get it just like the original. I don’t normally spend a lot of time in the studio. If a song is for me, I’ll hit it quick. If I have to work on it, I’ll throw it out.

AM: You recorded the last album live with the band didn’t you?

GW: Oh yes, all my albums are recorded live with the band. That’s the only way I’ll do it. I play off that band, even in the studio. When they hit a lick that turns me on it makes me want to sing that much better and when I sing better they play better. It’s the only way to do it.

To learn more about Gene Watson, visit his web site http://genewatsonmusic.com/

Photo: Alan Mercer

Though best known for her 1970 R&B crossover smash hit ‘Band of Gold,’ Freda Payne has always first and foremost been a jazz singer, dating back to The Jimmy Wilkins Big Band at age 14. Her debut album, ‘After The Lights Go Down Low And Much More!!!’ on Impulse!, in 1963 was arranged by Manny Albam, while a more pop-oriented follow-up entitled ‘How Do You Say I Don’t Love You Anymore’ on MGM in 1966 was helmed by saxophonist/arranger Benny Golson. Freda performed at the Apollo Theater in Harlem alongside Billy Eckstine, backed by Quincy Jones and His Orchestra, comedian Redd Foxx and the dance team Coles & Atkins. She also graced the stage with Duke Ellington for two nights in Pittsburgh, after which he composed ‘Blue Piano’ just for her. Freda Payne’s training and experience render her a rare vocal artist who is stylistically beyond category.

With her honey voice, a touch of sass, legendary and iconic beauty, and impressive vocal control, Freda returns to the recording studio with a big-band recording from Mack Records on its Artistry Music imprint. Working with a big band complete with strings and arrangements by Grammy Award winner Bill Cunliffe, Freda sings the heart out of 14 songs, ranging from classic standards to a half dozen original pieces from the pen of Gretchen Valade and Tom Robinson. The original tunes hold up next to the standards quite well. The arrangements of brass and horns work together with the violins, violas, cellos, and a guitar, vibraphone, and harp.

Photo: Raj Naik

We begin the journey with Cole Porters ‘Come Back To Me Love,’ a swinging, scatting, on fire version of Cole Porter’s ‘You’d Be So Nice To Come Home To.’ I feel like I’m in a nightclub listening to Freda sing LIVE on stage during this number. It’s so fresh and Freda’s voice shines. The second cut, Kenny Rankin’s ‘Haven’t We Met’ blends seamlessly into the mix. Next we have four of the six original numbers including the wistful and romantic ‘Lately’ and the title track, with its yearning, longing quality. These songs sound like they were written especially for Freda and she sings them all with passion. ‘Whatever Happened To Me’ and ‘You Don’t Know’ complete the foursome.

Then we arrive at the gorgeous Buddy Johnson standard, ‘Save Your Love For Me’ best known by Nancy Wilson. Freda sounds absolutely sumptuous singing lyrics like ‘Have mercy on a fool like me, I'm so unwise but still I plead, darling please… save you love for me.’ Next comes the 1945 Sammy Cahn/Jule Styne poignant classic ‘Guess I’ll Hang My Tears Out To Dry.’ Once again Freda seems like she was born to sing these lyrics, so full of emotion. We can add Freda’s version to the list of notable recordings of this song.

Alan and Marilyn Bergman wrote English lyrics for ‘The Island’ to the Brazilian music of Ivan Lins. Lush, romantic and full of Latin rhythms, the setting perfectly showcases Freda’s versatility as a vocalist. This cut is definitely an album highlight.

The next two cuts are the final original songs , ‘I Should Have Told Him’ and ‘I Just Have To Know.’ The last three numbers are all standards that most everyone knows. ‘Midnight Sun’ was originally an instrumental composed by Lionel Hampton and Sonny Burke in 1947 until Johnny Mercer wrote the words to the song. Most of us know the version by Ella Fitzgerald which suits Freda to a tee since she spent the last several years singing a tribute to Ella in concert. ‘Spring Can Really Hang You Up The Most’ from 1955 is an epic selection. Freda’s version is full of plaintive emotion and this recording is another highlight from this album. The album closes with a rollicking version of Lou Rawls ‘I’d Rather Drink Muddy Water.’ Perhaps Freda should consider a blues album next. She definitely has the vocal chops.

I have been listening to the music of Freda Payne for over forty years and she has never sounded better than she does right now…singing jazz. I hope this album spawns the beginning of a recording renaissance for her. Both she and her audience deserve that. ‘Come Back To Me Love’ is a GREAT first outing for the new-era ‘Freda.’

To learn more about this album or to purchase it please click here http://www.mackavenue.com/artists/detail/freda_payne

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