Follow Your Dream - Music And Much More!

Matthew Szlachetka is a roots rock singer-songwriter. For the past five years he's been touring more than 200 days a year. He's got a music catalog that's been called "road-dog roots-rockers and Americana ballads." His latest album is “Young Heart, Old Soul”. He's appeared alongside Brandi Carlisle, Chris Isaak, and The Black Crowes, among others. When not on the road, Matthew has become an in-demand producer, session guitarist and writer in Nashville including for Jeff Silbar. My featured song is “Aches and Pains", from the album Summer Of Love 2020. Spotify link. —------------------------------------ The Follow Your Dream Podcast: Top 1% of all podcasts with Listeners in 200 countries! Click here for Start Here Click here for All Episodes Click here for Guest List Click here for Guest Testimonials Click here for Pillars Click here for Robert's Project Grand Slam Click here to Subscribe Click here to receive our Email Updates Click here to Rate and Review the podcast —---------------------------------------- CONNECT WITH MATTHEW: www.szlachetkamusic.com ROBERT''S LATEST RELEASE: "MA PETITE FLEUR STRING QUARTET CLICK HERE FOR ALL LINKS —----------------------------------- ROBERT'S RECENT RELEASE: “THE BUZZ” - Ft. Darius de Haas (vocals) and Dave Eggar (Celo). Short, Sweet and Totally Different CLICK HERE FOR OFFICIAL VIDEO CLICK HERE FOR ALL LINKS —-------------------------------------- Audio production: Jimmy RavenscroftKymera Films Connect with the Follow Your Dream Podcast:Website - www.followyourdreampodcast.com Follow Robert's band, Project Grand Slam, and his music:Website - www.projectgrandslam.com

Alan Broadbent is an acclaimed 2x Grammy® winning jazz pianist and arranger originally from Auckland, New Zealand. He's worked with the Woody Herman band and Charlie Haden's Quartet West, touring and recording with them for 25 years. He won Grammys® as an arranger for Natalie Cole and Shirley Horn and has been nominated fourteen times. He arranged and performed an evening of music dedicated to Miles Davis's compositions of the 1950s for the WDR big band. His latest work as an arranger is for a string orchestra album, “It's Magic”, for the singer Stella Cole. My featured song is “The Gift", one of my recent singles. Spotify link. —------------------------------------ The Follow Your Dream Podcast: Top 1% of all podcasts with Listeners in 200 countries! Click here for Start Here Click here for All Episodes Click here for Guest List Click here for Guest Testimonials Click here for Pillars Click here for Robert's Project Grand Slam Click here to Subscribe Click here to receive our Email Updates Click here to Rate and Review the podcast —---------------------------------------- CONNECT WITH ALAN: www.facebook.com/alan.broadbent ROBERT''S LATEST RELEASE: "MA PETITE FLEUR STRING QUARTET CLICK HERE FOR ALL LINKS —----------------------------------- ROBERT'S RECENT RELEASE: “THE BUZZ” - Ft. Darius de Haas (vocals) and Dave Eggar (Celo). Short, Sweet and Totally Different CLICK HERE FOR OFFICIAL VIDEO CLICK HERE FOR ALL LINKS —-------------------------------------- Audio production: Jimmy RavenscroftKymera Films Connect with the Follow Your Dream Podcast:Website - www.followyourdreampodcast.com Follow Robert's band, Project Grand Slam, and his music:Website - www.projectgrandslam.com

ENCORE: Liz Callaway is a force of nature. Just listen to her accomplishments. She's a Tony nominee and an Emmy award winning actress, singer and recording artist. She made her Broadway debut in Stephen Sondheim's “Merrily We Roll Along”. She went on to star in “Baby” for which she earned a Tony nomination, “The Three Musketeers”, “Sunday In The Park With George”, “Evita”, “Miss Saigon” and “Cats”. She sang the Academy Award nominated song “Journey To The Past” from the animated film Anastasia. She was in the two “Aladdin” sequels, “The Swan Princess” and “Beauty And The Beast”. She's performed concerts all around the world, and with her sister, Ann Hampton Callaway. And her latest album - her 9th - is “The Wizard And I: Liz Callaway Sings Stephen Schwartz”. My featured song is “My Baby”. Spotify link. —----------------------------------------------------------- The Follow Your Dream Podcast:Top 1% of all podcasts with Listeners in 200 countries! Click here for All Episodes Click here for Guest List Click here for Guest Testimonials Click here for Reflections Click here for Special Collections Click here for Legends Click here to Subscribe Clickhere to receive our Email Updates Click here to Rate and Review the podcast —---------------------------------------- CONNECT WITH LIZ:www.lizcallaway.com —---------------------------------------- ROBERT'S NEWEST RELEASE:“THE BUZZ” - Short, sweet and totally different CLICK HERE FOR OFFICIAL VIDEO CLICK HERE FOR ALL LINKS —-------------------------------------- Audio production: Jimmy RavenscroftKymera FilmsConnect with the Follow Your Dream Podcast:Website - www.followyourdreampodcast.comFollow Robert's band, Project Grand Slam, and his music:Website - www.projectgrandslam.com

ENCORE: Ann Hampton Callaway is a Musical Star and a remarkably gifted artist. She's a leading champion of the Great American Songbook, and she's known for her work as a singer, pianist, composer, lyricist, actress, TV host, and producer. Her resume is off the charts. Ann was voted by Broadwayworld as “Celebrity of the Year” and two years in a row as “Best Jazz Vocalist”. On Broadway she was nominated for a Tony award for her performance in the hit musical “Swing!” On TV she was the one who wrote and sings the theme song for the hit series “The Nanny.” In film she starred opposite Angelina Jolie and Matt Damon in “The Good Shepherd”. As a songwriter she is a multi-platinum artist whose songs have been featured on seven of Barbra Streisand's CD's, and her songs have also been recorded by Michael Feinstein, Carole King and Liza Minelli. As a recording artist she has released 83 CDs. And she's won just about every award that there is out there. On top of all this she has a new album now called “Finding Beauty, Originals Vol. 1” which features 16 of her songs. My featured song is “No One's Fool” from the album East Side Sessions by my band Project Grand Slam. Spotify link. ------------------------------- The Follow Your Dream Podcast:Top 1% of all podcasts with Listeners in 200 countries! Click here for Start HereClick here for All Episodes Click here for Guest List Click here for Guest TestimonialsClick here for PillarsClick here for Robert's Project Grand SlamClick here to Subscribe Click here to receive our Email UpdatesClick here to Rate and Review the podcast —---------------------------------------- ROBERT''S LATEST RELEASE: "MA PETITE FLEUR STRING QUARTETCLICK HERE FOR ALL LINKS —----------------------------------- ROBERT'S RECENT RELEASE: “THE BUZZ” - Ft. Darius de Haas (vocals) and Dave Eggar (Celo). Short, Sweet and Totally DifferentCLICK HERE FOR OFFICIAL VIDEOCLICK HERE FOR ALL LINKS —-------------------------------------- Audio production:Jimmy RavenscroftKymera Films Connect with the Follow Your Dream Podcast:Website - www.followyourdreampodcast.com Follow Robert's band, Project Grand Slam, and his music:Website - www.projectgrandslam.com

Karen Mason is a Broadway star. A celebrated musical theatre actress and singer. Here's just a few of her successes. She starred as Norma Desmond in Sunset Boulevard. She originated the role of Tanya in Mamma Mia, and she starred as Velma Von Tussle in Hairspray. She's also a cabaret performer and she has performed with a number of symphony orchestras. My featured song is “The Buzz", one of my recent singles. Spotify link. —------------------------------------ The Follow Your Dream Podcast: Top 1% of all podcasts with Listeners in 200 countries! Click here for Start Here Click here for All Episodes Click here for Guest List Click here for Guest Testimonials Click here for Pillars Click here for Robert's Project Grand Slam Click here to Subscribe Clickhere to receive our Email Updates Click here to Rate and Review the podcast —---------------------------------------- CONNECT WITH KAREN: www.karenmason.com Karen's Birthday Bash at Birdland on September 28th!Click Here -------------------------------------------------------- ROBERT''S LATEST RELEASE: "MA PETITE FLEUR STRING QUARTET CLICK HERE FOR ALL LINKS —-----------------------------------ROBERT'S RECENT RELEASE: “THE BUZZ” - Ft. Darius de Haas (vocals) and Dave Eggar (Celo). Short, Sweet and Totally Different CLICK HERE FOR OFFICIAL VIDEO CLICK HERE FOR ALL LINKS —-------------------------------------- Audio production: Jimmy RavenscroftKymera FilmsConnect with the Follow Your Dream Podcast:Website - www.followyourdreampodcast.comFollow Robert's band, Project Grand Slam, and his music:Website - www.projectgrandslam.com

Amy B. Scher is an award-winning, bestselling author of five non-fiction books, translated into more than 20 languages. She writes and teaches on the topics of healing, human-ing, and writing. She's recognized in particular for her work in mind-body healing. And she's written a Young Adult novel, “The Unexpected Afterlife of Salon Rose”, which was inspired by the worst week in her life, she says. She's been featured in Oprah Daily, The Washington Post, Good Morning America, CBS, and Cosmopolitan. And, as I like to say, now she's really hit the big time appearing on this podcast. My featured song is “Lovely Girlie”, one of my recent singles. Spotify link. —------------------------------------ The Follow Your Dream Podcast: Top 1% of all podcasts with Listeners in 200 countries! Click here for Start Here Click here for All Episodes Click here for Guest List Click here for Guest Testimonials Click here for Pillars Click here for Robert's Project Grand Slam Click here to Subscribe Clickhere to receive our Email Updates Click here to Rate and Review the podcast —---------------------------------------- CONNECT WITH AMY: www.amybscher.com ROBERT''S LATEST RELEASE "MA PETITE FLEUR STRING QUARTET CLICK HERE FOR ALL LINKS —----------------------------------- ROBERT'S RECENT RELEASE: “THE BUZZ” - Ft. Darius de Haas (vocals) and Dave Eggar (Celo). Short, Sweet and Totally Different CLICK HERE FOR OFFICIAL VIDEO CLICK HERE FOR ALL LINKS —-------------------------------------- Audio production: Jimmy RavenscroftKymera FilmsConnect with the Follow Your Dream Podcast:Website - www.followyourdreampodcast.comFollow Robert's band, Project Grand Slam, and his music:Website - www.projectgrandslam.com

Stevie Simkin is an author, a teacher of drama, film and literature, and also a musician. And he has a PhD in poetry. For over thirty years he has taught at the University of Winchester in the UK. His recent book, “Cultural Constructions of the Femme Fatale”, is about dangerous women. As his subtitle says: from Pandora's Box to Amanda Knox. My featured song is “The Pardners”. It's from the album East Side Sessions by my band Project Grand Slam. Spotify link. —------------------------------------ The Follow Your Dream Podcast: Top 1% of all podcasts with Listeners in 200 countries! Click here for Start Here Click here for All Episodes Click here for Guest List Click here for Guest Testimonials Click here for Pillars Click here for Robert's Project Grand Slam Click here to Subscribe Clickhere to receive our Email Updates Click here to Rate and Review the podcast —---------------------------------------- ROBERT''S LATEST RELEASE: "MA PETITE FLEUR STRING QUARTET CLICK HERE FOR ALL LINKS —-----------------------------------ROBERT'S RECENT RELEASE: “THE BUZZ” - Ft. Darius de Haas (vocals) and Dave Eggar (Celo). Short, Sweet and Totally Different CLICK HERE FOR OFFICIAL VIDEO CLICK HERE FOR ALL LINKS —-------------------------------------- Audio production: Jimmy RavenscroftKymera FilmsConnect with the Follow Your Dream Podcast:Website - www.followyourdreampodcast.comFollow Robert's band, Project Grand Slam, and his music:Website - www.projectgrandslam.com

Bruce Forman is a Texas-born jazz guitarist, perhaps best know for his work on three of Clint Eastwood's films including the soundtrack to “Million Dollar Baby”. He's released 21 recordings as a leader, and played with a number of jazz luminaries including Ray Brown, Freddie Hubbard, Joe Henderson, and Bobby Hutcherson. He's played numerous times at the Monterey Jazz Festival. And he's got a “western bebop” band named Cow Bop. My featured song is “The Pardners”. It's from the album East Side Sessions by my band Project Grand Slam. Spotify link. —------------------------------------ The Follow Your Dream Podcast: Top 1% of all podcasts with Listeners in 200 countries! Click here for Start Here Click here for All Episodes Click here for Guest List Click here for Guest Testimonials Click here for Pillars Click here for Robert's Project Grand Slam Click here to Subscribe Clickhere to receive our Email Updates Click here to Rate and Review the podcast —---------------------------------------- CONNECT WITH BRUCE: www.bruceforman.com ROBERT''S LATEST RELEASE: "MA PETITE FLEUR STRING QUARTET CLICK HERE FOR ALL LINKS —----------------------------------- ROBERT'S RECENT RELEASE: “THE BUZZ” - Ft. Darius de Haas (vocals) and Dave Eggar (Celo). Short, Sweet and Totally Different CLICK HERE FOR OFFICIAL VIDEO CLICK HERE FOR ALL LINKS —-------------------------------------- Audio production: Jimmy RavenscroftKymera FilmsConnect with the Follow Your Dream Podcast:Website - www.followyourdreampodcast.comFollow Robert's band, Project Grand Slam, and his music:Website - www.projectgrandslam.com

Eugene Ruffolo is an acclaimed Background and Jingle singer, and a singer/songwriter with 9 albums of his own. He's sung live and on records with artists like David Byrne, Garth Brooks, and Tony Bennett. As a songwriter he's won first prize in several competitions. He's done hundreds of radio and TV commercials. He's been featured in numerous soundtracks. He's got a passion for working with children. And he's a 3x winner of the Parent's Choice Award. My featured song is “Tessa”. It's from the album East Side Sessions by my band Project Grand Slam. Spotifylink. —------------------------------------ The Follow Your Dream Podcast: Top 1% of all podcasts with Listeners in 200 countries! Click here for Start Here Click here for All Episodes  Click here for Guest List  Click here for Guest Testimonials Click here for Pillars Click here for Robert's Project Grand Slam Click here to Subscribe  Click here to receive our Email Updates Click here to Rate and Review the podcast —---------------------------------------- CONNECT WITH EUGENE: www.eugeneruffolo.com   "MA PETITE FLEUR STRING QUARTET CLICK HERE FOR ALL LINKS —-----------------------------------ROBERT'S NEWEST RELEASE: “THE BUZZ” - Ft. Darius de Haas (vocals) and Dave Eggar (Celo). Short, Sweet and Totally Different CLICK HERE FOR OFFICIAL VIDEO CLICK HERE FOR ALL LINKS —-------------------------------------- Audio production: Jimmy RavenscroftKymera FilmsConnect with the Follow Your Dream Podcast:Website - www.followyourdreampodcast.comFollow Robert's band, Project Grand Slam, and his music:Website - www.projectgrandslam.com      

Zazz is an wonderful actress, singer, and songwriter. She's performed in theater, concert and cabaret venues. She's appeared on Late Night with Stephen Colbert and in the HBO documentary Master Class with Bobby McFerrin, and she's toured with the Trans-Siberian Orchestra. Here's how she came to be a guest. I first came across Zazz when I interviewed Will Healy, a fabulous musician, about a year ago. One of the works that he gave me for the Songfest was a Zoom video by his group Shouthouse and it featured a terrific singer. I told him that I really liked the video, particularly the singer. And he told me that the singer was Zazz. And then some months later I interviewed the incredible rapper Dizzy SenZe on the show. She also performed with Shouthouse and she sent me the same video, the one with Zazz singing. I knew that I had to have her on the show and she introduced us. My featured song is my reimagined version of “The 'In' Crowd”. It's from the album PGS 7 by my band Project Grand Slam. Spotify link. ------------------------------------ The Follow Your Dream Podcast: Top 1% of all podcasts with Listeners in 200 countries! Click here for Start Here Click here for All Episodes  Click here for Guest List  Click here for Guest Testimonials Click here for Pillars Click here for Robert's Project Grand Slam Click here to Subscribe  Click here to receive our Email Updates Click here to Rate and Review the podcast ---------------------------------------- "MA PETITE FLEUR STRING QUARTET CLICK HERE FOR ALL LINKS ----------------------------------- ROBERT'S NEWEST RELEASE: “THE BUZZ” - Ft. Darius de Haas (vocals) and Dave Eggar (Celo). Short, Sweet and Totally Different CLICK HERE FOR OFFICIAL VIDEO CLICK HERE FOR ALL LINKS -------------------------------------- Audio production: Jimmy RavenscroftKymera FilmsConnect with the Follow Your Dream Podcast:Website - www.followyourdreampodcast.comFollow Robert's band, Project Grand Slam, and his music:Website - www.projectgrandslam.com        

This Legends episode spotlights Chas Chandler. He's the guy who turned Jimmy James into Jimi Hendrix. Here's the story. Chas Chandler was the bass player for the Animals, the ‘60s British Invasion band fronted by Eric Burdon, which had a string of hits in that era including “The House Of The Rising Sun”, “Don't Let Me Be Misunderstood”, “I'm Crying” and many others. They had a rougher, earthier sound than most of the other British Invasion bands. After tiring of touring nonstop with the Animals for very little money, Chandler left the band to became an artist manager. And then he got lucky. He discovered a young guitar player in a New York City club who played left-handed and who had something unique going on. He became his manager and took Jimmy James - as he was then known - to England, and introduced him to all the great English musicians. One night in particular all the greats came to see him live - McCartney, Clapton, Beck, Townshend - and they were blown away by his talent and ingenuity. Chandler put this guitarist together with two white English musicians, Noel Redding and Mitch Mitchell. And this trio emerged as the Jimi Hendrix Experience. When they came back to the U.S. they performed at the Monterey Pop Festival, and they became stars. Their first album, “Are You Experienced”, took the world by storm. Their sound was completely unique. And Hendrix's guitar playing was simply out of this world. They set off a musical Revolution. Chandler's enthusiasm, guidance and support helped fuel Hendrix during the early days. It was Chandler's idea, for example, for Hendrix to set his guitar on fire which became a staple of his live performances. Hendrix continued to soar and dominate the rock scene until his untimely death at age 27 in 1970. But keep in mind that all of this might never have happened without Chas Chandler, an unsung hero of the rock era.      

Danny Lux is a multiple Emmy nominated television and film composer. His TV series' credits include the theme music for Sliders, Million Dollar Mysteries, Crisis Center, Profiler and Boston Legal. He's contributed music to Grey's Anatomy, Hacks, Ally McBeal, NYPD Blue, The Good Wife and others. His movie credits include Halloween: Resurrection and Stolen Summer. In total he's scored over 2,300 episodes from dramas to comedies to films. My featured song is “Studio One”. It's from the album Play by my band Project Grand Slam. Spotify link. ------------------------------------ The Follow Your Dream Podcast: Top 1% of all podcasts with Listeners in 200 countries! Click here for Start Here Click here for All Episodes Click here for Guest List  Click here for Guest Testimonials Click here for Pillars Click here for Robert's Project Grand Slam Click here to Subscribe  Clickhere to receive our Email Updates Click here to Rate and Review the podcast —---------------------------------------- CONNECT WITH DANNY: www.dannylux.com   "MA PETITE FLEUR STRING QUARTET CLICK HERE FOR ALL LINKS —----------------------------------- ROBERT'S NEWEST RELEASE: “THE BUZZ” - Ft. Darius de Haas (vocals) and Dave Eggar (Celo). Short, Sweet and Totally Different CLICK HERE FOR OFFICIAL VIDEO CLICK HERE FOR ALL LINKS —-------------------------------------- Audio production: Jimmy RavenscroftKymera FilmsConnect with the Follow Your Dream Podcast:Website - www.followyourdreampodcast.comFollow Robert's band, Project Grand Slam, and his music:Website - www.projectgrandslam.com

Benjamin Kruithof is a multiple prize winning Luxembourg-born cellist. In 2025 he won the Young Artist of the Year award. He's given recitals all over Europe including Cologne, Amsterdam, Vienna, Budapest, London and Baden-Baden. As a soloist, recent highlights include performances with the Luxembourg Philharmonic, Liechtenstein Symphony and the East-West Chamber Orchestra. In recital, he has performed at the Concertgebouw in Amsterdam, Kings Place in London and the Salle Cortot in Paris. His Chamber music projects include an extensive tour of the Netherlands with Noa Wildschut. My featured song is the new re-mixed, re-mastered version of “Ma Petite Fleur String Quartet”, in Dolby Atmos released on St7dio - Classical. All links. —------------------------------------ The Follow Your Dream Podcast: Top 1% of all podcasts with Listeners in 200 countries! Click here for Start Here Click here for All Episodes  Click here for Guest List  Click here for Guest Testimonials Click here for Pillars Click here for Robert's Project Grand Slam Click here to Subscribe  Clickhere to receive our Email Updates Click here to Rate and Review the podcast —---------------------------------------- CONNECT WITH BENJAMIN: www.benjamin-kruithof.com   "MA PETITE FLEUR STRING QUARTET CLICK HERE FOR ALL LINKS —----------------------------------- ROBERT'S NEWEST RELEASE: “THE BUZZ” - Ft. Darius de Haas (vocals) and Dave Eggar (Celo). Short, Sweet and Totally Different CLICK HERE FOR OFFICIAL VIDEO CLICK HERE FOR ALL LINKS —-------------------------------------- Audio production: Jimmy RavenscroftKymera FilmsConnect with the Follow Your Dream Podcast:Website - www.followyourdreampodcast.comFollow Robert's band, Project Grand Slam, and his music:Website - www.projectgrandslam.com

Tess Remy-Schumacher is is a Grammy® nominated cellist and producer. She's won a whole bunch of awards including the World Entertainment Award for “Best Classical Album”, first Prize at the International Carlo-Zecchi Competition in Rome, and multiple medals at the Global Music Awards. As a concert soloist, she has recorded at Abbey Road Studios as part of the Six String Symphony with the London Symphony and recorded over 20 albums. She's performed in Europe, Asia, Australia, and the U.S., including at Wigmore Hall in London, Jubilee Hall in Singapore, and the Grammy Museum in Los Angeles. As an educator she is a professor at the University of Central Oklahoma. My featured song is “The Buzz”, one of my recent singles. Spotify link. —------------------------------------ The Follow Your Dream Podcast: Top 1% of all podcasts with Listeners in 200 countries! Click here for Start Here Click here for All Episodes  Click here for Guest List  Click here for Guest Testimonials Click here for Pillars Click here for Robert's Project Grand Slam Click here to Subscribe  Clickhere to receive our Email Updates Click here to Rate and Review the podcast —---------------------------------------- CONNECT WITH TESS: CLICK HERE   "MA PETITE FLEUR STRING QUARTET CLICK HERE FOR ALL LINKS —----------------------------------- ROBERT'S NEWEST RELEASE:“THE BUZZ” - Ft. Darius de Haas (vocals) and Dave Eggar (Celo). Short, Sweet and Totally Different CLICK HERE FOR OFFICIAL VIDEO CLICK HERE FOR ALL LINKS —-------------------------------------- Audio production: Jimmy RavenscroftKymera FilmsConnect with the Follow Your Dream Podcast:Website - www.followyourdreampodcast.comFollow Robert's band, Project Grand Slam, and his music:Website - www.projectgrandslam.com      

Pille-Rite Rei is an Estonian jazz musician, multi-instrumentalist and singer-songwriter known for her deep connection to Brazilian and Latin-infused jazz. She plays Estonian bossa nova! Her work spans multiple albums and singles, blending Nordic jazz melodies with acoustic and bossa nova rhythms. She honed her vocal skills in Sweden and later won a musical award in Denmark. She then went to Brazil and collaborated there. Now she's back based in Denmark. My featured song is “The Gift”, one of my recent singles. Spotify link. —------------------------------------ The Follow Your Dream Podcast: Top 1% of all podcasts with Listeners in 200 countries! Click here for Start Here Click here for All Episodes  Click here for Guest List  Click here for Guest Testimonials Click here for Pillars Click here for Robert's Project Grand Slam Click here to Subscribe  Clickhere to receive our Email Updates Click here to Rate and Review the podcast —---------------------------------------- "MA PETITE FLEUR STRING QUARTET" CLICK HERE FOR ALL LINKS —-----------------------------------ROBERT'S NEWEST RELEASE: “THE BUZZ” - Ft. Darius de Haas (vocals) and Dave Eggar (Celo). Short, Sweet and Totally Different CLICK HERE FOR OFFICIAL VIDEO CLICK HERE FOR ALL LINKS —-------------------------------------- Audio production: Jimmy RavenscroftKymera FilmsConnect with the Follow Your Dream Podcast:Website - www.followyourdreampodcast.comFollow Robert's band, Project Grand Slam, and his music:Website - www.projectgrandslam.com        

This episode announces the release of the new re-mixed and re-mastered “Ma Petite Fleur String Quartet”. The new recording has been released on St7dio - Classical, the boutique classical label owned by multiple Grammy® winner Kitt Wakeley and which is run by Allison Charney. Allison is a Grammy® nominated opera singer in her own right, and a recent guest on the podcast. Here's the back story. In 2012 I wrote and recorded a jazz ballad that I called “Ma Petite Fleur” (my little flower). My ballad was an instrumental love song that I wrote for my wife. In 2025 I got the idea to transform this song into a classical string quartet piece. The new work was arranged by David Shenton and performed by a superstar quartet consisting of Katie Thomas on violin 1, Erica Dicker on violin 2, JJ Johnson on viola, and Dave Eggar on cello. The recording was praised by a host of world class classical artists, and it quickly accumulated nearly a half million views on YouTube. In June 2026 I was introduced to Allison Charney as a guest on the podcast. Allison heard my string quartet piece and said she wanted to re-release it on her label, St7dio - Classical, in a new, re-mixed and re-mastered form including in Dolby Atmos, the latest audio technology.  The new version of “Ma Petite Fleur String Quartet” has just been released by St7dio - Classical. I invite you all to download and/or stream it. CLICK HERE FOR ALL LINKS ------------------------------------- HEAR "MA PETITE FLEUR STRING QUARTET" PERFORMED "LIVE" ON SEPTEMBER 10 IN NYC CLICK HERE FOR INFORMATION AND TICKETS —------------------------------------ The Follow Your Dream Podcast:Top 1% of all podcasts with Listeners in 200 countries! Click here for Start Here Click here for All Episodes  Click here for Guest List  Click here for Guest Testimonials Click here for Pillars Click here for Robert's Project Grand Slam Click here to Subscribe  Click here to receive our Email Updates Click here to Rate and Review the podcast —---------------------------------------- ROBERT'S RECENT RELEASE:“THE BUZZ” - Ft. Darius de Haas (vocals) and Dave Eggar (Celo). Short, Sweet and Totally Different CLICK HERE FOR OFFICIAL VIDEO CLICK HERE FOR ALL LINKS —-------------------------------------- Audio production: Jimmy RavenscroftKymera FilmsConnect with the Follow Your Dream Podcast:Website - www.followyourdreampodcast.comFollow Robert's band, Project Grand Slam, and his music:Website - www.projectgrandslam.com    

I believe that creativity has no expiration date. But there is another side to the story. Sometimes we watch an artist who we have loved for decades slowly fade before our eyes. Recently I saw a ‘60s era superstar in concert. He will remain nameless for these purposes. In my opinion, he was one of the greatest artists of the rock era. His songwriting, his guitar playing, his singing - all masterful. Which is why seeing him recently was such a complicated experience for me. He's now in his eighties. Like all of us, he has aged. His voice has changed. His physical presence has changed. The effortless brilliance of youth has inevitably given way to something quieter and more fragile. And perhaps what I found myself mourning was not so much him, but the realization that time eventually catches up to all of us. The concert raised two questions for me. The first concerns the relationship between artists and audiences. When audiences attend a concert by an artist whose career spans 60+ years, what are they hoping to hear? It's pretty clear to me that the fans come to reconnect with the hits - the songs that became part of their lives. The songs attached to first loves, first apartments, marriages, children, friendships, and memories. Those songs belong not only to the artist but, in a real sense, to the audience as well. So when an older artist loads new material and deep cuts into their set list, the audience is disappointed. In fact, Timothy B. Schmit, a member of the Eagles, said to me when I interviewed him on this show that the Eagles will never record a new album. Why? Because all that the fans want to hear are the hits. That doesn't mean that artists should stop creating new work. Far from it. I admire older artists who continue to write and record new music well into their eighties. But there is a balance. Both Paul McCartney and James Taylor, for example, understand that in concert they must play the 25 or so songs that their fans want to hear. Then they can sprinkle in a few new ones. The second question is even harder. How does an artist know when it is time to stop? Athletes face this question. Actors face this question. Musicians face it too. There comes a point when talent remains but some of the tools that once expressed that talent begin to diminish. Voices change. Range disappears. Energy fades. The audience notices. The artist notices. And everyone involved understands what is happening, even if no one says it aloud. This is not criticism. It is simply life.  Perhaps that is why performances by older artists affect us so deeply. We are not simply watching our heroes age. We are confronting our own aging as well. The fading star becomes a mirror. And maybe that is why audiences continue to give them standing ovations. Partly out of admiration. Partly out of gratitude. And partly because we understand that we are not merely applauding a performance. We are applauding a lifetime of artistry, creativity, and the memories these artists gave us along the way. In the end, perhaps that is enough. Perhaps that is more than enough. This is Robert Miller with Follow Your Dream.

Adrian Galante is an Australian-born jazz multi-instrumentalist, arranger and composer who plays the piano and the clarinet. His debut album, “Introducing Adrian Galante”, was released last year and features pianist Tamir Hendelman and drummer Joe LaBarbera, both of whom have been guests on this podcast. My featured song is “Mi Cachimber”, one of my recent singles. Spotify link. —------------------------------------ The Follow Your Dream Podcast:Top 1% of all podcasts with Listeners in 200 countries! Click here for Start Here Click here for All Episodes  Click here for Guest List  Click here for Guest Testimonials Click here for Pillars Click here for Robert's Project Grand Slam Click here to Subscribe  Click here to receive our Email Updates Click here to Rate and Review the podcast —---------------------------------------- CONNECT WITH ADRIAN:www.adriangalante.com —----------------------------------- ROBERT'S NEWEST RELEASE:“THE BUZZ” - Ft. Darius de Haas (vocals) and Dave Eggar (Celo). Short, Sweet and Totally Different CLICK HERE FOR OFFICIAL VIDEO CLICK HERE FOR ALL LINKS —-------------------------------------- Audio production: Jimmy RavenscroftKymera FilmsConnect with the Follow Your Dream Podcast:Website - www.followyourdreampodcast.comFollow Robert's band, Project Grand Slam, and his music:Website - www.projectgrandslam.com    

Mitch Marcus is a director and screenwriter for movies and television. He started out working on film crews on movies like 'Stand By Me" and "Field of Dreams".  In 1995, his film “A Boy Called Hate", about the youth culture of guns, received a prize at the Berlin International Film Festival.  He's worked as a director for hire on several feature length movies.  He's filmed two feature length documentaries. In television, he produced and directed non-fiction television for A&E, History, Travel, Discovery, Sundance and others - most recently Executive Producing the series, "The Unexplained with William Shatner”. He recently released a micro-budget feature called "I Don't Love You Anymore”. My featured song is “Hollywood”, from the album The PGS Experience by my band Project Grand Slam. Spotify link. —------------------------------------ The Follow Your Dream Podcast:Top 1% of all podcasts with Listeners in 200 countries! Click here for Start Here Click here for All Episodes  Click here for Guest List  Click here for Guest Testimonials Click here for Pillars Click here for Robert's Project Grand Slam Click here to Subscribe  Click here to receive our Email Updates Click here to Rate and Review the podcast —---------------------------------------- CONNECT WITH MITCH:https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0546153/ —----------------------------------- ROBERT'S NEWEST RELEASE:“THE BUZZ” - Ft. Darius de Haas (vocals) and Dave Eggar (Celo). Short, Sweet and Totally Different CLICK HERE FOR OFFICIAL VIDEO CLICK HERE FOR ALL LINKS —-------------------------------------- Audio production: Jimmy RavenscroftKymera FilmsConnect with the Follow Your Dream Podcast:Website - www.followyourdreampodcast.comFollow Robert's band, Project Grand Slam, and his music:Website - www.projectgrandslam.com    

Jhoely Garay is a Mexican-born jazz guitarist, composer, and arranger and the leader of the Jhoely Garay Jazz Orchestra. She combines classic and contemporary jazz with Latin rhythms. And like me, she likes to write message songs about subjects like the climate, and also about untold or hidden histories left out of official narratives. She's become an important part of the jazz scene in New York and Mexico. She's performed at major venues including Carnegie Hall, The National Jazz Museum in Harlem, and The MET Museum. And she won five Latin Grammy Cultural Foundation awards. My featured song is “Take Me”, from the album East Side Sessions by my band Project Grand Slam. Spotify link. —------------------------------------ The Follow Your Dream Podcast:Top 1% of all podcasts with Listeners in 200 countries! Click here for Start Here Click here for All Episodes  Click here for Guest List  Click here for Guest Testimonials Click here for Pillars Click here for Robert's Project Grand Slam Click here to Subscribe  Click here to receive our Email Updates Click here to Rate and Review the podcast —---------------------------------------- CONNECT WITH JHOELY:www.jhoelygaray.com —------------------------------------ ROBERT'S NEWEST RELEASE:“THE BUZZ” - Ft. Darius de Haas (vocals) and Dave Eggar (Celo). Short, Sweet and Totally Different CLICK HERE FOR OFFICIAL VIDEO CLICK HERE FOR ALL LINKS —-------------------------------------- Audio production: Jimmy RavenscroftKymera FilmsConnect with the Follow Your Dream Podcast:Website - www.followyourdreampodcast.comFollow Robert's band, Project Grand Slam, and his music:Website - www.projectgrandslam.com    

Jason SweetTooth Williams is a singer, an actor and a writer. He's performed in cabaret, on TV, in films and on Broadway. He was in the Broadway musical “Be More Chill”, and regionally and Off Broadway in “Freaky Friday”, “Benny and Joon”, “Bloodsong of Love”, “The Untitled Unauthorized Hunter S Thompson Musical” and “Once Upon a Mattress”. And he's an original member of Joe Iconis and Family. On screen he appeared in “WeCrashed” and in episodes of “Only Murders in the Building”, “BULL”, “FBI”, “The Marvelous Mrs Masiel” and “American Horror Stories”.  My featured song is “The Buzz”, my latest single. Spotify link. —------------------------------------ The Follow Your Dream Podcast:Top 1% of all podcasts with Listeners in 200 countries! Click here for Start Here Click here for All Episodes  Click here for Guest List  Click here for Guest Testimonials Click here for Pillars Click here for Robert's Project Grand Slam Click here to Subscribe  Click here to receive our Email Updates Click here to Rate and Review the podcast —---------------------------------------- ROBERT'S NEWEST RELEASE:“THE BUZZ” - Ft. Darius de Haas (vocals) and Dave Eggar (Celo). Short, Sweet and Totally Different CLICK HERE FOR OFFICIAL VIDEO CLICK HERE FOR ALL LINKS —-------------------------------------- Audio production: Jimmy RavenscroftKymera FilmsConnect with the Follow Your Dream Podcast:Website - www.followyourdreampodcast.comFollow Robert's band, Project Grand Slam, and his music:Website - www.projectgrandslam.com    

Ana Petrova is a jazz pianist and organist from Kazakhstan. Her playing is a combination of improvisation, groove, and jazz traditions. She studied at Berklee with Danilo Pérez, John Patitucci, and Joe Lovano. She's shared the stage with Dave Liebman, Catherine Russell, and Terri Lyne Carrington, among others. She's performed at clubs like Dizzy's and The Bitter End, and at festivals like the Umbria, Panama, and Monterey Jazz Festivals. My featured song is “Trippin”, from the album of the same name. Spotify link. —------------------------------------ The Follow Your Dream Podcast:Top 1% of all podcasts with Listeners in 200 countries! Click here for Start Here Click here for All Episodes  Click here for Guest List  Click here for Guest Testimonials Click here for Pillars Click here for Robert's Project Grand Slam Click here to Subscribe  Click here to receive our Email Updates Click here to Rate and Review the podcast —---------------------------------------- CONNECT WITH ANA:www.anapetrovamusic.com —------------------------------------ ROBERT'S NEWEST RELEASE:“THE BUZZ” - Ft. Darius de Haas (vocals) and Dave Eggar (Celo). Short, Sweet and Totally Different CLICK HERE FOR OFFICIAL VIDEO CLICK HERE FOR ALL LINKS —-------------------------------------- Audio production: Jimmy RavenscroftKymera FilmsConnect with the Follow Your Dream Podcast:Website - www.followyourdreampodcast.comFollow Robert's band, Project Grand Slam, and his music:Website - www.projectgrandslam.com    

After more than 800 episodes, I've observed that many of my remarkable guests are connected by one or more common threads. Each episode of Special Collections focuses on a particular thread that ties together some of my guests. In this episode, that common thread is poetry. This episode features five remarkable, world-class poets who have expanded the range of artistic expression featured on this podcast. When I started this podcast just over five years ago, as a musician myself, I focused primarily on great musicians as my guests. But as those guests began introducing me to other artists, a wonderful development occurred: my focus expanded to include other creative disciplines, including poetry. And my first poet guest led me to the second, and so on. I've now built a roster of extraordinary poets — and I look forward to continuing to add to it. What makes poetry especially interesting to me is that I've adapted the SongFest portion of each interview — which I do with my musician guests — into a PoetryFest segment for my poet guests, where they read one of their works live on the air. I love it. So with that in mind, let me reintroduce these five remarkable poets and share a portion of the poem each performed live on the podcast. ⸻ Robert Pinsky is a three-time United States Poet Laureate. He has received numerous awards and was a Pulitzer Prize finalist. He created the Favorite Poem Project, has performed with Bruce Springsteen, and was featured on The Simpsons.   Paul Muldoon is a Pulitzer Prize–winning Irish poet. He is the editor of Paul McCartney's book The Lyrics: 1956 to the Present. He is also the author of 15 collections of poetry and has been a professor at Princeton for more than 35 years.   Rowan Ricardo Phillips is an award-winning poet and writer, with works including Silver, The Ground, and Heaven. He is also a sportswriter and serves as the poetry editor of The New Republic.   Tom Sleigh is an award-winning poet, dramatist, and essayist. He has written 11 books of poetry, including The King's Touch, Army Cats, and Space Walk.   Declan Ryan is an Irish poet now based in London. His first collection is titled Crisis Actor. His work has appeared in The New Yorker, The Paris Review, The Guardian, The Observer, and The Irish Times.   So there it is — five extraordinary poets who have been guests on this podcast. As I mentioned during their interviews, poetry is not always emphasized in American education. My own exposure was limited to classics like “Trees” by Joyce Kilmer and “The Road Not Taken” by Robert Frost. But the art of poetry stands alongside all the other arts, and I'm proud to feature these great poets on the podcast — and I look forward to presenting more. Thank you for listening, and stay tuned for another Special Collections episode soon. This is Robert Miller with Follow Your Dream.      

Ed Hinman is an author who says that he likes to explore open fields where violent things happened a thousand years ago. He's a graduate of the US Naval Academy, and he served eight years in the Marine Corps including a deployment in Afghanistan. He earned a master's degree in history, and he's spent his post-military career as a bodyguard at a security firm. He's now about to publish his first book, called "The Barbarian in You". If I have this right, it's about listening to the ancient, primal, authentic you, as it nudges you towards the Vigor, Wonder, and Fellowship of your goal. His writing has appeared in Task & Purpose, Business Insider, and The Washington Post.  My featured song is “Cannonball”, from the album Prisoners Of Love. Spotify link. —------------------------------------ The Follow Your Dream Podcast:Top 1% of all podcasts with Listeners in 200 countries! Click here for Start Here Click here for All Episodes  Click here for Guest List  Click here for Guest Testimonials Click here for Pillars Click here for Robert's Project Grand Slam Click here to Subscribe  Click here to receive our Email Updates Click here to Rate and Review the podcast —---------------------------------------- CONNECT WITH ED:www.barbarianinyou.com —------------------------------------ ROBERT'S NEWEST RELEASE:“THE BUZZ” - Ft. Darius de Haas (vocals) and Dave Eggar (Celo). Short, Sweet and Totally Different CLICK HERE FOR OFFICIAL VIDEO CLICK HERE FOR ALL LINKS —-------------------------------------- Audio production: Jimmy RavenscroftKymera FilmsConnect with the Follow Your Dream Podcast:Website - www.followyourdreampodcast.comFollow Robert's band, Project Grand Slam, and his music:Website - www.projectgrandslam.com    

Eric Oberstein is a Cuban-American 2x Grammy®  and 2x Latin Grammy® -winning producer, curator, artist manager, arts administrator, and educator. He runs an artist management and producing company, and an arts management consultancy that produces programming and advises cultural organizations on strategy. Two of his clients are Claudia Acuna and Kali Rodriguez-Pena, both of whom have been guests on this podcast. Eric has served as Managing Director of Harlem Stage; a Director of Duke Performances at Duke University; and Executive Director of the Afro Latin Jazz Alliance. He is also an educator. On top of all this he's a saxophonist and drummer. My featured song is “Mi Cachimber All Stars”, one of my recent singles. Spotify link. —------------------------------------ The Follow Your Dream Podcast:Top 1% of all podcasts with Listeners in 200 countries! Click here for Start Here Click here for All Episodes  Click here for Guest List  Click here for Guest Testimonials Click here for Pillars Click here for Robert's Project Grand Slam Click here to Subscribe  Click here to receive our Email Updates Click here to Rate and Review the podcast —---------------------------------------- CONNECT WITH ERIC:www.ericoberstein.com —------------------------------------ ROBERT'S NEWEST RELEASE:“THE BUZZ” - Ft. Darius de Haas (vocals) and Dave Eggar (Celo). Short, Sweet and Totally Different CLICK HERE FOR OFFICIAL VIDEO CLICK HERE FOR ALL LINKS —-------------------------------------- Audio production: Jimmy RavenscroftKymera FilmsConnect with the Follow Your Dream Podcast:Website - www.followyourdreampodcast.comFollow Robert's band, Project Grand Slam, and his music:Website - www.projectgrandslam.com    

Allison Philips is a Brooklyn-based trumpet player, composer, and educator. She's led a trio and a quartet, and she's co-led the DeiCont | Philips Collective. She's toured throughout the U.S., Europe and Canada. She is a member of the Afro Latin Jazz Orchestra which has performed with The Jonas Brothers and Yo La Tengo among others. She's appeared at Carnegie Hall, Birdland, and The North Sea Jazz Festival, among others. My featured song is “The Rich Ones”, one of my recent singles. Spotify link. —------------------------------------ The Follow Your Dream Podcast:Top 1% of all podcasts with Listeners in 200 countries! Click here for Start Here Click here for All Episodes  Click here for Guest List  Click here for Guest Testimonials Click here for Pillars Click here for Robert's Project Grand Slam Click here to Subscribe  Click here to receive our Email Updates Click here to Rate and Review the podcast —---------------------------------------- CONNECT WITH ALLISON:www.allisonphilips.com —------------------------------------ ROBERT'S NEWEST RELEASE:“THE BUZZ” - Ft. Darius de Haas (vocals) and Dave Eggar (Celo). Short, Sweet and Totally Different CLICK HERE FOR OFFICIAL VIDEO CLICK HERE FOR ALL LINKS —-------------------------------------- Audio production: Jimmy RavenscroftKymera FilmsConnect with the Follow Your Dream Podcast:Website - www.followyourdreampodcast.comFollow Robert's band, Project Grand Slam, and his music:Website - www.projectgrandslam.com    

Steven Pressfield is the author of over twenty books of fiction and nonfiction. Two themes emerge from his writings: self-help and creativity, and historical fiction and war. He wrote “The Legend of Bagger Vance”, which in 2000 was made into a major motion picture directed by Robert Redford and starring Will Smith, Matt Damon and Charlize Theron. He also wrote “Gates of Fire”, and “The Virtues of War” among others. “The War Of Art” focuses on procrastination. His works are widely read in military, creative, and leadership communities for their insights into discipline, resistance, and courage. He's a former Marine and a longtime student of classical history. He's known for blending historical accuracy with storytelling and philosophy. His newest book is “The Arcadian”. It's set in Spain and deals with the moral and spiritual costs of war. Which is particularly relevant today. My featured song is “Rough Rider”, one of my recent singles. Spotify link. —------------------------------------ The Follow Your Dream Podcast:Top 1% of all podcasts with Listeners in 200 countries! Click here for Start Here Click here for All Episodes  Click here for Guest List  Click here for Guest Testimonials Click here for Pillars Click here for Robert's Project Grand Slam Click here to Subscribe  Click here to receive our Email Updates Click here to Rate and Review the podcast —---------------------------------------- CONNECT WITH STEVEN:www.stevenpressfield.com —------------------------------------ ROBERT'S NEWEST RELEASE:“THE BUZZ” - Ft. Darius de Haas (vocals) and Dave Eggar (Celo). Short, Sweet and Totally Different CLICK HERE FOR OFFICIAL VIDEO CLICK HERE FOR ALL LINKS —-------------------------------------- Audio production: Jimmy RavenscroftKymera FilmsConnect with the Follow Your Dream Podcast:Website - www.followyourdreampodcast.comFollow Robert's band, Project Grand Slam, and his music:Website - www.projectgrandslam.com    

Hi everybody. Robert Miller here with another Follow Your Dream Reflection — observations drawn from my many conversations with remarkable creative artists. One of the hallmarks of my podcast interviews is that they are completely free-form. While I study each guest, read their bio, and do my due diligence on their art, I don't script the interview. I don't write down questions in advance. At most, I may jot down a few topics I'd like to discuss. And I usually avoid speaking with my guests before the interview, because I want the conversation to feel fresh and spontaneous. In many ways, I approach my interviews the same way I approach my music. Jazz is improvised — and so are my interviews. We talk, and I let the conversation flow. I make decisions in real time about whether to follow up on something the guest has just said, or to take the discussion in a different direction. The same is true for the “fest” portion of each interview. I decide on the spot when to segue into it and how I want that part of the conversation to unfold. Doing the podcast this way borders on the dangerous. There's always the chance that I won't immediately think of the right question, or that the conversation might slow down. But to me, that's exactly what makes the interviews exciting. It's the same feeling as being on stage and improvising a solo or a jam in real time. There's no safety net. My interview style is also influenced by something I did in college. I was a DJ on my school's radio station, and my shows were completely free-form. I played the music that moved me without planning the set list in advance, reacting in real time to each selection as I chose the next one. It was my first lesson in improvisation. Approaching podcast interviews as jazz improvisations allows me to draw on that musical training and keeps the conversations spontaneous and alive. And I think the audience enjoys it that way too. Just an observation from my many conversations. This is Robert Miller with Follow Your Dream.

Allison Charney is a Grammy® nominated soprano opera singer. She has performed dozens of leading roles with opera companies across the United States. she's been a soloist with major orchestras, and she has recorded worldwide. She made her debut at the New York City Opera in La Bohème. She also sung Puccini's Madam Butterfly and Tosca. She has sung Mozart's Figaro and Don Giovanni. Other performances include Offenbach's Tales of Hoffmann, Die Fledermaus, Carmen, La Traviata and The Merry Widow. She has performed with the Atlanta Opera, Florida Grand Opera, Utah Opera, Nashville Opera, and Opera Memphis among many others. My featured song is “March Of The Diplomats”, from the album Trippin' by my band Project Grand Slam. Spotify link. —------------------------------------ The Follow Your Dream Podcast:Top 1% of all podcasts with Listeners in 200 countries! Click here for Start Here Click here for All Episodes  Click here for Guest List  Click here for Guest Testimonials Click here for Pillars Click here for Robert's Project Grand Slam Click here to Subscribe  Click here to receive our Email Updates Click here to Rate and Review the podcast —---------------------------------------- CONNECT WITH ALLISON:www.preformances.org —------------------------------------ ROBERT'S NEWEST RELEASE:“THE BUZZ” - Ft. Darius de Haas (vocals) and Dave Eggar (Celo). Short, Sweet and Totally Different CLICK HERE FOR OFFICIAL VIDEO CLICK HERE FOR ALL LINKS —-------------------------------------- Audio production: Jimmy RavenscroftKymera FilmsConnect with the Follow Your Dream Podcast:Website - www.followyourdreampodcast.comFollow Robert's band, Project Grand Slam, and his music:Website - www.projectgrandslam.com    

Jeremy Ledbetter is a JUNO Award-winning Canadian pianist, composer, and producer known for his fusion of jazz and world music. He was trained as a classical pianist, but he switched to jazz and spent over a decade travelling to Trinidad, Cuba, Brazil, and Venezuela to study local musical cultures. He's released two albums with his trio. He's also the leader and composer for the Caribbean Jazz ensemble CaneFire. And he works with OKAN, the terrific duo who has been on this podcast My featured song is “Mi Cachimber All Stars”, my recent single. Spotify link. —------------------------------------ The Follow Your Dream Podcast:Top 1% of all podcasts with Listeners in 200 countries! Click here for Start Here Click here for All Episodes  Click here for Guest List  Click here for Guest Testimonials Click here for Pillars Click here for Robert's Project Grand Slam Click here to Subscribe  Click here to receive our Email Updates Click here to Rate and Review the podcast —---------------------------------------- CONNECT WITH JEREMY:www.jeremyledbetter.com —------------------------------------ ROBERT'S NEWEST RELEASE:“THE BUZZ” - Ft. Darius de Haas (vocals) and Dave Eggar (Celo). Short, Sweet and Totally Different CLICK HERE FOR OFFICIAL VIDEO CLICK HERE FOR ALL LINKS —-------------------------------------- Audio production: Jimmy RavenscroftKymera FilmsConnect with the Follow Your Dream Podcast:Website - www.followyourdreampodcast.comFollow Robert's band, Project Grand Slam, and his music:Website - www.projectgrandslam.com    

Ludovica Burtone is a violinist and composer. Her music spans an eclectic range of styles and genres including classical, jazz, Brazilian, and contemporary. She has performed worldwide as a soloist, chamber musician, and collaborator in numerous ensembles. And at venues including Carnegie Hall, Lincoln Center, Radio City, Boston Symphony Hall, and Boston Opera House among others. Her latest project, “Migration Tales”, explores the stories of immigrant women in New York City through original compositions. Recent highlights include performing at the Notorious B.I.G. Tribute at Lincoln Center. My featured song is “The Gift”, my recent single that transformed my jazz ballad into a big band Samba. Spotify link. —------------------------------------ The Follow Your Dream Podcast:Top 1% of all podcasts with Listeners in 200 countries! Click here for Start Here Click here for All Episodes  Click here for Guest List  Click here for Guest Testimonials Click here for Pillars Click here for Robert's Project Grand Slam Click here to Subscribe  Click here to receive our Email Updates Click here to Rate and Review the podcast —---------------------------------------- CONNECT WITH LUDOVICA:www.ludovicaburtone.com —------------------------------------ ROBERT'S NEWEST RELEASE:“THE BUZZ” - Ft. Darius de Haas (vocals) and Dave Eggar (Celo). Short, Sweet and Totally Different CLICK HERE FOR OFFICIAL VIDEO CLICK HERE FOR ALL LINKS —-------------------------------------- Audio production: Jimmy RavenscroftKymera FilmsConnect with the Follow Your Dream Podcast:Website - www.followyourdreampodcast.comFollow Robert's band, Project Grand Slam, and his music:Website - www.projectgrandslam.com    

Today is a very special day on the podcast. It's Satchmo day! Or as you may know him - Louis Armstrong day! For anyone who doesn't know him, Louis Armstrong was simply one of the greatest American artists ever. And my guest to celebrate this occasion is Ricky Riccardi. He is the Director of Research Collections for the Louis Armstrong House Museum. Ricky has written three critically-acclaimed biographies of Louis Armstrong and is a two-time Grammy winner in the "Best Album Notes" category. He's produced numerous Louis Armstrong reissues, served as a Consulting Producer on the documentary "Louis Armstrong's Black and Blues", and he's given Louis Armstrong lectures at venues around the world. He is also a pianist. My featured song is “Mi Cachimber All Stars”, my recent single. Spotify link. —------------------------------------ The Follow Your Dream Podcast:Top 1% of all podcasts with Listeners in 200 countries! Click here for Start Here Click here for All Episodes  Click here for Guest List  Click here for Guest Testimonials Click here for Pillars Click here for Robert's Project Grand Slam Click here to Subscribe  Click here to receive our Email Updates Click here to Rate and Review the podcast —---------------------------------------- CONNECT WITH RICKY:www.louisarmstronghouse.org —------------------------------------ ROBERT'S NEWEST RELEASE:“THE BUZZ” - Ft. Darius de Haas (vocals) and Dave Eggar (Celo). Short, Sweet and Totally Different CLICK HERE FOR OFFICIAL VIDEO CLICK HERE FOR ALL LINKS —-------------------------------------- Audio production: Jimmy RavenscroftKymera FilmsConnect with the Follow Your Dream Podcast:Website - www.followyourdreampodcast.comFollow Robert's band, Project Grand Slam, and his music:Website - www.projectgrandslam.com   

In Robert Frost's famous poem, called “The Road Not Taken”, a traveler comes to a fork in the road and must choose between two paths. The poem is really about life's crossroads—those moments when we must choose between the expected path and one that is uncertain, unconventional, and uniquely our own. My life has been about pursuing that second path. Like most people, I spent much of my adult life raising a family, building a career, and meeting the responsibilities that come with adulthood. My youthful dream of becoming a rock star musician remained just that—a dream. But as I approached age 60, when most of my contemporaries were approaching retirement, a light went off in my head. I realized that if I did not pursue that dream now, I would never do it. And I didn't want to look back later in life and regret that I had not even given my dream a chance. So figuratively, I jumped into the deep end of the pool. I gave up my other pursuits and committed myself fully to music. And you know what? It turned out to be the best decision I ever made. As of today I've released 15 albums (including a Billboard #1), numerous singles, written an Amazon #1 bestselling book, and created Follow Your Dream, a global arts platform featuring more than 750 conversations and more with world-class artists from around the globe. In this Essay I delve into the pros and cons of finding your path when you reach that crossroads. Like my other essays, this essay has been published on the Medium app. And it's available on the Essays page of Follow Your Dream. I hope you will take a look. And stay tuned for future essays periodically. CLICK HERE —----------------------------------------------------------- The Follow Your Dream Podcast:Top 1% of all podcasts with Listeners in 200 countries! Click here for Start Here Click here for All Episodes  Click here for Guest List  Click here for Guest Testimonials Click here for Pillars Click here for Robert's Project Grand Slam Click here to Subscribe  Click here to receive our Email Updates Click here to Rate and Review the podcast —---------------------------------------- ROBERT'S NEWEST RELEASE:“THE BUZZ” - Ft. Darius de Haas (vocals) and Dave Eggar (Celo). Short, Sweet and Totally Different CLICK HERE FOR OFFICIAL VIDEO CLICK HERE FOR ALL LINKS —-------------------------------------- Audio production: Jimmy RavenscroftKymera FilmsConnect with the Follow Your Dream Podcast:Website - www.followyourdreampodcast.comFollow Robert's band, Project Grand Slam, and his music:Website - www.projectgrandslam.com    

Jennifer Ashley Tepper is a theater historian, author and producer. She conceived of The Jonathan Larson Project. He's the guy who wrote Rent. She's been the longtime Creative and Programming Director at 54 Below, the iconic New York City cabaret club. She's curated or produced over 8,000 shows. As an author her latest book is “Women Writing Musicals: The Legacy that the History Books Left Out”, about female musical theatre writers. She's also the author of "The Untold Stories of Broadway", and the creator of the "If It Only Even Runs A Minute" concert series. She produced the musical “Be More Chill” and was the historian consultant on the film, “tick, tick… BOOM!” about Jonathan Larson.  My featured song is my reimagined cover of Double's hit “The Captain Of Her Heart”, from the album Play by my band Project Grand Slam. Spotify link. —------------------------------------ The Follow Your Dream Podcast:Top 1% of all podcasts with Listeners in 200 countries! Click here for Start Here Click here for All Episodes  Click here for Guest List  Click here for Guest Testimonials Click here for Pillars Click here for Robert's Project Grand Slam Click here to Subscribe  Click here to receive our Email Updates Click here to Rate and Review the podcast —---------------------------------------- CONNECT WITH JENNIFER:www.jenniferashleytepper.com —------------------------------------ ROBERT'S NEWEST RELEASE:“THE BUZZ” - Ft. Darius de Haas (vocals) and Dave Eggar (Celo). Short, Sweet and Totally Different CLICK HERE FOR OFFICIAL VIDEO CLICK HERE FOR ALL LINKS —-------------------------------------- Audio production: Jimmy RavenscroftKymera FilmsConnect with the Follow Your Dream Podcast:Website - www.followyourdreampodcast.comFollow Robert's band, Project Grand Slam, and his music:Website - www.projectgrandslam.com    

Gentiane MG is a fabulous Montreal-based pianist and composer who combines jazz and classical. Her music explores human connection, emotional depth, and the quiet relationship between inner life and the natural world. She's toured with her trio extensively across Canada and Europe and she's earned major honours including OPUS Awards, Radio Canada recognition, and JUNO nominations. Her latest album is called “Can You Hear the Birds?” My featured song is my reimagined cover of Chick Corea's “Sea Journey”, from the album Play by my band Project Grand Slam. Spotify link. —------------------------------------ The Follow Your Dream Podcast:Top 1% of all podcasts with Listeners in 200 countries! Click here for Start Here Click here for All Episodes  Click here for Guest List  Click here for Guest Testimonials Click here for Pillars Click here for Robert's Project Grand Slam Click here to Subscribe  Click here to receive our Email Updates Click here to Rate and Review the podcast —---------------------------------------- CONNECT WITH GENTIANE:www.gentianemg.com —------------------------------------ ROBERT'S NEWEST RELEASE:“THE BUZZ” - Ft. Darius de Haas (vocals) and Dave Eggar (Celo). Short, Sweet and Totally Different CLICK HERE FOR OFFICIAL VIDEO CLICK HERE FOR ALL LINKS —-------------------------------------- Audio production: Jimmy RavenscroftKymera FilmsConnect with the Follow Your Dream Podcast:Website - www.followyourdreampodcast.comFollow Robert's band, Project Grand Slam, and his music:Website - www.projectgrandslam.com    

Kevin Kiner is an Annie Award and BMI award winning, and Emmy nominated, TV and film composer. He's one of the entertainment industry's most versatile and in-demand composers. He scored several Star Wars movies. He's work on shows like CSI: Miami, Narcos and Walker, Texas Ranger. He's recognized for his ability to craft intimate, soulful guitar melodies as well as epic and grand orchestral compositions. My featured song is “Rough Rider”, from the album What's Up by my band Project Grand Slam. Spotify link. —------------------------------------ The Follow Your Dream Podcast:Top 1% of all podcasts with Listeners in 200 countries! Click here for Start Here Click here for All Episodes  Click here for Guest List  Click here for Guest Testimonials Click here for Pillars Click here for Robert's Project Grand Slam Click here to Subscribe  Click here to receive our Email Updates Click here to Rate and Review the podcast —---------------------------------------- CONNECT WITH KEVIN:www.kevinkiner.com —------------------------------------ ROBERT'S NEWEST RELEASE:“THE BUZZ” - Ft. Darius de Haas (vocals) and Dave Eggar (Celo). Short, Sweet and Totally Different CLICK HERE FOR OFFICIAL VIDEO CLICK HERE FOR ALL LINKS —-------------------------------------- Audio production: Jimmy RavenscroftKymera FilmsConnect with the Follow Your Dream Podcast:Website - www.followyourdreampodcast.comFollow Robert's band, Project Grand Slam, and his music:Website - www.projectgrandslam.com    

David Maraniss is a Pulitzer Prize winner and a 3x Pulitzer Prize finalist. He's also the former associate editor for the Washington Post. And he is the author of numerous books, ranging from politics to sports, including head coach Vince Lombardi of the Green Bay Packers, American hero Jim Thorpe, Baseball Hall of Famer Roberto Clemente, the 1960 Rome Summer Olympics, the Vietnam War, and U.S. Presidents Bill Clinton and Barack Obama. My featured song is “Spring Dance”, from the album of the same name by my band Project Grand Slam. Spotify link. —------------------------------------ The Follow Your Dream Podcast:Top 1% of all podcasts with Listeners in 200 countries! Click here for Start Here Click here for All Episodes  Click here for Guest List  Click here for Guest Testimonials Click here for Pillars Click here for Robert's Project Grand Slam Click here to Subscribe  Click here to receive our Email Updates Click here to Rate and Review the podcast —---------------------------------------- CONNECT WITH DAVID:www.davidmaraniss.com —------------------------------------ ROBERT'S NEWEST RELEASE:“THE BUZZ” - Ft. Darius de Haas (vocals) and Dave Eggar (Celo). Short, Sweet and Totally Different CLICK HERE FOR OFFICIAL VIDEO CLICK HERE FOR ALL LINKS —-------------------------------------- Audio production: Jimmy RavenscroftKymera FilmsConnect with the Follow Your Dream Podcast:Website - www.followyourdreampodcast.comFollow Robert's band, Project Grand Slam, and his music:Website - www.projectgrandslam.com    

Rochelle Rice is a singer and composer who blends jazz, soul, and pop. Take it from me - her singing is simply sublime. Since 2016 she's been a member of Sweet Honey in the Rock. They are a 3x Grammy nominated, all female, African American a cappella ensemble. She's performed at The Kennedy Center and Blues Alley among many other venues. She's an advocate for social justice. Her latest project, “Tell Her This”, is a blend of podcasting, visual art, and live music that celebrates the voices and wisdom of women. My featured song is “The Buzz”, my latest single. Spotify link. —------------------------------------ The Follow Your Dream Podcast:Top 1% of all podcasts with Listeners in 200 countries! Click here for Start Here Click here for All Episodes  Click here for Guest List  Click here for Guest Testimonials Click here for Pillars Click here for Robert's Project Grand Slam Click here to Subscribe  Click here to receive our Email Updates Click here to Rate and Review the podcast —---------------------------------------- CONNECT WITH ROCHELLE:www.rochellericemusic.com —------------------------------------ ROBERT'S NEWEST RELEASE:“THE BUZZ” - Ft. Darius de Haas (vocals) and Dave Eggar (Celo). Short, Sweet and Totally Different CLICK HERE FOR OFFICIAL VIDEO CLICK HERE FOR ALL LINKS —-------------------------------------- Audio production: Jimmy RavenscroftKymera FilmsConnect with the Follow Your Dream Podcast:Website - www.followyourdreampodcast.comFollow Robert's band, Project Grand Slam, and his music:Website - www.projectgrandslam.com    

After 800 episodes, I've observed that many of my remarkable guests are connected by one or more common threads. Each episode of Special Collections focuses on a particular thread that ties together some of my guests.  In this episode, the common thread is a group of young artists who are dedicated to keeping alive and vibrant the music of the Great American Songbook and the big band era and carrying forward the tradition of great crooners like Frank Sinatra. This episode features four extraordinary young artists who have each been a guest on the podcast and who exemplify this tradition. They all know one another and they're all connected. Let me re-introduce them to you. Benny Benack III is a phenomenal Emmy nominated trumpeter, crooner and consummate showman. Bria Skonberg is also an extraordinary trumpeter and vocalist. She is a Juno award winner, 10x Downbeat Rising Star, and Lincoln Center Swing Award recipient. Christian Wiggs is a terrific singer, band leader, lyricist and record label executive who has performed at major venues including Birdland, the Blue Note, Dizzy's and SXSW. He also leads the Christian Wiggs Big Band. And Danny Jonokuchi is another outstanding trumpeter, singer and arranger. He's arranged for Lady Gaga as well as for Benny and Christian, and he leads the Danny Jonokuchi Big Band. This episode features a song by each of these talented artists. Music is a continuum. Everything builds upon what has come before. By honoring their traditions as they do these artists are not just preserving the past they are keeping it alive, evolving it and carrying it forward. This is Robert Miller with Follow Your Dream.

Scott Hosfield and Maria Newman have been married for 25 years and they collaborate together musically. They have spent much of their professional lives as studio musicians and artists working in film and TV, including on the “Anamaniacs” series and other Hollywood based projects. Scott plays the violin and viola. Maria is a composer and also plays violin and viola, plus she's a Pianist and Conductor. And she's part of a musical dynasty. Her father is 9x Academy Award winner Alfred Newman, her two brothers are both acclaimed composers, and her cousin is the great Randy Newman. They are both members of the Los Angeles Film Orchestra. Newman Legacy Sessions is a major focus for them now. And they're involved with Malibu Friends of Music and their concert venue, MAHMA. My featured song is “Ma Petite Fleur String Quartet”, my recent release. Spotify link. —------------------------------------ The Follow Your Dream Podcast:Top 1% of all podcasts with Listeners in 200 countries! Click here for Start Here Click here for All Episodes  Click here for Guest List  Click here for Guest Testimonials Click here for Pillars Click here for Robert's Project Grand Slam Click here to Subscribe  Click here to receive our Email Updates Click here to Rate and Review the podcast —---------------------------------------- CONNECT WITH SCOTT AND MARIA:www.malibufriendsofmusic.org —------------------------------------ ROBERT'S NEWEST RELEASE:“THE BUZZ” - Ft. Darius de Haas (vocals) and Dave Eggar (Celo). Short, Sweet and Totally Different CLICK HERE FOR OFFICIAL VIDEO CLICK HERE FOR ALL LINKS —-------------------------------------- Audio production: Jimmy RavenscroftKymera FilmsConnect with the Follow Your Dream Podcast:Website - www.followyourdreampodcast.comFollow Robert's band, Project Grand Slam, and his music:Website - www.projectgrandslam.com    

Josh Smith is a dynamic, young blues guitarist. And he's special. He's the real deal. He was ranked as one of the Top 20 best blues guitarists in the world by Guitar World Magazine. He's also a producer for musicians like Marc Broussard and Andy Timmons - both of whom have been guests on this podcast - and also for the great Joe Bonamassa. My featured song is “Annie and Leni”, from the album Bobby M and the Paisley Parade. Spotify link. —------------------------------------ The Follow Your Dream Podcast:Top 1% of all podcasts with Listeners in 200 countries! Click here for Start Here Click here for All Episodes  Click here for Guest List  Click here for Guest Testimonials Click here for Pillars Click here for Robert's Project Grand Slam Click here to Subscribe  Click here to receive our Email Updates Click here to Rate and Review the podcast —---------------------------------------- CONNECT WITH JOSH:www.joshsmithguitar.com —------------------------------------ ROBERT'S NEWEST RELEASE:“THE BUZZ” - Ft. Darius de Haas (vocals) and Dave Eggar (Celo). Short, Sweet and Totally Different CLICK HERE FOR OFFICIAL VIDEO CLICK HERE FOR ALL LINKS —-------------------------------------- Audio production: Jimmy RavenscroftKymera FilmsConnect with the Follow Your Dream Podcast:Website - www.followyourdreampodcast.comFollow Robert's band, Project Grand Slam, and his music:Website - www.projectgrandslam.com    

I've got some big news - Follow your dream has just released its 800th episode! That's right, 800 episodes in just under 5 1/2 years. And on top of that, we're about to hit 5 million total downloads. How about that! What started out as a pandemic-era podcast with no audience and no guests has now morphed into a global arts platform featuring guests from over 40 countries and including musicians, actors, authors, directors, photographers, poets, and other creatives. I'm pleased to say that the podcast has been ranked in the top 1% in the world for quite some time. In the last year I've added four new pillars of content to Follow Your Dream in addition to interviews: they are Special Collections, Reflections, Legends, and most recently, Essays. These 5 pillars have taken Follow Your Dream well beyond the scope of any other show out there. In fact, I just read an industry statistic which said that of the 4.7 million podcasts in existence, only 4%, or about 180,000, have published at least 10 episodes and publish weekly. This gives you an idea of the staying power and magnitude of Follow Your Dream in comparison to all the others. As usual, I want to thank you for listening to the show. I appreciate your loyalty and all the testimonials from so many of my artist guests.  Keep on rockin! And we'll see you in the next 800 episodes.      

My guests today are Tasha Warren and Dave Eggar. Tasha is a 2x Grammy nominated clarinetist and bass clarinetist, and an international performer who has premiered over 100 works worldwide. She's a member of the American Modern Ensemble, Lansing Symphony and Jackson Symphony Orchestra. Dave Eggar is an amazing cellist who is making his third appearance on this podcast, putting him at the top of my frequent flyer list. What's even more impressive is that each appearance has been in a different context - first in his own right as a world class cellist, then as the cellist and QB of the fabulous string quartet that recorded my recent release, “Ma Petite Fleur String Quartet”, and now with Tasha. Oh, and I should mention that he's got 7 Grammy nominations, he's played with Paul Simon among dozens of top artists, and he was the guy who was responsible for the iconic cello work on Coldplay's massive hit, “Viva La Vida”. Okay I think you get the picture. My featured song is “The Buzz”, my latest single. Spotify link. —------------------------------------ The Follow Your Dream Podcast:Top 1% of all podcasts with Listeners in 200 countries! Click here for Start Here Click here for All Episodes  Click here for Guest List  Click here for Guest Testimonials Click here for Pillars Click here for Robert's Project Grand Slam Click here to Subscribe  Click here to receive our Email Updates Click here to Rate and Review the podcast —---------------------------------------- CONNECT WITH TASHA:www.tashawarrenclarinet.com CONNECT WITH DAVE:www.domomusicgroup.com —------------------------------------ ROBERT'S NEWEST RELEASE:“THE BUZZ” - Ft. Darius de Haas (vocals) and Dave Eggar (Celo). Short, Sweet and Totally Different CLICK HERE FOR OFFICIAL VIDEO CLICK HERE FOR ALL LINKS —-------------------------------------- Audio production: Jimmy RavenscroftKymera Films Connect with the Follow Your Dream Podcast:Website - www.followyourdreampodcast.comFollow Robert's band, Project Grand Slam, and his music:Website - www.projectgrandslam.com    

N'Kenge is a spectacular powerhouse crossover singer in pop, opera and jazz. Just Wait till you hear what this lady has accomplished.  She is a Tony, Emmy, and Grammy nominated performer with a 5 octave vocal range. She's headlined with major orchestras including the Cleveland Orchestra, and the Houston, Edmonton, and Jacksonville Symphonies, and she's performed at major venues including Carnegie Hall, Lincoln Center, and Madison Square Garden. On Broadway she's been in “Sondheim on Sondheim”, “Motown: The Musical”, and “Caroline, or Change”. In 2026, she leads the world premiere of “That's Love! The Dorothy Dandridge Musical”. Her new album is called “Centerstage: Live From the Ella Fitzgerald Festival”. She has a new TV project called “Black Butterfly”. She has a nonprofit foundation. And she sings in 11 languages including Zulu. My featured song is “The Buzz”, my latest single. Spotify link. —------------------------------------ The Follow Your Dream Podcast:Top 1% of all podcasts with Listeners in 200 countries! Click here for Start Here Click here for All Episodes  Click here for Guest List  Click here for Guest Testimonials Click here for Pillars Click here for Robert's Project Grand Slam Click here to Subscribe  Click here to receive our Email Updates Click here to Rate and Review the podcast —---------------------------------------- CONNECT WITH N'KENGE:www.nkengemusic.com —------------------------------------ ROBERT'S NEWEST RELEASE:“THE BUZZ” - Ft. Darius de Haas (vocals) and Dave Eggar (Celo). Short, Sweet and Totally Different CLICK HERE FOR OFFICIAL VIDEO CLICK HERE FOR ALL LINKS —-------------------------------------- Audio production: Jimmy RavenscroftKymera FilmsConnect with the Follow Your Dream Podcast:Website - www.followyourdreampodcast.comFollow Robert's band, Project Grand Slam, and his music:Website - www.projectgrandslam.com    

HAPPY BIRTHDAY! Today's a pretty special day for me. It's my 75th birthday.  Yes you heard me correctly.  It feels like just the other day I was watching The Beatles on Ed Sullivan. And then I ran out afterwards and taught myself guitar and bass. Then it feels like it was only a few days ago that I was playing jazz fusion in Boston. And then recording my first album when I was in my 40s but still working a day job. And then turning 60 and deciding that I could not let my youthful music dream go to waste. So I reformed my band Project Grand Slam and started writing and recording my music - now 15 albums and many singles. And then, like just yesterday, the pandemic hit and I didn't know what to do with myself. So I started Follow Your Dream. And here we are 5+ years and over 775 episodes later. Follow Your Dream has been an extraordinary second act for me and a great gift. When I started the podcast in March 2021, I had no audience and no guests. I never imagined that it would evolve into what it has become today. I've had wonderful conversations with so many creative artists from all around the world. Over 40 countries. Musicians. Actors. Authors. Photographers. Directors. Poets. It has been an honor and a privilege to meet them, learn from them, and share their stories with you. And as I've written recently, perhaps the most remarkable transformation is that Follow Your Dream has evolved from a mere podcast into a true global arts platform. What began as a creative outlet during the pandemic has become something much larger. And I created it out of love. Not as a way to make money, but as a way to give back to the creative community that has inspired and sustained me throughout my life. As I've said before, Follow Your Dream is totally independent. No partners. No corporate overseers. No advertisers. No one telling me who to interview or what to say. Just me, following my instincts and my curiosity. One of the most gratifying aspects of this journey has been hearing from my guests themselves. A few years ago, I began asking my guests for brief testimonials about their experience on the show. To date, more than 200 have responded with the most generous and heartfelt comments. Their words mean more to me than they could possibly know. And then there is the audience. Listeners from around the world continue to find the show, support it, and return week after week. I've learned that creativity, curiosity, and human connection have a remarkable ability to transcend borders. So —happy birthday to me. I feel incredibly fortunate. Fortunate to still be creating. Fortunate to still be learning. Fortunate to still be meeting extraordinary artists. And fortunate to have all of you along for the journey. As I like to say, thank you for listening to this podcast. And keep on rockin! Robert

Welcome to another Legends episode of Follow Your Dream, the award winning podcast and global arts platform. Legends features profiles of iconic artists and influential figures who helped shape our culture. This Legends episode spotlights Irving Berlin who was - simply put - one of the greatest songwriters of all time.  Irving Berlin was born in Russia with the name Israel Beilin. He moved to America at age 5 with his family to escape the pogroms against the Jews. He taught himself the piano and he composed only in the key of F#, meaning the black keys. His songs captured the identity and feel of his adopted country. He was known for writing music and lyrics that were uncomplicated, simple and direct, with his stated aim being to "reach the heart of the average American". He received Academy, Tony and Grammy awards, and the Presidential Medal of Freedom. Over his 60 year career he wrote 1,500 songs, with “Alexander's Ragtime Band” in 1911 being his first hit. His catalog included the scores to 20 original Broadway shows and 15 original Hollywood films. His songs were nominated eight times for Academy Awards.  Let's listen now to excerpts from several of his greatest hits sung by the stars of his era.  “God Bless America”, sung by Kate Smith;  “Blue Skies”, sung by Frank Sinatra “Easter Parade, sung by Judy Garland “Cheek To Cheek” sung by Ella Fitzgerald “There's No Business Like Show Business” sung by Ethel Merman, and of course  “White Christmas” sung by Bing Crosby. None other than George Gershwin called Irving Berlin “the greatest songwriter that has ever lived", and Jerome Kern, no slouch himself, said that "Irving Berlin has no place in American music—he is American music."