Join us as we deep dive into the catalog of the great George Michael one song at a time. With Shirley Lewis
The Spinning The Wheel podcast is a fantastic listen for any fan of George Michael. It fills a void and provides a deep dive into his legendary musicality. Shirley, one of the hosts, clearly loves and misses George Michael, making her discussions about him all the more heartfelt and engaging. Her personal experiences with him add an intimate touch to the episodes, creating a personal trip down memory lane for fans who have their own attachments to his songs. Additionally, Matt, another host, brings a fan's perspective to the show and demonstrates extensive research by sharing interesting facts and anecdotes about George Michael. Michelle also adds value to the podcast with her insightful fan questions.
The best aspect of this podcast is undoubtedly Shirley's genuine love for George Michael. Her passion shines through in every episode as she shares personal stories and memories, creating a connection with listeners who share her admiration for the late musician. It's refreshing to hear such raw emotion and it adds an authentic touch that makes the podcast feel like a conversation with friends rather than just informative discussions.
However, there are some aspects of the podcast that could be improved upon. One notable flaw is the lack of diversity in perspectives presented. While Shirley has firsthand experiences with George Michael, it would be beneficial to have guest speakers or interviews from others who had different relationships or interactions with him. This would provide a more well-rounded view of his life and career.
In conclusion, The Spinning The Wheel podcast is a must-listen for any fan of George Michael looking for an in-depth exploration of his music and personal life. Despite its few flaws, such as its limited perspectives, Shirley's genuine love for George Michael shines through and creates an emotional connection with listeners. The episodes offer personal trips down memory lane while also providing interesting facts and anecdotes about the late musician's career. Overall, it's an enjoyable way to spend 30 minutes each day.
Listen this week as we are joined by Juliana from "If You Were There Podcast" that is a primarily French podcast that also celebrates the music and legacy of George Michael. Hear Juliana tell stories of how her fandom for George began, her views on the music we alllove so much and the special bond that she shares with her mother and their connection to George! Listen to If You Were There on Spotify and follow the show in Instagram! Follow our Social Channels! Facebook Twitter (X) TikTok Instagram
Listen this week as we are joined again by Tonia from @Freedom4GM and we spin the song that started it all back in 1982! Hear us tell stories of Tonia's first concert, which was the Wham Final, memories of Top Of The Pops and Matt learns exactly what an HP bed is!!
Listen this week as we are joined by Barbara from the Studio Chat Podcast and we spin George's fantastic cover of the Chaka Khan hit "Ain't Nobody"!! Hear us talk about memories of the song and ways that covers that GM have done over the years have affected us! The summer of George covers continues!!
Listen this week as we are joined by Tonia from @Freedom4GM on Instagram and we spin George's cover of the immortal Stevie Wonder song "As"! Tonia tells us about her charity work in GM's name that she does for MacMillan in the UK and the things they have planned for 2025. This episode has a spin that may create chaos as Matt makes an on the spot change!!
Listen this week as Shirley Lewis and Jo Garland take us back through memory lane and the 2019 Cowboys and Angels show in London! Hear the ladies tell stories of rehearsing with George, the way they honor his music with their voices and keep his memory alive with their upcoming 2024 Cowboys and Angels show! Spinning The Wheel Social Channels Facebook TikTok Instagram Twitter (X)
Listen this week as we are joined by a special guest from across the world! Psychologist Barbara Thompson joins the show as we discuss the amazing cover of the Stevie Wonder classic "I Believe (When I Fall in Love it WIll Be Forever)! Hear Barbara tell us about her journey as a fan of GM's music, helping her clients through music and her approach to being your best self! Spinning The Wheel Social Channels Twitter (X) Facebook Instagram TikTok
Listen this week as we spin "Do You Really Want To Know" from the 1992 AIDS research project album Red Hot & Dance! Hear Shirley tell all about her rehearsals with the Cowboys and Angels crew and gettting ready for her spring tour while getting a little mixed up on the name of this song. Lots of laughing, pronoun switching in verses of the song and so much more! Spinning The Wheel Social Channels Facebook Twitter (X) TikTok Instagram
Listen this week as we continue our conversation wiht the iconic Paul Gambaccini! Hear Paul tell stories of working closely as a trusted industry insider with George Michael and his feelings about George's place among the pantheon of artists. Spinning The Wheel Social Channels Facebook Instagram TikTok Twitter (X)
This week we are honored to be joined by the iconic voice of Radio One and the BBC - Mr. Paul Gambaccini! Listen as Paul takes us through his beginnings at Dartmouth in college radio and his journey across the pond to the UK where he found his future and eventually became a close and trusted industry voice to George Michael! Spinning The Wheel Social Channels Facebook Instagram TikTok Twitter (X)
Listen this week as we spin the cover of "Love Machine" from the 1983 album Fantastic! Hear Shirley tell stories of performing on TV to this song, her feeligs and thoughts about the cover songs that George chose and memories of singing them live over the years! SpinningThe Wheel Social Channels Facebook TikTok Twitter (X) Instagram
Listen this week as we spin "Secret Love" from the 1999 album Songs From The Last Century! Hear Shirley talk of listening to the original Doris Day version of this song and her love for Calamity Jane. We discuss the details of singing onstage during the Symphonica tour, the new George Michael Coin from the Royal mint and Shirley is ever closer to the details for the upcoming Cowboys & Angels show later this year! Spinning The Wheel Social Channels- Facebook Twitter (X) TikTok Instagram
Listhe this week as we celebrate our one year anniversary and take a stroll down the memory lane of the career of the magical Shirley Lewis!! Hear Shirley tell stories of recording Jive Talkin with George in 1987, her solo career and coming back to tour with George in the next 20 years as well as her new solo single for the first time in 3 decades! Spinning The Wheel Social Channels Facebook Instagram Twitter (X) TikTok
Listen this week as we spin the song "Monkey", the 4th consecutive #1 track from the massive Faith album! Hear us dissect and play all the versions of this song and why the Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis version might not be Shirley's favorite. We will tallk about the song and video and maybe even some Paula Abdul for good measure! Spinning The Wheel Social Channels Facebook TikTok Instagram Twitter (X)
Listen this week as we are taken all the way back to 1984! Shirley giggles her way through our spin of "Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go" from the Make It Big album. Hear Shirley tell stories of stage costumes, questionable hair choices through the years and George teaching her to sing like him! Spinning The Wheel Social Channels Facebook Twitter (X) Instagram TikTok
Join us this week as we welcome the iconic photographer Chris Cuffaro to the show! Chris helped to create some of the most recognizable imagery in history with the work that he and George Michael put together in the Faith era. Listen as he tells us anout the process of working with George and being an integral part of the look that changed the face and future of pop music! Check out the amazing work that Chris has done on Instagram and Facebook @TheCuffaroPhoto. His website is CuffaroPhoto.com! Spinning The Wheel Podcast Social Channels Facebook Twitter (X) Instagram TikTok
Join us this week for a special Valentine's Day episode where we dim the lights and talk all about Father Figure from the 1987 album "Faith"! This is in our estimation the quentissential George Michael song and we wanted to make sure we dedicated all the time we needed to cover all the facets of recording, performing and the impact that it has had on the landscape of pop music in the last 37 years. We take our time and go long on this one so grab a glass of wine and sit back and be transported back to a time that we all remember so fondly! Spinning The Wheel Social Channels Facebook Twitter (X) Instagram TikTok
Listen this week as Matt absolutely calls his shot and manifests the classic "If You Were There" from the 1984 album Make It Big! Shirley is back in the house and tells us stories of performing at the Wham Final, music influences of her youth and does she still own a certian bra??? Check us out on all our socials- Spinning The Wheel Podcast Facebook Twitter (X) Instagram TikTok
2023 was a year that none of us will ever forget! Join us this week as we look back on this year with some moments that were touching, funny and absolutely amazing from the YEAR OF WHAM! We have come together and celebrated the music that means so much to all of us and gone through heartbreaks and triumphs along the way. At the end of this show listen as Shirley gives us all a very special gift! We couldn't have dreamed of all that 2023 would have in store for us. Now it is time to see what 2024 will bring! Spinning The Wheel Podcast Facebook Instagram TikTok Twitter (X)
Listen this week as we are joined by the one and only Richard Marx! You can hear Matt try to keep it together- but also be quite a fan boy in a few moments for sure! Hear Richard tell stories behind some of the songs he loves, tales of coming up in the music business and some of the amazing artists that he has worked with. This was an absolute dream come true for us so we really hope that you enjoy it too! Persistence pays off and this was the best christmas gift we could have asked for! Thank you, Richard! Find his music on Apple Music, Spotify and all streaming services including his newest song "Days To Remember" that you will hear at the end of this show. You can also do it the old fashioned way and buy the album!! Richard is on Instagram @TheRichardMarx and it is one of the best follows you can find! Spinning The Wheel Podcast- Facebook Instagram TikTok Twitter (X)
Listen this week as we are joined by a very special guest, Alex Georgiou! Hear Alex tell stories of holidays with George, charity efforts and the importance of solid relationships this time of year. We also give away 2 sets of calendars and planners to fans who have commented and shared our social media posts! Spinning The Wheel Podcast - Facebook TikTok Instagram Twitter (X)
Join us this week for a very special episode all about the 1993 Concert For Hope! The 30th anniversary of this special performance is upon us and Shirley takes us on a journey through one of the most amazing performances in George's career. Listen as Shirley tells us about performing in the round, the pride GM had in sharing his band with other artists on this night and her particular feelings about Mick Hucknall! Check out the Spinning The Wheel and Freedom4GM pages on Instagram and Facebook and find out how you can win one of the speical 2024 calendars and planners to benefit MacMillan Cancer Support!
Listen this week as we are joined by recording artist Emme Lentino! Hear Emme talk about her experiences working with Shirley and the original George Michael backround singers on her version of "Last Christmas". She tells the story of being in the studio, what the process meant to her and what it is like to be a part of a song we all know and love. We also discuss her music career and history with a song of hers called "Dive" that you need to hear! Find all Emme's music on Apple Music, Spotify and all streaming services. Check her out at EmmeLentino.com! Spinning The Wheel Podcast on- TikTok Facebook Instagram Twitter (X)
Listen this week as we are joined by Paul from the Shirley Lewis FanPage! We talk about Paul's creation of his fan page as well as his charity runs and discovery of new artists who have worked with Shirley. We spin "Mothers Pride" from the 1990 album, Listen Without Prejudice Vol. 1 and hear how the evolution of fatherhood may have changed our mind about this one! Check out out social channels - TikTok Facebook Instagram Twitter (X)
Listen this week as we are again joined by Tonia from the Freedom4GM charity page! We spin the amazing song "Heartbeart" from the 1984 Wham album Make It Big and our votes are pretty easy to guess! This week you'll hear recollections of the transition from the Fantastic look to the Go-Go era, memories of the Final at Wembley and Tonia lists some of her favorite GM looks and songs! Join us on all our social channels- Facebook Instagram TikTok Twitter (X)
Listen this week as we discuss all the things that have happened since the end of season 1! You'll hear all about the Rock and Roll Hall Of Fame ceremony, The Alfie Boe tour that Shirley performed on this fall and some news that might just have you making plans for next summer! Tonia from the Freedom4GM page and charity joins in to discuss the Elton John song "Idol" covered by George on the Symphonica tour! Check out Spinning The Wheel on all our socials- Facebook Instagram TikTok Twitter (X)
Join us this week as we take a moment and reflect on the journey through the beginning of our podcast and the path we are on. Listen as we walk through the process of our relationships coming together and how the reaching out of other people has become the best part of the show and how we all share our memories and celebrate the music. We also play some songs we love! Check us our on all our social channels! Facebook Instagram TikTok Twitter (X)
Listen this week as we spin the wheel right back to 2004 and the song "Through" from the Patience album. Hear Shirley tell stories of meeting and paying tribute to the late Michael Parkinson, the difference between hearing someone sing and hearing them right in your ear and lyrics that are perhaps more prescient in 2023 than they were 20 years ago. Find us on our social channels! Facebook Instagram TikTok Twitter (X)
Join us this week as we discuss the title track from the 2004 album "Patience"! Hear us talk about the importance of the piano that John Lennon used on "Imagine", the way that George can sway a mood with the power of his words and we ask the question - Does Shirley ever get star struck? Check us out on all our social channels- Facebook TikTok Instagram Twitter
Listen this week as we are joined from Australia by Peter Davis! Hear Peter talk about his lifelong friendship with Christian and how their bonds were fortified by their love for all things George and Wham! It is a heartwarming and emotional journey through the life of friends and growing up with a soundtrack that we all know so very well! Find us on all of our social channels- Facebook TikTok Twitter Instagram
Join us this week for a special tribute. Listen as we discuss the song "Somebody To Love" from the Freddie Mercury Tribute concert in 1992 and the Five Live LP. Hear Shirley talk about being too close to the microphone and making it hard for George as well as our thoughts on GM Impersonators and a discussion about the recent interview with James Gavin. For My Dad.
Join us this week as we discuss Wild is the Wind from the 1999 album "Songs From The Last Century". You'll hear stories of quiet mood setting venues on the Symphonica Tour, memories of the Final Wham concert and much more. This week we also read a letter from a fan with a very special and personal story about the heart and graciousness of George that you are absolutely going to need a tissue for. Please find us on our social channels- Spinning The Wheel Podcast on- Facebook Instagram Twitter TikTok
With Shirley still on holiday - please join us for Part 2 of our conversation with James Gavin. We cover many of the stories from the book "George Michael; A Life" and we hear about the process of researching and telling the story of someone that is so near and dear to our hearts. Please find us on all our social platforms- Spinning The Wheel on - Facebook Instagram Twitter TikTok
Shirley is on holiday this week so Matt is flying solo! Listen as Matt sits down with James Gavin to discuss his book "George Michael; A Life". You'll hear stories of research and the toll that writing a book of this magnitude can take on the author as well as the fans. This was a fascinating conversation and we are honored that James took the time for us! Please check out all of our social channels! Spinning The Wheel on- Facebook Instagram Twitter TikTok
Join us this week as we go all the way back to 1986 and the song Battlestations from the final Wham album! Listen as we talk about George doing his own backup singing, memories from The Final concert at Wembley and how Shirley still gets star struck! Please share, subscribe and leave us those 5 star ratings! Find us on all our social channels- Spinning The Wheel Podcast on- Facebook Instagram Twitter TikTok
Join us this week as we go back to the iconic late 80's era with the title track from the 1987 album Faith! Listen as we talk about influences of Elvis, rockabilly guitars and stories of concerts you might not have heard about before! Please reach out on all of our social channels!! Spinning the Wheel Podcast on- Instagram Twitter Facebook Tiktok
Listen this week as we are joined by some very special guests! Heidi, Helen and Tonia have been keepers of the flame for all GM fans everywhere and we are honored to have them join us on the show this week. Hear them talk about the events they have created, the work they have done and their feelings about what George's music means to them. We begin this week with a special tribute to Linda Lewis and some of her legendary songs. Please listen with us as Shirley honors her sister and we hear the music that represents a life lived to the absolute fullest!
The world lost a beautiful soul and an angelic voice last week with the passing of Shirley's sister, Linda Lewis. Our heart and prayers go out to Shirley, Michelle and their entire family. Rest in eternal peace Linda. Join us this week as we go back to 1987 and talk about Jive Talkin' by Boogie Box High featuring George Michael. Hear Shirley talk about singing on the original demo for this song, desert island picks and doing what to a fishermans friend??? ** Note - this was recorded before the formal announcement for the Rock n' roll hall of fame.
Join us this week as we take a relaxing journey back to the Last Century! Listen as we discuss Roxanne from the album Songs From The Last Century. We hear stories of Shirley singing this song live with George, questions about festivals and diets as well as a link to GM from one of Shirley's solo videos! Shirley Lewis Official Fanpage on Instagram!! Congratulations to George and all the fans for over 1 MILLION votes for the Rock n' Roll hall of fame! Official announcement on May 3rd. We definitely let our voices be heard!!
Join us this week as Shirley Lewis hears this song for the first time! Listen as we talk about Cars and Trains from the 2004 Patience album and hear Shirley's reactions, stories of fandom origins and #AskShirley! Only a couple days left!! Vote for George for the Rock N' Roll Hall of Fame! Vote.RockHall.Com
Join us this week as we welcome our very special guest, Jo Garland! Listen and be brought back in time as we talk about Fastlove from the Older album and hear Jo, Shirley and Michelle tell stories of working with George during the 1996 MTV Unplugged. Studio sessions, show rehearsals and shower scenes......all of that and more!! Fan voting closing soon- Vote for George Michael at vote.rockhall.com!
Three words; Shirley's Sex Tape. Join us this week as we go back to 1987 and listen to the hit "I Want Your Sex" from the Faith album. Listen as Shirley talks about the song, answers your questions and nearly breaks the internet! Is it a tape or just a mix? Don't forget to vote daily for George Michael for the Rock n' Roll Hall of Fame! vote.rockhall.com
Join us this week as we travel back to 1990 and listen to "Waiting For That Day" from the album Listen Without Prejudice Vol. 1. Hear Shirley talk about the song, properly manifesting the wheel and her unique take on sampling in music! Please listen, review and leave those 5 Star ratings! FInd us on all social platforms and use the hashtag #AskShirley
Join us this week as we listen to "Going to a Town" from the Symphonica tour and album! Hear Shirley's thoughts about singing this song behind George on stage. Shirley talks about working with the late Phil Ramone and she tells a story that we promise you have NEVER heard before about George!!
It's a Wham party!! Join us this week as we blast back to 1985 and listen to Freedom from Make it Big! Hear Shirley Lewis talk about big hair, studio perfection and rehearsing for The Final at Wembley in 1986!! PLease subscribe and leave those 5 star reviews!!
We begin the journey through the catalog of George Michael one song at a time with Hard Day from the Faith album!
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