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In this bonus episode, Robert is moderating BLM Greenwood's Power to Your Vote 2021 municipal elections candidate forum. Robert spoke with Charles Brown. Brown is an assistant principal at Greenwood High School and a candidate for city council ward 7. #BlackVotesMatter #PowerToYourVote #BlackLivesMatter
Air Week: May 12-18, 2025 Amos Milburn, Pt. 2 – 1950-56 Amos Milburn was the complete package. He could play boogie woogie piano with the best of 'em, having been influenced by the great Pete Johnson. He sang the smoky R&B ballad almost as well as his buddy Charles Brown and he could shout the […]
Air Week: May 5-11, 2025 Amos Milburn, Pt. 1 – 1946-49 Amos Milburn was the complete package. He could play boogie woogie piano with the best of 'em, having been influenced by the great Pete Johnson. He sang the smoky R&B ballad almost as well as his buddy Charles Brown and he could shout the […]
Blues Radio International With Jesse Finkelstein & Audrey Michelle
Hear the winning guitar performance by Victoria/Tasmania's Nick Charles at the 2025 International Blues Challenge in Memphis in January 2025 on Edition 690 of Blues Radio International, with Rory Block and Charles Brown.Find more at BluesRadioInternational.net
Today's episode explores how men can better understand and manage emotions with the expertise of guest Charles Brown, and host Doug Beitz. Guest Introduction Guest: Charles Brown, Men's Personal Development Coach. Credentials: Certified NICE Guide Coach, Author of "The Pursuit of Identity and Purpose." Achievements: Guided over 200 men to build self-worth, set boundaries, and live decisively. Expertise: Blends behavioural psychology, leadership principles, and peak performance strategies. Main Discussion Emotions in Men: Some men fear losing control of their emotions, leading to suppression. Coaching Approach: Charles shares his methodology for introducing the topic of emotions to men in his coaching sessions. Charles' Background Navy Experience: Served in the Navy after high school, focusing on the naval nuclear power program. Submarine Life: Describes the experience aboard fast attack submarines and the lifestyle's confidentiality. Differences in Submarine Types: Discusses fast attack vs. ballistic missile submarines and their operations. Personal Experiences Doug's Scuba Diving Experience: Shared stories of the challenges in transitioning between surface and underwater environments. Fear of Open Water: Doug opens up about overcoming his lifelong fear of deep water. Training and Mental Stability Martial Arts: Charles explains his early martial arts training and its impact on his mental resilience. Calmness in Adversity: Techniques learned from both martial arts and Navy training to maintain composure. Closing Thoughts The Importance of Transitioning and Adaptability: Both in water and life, transitions can be turbulent but manageable with the right mindset and training. Encouragement to Overcome Fears: Doug emphasises the value of facing personal challenges head-on. Call to Action Connect and Subscribe: Listeners are encouraged to subscribe for more insights and stories on personal development. Thank you for joining today's discussion. Stay tuned for more episodes on becoming a decisive and intuitive leader. Website: https://therealcharlesbrowne.com/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/therealcharlesbrowne/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@therealcbrowne Email: me@therealcharlesbrowne.com info@dougbeitz.com dougbeitz.com facebook.com/dougbeitz instagram.com/dougbeitz buymeacoffee.com/dougbeitz
"I DIED?!?!" We are here with Tony-nominated actor, L. Scott Caldwell. You Might Know Her From Insecure, Lost, The Fugitive, Bad Monkey, How to Get Away with Murder, Waiting to Exhale, The Net, Soweto Green and the Broadway production of Joe Turner's Come and Gone. L. Scott gave us all the scoop on acting opposite Crystal the Monkey in Bad Monkey, bringing her personal story to Rose's story on Lost, and working with August Wilson on the Broadway production of his 1988 play Joe Turner's Come and Gone. All that, plus being killed off as Molly's mom on Insecure (she forgot!), working with Uta Hagen and the Negro Ensemble Company, and what she learned from Joe Pantoliano on the set of The Fugitive. L. Scott was a total dream and we hope you love it as much as we did! Patreon: www.patreon.com/youmightknowherfrom Follow us on social media: @youmightknowherfrom || @damianbellino || @rodemanne Discussed this episode: Rob Lowe as Stone Phillips and Shaggy Sarah Michelle Gellar as Posh Spice (Chris Kattan as Mel Be) and Debbi Matanopolous The Curious Case of Natalia Grace made into a mini-series with Ellen Pompeo called Good American Family Anne currently binging 2 seasons of Making a Murderer on Netflix Parker Posey in The Staircase True Crime Con featured Jon Benet Ramsey's father was the keynote speaker My Favorite Murder We tried to convince Jiggly Caliente to do Lorena Bobbit on Snatch Game Cult-y video Damian sent Anne on TikTok We are currently reading Sarah Schulman's books: People in Trouble, Stagestruck L Scott plays Jodi Turner Smith's grandmother in Bad Monkey Fear of cats: Ailurophobia Had a chemistry test with Crystal the monkey L Scott played Molly's mom, “CeeCee” on Insecure Dies in A Million Little Pieces, The Gridiron Gang, Insecure Played Rose Nadler of Rose and Bernard on the phenomenon known as Lost Co-starred in big 90s movies like The Fugitive, Devil in a Blue Dress, The Net, Waiting to Exhale Aggie Rodgers was the costume designer for The Fugitive Richard Jordan dies while shooting of The Fugitive and was replaced with Jeroen Krabbé Soweto Green written by Mfundi Vundla NEC: Negro Ensemble Company Was named “Nombula” = bringer of the rain Won a Tony for her role In Joe Turner's Come and Gone on Broadway A Play of Giants at Yale Rep 1984 NEC members: Barbara Montgomery, Frances Foster, Michele Shay, Adolph Caesar, Graham Brown, Charles Brown, Samm-Art Williamson OG company: Hattie Winston, Judyann Elder, Rosalind Cash, Denise Nicholas, Men: Norman Bush, Allie Woods, Robert Hooks, NEC: The Room and it moved to Broadway the next year Uta Hagen promoted some movie called The Other on Mike Douglas show Got injured going toe to toe with Viola Davis in How to Get Away with Murder Has played a judge, lawyer or doctor more times than she can count Tom Petty music video for “Don't Come Around Here No More” and Genesis “Land of Confusion” video with giant Reagan puppets
In a major and unprecedented shakeup to the U.S. military's leadership, U.S. President Donald Trump removed Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Charles Brown in late February, while announcing his intention to replace Adm. Lisa Franchetti, the head of the U.S. Navy. The personnel changes have been framed as part of an effort to eradicate "woke ideology" from the U.S. military. It is not a coincidence, then, that Brown is Black and Franchetti is the first woman ever to command a U.S. military service branch. But the Trump administration's attack on efforts to address historical injustices for minorities and women - known as Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, or DEI, initiatives - goes beyond purging people of color and high-ranking women officers from the chain of command. As part of this agenda, Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth has also proposed a radical departure from the U.S. military's approach over the past decade. Though a slow-moving institution that is far from progressive, the Defense Department has undertaken a series of reforms to be more representative of the country it serves. That has included things like adopting a plan to implement the Women, Peace and Security Agenda, updating its harassment policies and protecting its employees from discrimination. Since taking over as defense secretary in late January, Hegseth has articulated his commitment to "restoring the warrior ethos, rebuilding our military, and reestablishing deterrence." Along those lines, he announced the creation of a Restoring America's Fighting Force Task Force charged with "overseeing the Department's efforts to abolish DEI offices and any vestiges of such offices that subvert meritocracy, perpetuate unconstitutional discrimination, and promote radical ideologies related to systemic racism and gender fluidity." This task force and other envisaged reforms are all aimed at eradicating "wokeness" from the U.S. military and Defense Department. This agenda reflects Hegseth's retrograde and patriarchal vision of the U.S. military. But his justifications for all of these measures are often invented or based on false premises. These misrepresentations are aimed at portraying the U.S. military as hamstrung by politically correct overreach. In both his public comments and his highly critical book about the U.S. military, Hegseth has castigated "woke" generals and policies that, he argues, undermine the military's effectiveness. For example, during his Senate confirmation hearings in January, Hegseth cited personal interviews conducted while writing his book to assert that commanders are expected to "meet quotas" in order to increase the number of women in the ranks. That practice, he added, was one of many "direct, indirect, overt and subtle" ways that the U.S. military has changed its standards to accommodate women recruits. Hegseth had previously asserted that women should not be present in ground combat operations, stating in November, "It hasn't made us more effective. Hasn't made us more lethal. Has made fighting more complicated." Hegseth's statements make it seem as if women have been coddled by the military in order to goose their numbers, to the detriment of readiness. Hegseth's remarks play well to Trump's base, but they aren't just for public consumption. They have real implications for the well-being of U.S. servicewomen, as well as for women in countries where the U.S. military is active. On both counts, however, he is demonstrably wrong. As Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand pointed out during his confirmation hearing, there are no quotas for women in the infantry. That is a politically expedient lie for Hegseth and his allies. With regard to standards, for instance, retired Army Lt. Col. Ellen Haring told NPR, "Not only have standards not been lowered, but when they first decided that … they were going to open combat jobs to women, the services were given three years to actually set standards because up until that point in time, standards had...
Is the future of professional hair colour undergoing a massive reinvention?Today's guests are Leilani Macedo, a seasoned salon owner, and Charles Brown, a tech entrepreneur who is passionate about applying Artificial Intelligence to real-world problems. And together they cofounded CLICS to create a solution for the problems around the current model of professional hair colour. So if you're interested in tech, entrepreneurship, the salon business and what could be the future of professional hair colour, then this episode is for you… In today's podcast, we discuss: ✅ The problems with the existing model around professional hair colour and how CLICS uses AI to solve those problems✅ Pricing and Automated hair colour Inventory management ✅ How CLICS is totally changing the professional hair colour game And lots more! IN THIS EPISODE:[01:17] Introducing Leilani Macedo, a seasoned salon owner with industry wisdom, and Charles Brown, a tech entrepreneur passionate about using AI to transform traditional models.[02:42] How Leilani and Charles crossed paths a serendipitous meeting that sparked their collaboration and set the stage for a revolutionary approach to hair colour.[04:19] The Birth of Clics: how a simple idea evolved into Clics—laying the groundwork for what would become a groundbreaking solution in the industry.[10:32] Hear how an unexpected source of inspiration at Home Depot ignited innovative thinking, reshaping ideas about service and product delivery.[13:37] Examine the technological obstacles faced by the industry and explore the creative solutions that are pushing the envelope in hair colour tech.[19:54] Discuss why effective inventory management is essential in the salon business and how automation can streamline operations.[32:21] Understand the intricate challenges involved in developing and launching an innovative hair colour line.[33:33] Learn why maintaining consistency is crucial for building customer trust and a strong salon reputation.[34:15] Explore the integration of AI in the mixing process and its potential to deliver precise, customized colour results.[43:34] Discover how the smart bowl concept is not only enhancing precision but also playing a key role in waste reduction.[45:26] Look at how innovative inventory solutions are revolutionizing salon operations and boosting efficiency.[51:57] Learn about customized strategies designed to give independent stylists and boutique salons a competitive edge in a changing market.[01:01:30] Conclude the episode with key takeaways, final reflections from our guests, and all the contact details for staying in touch. Want MORE to help you GROW?
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Charles "Charlie" Brown is a write-in candidate for NRA Board of Directors
Charles "Charlie" Brown is a write-in candidate for NRA Board of Directors
What the Riff!?! delves once again into the great (and not so great) Christmas songs to add a little cheer as you rock around the Christmas tree this year. WSB Radio host Eric Von Haessler joins us for the fun!“The Holly and the Ivy” by Jon AndersonJon Anderson's fourth solo album came out in 1985, and was a mixture of traditional Christmas carols and original material. This is a traditional British folk Christmas carol. Though it can't be traced any further back than the 1800's, the association between holly and Christmas dates back to medieval times.“Please Come Home for Christmas” by the EaglesDon Henley, Glenn Frey, and the rest of the Eagles put out this popular sad Christmas track in 1978, though it was a cover originally performed by blues pianist Charles Brown in 1960, and co-written by Brown and Gene Redd.“The First Noel” by Crash Test DummiesFront man Brad Roberts puts his distinctive bass voice to work on this traditional Christmas tune. This carol originated in Cornwall, England and dates back to at least the early 1800's, using the French "Noel" as a synonym for the Christmas season“The 12 Days of Christmas” by Straight, No ChaserThis acapella group from Indiana University puts some comedic musicianship to work on this Christmas round. We know you'll like it, sure as Kilimanjaro rises like Olympus from the Serengeti. “Nut Rocker” by Emerson, Lake & PalmerELP puts a prog rock spin on the classic Nutcracker Suite. Russian composer Tchaikovsky wrote the original Nutcracker as a two-act ballet in 1892, and is a fantasy taking place at the foot of a Christmas tree.“Christmas All Over Again” by Tom Petty and the HeartbreakersThis original song was penned by Tom Petty on a ukulele in 1992. It was used in the motion picture "Home Alone 2: Lost in New York," and also appeared in "Jingle All the Way." Jeff Lynne co-produced the song, played bells, bass, timpani, sang background vocals, and wishes for a Chuck Berry Songbook in the song.“The Christmas Song” by WeezerThis is not the one you're familiar with. The more famous "The Christmas Song" was first performed by the Nat King Cole trio in 1946. Weezer did this introspective original song with the same name in 2000 on a fan club Christmas LP.“Minnie and Santa” by Cyndi LauperLauper released this light hearted Christmas song in 1998 which tells of a fling that Minnie (not the mouse!) had with old Kris Kringle. This may sound like a cover of a classic song, but it is an original written by Lauper and Jan Pulsford.“Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas” by Frank SinatraYou can't go wrong with Old Blue Eyes and a crooner Christmas classic. This song originated in 1943 and was in the musical "Meet Me in St. Louis," where it was sung by Judy Garland.“God Rest Ye Merry, Gentlemen/We Three Kings” by Barenaked LadiesThis Christmas medley also features fellow Canadian singer-songwriter Sara McLachlan joining in with the Barenaked Ladies.“Listen, The Snow is Falling” by Yoko Ono & the Plastic Ono BandHear us out - this is an Ono piece that is actually quite good! It was released in 1971 as the B-side to the better known "Happy Xmas (War Is Over)," sung by John Lennon.“If It Doesn't Snow On Christmas” by Joe PesciChasing Macaulay Culkin isn't the only association Pesci has with Christmas. He put this cover of an old Gene Autry song out on his 1998 album "Vincent LaGuardia Gambini Sings Just for You."(and there might be a bonus ending related to the Beatles...)We at What the Riff?!? wish every one a blessed and Merry Christmas! Thanks for listening to “What the Riff?!?” NOTE: To adjust the loudness of the music or voices, you may adjust the balance on your device. VOICES are stronger in the LEFT channel, and MUSIC is stronger on the RIGHT channel.Please follow us on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/whattheriffpodcast/, and message or email us with what you'd like to hear, what you think of the show, and any rock-worthy memes we can share.Of course we'd love for you to rate the show in your podcast platform!**NOTE: What the Riff?!? does not own the rights to any of these songs and we neither sell, nor profit from them. We share them so you can learn about them and purchase them for your own collections.
Merch including coffee mugs, tees, hoodies, backpacks, duffle bags, clocks, coasters, phone jackets, leggings Pacific Street Blues & Americana December 8, 2024 (part 1 of 2) 1. Ray Charles / Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer 2. Otis Redding / Things Go Better with Coke3. Charles Brown & Johnny Otis / Christmas Comes But Once A Year 4. Norah Jones / Peace 5. Jamie Cullum / Beautiful Together 6. Southside Johnny & The Asbury Jukes / Looking for a Good Time 7. Tower of Power / What is Hip 8. Blue House & the Rent to Own Horns / Everyday I Have the Blues 9. Josh Hoyer / Business as Usual 10. Tab Benoit / The Ghost of Gatemouth Brown 11. Jimmy Thackery / Love to Ride 12. Mike Farris / Heavy on the Humble 13. Screaming Cheetah Wheelies / High Time We Went 14. Keb Mo / Christmas is Annoying 15. Amanda Ann Platt & The Honeycutters / Christmas on A Greyhound 16. Bessie Smith / At the Christmas Ball (and to everyone who likes wine and beer) 17. Freddy King / Christmas Tears18. Spoon / Face in the Crowd19. Lucinda Williams / (I was Born a) Rebel20. Glen Campbell / Angel Dream21. Marcus King / The Waiting 22. Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers / Running Man's BibleContact Us on Facebook
Holly notes the racist views of one of Charles Brown's biographers. Tracy and Holly also discuss presidential proclamations and the ways Thanksgiving has been framed as a feel-good story over the years. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
The debate is over; what's say we have ourselves another. There's certainly no debating democracy at work. Today's Deeper Roots show will find us circulating through the connective tissue of song: themes that connect with one another. A little bit of eclectic free form fused with all the delightful sounds of country, pop, rock and tradition. Our guiding light will be the truth and the American way. Yes, there's always bubble gum, apple pie, and Sunday church but then we also have the bats**t crazies who will blame all the good, the bad and the ugly on those who don't resemble themselves or their own views. So take a break with us on this summer of broken hearts and we'll share country from Don Gibson to Rosanne Cash, rock and roll from The Stray Cats to Fats Domino, and a little bit of sass and blues from Etta James and Charles Brown. Summer's almost over and election day is fast approaching. So make sure you vote.
In 1959, Charles Brown & Amos Milburn recorded a beautiful duet called "I Want to Go Home." It's like a nice highball, two ingredients that blend well (Milburn is the Rum and Brown is the Coke). Sam Cooke later transformed the song into "Bring it On Home To Me", which he sang with Lou Rawls, an impassioned vocal performance with some Gospel call and response. The Animals then brought the song to England and Eric Burdon hogged the song all to himself, but that's ok because there's Alan Price's organ. Girl group The Thrills did a high-tempo version that'll ... well ... thrill you. It's a guarantee! In '67, some Jersey garagers named Hole in the Wall did a cover of the Animals version and there's some amazing harmonies and organ. Finally, Seattle's The Fall-Outs essayed the song in '86 and it's charming and shambling and very non-grunge. Ha!!
In today's episode with special guest Julianna Charles Brown, Lindsay discusses how systems change comes from people closest to the learning in educational settings. Liked this episode? Rate, review, and share! Get In Touch With Julianna Charles Brown: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/julianna-charles-brown-65565085/ Get Your Episode Freebie & More Resources On My Website: https://www.lindsaybethlyons.com/blog/179 Lindsay's Links: LinkedIn: @lindsaybethlyons Instagram: @lindsaybethlyons Facebook Group: Time for Teachership
Leo Schumaker's "Bluesland" music podcast August 22, 2024 with The Legendary Chucklenuts. Music also includes Jimmy Reed, Charles Brown, Buddy Guy and more.
This episode of Across The Margin : The Podcast presents an interview with Alan Swyer, an award-winning filmmaker whose recent documentaries have dealt with Eastern spirituality in the Western world, the criminal justice system, diabetes, boxing, singer Billy Vera, and beyond. In the realm of music, among his productions is an album of Ray Charles love songs. His novel The Beard was recently published by Harvard Square Editions. His latest documentary, When Houston Had The Blues — the focus of this episode — shines a bright light on a vibrant Black music scene that has never gotten its just due…until now. Houston's early and indelible mark on American music and the blues — often overlooked despite its rich history — is celebrated in the soulful, feature-length documentary, When Houston Had the Blues. While Houston may not come to most people's minds as a major “music city” like Memphis, Chicago or New Orleans, it has a legacy that few other cities can match. Years before Elvis hit the charts with “Hound Dog,” it was originally recorded by Houston's Big Mama Thornton (arguably the defining version). And long before Motown, Houston was home to one of the most successful Black music empires in the country. When Houston Had the Blues features an extensive collection of photos from the '40s and ‘50s and vintage/contemporary performances by Bobby “Blue” Bland, Chic “Juke Boy” Bonner, Charles Brown, Clarence “Gatemouth” Brown, Jewel Brown, C.J. Chenier, Arnett Cobb, Albert Collins, Diunna Greenleaf, Lightnin' Hopkins, Albert King, Freddie King, Trudy Lynn, David “Guitar Shorty” Kearney, Willie Mae “Big Mama” Thornton, Katie Webster aka The Swamp Boogie Queen, Don Wilkerson and more. With a unique timber and flavor unlike any other town in America, even other Texan cities, Houston's blues scene — ranging from “gut bucket” to highly sophisticated — has long been a melting pot of music, influenced by salsa, tejano, cajun, zydeco (then known as la-la), jazz, country and, later, rock ‘n' roll. Stream Houston Had The Blues on iTunes / Apple TV. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Conway County Legal Beverage Fund announces grant recipients; Cherokee Nation Businesses submits casino plan for Pope County; Care Center wraps up cereal drive; Depot Museum to hold 'Family History Day' on Saturday; Free Fishing Weekend starts Friday at noon; we talk with Charles Brown and Dianne Barnes about Juneteenth observation planned for Menifee.
Charles J. Brown is a seasoned freelance colorist with over five years of experience, boasting an impressive portfolio of projects across film, music videos, and commercials. Having honed his craft at esteemed post house facilities like Company 3, The Mill, Ethos, Apache, and Visual Creatures, Charles brings a wealth of knowledge and expertise to every project he touches.In this podcast, Charles shares his unique approach to color grading, drawing parallels between his background in music and his passion for visual storytelling. With a keen understanding that every small detail contributes to the overall impact, Charles likens his process to that of an audio engineer, meticulously refining each element to perfection.Join us as we explore Charles's journey in the world of color grading, from his early beginnings to his current role as a sought-after freelancer. Discover how he seamlessly blends his love for music with his technical prowess to create captivating visuals that resonate with audiences worldwide.From working with renowned brands like Nike, Vans, and Honda to collaborating with emerging artists and filmmakers, Charles's diverse client list speaks volumes about his skill and versatility. Tune in as he shares insights, tips, and behind-the-scenes stories from his fascinating career.Whether you're a seasoned professional or an aspiring colorist, "Mixing Color Like Sound" offers invaluable insights into the art and science of color grading. Get ready to embark on a journey of creativity, innovation, and the transformative power of color with Charles J. Brown as your guide. Charles Brown's Website: https://www.charlescolors.com/ Charles Brown's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/charles.colors/?hl=en Charles Brown LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/charles-brown-616b83107 Visual Intonation Website: https://www.visualintonations.com/Visual Intonation Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/visualintonation/Vante Gregory's Website: vantegregory.comVante Gregory's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/directedbyvante/ To support me on Patreon (thank you): patreon.com/visualintonations Tiktok: www.tiktok.com/@visualintonation Tiktok: www.tiktok.com/@directedbyvante
How significant is singing the psalms in the life of the congregation? Dr. Charles Brown, professor of music and chair of the arts division at Concordia University Chicago, joins Andy and Sarah to talk about how the Psalms are accessible for congregational singing, what is unique about singing the Psalms, how singing Psalms encourages congregational song in general, what is unifying about singing the Psalms, and how singing the Psalms can be both technical and expressive. Dr. Brown is a Keynote Speaker at the upcoming LCMS Institute On Liturgy, Preaching and Church Music, happening July 9-12 at Concordia University Nebraska in Seward, Nebraska. Learn more and register at lcms.org/worshipinstitute.
Grammy Nominee, Blues Award Winner, Author, Harp Man Mark Hummel had a banner year in 2014. Grammy Nominated for his Remembering Little Walter CD he produced and performed on, Mark also won Best Blues CD and Best Traditional Blues CD at the Blues Music Awards in Memphis, TN. Mark's The Hustle Is Really On climbed to #2 and stayed in the top five for four months on the Living Blues Radio Charts. Hummel's book "BIG ROAD BLUES:12 Bars on I-80" garnered rave reviews and was nominated for best Independent Book release. Mark Hummel started playing harmonica in 1970 and is considered one of the premier blues harmonica players of his generation. Thanks to over thirty recordings since 1985, including the Grammy nominated 2013 release Blind Pig recording Remembering Little Walter (part of the Blues Harmonica Blowout CD series). Mark Hummel's Blues Harmonica Blowout™ started in 1991 and have featured every major legend (Mayall, Musselwhite, Cotton, etc.) on blues harp as well as almost every player of note on the instrument - a who's who of players. Hummel is a road warrior - a true Blues Survivor. Along the way, he has crafted his own trademark harmonica sound - a subtle combination of tone, phrasing and attack combined with a strong sense of swing. Mark has been with Electro Fi Records since 2000, releasing five CDs. Thanks to Mark's earlier albums, constant touring and appearances at the major blues festivals, he's firmly established his solid reputation around the US and Europe. Born in New Haven, CT but raised in Los Angeles. Mark moved to Berkeley at age 18 to pursue a career in blues music, where he felt the music was taken more seriously. Mark started the Blues Survivors in 1977 with Mississippi Johnny Waters. By 1984 Hummel began a life of non- stop touring of the US, Canada and overseas, which he still continues at least 130-150 days out of each year. Hummel has toured or recorded with blues legends Charles Brown, Charlie Musselwhite, Lowell Fulson, Billy Boy Arnold, Carey Bell, Lazy Lester, Brownie McGhee, Eddie Taylor, Luther Tucker and Jimmy Rogers. www.markhummel.com
Dr Charles is a Minister and Babalawo, father, mentor, and friend. To describe the impact he has made on my life would take hours, so I will simply share his words with you. In today's meditation, I am honored to introduce Dr Charles Brown. This podcast is made possible with great thanks to our subscribers on Patreon. Join our community at Patreon (dot) com (slash) theMeditationPodcast Please note that Dr Charles uses language referring to God as 'he' and people as 'men'. It is intended and understood that 'men' includes all people, and that the infinity and mystery of God is beyond body and gender.
Mitleid im Zweiten Weltkrieg? Ein deutscher Jagdflieger trifft beim Luftkampf auf einen US-Bomber, der wehrlos ist. In dieser Situation steht viel auf dem Spiel.
Every year we ask the hosts at the Pantheon podcast network to tell us their holiday favorites and break down the songs. This year, we hear about Alanis Morissette's cover of "Last Christmas," Barbra Streisand's "Jingle Bells," and a few songs we've never heard before, from the likes of Charles Brown, Captain Sensible and the Fuzztones. Here's our list of Christmas songs on Songfacts Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Diunna Greenleaf, the leader of Blue Mercy, is a native Texan (Houston) who has a background steeped in gospel music. Influenced by the likes of Koko Taylor, Aretha Franklin, Rosetta Thorpe, Sam Cooke, Charles Brown and her own parents Ben & Mary Ella Greenleaf (Gospel). She has developed "Diunna's style of Blues" in the same tradition as so many other great Texas blues men and women. She combines intricate patches of jazz, gospel and heartfelt soul to create a kind blues that takes one on an emotional roller coaster ride.
In just his fourth year at Longwood, Ron Carr's 1993-94 team made their mark. They finished the season 23-6, #19 in the nation and won the opening game in the program's first appearance in the NCAA Division II playoffs. And - they also won 20 straight games. Carr remains the only Longwood men's coach ever to earn two consecutive trips to the NCAA playoffs. Ron retired from full-time teaching in Chesterfield County and continues to coach boys' basketball at Cosby High.
Exploring the Soulful Melodies of Blues Christmas Music Journey through the evocative world of blues Christmas music, discovering its historical roots and modern interpretations that have shaped holiday traditions. As the holiday season unfolds, the rich and emotional world of blues Christmas music offers a unique auditory experience. This genre, known for its heartfelt expressions and deep-rooted cultural significance, beautifully intertwines with the festive spirit, creating a distinct blend of melancholy and joy. The tradition of blues in Christmas music stretches back to the genre's early days. Pioneers like Blind Lemon Jefferson masterfully combined their soulful melodies with festive themes, imparting a poignant depth to the holiday season. Jefferson, who tragically passed just before Christmas in 1929, left an enduring legacy in this niche, highlighting the blues' capacity to convey a spectrum of human emotions during this joyous time. Featured Blues Christmas Songs and Artists Lightnin' Hopkins - "Merry Christmas": A classic released in 1953, this song exemplifies the traditional blues sound infused with holiday cheer, showcasing Hopkins' storytelling prowess. Jimmy Witherspoon - "How I Hate To See Xmas Come Around": This 1948 melancholic classic reflects the blues' ability to express the more somber aspects of the festive season. Sister Rosetta Tharpe - "O Little Town of Bethlehem": A gospel-blues rendition of a classic carol, highlighting Tharpe's spiritual roots and vocal power. Charles Brown - "Merry Christmas": A pivotal 1947 track that has become a cornerstone in the blues Christmas music repertoire. Chuck Berry - "Spending Christmas": Berry's 1964 ballad, a sentimental deviation from his usual upbeat style, showcases the emotional range of blues during Christmas. Albert King - "Christmas (Comes But Once A Year)": An illustration of how blues can adapt and evolve, blending festive cheer with soulful rhythms. Clarence Carter - "Back Door Santa": A playful and funky 1968 song that adds a unique narrative to Christmas music. The blues genre's adaptability is further exemplified by contemporary artists who have reinterpreted classic Christmas blues songs. Eric Clapton's 2018 Christmas album and Darlene Love's "Christmas (Baby Please Come Home)" are prime examples of how modern musicians infuse blues elements into holiday music, bridging genres and generations. The emotional depth and versatility of blues music shine particularly bright during the holiday season. Its ability to encapsulate the range of festive emotions, from reflective melancholy to joyous celebration, is what makes blues Christmas music a timeless and integral part of holiday traditions. For a deeper exploration of blues Christmas music, visit our curated playlists on Spotify and Amazon Music. Delve further into this soulful holiday journey at www.theblueslegacy.com. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/theblueslegacy/message
Times for Action - Deconstructing the Political StageWebsite: http://www.battle4freedom.comNetwork: https://www.mojo50.comStreaming: https://www.rumble.com/Battle4Freedomhttps://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-12543797/Liberal-actor-John-Cusack-says-Democratic-Party-elite-sold-working-class-decades-accuses-not-having-moral-intellectual-honesty.htmlLiberal actor John Cusack says Democratic Party elite 'sold out the working class for decades' and accuses them of not having 'moral and intellectual honesty'The Hollywood actor is known for his political activism and left-wing viewshttps://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-12542687/Biden-pick-CONFIRMED-chair-Joint-Chiefs-Staff-Gen-Charles-Brown-motto-accelerate-change-lose-replaces-Gen-Mark-Milley-three-years-wore-fatigues-walk-Trump-church-photo-op-amid-BLM-protest.htmlBiden pick is CONFIRMED as chair of the Joint Chiefs of Staff: Gen. Charles Brown - whose motto is 'accelerate change or lose' - replaces Gen. Mark Milley three years after he wore fatigues to walk Trump to church for photo-op amid BLM protestGeneral Charles Brown is confirmed as the new chair of the Joint Chiefs of StaffHe will replace controversial General Mark Milley, who was in the role since 2019Brown made headlines when he spoke up about the cop killing of George FloydOur Constitution works; our great republic is a government of laws and not of men. Here, the people rule. - Gerald R. FordIt is ordained in the eternal constitution of things, that men of intemperate minds cannot be free. Their passions forge their fetters. - Edmund Burkehttps://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-12542105/First-3D-Printed-Vegan-Salmon-Supermarkets-Revo-Foods-Fungi.htmlNothing fishy about it! Lab-grown, 3D-printed SALMON goes on supermarket shelves for the first timeVegan salmon-maker Revo Foods hopes the product will curb global overfishingRevo says the fillet uses at least 77 percent less carbon than wild-caught salmonhttps://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-12543703/Poland-STOPS-supplying-Ukraine-weapons-war-Russia.htmlPoland STOPS supplying Ukraine with weapons - handing Putin a huge victory on the day Zelensky tries to win more aid from the US amid cries to cut supportWarsaw is one of Kyiv's main supporters, welcoming refugees and providing aid But Polish PM declared his government will no longer send weapons to UkraineThe move piles more pressure on Zelensky who today seeks more US supporthttps://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-12532469/African-migrants-exploit-immigration-loophole-Nicaragua.htmlHundreds of African migrants sneak into the US in broad daylight after exploiting immigration loophole in Nicaragua that allows them in with no questions asked for just $160Hundreds of migrants from Africa and elsewhere are using a loophole in Nicaraguan immigration law to make their way to the United States DailyMail.com traveled to Lukeville, Arizona, and saw at least 600 migrants, many of them African refugees, crossing the southern border on one day alonehttps://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-12540421/Stanford-covid-lockdown-skeptic-Dr-Jay-Bhattacharya-touts-court-ruling-Biden-administration-censored-criticism-masks-school-closures.htmlStanford Covid lockdown skeptic Dr Jay Bhattacharya touts court ruling that Biden administration censored criticism about masks, school closuresCourt of appeals ruled Biden administration censored skeptics on social mediaThose skeptics argued that their petition critical of lockdowns was scrubbedREAD MORE: Lockdowns had 'catastrophic' impact on children's social skillshttps://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-12544785/Biden-plans-track-illegal-immigrants-released-U-S-ID-cards-wait-court-appearance.htmlBiden plans to track illegal immigrants released into the U.S. with ID cards as they wait for court appearanceICE is preparing to rollout a pilot of its Secure Docket card program for migrantsThe program will provide asylum seekers released into the U.S. with ID cards to help better keep track of them until their court date Republicans claim the program is another example of the Biden administration welcoming illegal immigrants rather than prioritizing deportationhttps://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-12545385/kathy-hochul-migrants-new-york.htmlNY Gov. Kathy Hochul's migrant U-turn: Video reveals how Democrat welcomed asylum seekers 'with open arms' in 2021 - but TODAY she tells them: 'Go somewhere else'The Democrat addressed the migrant crisis in NYC on WednesdayOver 110,000 asylum seekers have arrived since the spring of 2022, with over currently 10,000 arriving every monthThe Roosevelt Hotel, Paul Hotel and Paramount Hotel are among the hotels designated for housing migrants in Manhattanhttps://www.dailymail.co.uk/yourmoney/article-12545589/NFT-crash-worthless-value-Bored-Ape-artwork-Justin-Bieber.htmlNFT crash: 95% of the market is now 'worthless', study finds - as value of 'Bored Ape' artwork owned by Justin Bieber plummets by 97%The vast majority of NFTs created are now worthless, according to a studyAnd even the most popular and prestigious NFTs are down more than 95 percentJustin Bieber paid $1.3M for an ape NFT in 2022, but it's now worth around $50Khttps://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-12545967/Scientists-discover-11-aggressive-prostate-cancer-genes-time-large-global-study.htmlScientists discover 11 aggressive prostate cancer genes for first time in large global studyFindings come from the largest-scale prostate cancer looking at geneticsHas major implications for genetic testing to catch and treat cancers early https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-12545855/Devastating-transition-green-energy-metal-mining-23-million-people-toxic-waste-rivers-polluted-farmland.htmlDevastating risks of transitioning to 'green' energy: Mining for electric-powering minerals has left 23 million people exposed to toxic waste, 500,000km of rivers polluted and 16 million acres of farmland ruinedToxic byproducts of metals mining also pollute 10.7 million acres of flood plains Researchers estimate the pollution also impacts 5.72 million livestock worldwideScientists hope their new global database and mapping tool helps stem the tidehttps://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-12546669/zelensky-biden-white-house-ukraine-joe-jill-olena-funds.htmlZelensky takes battle for more funds and weapons to the White House: Ukrainian leader hints to Biden he wants more missiles in pivotal talks as Republicans refuse to budge on $24B in aidZelensky met lawmakers on Capitol Hill, military leaders at the Pentagon and President Biden at the White HouseHe hinted to Biden he'd like more air defense missiles
The College Football Experience (@TCEonSGPN) on the Sports Gambling Podcast Network continues its 133 team college football season preview series with the Texas State Bobcats Season Preview. Pick Dundee aka (@TheColbyD) breaks down every single game on the Texas State Bobcats 2023 football schedule and keys in on the biggest games of the Bobcats season. Dundee breaks down the upcoming offense, defense and special teams heading into 2023 and just how Texas State did in the transfer portal. How will Texas State do in the first season of the G.J. Kinne era? Could Texas State somehow find themselves bowling in 2023? Plus, Michael Barker aka (@CFBcampustour) hops on to talk about his experiences to San Marcos, Texas and Bobcat Stadium. Who will get the start at quarterback for Texas State this season Malik Hornsby or TJ Finley? Will the Texas State run game be good with the likes of Calvin Hill and Jahmyl Jeter? How will the wideout room look in 2023 with the likes of Beau Corrales, Ashtyn Hawkins, Julian Ortega-Jones & Charles Brown? How will the offensive line look with 3 Incarnate Word transfers coming in? How will the new look Texas State defense look under DC Jonathan Patke? How will the new look Texas State defensive line look after only returning one starter from a year ago in Jordan Revels? Who will step up and emerge as a top linebacker with the likes of Brian Holloway, Dan Foster and Michael Boudoin? Should the Texas State Bobcats secondary be in decent shape with the likes of Alonzo Edwards, Tory Spears, Kaleb Cup and Kaleb Ford-Dement? We talk it all and more on this Texas State Bobcats 2023 Season Preview edition of The College Football Experience. ===================================================== Discuss with fellow degens on Discord - https://sg.pn/discord SGPN Merch Store - https://sg.pn/store Download The Free SGPN App - https://sgpn.app Check out SGPN.TV Support us by supporting our partners Underdog Fantasy code SGPN - 100% Deposit Match up to $100 - https://sg.pn/underdog Follow The College Experience & SGPN On Social Media Twitter - https://twitter.com/TCEonSGPN Twitter - http://www.twitter.com/gamblingpodcast Instagram - http://www.instagram.com/sportsgamblingpodcast TikTok - https://www.tiktok.com/@gamblingpodcast Facebook - http://www.facebook.com/sportsgamblingpodcast Youtube - https://www.youtube.com/@TheCollegeExperience Follow The Hosts On Social Media Colby Dant - http://www.twitter.com/thecolbyd Patty C - https://twitter.com/PattyC831 NC Nick - https://twitter.com/NC__NicK Watch the Sports Gambling Podcast YouTube - https://www.sg.pn/YouTube Twitch - https://www.sg.pn/Twitch Read & Discuss - Join the conversation Website - https://www.sportsgamblingpodcast.com Slack - https://sg.pn/slack Reddit - https://www.sg.pn/reddit Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
The College Football Experience (@TCEonSGPN) on the Sports Gambling Podcast Network continues its 133 team college football season preview series with the Texas State Bobcats Season Preview. Pick Dundee aka (@TheColbyD) breaks down every single game on the Texas State Bobcats 2023 football schedule and keys in on the biggest games of the Bobcats season. Dundee breaks down the upcoming offense, defense and special teams heading into 2023 and just how Texas State did in the transfer portal. How will Texas State do in the first season of the G.J. Kinne era? Could Texas State somehow find themselves bowling in 2023? Plus, Michael Barker aka (@CFBcampustour) hops on to talk about his experiences to San Marcos, Texas and Bobcat Stadium. Who will get the start at quarterback for Texas State this season Malik Hornsby or TJ Finley? Will the Texas State run game be good with the likes of Calvin Hill and Jahmyl Jeter? How will the wideout room look in 2023 with the likes of Beau Corrales, Ashtyn Hawkins, Julian Ortega-Jones & Charles Brown? How will the offensive line look with 3 Incarnate Word transfers coming in? How will the new look Texas State defense look under DC Jonathan Patke? How will the new look Texas State defensive line look after only returning one starter from a year ago in Jordan Revels? Who will step up and emerge as a top linebacker with the likes of Brian Holloway, Dan Foster and Michael Boudoin? Should the Texas State Bobcats secondary be in decent shape with the likes of Alonzo Edwards, Tory Spears, Kaleb Cup and Kaleb Ford-Dement? We talk it all and more on this Texas State Bobcats 2023 Season Preview edition of The College Football Experience. ===================================================== Discuss with fellow degens on Discord - https://sg.pn/discord SGPN Merch Store - https://sg.pn/store Download The Free SGPN App - https://sgpn.app Check out SGPN.TV Support us by supporting our partners Underdog Fantasy code SGPN - 100% Deposit Match up to $100 - https://sg.pn/underdog Follow The College Experience & SGPN On Social Media Twitter - https://twitter.com/TCEonSGPN Twitter - http://www.twitter.com/gamblingpodcast Instagram - http://www.instagram.com/sportsgamblingpodcast TikTok - https://www.tiktok.com/@gamblingpodcast Facebook - http://www.facebook.com/sportsgamblingpodcast Youtube - https://www.youtube.com/@TheCollegeExperience Follow The Hosts On Social Media Colby Dant - http://www.twitter.com/thecolbyd Patty C - https://twitter.com/PattyC831 NC Nick - https://twitter.com/NC__NicK Watch the Sports Gambling Podcast YouTube - https://www.sg.pn/YouTube Twitch - https://www.sg.pn/Twitch Read & Discuss - Join the conversation Website - https://www.sportsgamblingpodcast.com Slack - https://sg.pn/slack Reddit - https://www.sg.pn/reddit Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
What exactly is the state of the industry? We are joined by Charles Brown, “Charlie” to his friends, of MKS Supply. Charlie has been in the firearms industry in one form or another his entire life. The Professor and Mr. Brown will discuss the past, present, and future of the gun business. We have a Duracoat Finished Firearms segment for you. Is there more than one kind of black? During our Brownells Bullet Points we discuss hardware. How many magazines should you have for your rifle and what's up with EOTech optics? Additionally, all of us at Student of the Gun are excited to welcome back one of our original partners. Who would that be? Listen louder. Thanks for being a part of SOTG! We hope you find value in the message we share. If you've got any questions, here are some options to contact us: Send an Email Send a Text Call Us Enjoy the show! And remember… You're a Beginner Once, a Student For Life! TOPICS COVERED THIS EPISODE Welcome back, FrogLube! studentofthegun.com/froglube [0:06:05] DuraCoat Finished Firearms - DuraCoat University TOPIC: Give your Customers “Slightly Darker Black” www.duracoatfirearmfinishes.com Huge thanks to our Partners: Brownells | Duracoat Firearm Finishes | FrogLube | Hi-Point Firearms [0:11:04] Brownells Bullet Points - Brownells.com TOPIC: New EOTech HWS and Magnifiers https://bit.ly/3XYJTFv Also, Rifle Magazines are MEANT to be Replaced [0:24:56] Charlie Brown from MKS Supply & State of the Gun Industry FEATURING: Charlie Brown, MKS Supply, FrogLube, EOTech, Madison Rising, Jarrad Markel, Paul Markel, SOTG University PARTNERS: Brownells Inc, DuraCoat Firearm Finishes, Hi-Point Firearms FIND US ON: Juxxi, MeWe.com, Gettr, iTunes, Stitcher, AppleTV, Roku, Amazon, GooglePlay, YouTube, Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, tumblr SOURCES From www.firsttimegunbuyer.com: Welcome To The Growing Community Of First Time Gun Buyers! It's estimated that in the U.S., over 12 million guns were purchased from January through July of 2020. That includes almost 5 million first-time gun owners! If you are a first time gun buyer we would would like to be one of the first to welcome you and invite you to become active in our community and hobbies. If you're like many first time buyers, walking into a gun shop can be overwhelming. You likely know "why" you want to purchase a gun... - target shooting -home protection -concealed carry -hunting ...you may not know which model is best for you. Unlike some things in life, one size does not fit all when it comes to firearms. While the choice may seem daunting, armed with the right information, your selection process should be easier. (Click Here to Check Their Site)
What exactly is the state of the industry? We are joined by Charles Brown, “Charlie” to his friends, of MKS Supply. Charlie has been in the firearms industry in one form or another his entire life. The Professor and Mr. Brown will discuss the past, present, and future of the gun business. We have a … Student of the Gun Radio 1198 -State of the Gun Industry w/ MKS Supply Read More »
Episode: 2697 A B-17 spared by the most basic human instinct. Today, a B-17 spared.
This week we welcome Charles Brown, two-term President of Paralyzed Veterans of America (PVA). From a very young age, Brown knew he wanted to serve his nation and had a calling to work with military aircraft. He joined the U.S. Marine Corps in 1985 and was trained in aviation ordinance. In 1986, Brown sustained a spinal cord injury as a result of a diving accident while serving in Cherry Point, NC. During his initial rehabilitation at the Department of Veterans Affairs' Spinal Cord Injury center in Augusta, GA, he was introduced to PVA and became a member of the Southeastern Chapter. PVA is a congressionally chartered veterans service organization founded in 1946. They have developed a unique expertise on a wide variety of issues involving the special needs of their members – veterans of the armed forces who have experienced spinal cord injuries and dysfunction. “PVA helped me through the process of filing for benefits,” Brown says. “They gave me ideas for accessible bathrooms and entrances to my house. They have offered me sporting opportunities I never would have thought about.” In 1987, he moved back to his native Missouri. Wanting to give back to the organization who had given so much to him, Brown served on the Gateway Chapter board in a multitude of capacities, including as Americans with Disabilities Act coordinator, advocacy director, treasurer, and vice president. While in St. Louis, Brown helped establish the Rolling Rams quad rugby team. He recalls recruiting players by making phone calls to rehab facilities, and even talking to people in wheelchairs at the mall. The team really took off when a couple of recreational therapists got involved and brought athletes with them. Brown believes in helping his fellow Veterans improve their quality of life and is passionate about continuing to help PVA improve the accessibility of our nation. Currently on the USA Boccia team, Brown was selected team captain for the Parapan American Games in Guadalajara, Mexico. Ranked 63rd in the world after one international tournament, he fully believes that an active life has kept him healthy. Get ready to be inspired with this week's interview!For more information about PVA go to https://pva.org.Support the show and get your Bulletproof Veteran apparel at https://amzn.to/3BA3dx9 or see all the available shirts at http://bulletproofveteran.com/apparel.
WCBU's On Deck has everything you need to start your day for Friday, May 19th, 2023. First, Saint Margaret's Spring Valley hospital is in danger of closing as early as June. The latest on the embattled Illinois Valley hospital. Then, a conversation with Charles Brown, CEO of urban design consulting firm Equitable Cities.
In Huntsville, Alabama, it's illegal to play ball on any street, alley, or sidewalk. In Lewiston, Maine, pedestrians must keep to the right half of the crosswalk while crossing the street. And in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, bicyclists are strictly prohibited from any kind of “fancy riding.” If these laws sound vague, arbitrary, and difficult to enforce, well, that might just be the point. In a groundbreaking new report, urban planner Charles Brown painstakingly identifies the vast array of transportation-related laws that are used almost exclusively to limit the mobility and freedom of Black Americans while providing no real benefit to public safety. Brown gives this repressive policy regime a name. He calls it: Arrested Mobility. This episode is produced with support from Harvard University Graduate School of Design Executive Education and Cleverhood. *** Support The War on Cars on Patreon and receive access to ad-free versions of all our episodes, special bonus content and stickers! *** LINKS: Follow Charles Brown on Twitter. Read the report: Arrested Mobility: Barriers to Walking, Biking, and E-Scooter Use in Black Communities in the United States. Subscribe and listen to the Arrested Mobility podcast Equitable Cities is an urban planning, public policy, and research firm working at the intersection of transportation, health, and equity. How Bike/Walk Laws ‘Arrest' the Mobility of Black Americans (Streetsblog) * * * * * Pick up official podcast tees and other merch in our official store. Buy books from podcast guests and find other great recommendations at our Bookshop.org page. Attend Micromobility Europe in Amsterdam in June or Micromobility America in San Francisco in October and save 20% on tickets by using the links. This episode was edited by Ali Lemer. It was recorded at the Brooklyn Podcasting Studio by Josh Wilcox. Our theme music is by Nathaniel Goodyear. Patreon supporters who want to listen to this ad-free version of the episode on Apple Podcasts or another podcast app should check out these instructions on how to find and use your private RSS audio link from Patreon. You can also use the Patreon app or listen in your browser. TheWarOnCars.org
Charles (Charlie) Brown, deputy director of coatings at Greenman-Pedersen, Inc., joins CoatingsPro Magazine's “member profile” series with reflections on nearly 40 years in the industry. Topics include the evolution of coatings and market trends over that time; Brown's advice for the next generation; and how associations such as AMPP, NACE International, and SSPC: The Society for Protective Coatings have bolstered his career.
Air Week: May 1-7, 2023 Floyd Dixon This week, “Juke In The Back” features another unsung hero of early Rhythm & Blues, Floyd Dixon. He's often overlooked or labeled as a Charles Brown sound-alike, but Dixon was a prolific songwriter who made a great contribution to the R&B foundation of Rock n' Roll. After meeting […]
Charles (Charlie) Brown, deputy director of coatings at Greenman-Pedersen, Inc., joins CoatingsPro Magazine's “member profile” series with reflections on nearly 40 years in the industry. Topics include the evolution of coatings and market trends over that time; Brown's advice for the next generation; and how associations such as AMPP, NACE International, and SSPC: The Society for Protective Coatings have bolstered his career.
Junior Burr was a member of perhaps Longwood's most cohesive and talented men's basketball team ever, certainly on the Division II level. The 1993-94 Lancers racked up 20 straight wins and won a game in the college's first appearance in the NCAA Division II tournament. While his playing time was limited, he applied lessons learned on a bigger stage. As the founder and owner of Canterbury Enterprises, Inc., Burr's company is a key contributor in commercial construction and real estate development in Virginia. Canterbury teamed with Skanska USA to build the Joan Perry Brock Center at Longwood University.
Air Week: January 2-8, 2023 Charles Brown: 1949-52 Charles Brown was the “King of Smoky Blues” for over 50 years. Growing up in Texas City, TX, he studied classical piano while focusing his interests on science, becoming a chemistry teacher for a short time. A move to Los Angeles in 1943, hooked him up with […]
Air Week: December 26, 2022-January 1, 2023 Johnny Moore's Three Blazers This week's “Juke In The Back” is dedicated to one of the true unsung heroes of 1940s and '50s rhythm & blues, Johnny Moore's Three Blazers. The group is mostly remembered as the springboard for vocalist/pianist Charles Brown and today they are generally only […]
This week, Craig sits down with President and CEO of LifeLabs Medical Laboratory, Charles Brown, to discuss the importance of good leadership during challenging times. Since joining LifeLabs in 2018, Charles has worked to evolve the company into a commercially driven organization that brings customer-centered value to market. By showcasing the possibility of delivering value-based outcomes, Charles empowers his employees to make a difference and facilitate innovative change. During COVID, Charles' leadership empowered the team to quickly pivot and adapt to respond to the pandemic by providing essential COVID-19 testing, while maintaining full operation of lab testing and diagnostic work. Charles was named one of the Top 100 Innovation CEOs by World Biz Magazine in 2022 and Top 25 Biotechnology CEOs by the Healthcare Technology Report in 2021 and 2022. Tune in to join this fascinating conversation about leadership, business and innovation. What You'll Learn: 1. The importance of learning 2. Staying positive for your team 3. Using social media responsibly 4. Channeling empathy 5. Leaving things better than you found them --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/craig-dowden/message
Did you know the song, “White Christmas,” has been covered more than 100,000 times? And while you might think Mariah Carey's version of “All I Want for Christmas is You” is the only version, it has actually has been recorded by other artists more than 13,000 times! Christmas covers are a big thing—so big, in fact, that we sometimes don't even realize the version of a song we're most familiar with or like the most isn't the original version. See exhibit A: me and “Please Come Home for Christmas (Bells Will Be Ringing).” Apologies to Charles Brown, who actually wrote and originally released the song 17 years before the Eagles sang it. With so many different versions of Christmas songs (which, by the way, just making a list of the so-called biggest or most-loved or famous Christmas songs is daunting), I knew we needed to help you narrow down the options. And to do this, I knew I needed someone with a lot of opinions about music. So obviously I called on my good friend (and good friend of the show) Amanda White. Amanda and I have created a festive, fun, and meaningful playlist for you, and I suspect you're going to love listening to our process. After all, it does involve some awkward music clips and even more awkward singing, not to mention my decision to seize the day and mention once again my disgust for bonnets and my deep affection for both ska music and Gloria Estefan. Meanwhile, Amanda brings us a version of “Let It Snow” via a bizarre and twisty walk down the memory lane of old-school blogging. Yes, this episode is a ride, and you will not regret it. After all, you know and love the way we welcome side notes and rabbit trails here at The Couch, so you know (and will love) what you're in for. Get ready for a good time, friends! It's time to get started! MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE: Spotify playlist with our favorite versions of our favorite Christmas songs Truth in the Tinsel (Advent activity book by Amanda) David Phelps singing O Holy Night The Star (movie) “Blood harmony” discussed in this podcast The Twelve Days of Christmas by Hilary Knight (picture book) My Christmas Love (Hallmark movie) Most recorded holiday songs according to Billboard NOT-SO-GUILTY PLEASURES: Kindle Unlimited (get your first month free with this link) What the Wind Knows by Amy Harmon Reading different genres Defy the Night by Brigid Kemmerer The Martian and Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir DON'T FORGET: Join The Couch on Facebook! It's so much fun! Find Amanda on Instagram or at ohamanda.com., and buy her book (Truth in the Tinsel) today. And you can find me on Instagram at @marycarver or at marycarver.com. Welcome to The Couch! This post may include affiliate links. This means that if you click and purchase, I might receive a small commission at no extra charge to you.
In this episode we invite esteemed author RJ Smith to tell us about his career, his adopted Los Angeles, and his new biography of Chuck Berry.We start in Detroit, where RJ was raised on a diet of AM radio, the Stooges and Creem magazine, then follow him to New York and his decade of writing for the Village Voice. He talks about the impact of Lester Bangs and Robert Christgau before explaining why he followed the Voice's executive editor Kit Rachlis to California and the L.A. Weekly. We hear how he became fascinated by the pre-rock history of African-American L.A. and how that led to the publication of The Great Black Way (2008). His fourth book, Chuck Berry: An American Life, gives us the opportunity to discuss the problematic brilliance of St. Louis's "Black bard of white teen angst", a half-century after the creepy novelty comedy of 'My Ding-a-Ling' gave the Black-rock pioneer a No. 1 hit on both sides of the Atlantic.We return to our L.A. theme to hear clips from a 1991 audio interview in which Tracy "Ice-T" Marrow talks to Andy Gill about the birth of gangsta rap and his thrash-metal side project Body Count. RJ recalls his own writing about West Coast hip hop before we say a sad goodbye to the great Wilko Johnson and hear the-then Dr. Feelgood guitarist speaking to Mick Gold in 1975.Mark quotes from some of the pieces he's added to the RBP library, including interviews with Long John Baldry and Olivia Newton-John, after which Jasper wraps matters up with remarks on articles about Deadmau5 and Asian Dub Foundation.Many thanks to special guest RJ Smith. Chuck Berry: An American Life is published by Omnibus in the UK and Hachette in the US and is available now from all good bookshops.Pieces discussed: Chuck Berry, Chuck Berrier, Chuck Berriest, Interview with RJ Smith, Charles Brown, N.W.A., Ice-T audio, Dr. Feelgood, Wilko Johnson, Rab Noakes, Long John Baldry, Free, Captain Beefheart, B. Bumble and the Stingers, Simon and Garfunkel, Olivia Newton-John, Deadmau5 and Asian Dub Foundation.
In this episode we invite esteemed author RJ Smith to tell us about his career, his adopted Los Angeles, and his new biography of Chuck Berry.We start in Detroit, where RJ was raised on a diet of AM radio, the Stooges and Creem magazine, then follow him to New York and his decade of writing for the Village Voice. He talks about the impact of Lester Bangs and Robert Christgau before explaining why he followed the Voice's executive editor Kit Rachlis to California and the L.A. Weekly. We hear how he became fascinated by the pre-rock history of African-American L.A. and how that led to the publication of The Great Black Way (2008). His fourth book, Chuck Berry: An American Life, gives us the opportunity to discuss the problematic brilliance of St. Louis's "Black bard of white teen angst", a half-century after the creepy novelty comedy of 'My Ding-a-Ling' gave the Black-rock pioneer a No. 1 hit on both sides of the Atlantic.We return to our L.A. theme to hear clips from a 1991 audio interview in which Tracy "Ice-T" Marrow talks to Andy Gill about the birth of gangsta rap and his thrash-metal side project Body Count. RJ recalls his own writing about West Coast hip hop before we say a sad goodbye to the great Wilko Johnson and hear the-then Dr. Feelgood guitarist speaking to Mick Gold in 1975.Mark quotes from some of the pieces he's added to the RBP library, including interviews with Long John Baldry and Olivia Newton-John, after which Jasper wraps matters up with remarks on articles about Deadmau5 and Asian Dub Foundation.Many thanks to special guest RJ Smith. Chuck Berry: An American Life is published by Omnibus in the UK and Hachette in the US and is available now from all good bookshops.Pieces discussed: Chuck Berry, Chuck Berrier, Chuck Berriest, Interview with RJ Smith, Charles Brown, N.W.A., Ice-T audio, Dr. Feelgood, Wilko Johnson, Rab Noakes, Long John Baldry, Free, Captain Beefheart, B. Bumble and the Stingers, Simon and Garfunkel, Olivia Newton-John, Deadmau5 and Asian Dub Foundation.
Episode 141 of A History of Rock Music in Five Hundred Songs looks at “River Deep Mountain High'”, and at the career of Ike and Tina Turner. Click the full post to read liner notes, links to more information, and a transcript of the episode. Also, this episode was recorded before the sad death of the great Ronnie Spector, whose records are featured a couple of times in this episode, which is partly about her abusive ex-husband. Her life paralleled Tina Turner's quite closely, and if you haven't heard the episode I did about her last year, you can find it at https://500songs.com/podcast/episode-110-be-my-baby-by-the-ronettes/. I wish I'd had the opportunity to fit a tribute into this episode too. Patreon backers also have a ten-minute bonus episode available, on "Wild Thing" by the Troggs. Tilt Araiza has assisted invaluably by doing a first-pass edit, and will hopefully be doing so from now on. Check out Tilt's irregular podcasts at http://www.podnose.com/jaffa-cakes-for-proust and http://sitcomclub.com/ Resources As usual, all the songs excerpted in the podcast can be heard in full at Mixcloud. Always Magic in the Air: The Bomp and Brilliance of the Brill Building Era by Ken Emerson is a good overview of the Brill Building scene, and I referred to it for the material about Jeff Barry and Ellie Greenwich. I've referred to two biographies of Phil Spector in this episode, Phil Spector: Out of His Head by Richard Williams and He's a Rebel by Mark Ribkowsky. Tina Turner has written two autobiographies. I Tina is now out of print but is slightly more interesting, as it contains interview material with other people in her life. My Love Story is the more recent one and covers her whole life up to 2019. Ike Turner's autobiography Takin' Back My Name is a despicable, self-serving, work of self-justification, and I do not recommend anyone buy or read it. But I did use it for quotes in the episode so it goes on the list. Ike Turner: King of Rhythm by John Collis is more even-handed, and contains a useful discography. That Kat Sure Could Play! is a four-CD compilation of Ike Turner's work up to 1957. The TAMI and Big TNT shows are available on a Blu-Ray containing both performances. There are many compilations available with some of the hits Spector produced, but I recommend getting Back to Mono, a four-CD overview of his career containing all the major singles put out by Philles. There are sadly no good compilations of Ike and Tina Turner's career, as they recorded for multiple labels, and would regularly rerecord the hits in new versions for each new label, so any compilation you find will have the actual hit version of one or two tracks, plus a bunch of shoddy remakes. However, the hit version of "River Deep, Mountain High" is on the album of the same name, which is a worthwhile album to get,. Patreon This podcast is brought to you by the generosity of my backers on Patreon. Why not join them? Transcript Today's episode is unfortunately another one of those which will require a content warning, because we're going to be talking about Ike and Tina Turner. For those of you who don't know, Ike Turner was possibly the most famously abusive spouse in the whole history of music, and it is literally impossible to talk about the duo's career without talking about that abuse. I am going to try not to go into too many of the details -- if nothing else, the details are very readily available for those who want to seek them out, not least in Tina's two autobiographies, so there's no sense in retraumatising people who've experienced domestic abuse by going over them needlessly -- but it would be dishonest to try to tell the story without talking about it at all. This is not going to be an episode *about* Ike Turner's brutal treatment of Tina Turner -- it's an episode about the record, and about music, and about their musical career -- but the environment in which "River Deep, Mountain High" was created was so full of toxic, abusive, destructive men that Ike Turner may only be the third-worst person credited on the record, and so that abuse will come up. If discussion of domestic abuse, gun violence, cocaine addiction, and suicide attempts are likely to cause you problems, you might want to read the transcript rather than listen to the podcast. That said, let's get on with the story. One of the problems I'm hitting at this point of the narrative is that starting with "I Fought the Law" we've hit a run of incredibly intertangled stories The three most recent episodes, this one, and nine of the next twelve, all really make up one big narrative about what happened when folk-rock and psychedelia hit the Hollywood scene and the Sunset Strip nightclubs started providing the raw material for the entertainment industry to turn into pop culture. We're going to be focusing on a small number of individuals, and that causes problems when trying to tell a linear narrative, because people don't live their lives sequentially -- it's not the case that everything happened to Phil Spector, and *then* everything happened to Cass Elliot, and *then* everything happened to Brian Wilson. All these people were living their lives and interacting and influencing each other, and so sometimes we'll have to mention something that will be dealt with in a future episode. So I'll say here and now that we *will* be doing an episode on the Lovin' Spoonful in two weeks. So when I say now that in late 1965 the Lovin' Spoonful were one of the biggest bands around, and possibly the hottest band in the country, you'll have to take that on trust. But they were, and in late 1965 their hit "Do You Believe in Magic?" had made the top ten: [Excerpt: The Lovin' Spoonful, "Do You Believe in Magic?"] Phil Spector, as always, was trying to stay aware of the latest trends in music, and he was floundering somewhat. Since the Beatles had hit America in 1964, the hits had dried up -- he'd produced a few minor hit records in 1964, but the only hits he'd made in 1965 had been with the Righteous Brothers -- none of his other acts were charting. And then the Righteous Brothers left him, after only a year. In late 1965, he had no hit acts and no prospect of having any. There was only one thing to do -- he needed to start making his own folk-rock records. And the Lovin' Spoonful gave him an idea how to do that. Their records were identifiably coming from the same kind of place as people like the Byrds or the Mamas and the Papas, but they were pop songs, not protest songs -- the Lovin' Spoonful weren't doing Dylan covers or anything intellectual, but joyous pop confections of a kind that anyone could relate to. Spector knew how to make pop records like that. But to do that, he needed a band. Even though he had been annoyed at the way that people had paid more attention to the Righteous Brothers, as white men, than they had to the other vocalists he'd made hit records with (who, as Black women, had been regarded by a sexist and racist public as interchangeable puppets being controlled by a Svengali rather than as artists in their own right), he knew he was going to have to work with a group of white male vocalist-instrumentalists if he wanted to have his own Lovin' Spoonful. And the group he chose was a group from Greenwich Village called MFQ. MFQ had originally named themselves the Modern Folk Quartet, as a parallel to the much better-known Modern Jazz Quartet, and consisted of Cyrus Faryar, Henry Diltz, Jerry Yester, and Chip Douglas, all of whom were multi-instrumentalists who would switch between guitar, banjo, mandolin, and bass depending on the song. They had combined Kingston Trio style clean-cut folk with Four Freshmen style modern harmonies -- Yester, who was a veteran of the New Christy Minstrels, said of the group's vocals that "the only vocals that competed with us back then was Curt Boettcher's group", and they had been taken under the wing of manager Herb Cohen, who had got them a record deal with Warner Brothers. They recorded two albums of folk songs, the first of which was produced by Jim Dickson, the Byrds' co-manager: [Excerpt: The Modern Folk Quartet, "Sassafras"] But after their second album, they had decided to go along with the trends and switch to folk-rock. They'd started playing with electric instruments, and after a few shows where John Sebastian, the lead singer of the Lovin' Spoonful, had sat in with them on drums, they'd got themselves a full-time drummer, "Fast" Eddie Hoh, and renamed themselves the Modern Folk Quintet, but they always shortened that to just MFQ. Spector was convinced that this group could be another Lovin' Spoonful if they had the right song, and MFQ in turn were eager to become something more than an unsuccessful folk group. Spector had the group rehearsing in his house for weeks at a stretch before taking them into the studio. The song that Spector chose to have the group record was written by a young songwriter he was working with named Harry Nilsson. Nilsson was as yet a complete unknown, who had not written a hit and was still working a day job, but he had a talent for melody, and he also had a unique songwriting sensibility combining humour and heartbreak. For example, he'd written a song that Spector had recorded with the Ronettes, "Here I Sit", which had been inspired by the famous graffito from public toilet walls -- "Here I sit, broken-hearted/Paid a dime and only farted": [Excerpt: The Ronettes, "Here I Sit"] That ability to take taboo bodily functions and turn them into innocent-sounding love lyrics is also at play in the song that Spector chose to have the MFQ record. "This Could be the Night" was written by Nilsson from the perspective of someone who is hoping to lose his virginity -- he feels like he's sitting on dynamite, and he's going to "give her some", but it still sounds innocent enough to get past the radio censors of the mid-sixties: [Excerpt: Harry Nilsson, "This Could Be the Night (demo)"] Spector took that song, and recorded a version of it which found the perfect balance between Spector's own wall of sound and the Lovin' Spoonful's "Good Time Music" sound: [Excerpt: MFQ, "This Could be the Night"] Brian Wilson was, according to many people, in the studio while that was being recorded, and for decades it would remain a favourite song of Wilson's -- he recorded a solo version of it in the 1990s, and when he started touring solo for the first time in 1998 he included the song in his earliest live performances. He also tried to record it with his wife's group, American Spring, in the early 1970s, but was unable to, because while he could remember almost all of the song, he couldn't get hold of the lyrics. And the reason he couldn't get hold of the lyrics is that the record itself went unreleased, because Phil Spector had found a new performer he was focusing on instead. It happened during the filming of the Big TNT Show, a sequel to the TAMI Show, released by American International Pictures, for which "This Could Be the Night" was eventually used as a theme song. The MFQ were actually performers at the Big TNT Show, which Spector was musical director and associate producer of, but their performances were cut out of the finished film, leaving just their record being played over the credits. The Big TNT Show generally gets less respect than the TAMI Show, but it's a rather remarkable document of the American music scene at the very end of 1965, and it's far more diverse than the TAMI show. It opens with, of all people, David McCallum -- the actor who played Ilya Kuryakin on The Man From UNCLE -- conducting a band of session musicians playing an instrumental version of "Satisfaction": [Excerpt: David McCallum, "Satisfaction"] And then, in front of an audience which included Ron and Russel Mael, later of Sparks, and Frank Zappa, who is very clearly visible in audience shots, came performances of every then-current form of popular music. Ray Charles, Petula Clark, Bo Diddley, the Byrds, the Lovin' Spoonful, Roger Miller, the Ronettes, and Donovan all did multiple songs, though the oddest contribution was from Joan Baez, who as well as doing some of her normal folk repertoire also performed "You've Lost That Lovin' Feelin'" with Spector on piano: [Excerpt: Joan Baez and Phil Spector, "You've Lost That Lovin' Feelin'"] But the headline act on the eventual finished film was the least-known act on the bill, a duo who had not had a top forty hit for four years at this point, and who were only on the bill as a last-minute fill-in for an act who dropped out, but who were a sensational live act. So sensational that when Phil Spector saw them, he knew he needed to sign them -- or at least he needed to sign one of them: [Excerpt: Ike and Tina Turner with the Ikettes, "Please, Please, Please"] Because Ike and Tina Turner's performance at the Big TNT Show was, if anything, even more impressive than James Brown's performance on the TAMI Show the previous year. The last we saw of Ike Turner was way back in episode eleven. If you don't remember that, from more than three years ago, at the time Turner was the leader of a small band called the Kings of Rhythm. They'd been told by their friend B.B. King that if you wanted to make a record, the person you go to was Sam Phillips at Memphis Recording Services, and they'd recorded "Rocket '88", often cited as the first ever rock and roll record, under the name of their sax player and vocalist Jackie Brenston: [Excerpt: Jackie Brenston and the Delta Cats, "Rocket '88"] We looked at some of the repercussions from that recording throughout the first year and a half or so of the podcast, but we didn't look any more at the career of Ike Turner himself. While "Rocket '88" was a minor hit, the group hadn't followed it up, and Brenston had left to go solo. For a while Ike wasn't really very successful at all -- though he was still performing around Memphis, and a young man named Elvis Presley was taking notes at some of the shows. But things started to change for Ike when he once again turned up at Sam Phillips' studio -- this time because B.B. King was recording there. At the time, Sun Records had still not started as its own label, and Phillips' studio was being used for records made by all sorts of independent blues labels, including Modern Records, and Joe Bihari was producing a session for B.B. King, who had signed to Modern. The piano player on the session also had a connection to "Rocket '88" -- when Jackie Brenston had quit Ike's band to go solo, he'd put together a new band to tour as the Delta Cats, and Phineas Newborn Jr had ended up playing Turner's piano part on stage, before Brenston's career collapsed and Newborn became King's pianist. But Phineas Newborn was a very technical, dry, jazz pianist -- a wonderful player, but someone who was best suited to playing more cerebral material, as his own recordings as a bandleader from a few years later show: [Excerpt: Phineas Newborn Jr, "Barbados"] Bihari wasn't happy with what Newborn was playing, and the group took a break from recording to get something to eat and try to figure out the problem. While they were busy, Turner went over to the piano and started playing. Bihari said that that was exactly what they wanted, and Turner took over playing the part. In his autobiography, Turner variously remembers the song King was recording there as "You Know I Love You" and "Three O'Clock Blues", neither of which, as far as I can tell, were actually recorded at Phillips' studio, and both of which seem to have been recorded later -- it's difficult to say for sure because there were very few decent records kept of these things at the time. But we do know that Turner played on a lot of King's records in the early fifties, including on "Three O'Clock Blues", King's first big hit: [Excerpt: B.B. King, "Three O'Clock Blues"] For the next while, Turner was on salary at Modern Records, playing piano on sessions, acting as a talent scout, and also apparently writing many of the songs that Modern's artists would record, though those songs were all copyrighted under the name "Taub", a pseudonym for the Bihari brothers, as well as being a de facto arranger and producer for the company. He worked on many records made in and around Memphis, both for Modern Records and for other labels who drew from the same pool of artists and musicians. Records he played on and produced or arranged include several of Bobby "Blue" Bland's early records -- though Turner's claim in his autobiography that he played on Bland's version of "Stormy Monday" appears to be incorrect, as that wasn't recorded until a decade later. He did, though, play on Bland's “Drifting from Town to Town”, a rewrite of Charles Brown's “Driftin' Blues”, on which, as on many sessions run by Turner, the guitarist was Matt “Guitar” Murphy, who later found fame with the Blues Brothers: [Excerpt: Bobby "Blue" Bland with Ike Turner and his Orchestra, "Driftin' Blues"] Though I've also seen the piano part on that credited as being by Johnny Ace – there's often some confusion as to whether Turner or Ace played on a session, as they played with many of the same artists, but that one was later rereleased as by Bobby “Blue” Bland with Ike Turner and his Orchestra, so it's safe to say that Ike's on that one. He also played on several records by Howlin' Wolf, including "How Many More Years", recorded at Sam Phillips' studio: [Excerpt: Howlin' Wolf, "How Many More Years?"] Over the next few years he played with many artists we've covered already in the podcast, like Richard Berry and the Flairs, on whose recordings he played guitar rather than piano: [Excerpt: The Flairs, "Baby Wants"] He also played guitar on records by Elmore James: [Excerpt: Elmore James, "Please Find My Baby"] and played with Little Junior Parker, Little Milton, Johnny Ace, Roscoe Gordon, and many, many more. As well as making blues records, he also made R&B records in the style of Gene and Eunice with his then-wife Bonnie: [Excerpt: Bonnie and Ike Turner, "My Heart Belongs to You"] Bonnie was his fourth wife, all of them bigamous -- or at least, I *think* she was his fourth. I have seen two different lists Turner gave of his wives, both of them made up of entirely different people, though it doesn't help that many of them also went by nicknames. But Turner started getting married when he was fourteen, and as he would often put it "you gave a preacher two dollars, the papers cost three dollars, that was it. In those days Blacks didn't bother with divorces." (One thing you will see a lot with Turner, unfortunately, is his habit of taking his own personal misbehaviours and claiming they were either universal, or at least that they were universal among Black people, or among men. It's certainly true that some people in the Southeastern US had a more lackadaisical attitude towards remarrying without divorce at the time than we might expect, but it was in no way a Black thing specifically -- it was a people-like-Ike-Turner thing -- see for example the very similar behaviour of Jerry Lee Lewis. I'm trying, when I quote him, not to include too many of these generalisations, but I thought it important to include that one early on to show the kind of self-justification to which he was prone throughout his entire life.) It's largely because Bonnie played piano and was singing with his band that Turner switched to playing guitar, but there was another reason – while he disliked the attention he got on stage, he also didn't want a repeat of what had happened with Jackie Brenston, where Brenston as lead vocalist and frontman had claimed credit for what Ike thought of as his own record. Anyone who saw Ike Turner and his Kings of Rhythm was going to know that Ike Turner was the man who was making it all happen, and so he was going to play guitar up front rather than be on the piano in the background. So Turner took guitar lessons from Earl Hooker, one of the great blues guitarists of the period, who had played with Turner's piano inspiration Pinetop Perkins before recording solo tracks like "Sweet Angel": [Excerpt: Earl Hooker, "Sweet Angel"] Turner was always happier in the studio than performing live -- despite his astonishing ego, he was also a rather shy person who didn't like attention -- and he'd been happy working on salary for Modern and freelancing on occasion for other labels like Chess and Duke. But then the Biharis had brought him out to LA, where Modern Records was based, and as Joel Bihari put it "Ike did a great job for us, but he was a country boy. We brought him to L.A., and he just couldn't take city life. He only stayed a month, then left for East St. Louis to form his own band. He told me he was going back there to become a star." For once, Turner's memory of events lined up with what other people said about him. In his autobiography, he described what happened -- "Down in Mississippi, life is slow. Tomorrow, you are going to plough this field. The next day, you going to cut down these trees. You stop and you go on about your business. Next day, you start back on sawing trees or whatever you doing. Here I am in California, and this chick, this receptionist, is saying "Hold on, Mr Bihari, line 2... hold line 3... Hey Joe, Mr Something or other on the phone for you." I thought "What goddamn time does this stop?"" So Turner did head to East St. Louis -- which is a suburb of St. Louis proper, across the Mississippi river from it, and in Illinois rather than Missouri, and at the time a thriving industrial town in its own right, with over eighty thousand people living there. Hardly the laid-back country atmosphere that Turner was talking about, but still also far from LA both geographically and culturally. He put together a new lineup of the Kings of Rhythm, with a returning Jackie Brenston, who were soon recording for pretty much every label that was putting out blues and R&B tracks at that point, releasing records on RPM, Sue, Flair, Federal, and Modern as well as several smaller labels. usually with either Brenston or the group's drummer Billy Gayles singing lead: [Excerpt: Billy Gayles with Ike Turner's Kings of Rhythm, "Just One More Time"] None of these records was a success, but the Kings of Rhythm were becoming the most successful band in East St. Louis. In the mid-fifties the only group that was as popular in the greater St. Louis metro area was the Johnny Johnson trio -- which soon became the Chuck Berry trio, and went on to greater things, while the Kings of Rhythm remained on the club circuit. But Turner was also becoming notorious for his temper -- he got the nickname "Pistol-Whippin' Ike Turner" for the way he would attack people with his gun, He also though was successful enough that he built his own home studio, and that was where he recorded "Boxtop". a calypso song whose middle eight seems to have been nicked from "Why Do Fools Fall In Love?" and whose general feel owes more than a little to "Love is Strange": [Excerpt: Ike Turner, Carlson Oliver, and Little Ann, "Boxtop"] The female vocals on that track were by Turner's new backing vocalist, who at the time went by the stage name "Little Ann". Anna Mae Bullock had started going to see the Kings of Rhythm regularly when she was seventeen, because her sister was dating one of the members of the band, and she had become a fan almost immediately. She later described her first experience seeing the group: "The first time I saw Ike on stage he was at his very best, sharply dressed in a dark suit and tie. Ike wasn't conventionally handsome – actually, he wasn't handsome at all – and he certainly wasn't my type. Remember, I was a schoolgirl, all of seventeen, looking at a man. I was used to high school boys who were clean-cut, athletic, and dressed in denim, so Ike's processed hair, diamond ring, and skinny body – he was all edges and sharp cheekbones – looked old to me, even though he was only twenty-five. I'd never seen anyone that thin! I couldn't help thinking, God, he's ugly." Turner didn't find Bullock attractive either -- one of the few things both have always agreed on in all their public statements about their later relationship was that neither was ever particularly attracted to the other sexually -- and at first this had caused problems for Anna Mae. There was a spot in the show where Turner would invite a girl from the audience up on stage to sing, a different one every night, usually someone he'd decided he wanted to sleep with. Anna Mae desperately wanted to be one of the girls that would get up on stage, but Turner never picked her. But then one day she got her chance. Her sister's boyfriend was teasing her sister, trying to get her to sing in this spot, and passed her the microphone. Her sister didn't want to sing, so Anna Mae grabbed the mic instead, and started singing -- the song she sang was B.B. King's "You Know I Love You", the same song that Turner always remembered as being recorded at Sun studios, and on which Turner had played piano: [Excerpt: B.B. King, "You Know I Love You"] Turner suddenly took notice of Anna Mae. As he would later say, everyone *says* they can sing, but it turned out that Anna Mae could. He took her on as an occasional backing singer, not at first as a full member of the band, but as a sort of apprentice, who he would teach how to use her talents more commercially. Turner always said that during this period, he would get Little Richard to help teach Anna Mae how to sing in a more uncontrolled, exuberant, style like he did, and Richard has backed this up, though Anna Mae never said anything about this. We do know though that Richard was a huge fan of Turner's -- the intro to "Good Golly Miss Molly": [Excerpt: Little Richard, "Good Golly Miss Molly"] was taken almost exactly from the intro to "Rocket '88": [Excerpt: Jackie Brenston and the Delta Cats, "Rocket '88"] and Richard later wrote the introduction to Turner's autobiography. So it's possible -- but both men were inveterate exaggerators, and Anna Mae only joined Ike's band a few months before Richard's conversion and retirement from music, and during a point when he was a massive star, so it seems unlikely. Anna Mae started dating Raymond Hill, a saxophone player in the group, and became pregnant by him -- but then Hill broke his ankle, and used that as an excuse to move back to Clarksdale, Mississippi, to be with his family, abandoning his pregnant teenage girlfriend, and it seems to be around this point that Turner and Anna Mae became romantically and sexually involved. Certainly, one of Ike's girlfriends, Lorraine Taylor, seems to have believed they were involved while Anna Mae was pregnant, and indeed that Turner, rather than Hill, was the father. Taylor threatened Bullock with Turner's gun, before turning it on herself and attempting suicide, though luckily she survived. She gave birth to Turner's son, Ike Junior, a couple of months after Bullock gave birth to her own son, Craig. But even after they got involved, Anna Mae was still mostly just doing odd bits of backing vocals, like on "Boxtop", recorded in 1958, or on 1959's "That's All I Need", released on Sue Records: [Excerpt: Ike Turner's Kings of Rhythm, "That's All I Need"] And it seemed that would be all that Anna Mae Bullock would do, until Ike Turner lent Art Lassiter eighty dollars he didn't want to pay back. Lassiter was a singer who was often backed by his own vocal trio, the Artettes, patterned after Ray Charles' Raelettes. He had performed with Turner's band on a semi-regular basis, since 1955 when he had recorded "As Long as I Have You" with his vocal group the Trojans, backed by "Ike Turner and his Orchestra": [Excerpt: The Trojans, Ike Turner and His Orchestra, "As Long as I Have You"] He'd recorded a few more tracks with Turner since then, both solo and under group names like The Rockers: [Excerpt: The Rockers, "Why Don't You Believe?"] In 1960, Lassiter needed new tyres for his car, and borrowed eighty dollars from Turner in order to get them -- a relatively substantial amount of money for a working musician back then. He told Turner that he would pay him back at a recording session they had booked, where Lassiter was going to record a song Turner had written, "A Fool in Love", with Turner's band and the Artettes. But Lassiter never showed up -- he didn't have the eighty dollars, and Turner found himself sat in a recording studio with a bunch of musicians he was paying for, paying twenty-five dollars an hour for the studio time, and with no singer there to record. At the time, he was still under the impression that Lassiter might eventually show up, if not at that session, then at least at a future one, but until he did, there was nothing he could do and he was getting angry. Bullock suggested that they cut the track without Lassiter. They were using a studio with a multi-track machine -- only two tracks, but that would be enough. They could cut the backing track on one track, and she could record a guide vocal on the other track, since she'd been around when Turner was teaching Lassiter the song. At least that way they wouldn't have wasted all the money. Turner saw the wisdom of the idea -- he said in his autobiography "This was the first time I got hip to two-track stereo" -- and after consulting with the engineer on the session, he decided to go ahead with Bullock's plan. The plan still caused problems, because they were recording the song in a key written for a man, so Bullock had to yell more than sing, causing problems for the engineer, who according to Turner kept saying things like "Goddammit, don't holler in my microphone". But it was only a demo vocal, after all, and they got it cut -- and as Lassiter didn't show up, Turner took Lassiter's backing vocal group as his own new group, renaming the Artettes to the Ikettes, and they became the first of a whole series of lineups of Ikettes who would record with Turner for the rest of his life. The intention was still to get Lassiter to sing lead on the record, but then Turner played an acetate of it at a club night where he was DJing as well as performing, and the kids apparently went wild: [Excerpt: Ike and Tina Turner, "A Fool in Love"] Turner took the demo to Juggy Murray at Sue Records, still with the intention of replacing Anna Mae's vocal with Lassiter's, but Murray insisted that that was the best thing about the record, and that it should be released exactly as it was, that it was a guaranteed hit. Although -- while that's the story that's told all the time about that record by everyone involved in the recording and release, and seems uncontested, there does seem to be one minor problem with the story, which is that the Ikettes sing "you know you love him, you can't understand/Why he treats you like he do when he's such a good man". I'm willing to be proved wrong, of course, but my suspicion is that Ike Turner wasn't such a progressive thinker that he was writing songs about male-male relationships in 1960. It's possible that the Ikettes were recorded on the same track as Tina's guide vocals, but if the intention was to overdub a new lead from Lassiter on an otherwise finished track, it would have made more sense for them to sing their finished backing vocal part. It seems more likely to me that they decided in the studio that the record was going to go out with Anna Mae singing lead, and the idea of Murray insisting is a later exaggeration. One thing that doesn't seem to be an exaggeration, though, is that initially Murray wanted the record to go out as by Ike Turner's Kings of Rhythm featuring Little Ann, but Turner had other ideas. While Murray insisted "the girl is the star", Turner knew what happened when other people were the credited stars on his records. He didn't want another Jackie Brenston, having a hit and immediately leaving Turner right back where he started. If Little Ann was the credited singer, Little Ann would become a star and Ike Turner would have to find a new singer. So he came up with a pseudonym. Turner was a fan of jungle women in film serials and TV, and he thought a wild-woman persona would suit Anna Mae's yelled vocal, and so he named his new star after Sheena, Queen of the Jungle, a female Tarzan knock-off comic character created by Will Eisner and Jerry Iger in the thirties, but who Turner probably knew from a TV series that had been on in 1955 and 56. He gave her his surname, changed "Sheena" slightly to make the new name alliterative and always at least claimed to have registered a trademark on the name he came up with, so if Anna Mae ever left the band he could just get a new singer to use the name. Anna Mae Bullock was now Tina Turner, and the record went out as by "Ike and Tina Turner": [Excerpt: Ike and Tina Turner, "A Fool in Love"] That went to number two on the R&B charts, and hit the top thirty on the pop charts, too. But there were already problems. After Ike had had a second son with Lorraine, he then got Tina pregnant with another of his children, still seeing both women. He had already started behaving abusively towards Tina, and as well as being pregnant, she was suffering from jaundice -- she says in the first of her two autobiographies that she distinctly remembered lying in her hospital bed, hearing "A Fool in Love" on the radio, and thinking "What's love got to do with it?", though as with all such self-mythologising we should take this with a pinch of salt. Turner was in need of money to pay for lawyers -- he had been arrested for financial crimes involving forged cheques -- and Juggy Murray wouldn't give him an advance until he delivered a follow-up to "A Fool in Love", so he insisted that Tina sneak herself out of the hospital and go into the studio, jaundiced and pregnant, to record the follow-up. Then, as soon as the jaundice had cleared up, they went on a four-month tour, with Tina heavily pregnant, to make enough money to pay Ike's legal bills. Turner worked his band relentlessly -- he would accept literally any gig, even tiny clubs with only a hundred people in the audience, reasoning that it was better for the band's image to play small venues that had to turn people away because they were packed to capacity, than to play large venues that were only half full. While "A Fool in Love" had a substantial white audience, the Ike and Tina Turner Revue was almost the epitome of the chitlin' circuit act, playing exciting, funky, tightly-choreographed shows for almost entirely Black audiences in much the same way as James Brown, and Ike Turner was in control of every aspect of the show. When Tina had to go into hospital to give birth, rather than give up the money from gigging, Ike hired a sex worker who bore a slight resemblance to Tina to be the new onstage "Tina Turner" until the real one was able to perform again. One of the Ikettes told the real Tina, who discharged herself from hospital, travelled to the venue, beat up the fake Tina, and took her place on stage two days after giving birth. The Ike and Tina Turner Revue, with the Kings of Rhythm backing Tina, the Ikettes, and male singer Jimmy Thomas, all of whom had solo spots, were an astonishing live act, but they were only intermittently successful on record. None of the three follow-ups to "A Fool in Love" did better than number eighty-two on the charts, and two of them didn't even make the R&B charts, though "I Idolize You" did make the R&B top five. Their next big hit came courtesy of Mickey and Sylvia. You may remember us talking about Mickey and Sylvia way back in episode forty-nine, from back in 2019, but if you don't, they were one of a series of R&B duet acts, like Gene and Eunice, who came up after the success of Shirley and Lee, and their big hit was "Love is Strange": [Excerpt: Mickey and Sylvia, "Love is Strange"] By 1961, their career had more or less ended, but they'd recorded a song co-written by the great R&B songwriter Rose Marie McCoy, which had gone unreleased: [Excerpt: Mickey and Sylvia, "It's Gonna Work Out Fine"] When that was shelved they remade it as an Ike and Tina Turner record, with Mickey and Sylvia being Ike -- Sylvia took on all the roles that Ike would normally do in the studio, arranging the track and playing lead guitar, as well as joining the Ikettes on backing vocals, while Mickey did the spoken answering vocals that most listeners assumed were Ike, and which Ike would replicate on stage. The result, unsurprisingly, sounded more like a Mickey and Sylvia record than anything Ike and Tina had ever released before, though it's very obviously Tina on lead vocals: [Excerpt: Ike and Tina Turner, "It's Gonna Work Out Fine"] That made the top twenty on the pop charts -- though it would be their last top forty hit for nearly a decade as Ike and Tina Turner. They did though have a couple of other hits as the Ikettes, with Ike Turner putting the girl group's name on the label so he could record for multiple labels. The first of these, "I'm Blue (The Gong Gong Song)" was a song Ike had written which would later go on to become something of an R&B standard. It featured Dolores Johnson on lead vocals, but Tina sang backing vocals and got a rare co-production credit: [Excerpt: The Ikettes, "I'm Blue (The Gong Gong Song)"] The other Ikettes top forty hit was in 1965, with a song written by Steve Venet and Tommy Boyce -- a songwriter we will be hearing more about in three weeks -- and produced by Venet: [Excerpt: The Ikettes, "Peaches 'n' Cream"] Ike wasn't keen on that record at first, but soon came round to it when it hit the charts. The success of that record caused that lineup of Ikettes to split from Ike and Tina -- the Ikettes had become a successful act in their own right, and Dick Clark's Caravan of Stars wanted to book them, but that would have meant they wouldn't be available for Ike and Tina shows. So Ike sent a different group of three girls out on the road with Clark's tour, keeping the original Ikettes back to record and tour with him, and didn't pay them any royalties on their records. They resented being unable to capitalise on their big hit, so they quit. At first they tried to keep the Ikettes name for themselves, and got Tina Turner's sister Alline to manage them, but eventually they changed their name to the Mirettes, and released a few semi-successful records. Ike got another trio of Ikettes to replace them, and carried on with Pat Arnold, Gloria Scott, and Maxine Smith as the new Ikettes,. One Ikette did remain pretty much throughout -- a woman called Ann Thomas, who Ike Turner was sleeping with, and who he would much later marry, but who he always claimed was never allowed to sing with the others, but was just there for her looks. By this point Ike and Tina had married, though Ike had not divorced any of his previous wives (though he paid some of them off when Ike and Tina became big). Ike and Tina's marriage in Tijuana was not remembered by either of them as a particularly happy experience -- Ike would always later insist that it wasn't a legal marriage at all, and in fact that it was the only one of his many, many, marriages that hadn't been, and was just a joke. He was regularly abusing her in the most horrific ways, but at this point the duo still seemed to the public to be perfectly matched. They actually only ended up on the Big TNT Show as a last-minute thing -- another act was sick, though none of my references mention who it was who got sick, just that someone was needed to fill in for them, and as Ike and Tina were now based in LA -- the country boy Ike had finally become a city boy after all -- and would take any job on no notice, they got the gig. Phil Spector was impressed, and he decided that he could revitalise his career by producing a hit for Tina Turner. There was only one thing wrong -- Tina Turner wasn't an act. *Ike* and Tina Turner was an act. And Ike Turner was a control freak, just like Spector was -- the two men had essentially the same personality, and Spector didn't want to work with someone else who would want to be in charge. After some negotiation, they came to an agreement -- Spector could produce a Tina Turner record, but it would be released as an Ike and Tina Turner record. Ike would be paid twenty thousand dollars for his services, and those services would consist of staying well away from the studio and not interfering. Spector was going to go back to the old formulas that had worked for him, and work with the people who had contributed to his past successes, rather than leaving anything to chance. Jack Nitzsche had had a bit of a falling out with him and not worked on some of the singles he'd produced recently, but he was back. And Spector was going to work with Jeff Barry and Ellie Greenwich again. He'd fallen out with Barry and Greenwich when "Chapel of Love" had been a hit for the Dixie Cups rather than for one of Spector's own artists, and he'd been working with Mann and Weill and Goffin and King instead. But he knew that it was Barry and Greenwich who were the ones who had worked best with him, and who understood his musical needs best, so he actually travelled to see them in New York instead of getting them to come to him in LA, as a peace offering and a sign of how much he valued their input. The only problem was that Spector hadn't realised that Barry and Greenwich had actually split up. They were still working together in the studio, and indeed had just produced a minor hit single for a new act on Bert Berns' label BANG, for which Greenwich had written the horn arrangement: [Excerpt: Neil Diamond, "Solitary Man"] We'll hear more about Neil Diamond, and about Jeff Barry's work with him, in three weeks. But Barry and Greenwich were going through a divorce and weren't writing together any more, and came back together for one last writing session with Spector, at which, apparently, Ellie Greenwich would cry every time they wrote a line about love. The session produced four songs, of which two became singles. Barry produced a version of "I Can Hear Music", written at these sessions, for the Ronettes, who Spector was no longer interested in producing himself: [Excerpt: The Ronettes, "I Can Hear Music"] That only made number ninety-nine on the charts, but the song was later a hit for the Beach Boys and has become recognised as a classic. The other song they wrote in those sessions, though, was the one that Spector wanted to give to Tina Turner. "River Deep, Mountain High" was a true three-way collaboration -- Greenwich came up with the music for the verses, Spector for the choruses, and Barry wrote the lyrics and tweaked the melody slightly. Spector, Barry, and Greenwich spent two weeks in their writing session, mostly spent on "River Deep, Mountain High". Spector later said of the writing "Every time we'd write a love line, Ellie would start to cry. I couldn't figure out what was happening, and then I realised… it was a very uncomfortable situation. We wrote that, and we wrote ‘I Can Hear Music'…. We wrote three or four hit songs on that one writing session. “The whole thing about ‘River Deep' was the way I could feel that strong bass line. That's how it started. And then Jeff came up with the opening line. I wanted a tender song about a chick who loved somebody very much, but a different way of expressing it. So we came up with the rag doll and ‘I'm going to cuddle you like a little puppy'. And the idea was really built for Tina, just like ‘Lovin' Feelin” was built for the Righteous Brothers.” Spector spent weeks recording, remixing, rerecording, and reremixing the backing track, arranged by Nitzsche, creating the most thunderous, overblown, example of the Wall of Sound he had ever created, before getting Tina into the studio. He also spent weeks rehearsing Tina on the song, and according to her most of what he did was "carefully stripping away all traces of Ike from my performance" -- she was belting the song and adding embellishments, the way Ike Turner had always taught her to, and Spector kept insisting that she just sing the melody -- something that she had never had the opportunity to do before, and which she thought was wonderful. It was so different from anything else that she'd recorded that after each session, when Ike would ask her about the song, she would go completely blank -- she couldn't hold this pop song in her head except when she was running through it with Spector. Eventually she did remember it, and when she did Ike was not impressed, though the record became one of the definitive pop records of all time: [Excerpt: Ike and Tina Turner, "River Deep, Mountain High"] Spector was putting everything on the line for this record, which was intended to be his great comeback and masterpiece. That one track cost more than twenty thousand dollars to record -- an absolute fortune at a time when a single would normally be recorded in one or two sessions at most. It also required a lot of work on Tina's part. She later estimated that she had sung the opening line of the song a thousand times before Spector allowed her to move on to the second line, and talked about how she got so hot and sweaty singing the song over and over that she had to take her blouse off in the studio and sing the song in her bra. She later said "I still don't know what he wanted. I still don't know if I pleased him. But I never stopped trying." Spector produced a total of six tracks with Tina, including the other two songs written at those Barry and Greenwich sessions, "I'll Never Need More Than This", which became the second single released off the "River Deep, Mountain High" album, and "Hold On Baby", plus cover versions of Arthur Alexander's "Every Day I Have to Cry Some", Pomus and Shuman's "Save the Last Dance", and "A Love Like Yours (Don't Come Knocking Everyday)" a Holland-Dozier-Holland song which had originally been released as a Martha and the Vandellas B-side. The planned album was to be padded out with six tracks produced by Ike Turner, mostly remakes of the duo's earlier hits, and was planned for release after the single became the hit everyone knew it would. The single hit the Hot One Hundred soon after it was released: [Excerpt: Ike and Tina Turner, "River Deep, Mountain High"] ...and got no higher up the charts than number eighty-eight. The failure of the record basically destroyed Spector, and while he had been an abusive husband before this, now he became much worse, as he essentially retired from music for four years, and became increasingly paranoid and aggressive towards the industry that he thought was not respectful enough of his genius. There have been several different hypotheses as to why "River Deep Mountain High" was not a success. Some have said that it was simply because DJs were fed up of Spector refusing to pay payola, and had been looking for a reason to take him down a peg. Ike Turner thought it was due to racism, saying later “See, what's wrong with America, I think, is that rather than accept something for its value… what it's doing, America mixes race in it. You can't call that record R&B. But because it's Tina… if you had not put Tina's name on there and put ‘Joe Blow', then the Top 40 stations would have accepted it for being a pop record. But Tina Turner… they want to brand her as being an R&B artist. I think the main reason that ‘River Deep' didn't make it here in America was that the R&B stations wouldn't play it because they thought it was pop, and the pop stations wouldn't play it because they thought it was R&B. And it didn't get played at all. The only record I've heard that could come close to that record is a record by the Beach Boys called ‘Good Vibrations'. I think these are the two records that I've heard in my life that I really like, you know?” Meanwhile, Jeff Barry thought it was partly the DJs but also faults in the record caused by Phil Spector's egomania, saying "he has a self-destructive thing going for him, which is part of the reason that the mix on ‘River Deep' is terrible, he buried the lead and he knows he buried the lead and he cannot stop himself from doing that… if you listen to his records in sequence, the lead goes further and further in and to me what he is saying is, ‘It is not the song I wrote with Jeff and Ellie, it is not the song – just listen to those strings. I want more musicians, it's me, listen to that bass sound. …' That, to me, is what hurts in the long run... Also, I do think that the song is not as clear on the record as it should be, mix-wise. I don't want to use the word overproduced, because it isn't, it's just undermixed." There's possibly an element of all three of these factors in play. As we've discussed, 1965 seems to have been the year that the resegregation of American radio began, and the start of the long slow process of redefining genres so that rock and roll, still considered a predominantly Black music at the beginning of the sixties, was by the end of the decade considered an almost entirely white music. And it's also the case that "River Deep, Mountain High" was the most extreme production Spector ever committed to vinyl, and that Spector had made a lot of enemies in the music business. It's also, though, the case that it was a genuinely great record: [Excerpt: Ike and Tina Turner, "River Deep, Mountain High"] However, in the UK, it was promoted by Decca executive Tony Hall, who was a figure who straddled both sides of the entertainment world -- as part of his work as a music publicist he had been a presenter on Oh Boy!, written a column in Record Mirror, and presented a Radio Luxembourg show. Hall put his not-inconsiderable weight behind promoting the record, and it ended up reaching number two in the UK -- being successful enough that the album was also released over here, though it wouldn't come out in the US for several years. The record also attracted the attention of the Rolling Stones, who invited Ike and Tina to be their support act on a UK tour, which also featured the Yardbirds, and this would be a major change for the duo in all sorts of ways. Firstly, it got them properly in contact with British musicians -- and the Stones would get Ike and Tina as support artists several times over the next few years -- and also made the UK and Europe part of their regular tour itinerary. It also gave the duo their first big white rock audience, and over the next several years they would pivot more and more to performing music aimed at that audience, rather than the chitlin' circuit they'd been playing for previously. Ike was very conscious of wanting to move away from the blues and R&B -- while that was where he'd made his living as a musician, it wasn't music he actually liked, and he would often talk later about how much he respected Keith Richards and Eric Clapton, and how his favourite music was country music. Tina had also never been a fan of blues or R&B, and wanted to perform songs by the white British performers they were meeting. The tour also, though, gave Tina her first real thoughts of escape. She loved the UK and Europe, and started thinking about what life could be like for her not just being Ike Turner's wife and working fifty-one weeks a year at whatever gigs came along. But it also made that escape a little more difficult, because on the tour Tina lost one of her few confidantes in the organisation. Tina had helped Pat Arnold get away from her own abusive partner, and the two had become very close, but Arnold was increasingly uncomfortable being around Ike's abuse of Tina, and couldn't help her friend the way she'd been helped. She decided she needed to get out of a toxic situation, and decided to stay in England, where she'd struck up an affair with Mick Jagger, and where she found that there were many opportunities for her as a Black woman that simply hadn't been there in the US. (This is not to say that Britain doesn't have problems with racism -- it very much does, but those problems are *different* problems than the ones that the US had at that point, and Arnold found Britain's attitude more congenial to her personally). There was also another aspect, which a lot of Black female singers of her generation have mentioned and which probably applies here. Many Black women have said that they were astonished on visiting Britain to be hailed as great singers, when they thought of themselves as merely average. Britain does not have the kind of Black churches which had taught generations of Black American women to sing gospel, and so singers who in the US thought of themselves as merely OK would be far, far, better than any singers in the UK -- the technical standards were just so much lower here. (This is something that was still true at least as late as the mid-eighties. Bob Geldof talks in his autobiography about attending the recording session for "We Are the World" after having previously recorded "Do They Know It's Christmas?" and being astonished at how much more technically skilled the American stars were and how much more seriously they took their craft.) And Arnold wasn't just an adequate singer -- she was and is a genuinely great talent -- and so she quickly found herself in demand in the UK. Jagger got her signed to Immediate Records, a new label that had been started up by the Stones manager Andrew Oldham, and where Jimmy Page was the staff producer. She was given a new name, P.P. Arnold, which was meant to remind people of another American import, P.J. Proby, but which she disliked because the initials spelled "peepee". Her first single on the label, produced by Jagger, did nothing, but her second single, written by a then-unknown songwriter named Cat Stevens, became a big hit: [Excerpt: P.P. Arnold, "The First Cut is the Deepest"] She toured with a backing band, The Nice, and made records as a backing singer with artists like the Small Faces. She also recorded a duet with the unknown singer Rod Stewart, though that wasn't a success: [Excerpt: Rod Stewart and P.P. Arnold, "Come Home Baby"] We'll be hearing more about P.P. Arnold in future episodes, but the upshot of her success was that Tina had even fewer people to support her. The next few years were increasingly difficult for Tina, as Ike turned to cocaine use in a big way, became increasingly violent, and his abuse of her became much more violent. The descriptions of his behaviour in Tina's two volumes of autobiography are utterly harrowing, and I won't go into them in detail, except to say that nobody should have to suffer what she did. Ike's autobiography, on the other hand, has him attempting to defend himself, even while admitting to several of the most heinous allegations, by saying he didn't beat his wife any more than most men did. Now the sad thing is that this may well be true, at least among his peer group. Turner's behaviour was no worse than behaviour from, say, James Brown or Brian Jones or Phil Spector or Jerry Lee Lewis, and it may well be that behaviour like this was common enough among people he knew that Turner's behaviour didn't stand out at all. His abuse has become much better-known, because the person he was attacking happened to become one of the biggest stars in the world, while the women they attacked didn't. But that of course doesn't make what Ike did to Tina any better -- it just makes it infinitely sadder that so many more people suffered that way. In 1968, Tina actually tried to take her own life -- and she was so fearful of Ike that when she overdosed, she timed it so that she thought she would be able to at least get on stage and start the first song before collapsing, knowing that their contract required her to do that for Ike to get paid. As it was, one of the Ikettes noticed the tablets she had taken had made her so out of it she'd drawn a line across her face with her eyebrow pencil. She was hospitalised, and according to both Ike and Tina's reports, she was comatose and her heart actually stopped beating, but then Ike started yelling at her, saying if she wanted to die why didn't she do it by jumping in front of a truck, rather than leaving him with hospital bills, and telling her to go ahead and die if this was how she was going to treat him -- and she was so scared of Ike her heart started up again. (This does not seem medically likely to me, but I wasn't there, and they both were). Of course, Ike frames this as compassion and tough love. I would have different words for it myself. Tina would make several more suicide attempts over the years, but even as Tina's life was falling apart, the duo's professional career was on the up. They started playing more shows in the UK, and they toured the US as support for the Rolling Stones. They also started having hits again, after switching to performing funked-up cover versions of contemporary hits. They had a minor hit with a double-sided single of the Beatles' "Come Together" and the Stones' "Honky-Tonk Women", then a bigger one with a version of Sly and the Family Stone's "I Want to Take You Higher", then had their biggest hit ever with "Proud Mary". It's likely we'll be looking at Creedence Clearwater Revival's original version of that song at some point, but while Ike Turner disliked the original, Tina liked it, and Ike also became convinced of the song's merits by hearing a version by The Checkmates Ltd: [Excerpt: The Checkmates Ltd, "Proud Mary"] That was produced by Phil Spector, who came briefly out of his self-imposed exile from the music business in 1969 to produce a couple of singles for the Checkmates and Ronnie Spector. That version inspired Ike and Tina's recording of the song, which went to number four on the charts and won them a Grammy award in 1971: [Excerpt: Ike and Tina Turner, "Proud Mary"] Ike was also investing the money they were making into their music. He built his own state-of-the-art studio, Bolic Sound, which Tina always claimed was a nod to her maiden name, Bullock, but which he later always said was a coincidence. Several other acts hired the studio, especially people in Frank Zappa's orbit -- Flo and Eddie recorded their first album as a duo there, and Zappa recorded big chunks of Over-Nite Sensation and Apostrophe('), two of his most successful albums, at the studio. Acts hiring Bolic Sound also got Tina and the Ikettes on backing vocals if they wanted them, and so for example Tina is one of the backing vocalists on Zappa's "Cosmik Debris": [Excerpt: Frank Zappa, "Cosmik Debris"] One of the most difficult things she ever had to sing in her life was this passage in Zappa's song "Montana", which took the Ikettes several days' rehearsal to get right. [Excerpt: Frank Zappa and the Mothers of Invention, "Montana"] She was apparently so excited at having got that passage right that she called Ike out of his own session to come in and listen, but Ike was very much unimpressed, and insisted that Tina and the Ikettes not get credit on the records they made with Zappa. Zappa later said “I don't know how she managed to stick with that guy for so long. He treated her terribly and she's a really nice lady. We were recording down there on a Sunday. She wasn't involved with the session, but she came in on Sunday with a whole pot of stew that she brought for everyone working in the studio. Like out of nowhere, here's Tina Turner coming in with a rag on her head bringing a pot of stew. It was really nice.” By this point, Ike was unimpressed by anything other than cocaine and women, who he mostly got to sleep with him by having truly gargantuan amounts of cocaine around. As Ike was descending further into paranoia and abuse, though, Tina was coming into her own. She wrote "Nutbush City Limits" about the town where she grew up, and it reached number 22 on the charts -- higher than any song Ike ever wrote: [Excerpt: Ike and Tina Turner, "Nutbush City Limits"] Of course, Ike would later claim that he wrote the music and let Tina keep all the credit. Tina was also asked by the Who to appear in the film version of their rock opera Tommy, where her performance of "Acid Queen" was one of the highlights: [Excerpt: Tina Turner, "Acid Queen"] And while she was filming that in London, she was invited to guest on a TV show with Ann-Margret, who was a huge fan of Ike and Tina, and duetted with Tina -- but not Ike -- on a medley of her hits: [Excerpt: Tina Turner and Ann-Margret, "Nutbush City Limits/Honky Tonk Woman"] Just as with "River Deep, Mountain High", Tina was wanted for her own talents, independent of Ike. She was starting to see that as well as being an abusive husband, he was also not necessary for her to have a career. She was also starting to find parts of her life that she could have for herself, independent of her husband. She'd been introduced to Buddhist meditation by a friend, and took it up in a big way, much to Ike's disapproval. Things finally came to a head in July 1976, in Dallas, when Ike started beating her up and for the first time she fought back. She pretended to reconcile with him, waited for him to fall asleep, and ran across a busy interstate, almost getting hit by a ten-wheel truck, to get to another hotel she could see in the distance. Luckily, even though she had no money, and she was a Black woman in Dallas, not a city known for its enlightened attitudes in the 1970s, the manager of the Ramada Inn took pity on her and let her stay there for a while until she could get in touch with Buddhist friends. She spent the next few months living off the kindness of strangers, before making arrangements with Rhonda Graam, who had started working for Ike and Tina in 1964 as a fan, but had soon become indispensable to the organisation. Graam sided with Tina, and while still supposedly working for Ike she started putting together appearances for Tina on TV shows like Cher's. Cher was a fan of Tina's work, and was another woman trying to build a career after leaving an abusive husband who had been her musical partner: [Excerpt: Cher and Tina Turner, "Makin' Music is My Business"] Graam became Tina's full-time assistant, as well as her best friend, and remained part of her life until Graam's death a year ago. She also got Tina booked in to club gigs, but for a long time they found it hard to get bookings -- promoters would say she was "only half the act". Ike still wanted the duo to work together professionally, if not be a couple, but Tina absolutely refused, and Ike had gangster friends of his shoot up Graam's car, and Tina heard rumours that he was planning to hire a hit man to come after her. Tina filed for divorce, and gave Ike everything -- all the money the couple had earned together in sixteen years of work, all the property, all the intellectual property -- except for two cars, one of which Ike had given her and one which Sammy Davis Jr. had given her, and the one truly important thing -- the right to use the name "Tina Turner", which Ike had the trademark on. Ike had apparently been planning to hire someone else to perform as "Tina Turner" and carry on as if nothing had changed. Slowly, Tina built her career back up, though it was not without its missteps. She got a new manager, who also managed Olivia Newton-John, and the manager brought in a song he thought was perfect for Tina. She turned it down, and Newton-John recorded it instead: [Excerpt: Olivia Newton-John, "Physical"] But even while she was still playing small clubs, her old fans from the British rock scene were boosting her career. In 1981, after Rod Stewart saw her playing a club gig and singing his song "Hot Legs", he invited her to guest with him and perform the song on Saturday Night Live: [Excerpt: Rod Stewart and Tina Turner, "Hot Legs"] The Rolling Stones invited Tina to be their support act on a US tour, and to sing "Honky Tonk Women" on stage with them, and eventually when David Bowie, who was at the height of his fame at that point, told his record label he was going to see her on a night that EMI wanted to do an event for him, half the record industry showed up to the gig. She had already recorded a remake of the Temptations' "Ball of Confusion" with the British Electric Foundation -- a side project for two of the members of Heaven 17 -- in 1982, for one of their albums: [Excerpt: British Electric Foundation, "Ball of Confusion"] Now they were brought in to produce a new single for her, a remake of Al Green's "Let's Stay Together": [Excerpt: Tina Turner, "Let's Stay Together"] That made the top thirty in the US, and was a moderate hit in many places, making the top ten in the UK. She followed it up with another BEF production, a remake of "Help!" by the Beatles, which appears only to have been released in mainland Europe. But then came the big hit: [Excerpt: Tina Turner, "What's Love Got to Do With It?"] wenty-six years after she started performing with Ike, Tina Turner was suddenly a major star. She had a string of successes throughout the eighties and nineties, with more hit records, film appearances, a successful autobiography, a film based on the autobiography, and record-setting concert appearan