Podcast appearances and mentions of Jason A Michael

    In this week's minisode of Black from the Past™ we're shining a light on the breathtakingly beautiful and amazingly talented Phyllis Hyman.  Phyliss Hyman was a Philadelphia native best known for her contributions to the music world during the late 1970s through the early 1990s.  She had this sultry, velvety and smokey gorgeous voice that absolutely could not be mistaken. In her own words, she liked songs that talked about the the emotional side of people, which is evident in her album, Living All Alone. There was this sparkling presence about her that was simply unforgettable. But she also had this dark struggle with depression that wasn't common knowledge into later on in her career.   Click HERE for a few Phyllis Hyman facts and  HERE for some Phyllis Hyman Favs. A few things to ponder while listening: The many ways Phyllis Hyman's music helps us to tap into our vulnerabilities How often what we're feeling and experiencing doesn't mirror how others see us The importance of being aware of our mental and emotional well-being and seeking support when we need it And be sure to check out her interview with Ebony/Jet where she talks about her insecurities and what it was really like working in the music industry and grab her biography, Strength of a Woman: The Phyliss Hyman Story written by Jason A. Michael available in paperback and Kindle versions. Phyllis Hyman has not only made a significant contribution to the music industry, but also to the Black female experience as a whole and today we celebrate her legacy, her vulnerability, her humanness.   Do you have a family member or know of someone you would like to see us shine a light on?  Send us an email at hi@shadesofstrong.com with the subject line Black from the Past suggestion or hop over to our website at shadesofstrong.com and leave us a voice message and we’ll do our best to make it happen. PREVIOUS BLACK FROM THE PAST™ FEATURES Margaret Garner 

Author and journalist Jason A. Michael will forever be a native Detroiter. He earned his journalism degree from Wayne State University. He received the Spirit of Detroit Award from the Detroit City Council in 2005 for his contributions to the community through journalism. After graduating from Wayne State University, he joined the staff of “Between the Lines”, a Detroit-based news and arts weekly serving Michigan’s LGBTQ community.  Jason has a passion for urban music and spent many years working with Grammy-award-winning songwriter and soul diva Betty Wright. Wright rose to fame in the 1970s with hits such as "Clean Up Woman" and "Tonight is the Night”.He has interviewed everyone from Motown legends Martha Reeves and Mary Wilson to Dionne Warwick and Patti LaBelle.  In 2007, Jason released his first entertainment biography, “Strength Of A Woman: The Phyllis Hyman Story”. The book received much critical acclaim and went on to become an Essence magazine bestseller. After 18 years Jason continues to write for “Between the Lines” and publishes under his own imprint JAM Books, LLC.

Intro to Info presents Remembering Phyllis .... a celebration of Phyllis Hyman on the 20th anniversary of her passing.... with Jason A. Michael, author of Strength Of A Woman: The Phyllis Hyman Story and special guests Terry Burrus (Phyllis's former musical director), Tymm Holloway (the man Phyllis called her son) and Ann Gore (Phyllis's friend and personal assistant). Special treat: Hear an unreleased Phyllis song written by Ann Gore and Bill Jolly.

Intro to Info presents Remembering Phyllis .... a celebration of Phyllis Hyman on the 20th anniversary of her passing.... with Jason A. Michael, author of Strength Of A Woman: The Phyllis Hyman Story and special guests Terry Burrus (Phyllis's former musical director), Tymm Holloway (the man Phyllis called her son) and Ann Gore (Phyllis's friend and personal assistant). Special treat: Hear an unreleased Phyllis song written by Ann Gore and Bill Jolly.

In honor of Phyllis Hyman's birthday on July 6, author of Strength of A Woman: The Phyllis Hyman story, Jason A. Michael conducted an interview with Ill Mil of Deeper Than Atlantis on Soulpublicradio.com. About the Author: Essence best selling author JASON A. MICHAEL, a native Detroiter and, in fact, Spirit of Detroit award winner, earned his bachelors of journalism degree from Wayne State University before joining the staff of Between The Lines, a Detroit-based news and arts weekly, for which he has written since 1999. His work has also appeared in the anthologies Journeys Across The Rainbow: Inspirational Stories for the Human Race (Rainbow Pride Press, 2000), winner of the Publishers Marketing Association Benjamin Franklin Award and a 2001 Independent Publisher Award, and America Now (Bedford/St. Martin’s Press, 1998). In 2001, Jason so impressed actress/activist Yolanda King with the accuracy and eloquence of his profile on her, that she arranged for Jason to meet her mother, legendary civil rights activist Coretta Scott King, on a trip to Atlanta. Jason has a passion for urban music and spent a decade in the employ of Grammy-award-winning songwriter and soul diva Betty Wright. He has interviewed everyone from Motown legends Martha Reeves and Mary Wilson to Dionne Warwick and Patti LaBelle. But Jason’s love of music isn’t limited to any one genre. He’s also interviewed such wide-ranging stars as Dolly Parton, Melissa Etheridge and Boy George. Told by a laundry list of reputable publishing houses that no one remembered Phyllis and that there was no market for a biography about her, Jason formed his own imprint, JAM Books, LLC, on which to release the book himself. For more information on JASON A. MICHAEL, visit www.phyllishymanstory.com. Follow Ill Mil on Twitter: @illmilz Follow Soulpublicradio: @soulpublicradio LIKE Deeper Than Atlantis: Diggin' In da Crates on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Deeper-Than-Atlantis-Diggin-in-Da-Crates/283923098319100

April Deep Aries presents Jason Michael, a native Detroiter, the biographer of "Strength of a Woman", the late great beautiful soulful singer Phyllis Hyman.  Jason,  Spirit of Detroit award winner, worked on the staff of Between The Lines, a Detroit based news and arts weekly, for which he has written for more than a decade. As an entertainment writer, he has interviewed everyone from Motown greats Martha Reeves and Mary Wilson to celebrities as wide ranging as Dionne Warwick, Dolly Parton and Boy George. Jason has a passion for urban music and spent a decade in the employ of Grammy award winner Betty Wright.   After being told time and time again that there was no market for a book about Phyllis Hyman, Jason formed JAM Books, LLC in 2007 to release his first book, Strength Of A Woman: The Phyllis Hyman Story.