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Page 21 Cover Feature:
Teresa B. Howell
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Table of Contents Page 4 Rich Nana
Page 15 Sweet Baby Kita
Page 30 Sara Winta
Page 6 Jake Katzman
Page 18 Selwyn Jones
Page 9 London Marie Rose
Page 33 Grayson Thorne Kilpatrick
Page 21 Teresa B. Howell
Page 11 Aaron Summerfield
Page 26 Love Walker
Page 14 Brooke Carter
Page 28 Ava Connolly
Page 37 Bill Champlin
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RICH NANA An Orgasmic Anomaly A salacious seductress Rich Nana‘s unmatched beauty and tenacious talent is arousing the entire planet in the most elegant and classy fashion. Like a painter making an impact on a blank canvas and orgasmically capturing the essence of a kaleidoscope of vibrancy, Diana Foster (recognized by her stage name “Rich Nana”) turned her debut video “Papi Chulo” into an unexpected avalanche of desire as well as a viral video on TikTok, Youtube and Instagram. https://youtu.be/uaS4CnUIX8Q However, the 66 year old lifestyle and fashion icon is more than just a singer/songwriter. She has an extraordinary and intriguing backstage story that helped transform her into the fiery, self-made, jet-setting, sex-goddess that she is today. After escaping from the communist Czech Republic at age 15, she and her mom settled in Germany. She later wound up in Switzerland having worked as a topless dancer, a wine-dealer and club owner and finally a popular reality show star. Following a desire which became a destiny, the Versace aligned Rich Nana is not only an inspiration who has vanquished the theory of self-doubt, but a rising and unstoppable superstar....She knows that without risks there are no possibilities. About to release a new video featuring Snoop Dogg, Rich Nana continues to elevate herself in the world
of rap artistry and video queen. Unburdened by the shifting and fractured world, Rich Nana shapes herself to fit. Using a barrage of multi-chromatic dazzle she resists every rule and challenges regulation along with video impresario Gils Green (director of Nicky Mina j), who directs her and her posh lifestyle through the streets of exotic Cuba.....I spoke with the very down to earth yet eclectic Rich Nana who willingly and authentically told me her intimate story..... To say that you are one in a million is the biggest understatement on the planet. What inspired you to become who you are? I was born in Prague and I ran away from there at age 15. I ran away about the same time Ivana Trump ran away from the Czech Republic. She went to America and never came back. Where did you run away to? I went to Germany. When I was 15, for the first time in my life the borders had opened. My mom and I secured a passport and took a bus ride to Germany. It took us three days and we went as if we were just going to visit Germany, but we never came back. When we arrived in Germany, we went to the police and told them we were refugees. In reality we weren’t in any danger, nobody was going to kill us in Prague. Many refugees aren’t real. I wanted to have a full life. Under a communistic regime your life is boring. There is no news, no music, there was no TV, there was nothing. The only thing we would do is go
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to the cinema. Because we were refugees, they gave us a working card right away. This was in 1969 and there weren’t a lot of refugees at that time. They also gave us a passport for people without a nationality. My mom died from cancer when I was 23 and I was alone, so I then moved to Switzerland. They later offered me a German passport, but I was already married to a man I met in Switzerland. I had been working in a nightclub, like a striptease club but we were only topless. Then my husband died, and a television show thought I was fascinating enough to feature me on a 2-hour reality show about “me.” I later started my own reality show.
I am desperate to know how you got the name, “Rich Nana?” While Gils Green and I were in this wonderful restaurant for lunch we were talking. I told him that I had a problem because I didn’t have a name. They said, Foxy Brown released an album called Na Na. In reality Nana means “Pussy” in American slang. He decided my name would be “Rich Nana” and I said, “Ok.” He explained that Foxy Brown was singing about her pussy and also everybody wants a Nana.
What motivated you to start your own reality show? I saw how much money they made off of me. They were making approximately 2000 Euros ($2,000) per minute on the shows featuring me. I was doing it for free, for the exposure. I did not receive a salary. For a half hour show they made $60,000. So, I hired my own team, bought the equipment and started doing that on my own.
Interview by Eileen Shapiro
You are a true self-made woman. Same as you. You found something that you like and that’s good I think. When people do something they love they are successful. What you do is like a lifestyle, a community with these rock stars. You write history actually. That’s exactly right, and you are currently making history. We need to do what we want. Women like you and I need to do some crazy things but that’s good. Nobody expects things like that from a man. We are having fun. When you wake up you have a reason to wake up. I think 60% of the population just goes to work, but we have something to look forward to. When you love what you do you are successful. I started from zero. Normally like Cardi B and other rappers they started with videos that where shit. Then they mature and lose all those beginning videos and become successful. https://youtu.be/2ENI7oq6lCw You are a very positive and fun type of person. I can tell from your videos that you are having fun. I have good connections with people in France and in Atlanta that I collaborate lyrics with. I have the craziest pop story of the year because I am from Switzerland and it’s not normal that some lady from Switzerland starts singing all these crazy American lyrics and making all these wild English speaking videos. I like doing the more classic videos with director Gils Green. He’s really very flexible. He’s really a very nice guy and we had such a good time in Cuba. It was so nice to work with somebody so professional like him. He told me I was very professional and that I inspired him too.
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Follow Rich NaNa on: IG @therichnana and TikTok @iamrichnana
JAKE KATZMAN Hear it…See it…LIVE it!!! Welcome, Jake! Tell us about your music and acting journey. Thank you for having me. I excited for this interview. I am 15 years old and been professionally working since I was 6. My first job was a guest star role on Law & Order SVU and that led to working on more television shows, movies, and Broadway. What do you prefer acting or music? I love doing it all. They are both challenging and equally awarding. What instruments do you play? I sing, play piano, drums, and some guitar. Knowing how to play instruments gave me the tools I needed to write and produce my original music. What drew you to the music industry? My fun family. They were always singing and dancing. At anymoment someone will break out in song. It like growing up in a movie musical. Who are you inspired by? I am inspired by my papa. He is 73 and still plays in a band. He sings and plays sax and keyboard. Also, I got to work with Billy Porter and Brendon Urie who definitely inspired me to become a better artist.
Please explain your creative process. I start playing cords on the piano or guitar and that leads into a song. Then sometimes, I transpose them into beats. Last, I write the melody and lyrics.
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What’s an average day like for you? I have school and then I might write music, take music lessons, practice my instruments, or self-tape an audition for acting. Do you think training is important? Definitely! I am always learning and improving. I take music lessons for my instruments, music theory, acting lessons, and workshops. It is hard work but worth every second of it. Is there a hidden meaning in any of your music? Sometime I write about songs about what is going on in the world to get people inspired. Do you collaborate with others? Yes, I work with a co-producer. It great to work with someone and brainstorm ideas. What is your favorite part about this line of work? I love preforming live and expressing myself through my music. What are some other things you do for fun? I like to ride my bike, go to Sky Zone, and hangout with my friends. I also like to DJ. What is your favorite saying? Imperfection is Perception! Meaning that our imperfections are what make us unique and special! Just strive to do your best and work hard! Check out my new music on all music streaming platforms! Social Media Links: https://www.instagram.com/ jakekatzman/ https://open.spotify.com/artist/ 57bdHWH8ERgI4bN2vvCa5R?si=fld M7a7OTlmNG2TMSLj-gg https://www.jakekatzman.com/ https://www.imdb.com/name/ nm5033162/ https://vm.tiktok.com/T7P3g4/ https://www.facebook.com/pg/ officialJakeKatzman/posts/ https://www.youtube.com/c/ JakeKatzman
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Bailey Elora
@baileyeloramusic Photo by @justinurban03
LONDON MARIE ROSE Model on the Move When did you first get involved in modeling? I’ve been modeling since I was 18. I went to my first model bootcamp and that is initially what got me into modeling. What or Who inspired you to pursue such a competitive career? I’d have to say, a friend of mine who at the time was Miss Teen Pennsylvania. How has the industry evolved since you first started modeling? I am 22 now, I feel it is just as competitive as when I started. I feel like COVID-19 has made things difficult, for traveling, runway and fashion shows.
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If you were forced to choose only one, which emotion, more than any other drives you to stay in these tough careers? Is it joy, anger, desire, passion or pride and why? This career field has been my dream of choice since I was a little girl. I’m very passionate about modeling, not only that there are so many career choices in the modeling world itself. It’s crazy to me, that at the age of 22, I work for a modeling agency as an Administrative Assistant.
Photos by Lawrence Smith // Czar Photography Hair by Bridgette Williams
Which ingredient do you think makes you special and unique as a model in an industry overflowing with new faces and ideas? I’m confident, very open to different ideas and style, flexible, and I’m also genuinely kind.
What has been your biggest challenge? Have you been able to overcome that challenge? If so, how? For me, I feel COVID-19 is a negative factor right now, because of the Virus there are many endeavors I hoped I would reach this year, but unfortuntely I wasn’t able to. My biggest challenge was learning to be confident and to embrace my body, which is a tremendous journey that many models continually go on. It can be really hard in today’s shallow version of what true beauty should be. A common phrase as a performing artist is, “you must suffer for your art”. Do you agree with this statement? If so, how have you suffered for your art? I do not agree with this statement, If I’m not comfortable or happy on a project, then I know it’s definitely not meant for me and I should walk away. Do you have any hidden talents? I enjoy singing, painting, and I love writing screenplays, drama and theatre, and cooking. What is the best advice you have received? The best advice I’ve learned and received is to not sell yourself short in this career. What projects are you currently working on... that you can talk about? I’m currently writing a screenplay for a feature length film. How can fans-to-be follow your career? You can follow me on Instagram, my Instagram name is: not_your_typical_beauty_
Photos by Lawrence Smith // Czar Photography
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AARON SUMMERFIELD Unmatched Talent When did you first get into music? For as long as I can remember, probably from the first time I heard it. I always dreamed about writing songs and forming and playing in bands. Who or What inspired you to pursue a career in music? My pursuit of a music career was a compulsion. I had sounds in my head that I needed to realize, and I needed the skills to make that happen. You can only learn so much from mainstream education, after a certain point I had to get out in the trenches and learn by doing. Also, I needed money to live, so I started hustling any paying music work I could find. Bar gigs, cruise ships, community theater and the like. How has your music evolved since you first began performing? My musical voice is in constant evolution. I am into developing unique forms and structures and forging a personal musical language. I’ve worked hard to be dynamic and versatile, so those are the ways I’ve probably grown the most over the years. But my creative impetus feels very much the same as it did in the beginning.
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If you were forced to choose only one, which emotion, more than any other drives you to stay in this tough business? Is it joy, anger, desire, passion or pride and why? I’m driven by curiosity. I am hungry to discover new sounds and bring them into realization. I allow all my emotions to freely color my art as I experience them.
Which ingredient do you think makes you special and unique as a performing artist in an industry overflowing with new faces and ideas? In terms of the music industry and making money, my dynamicism has proven super valuable. I’ve worked hard to develop a skillset that can open the door to different gigs and opportunities. Examples include working on my ear, learning to read all types of music notation, improvising, becoming fluent in music technology, etc. These skills are valuable because they facilitate musical communication. Fluent communication is one of the strongest indicators of musicianship, in my opinion. What has been your biggest challenge as a performing artist? Have you been able to overcome that challenge? If so, how? To me, artistic evolution is like the struggle of a butterfly emerging from its cocoon. The ordeal is messy, painful, yet weirdly beautiful and ma jestic, and at the end of it all you can fly. If you take any shortcuts though, the whole thing is compromised. A common phrase in the industry is, “you must suffer for your art.” Do you agree with this statement? If so, how have you suffered for your art? I believe that suffering is integral to the human experience. Suffering has also inspired so much amazing art throughout history. That being said, to truly “suffer” is an extremely unfortunate experience that I wish upon no living thing, even though it definitely happens to everyone.
I think in the industry and society at large, that particular cliché is used to conflate suffering with hard work. I wholeheartedly reject that notion. To be able to invest one’s time and energy in pursuit of a passion is the ultimate luxury. If you’re truly “suffering” because of your art, you should maybe spend your time doing something else. How do you feel the internet has impacted the music business? The improved access to information and technology resulting from the internet means many more people can cultivate their musical interests at will. This is an amazing social boon. Have you done or plan on doing any Live-stream Concerts? If you have, how has the response been from your fans? I’ve done a couple this year in Denver, once with my jazz quartet CP3O and another this summer with Brass and Gold Society, a hip-hop brass band, as part of a benefit hosted by Bailey Elora. The response from the people I’ve talked to about them has been positive. If you could change anything about the music industry. What would it be? I am a proponent of radical social change, and that extends to how our society treats creative expression. The current situation is dystopian, which is probably a ma jor reason why people feel they need to “suffer for their art”. What are the 5 albums that have helped make you the person you are today? And why? In no particular order: The Shape of Jazz to Come – Ornette Coleman Ok Computer – Radiohead Rumours – Fleetwood Mac Not For Nothin’ – The Dave Holland Quintet Jagged Little Pill – Alanis Morrissette
These albums seem to be on my mind a lot recently, in terms of influencing what I do musically. There are countless others though that have made a strong impact. What is the best advise you have received? “You don’t want to walk down that alley.” Tell us about your current project. Are you working on new music? An EP or Album? I plan on several releases of original music as a solo artist, likely beginning summer of 2021. Brass and Gold Society and CP3O, the groups I mentioned earlier, are also working on full-length releases, dates TBD. What’s next for you? I hope to remain active in the Denver music community for a long time. I plan on resuming live performances as soon as it is safe again. How can fans-to-be gain access to your music? https://soundcloud.com/aaronsummerfieldmusic https://www.aaronsummerfield.com I am happy to share unreleased material, if you want to contact me directly at: aaronsummerfield1985@gmail.com I am also available for collaborations, production, charts, and lessons.
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BROOKE CARTER Stepping into her Comfort Zone
Photo by @johnpacala
When did you first get into modeling? I started modeling in March of this year. Who or What inspired you to be a model? For a few years people here and there would tell me I should model, but it never occurred as an option to me. I grew up up being told it is a shame to show your body. After deciding to break those chains and explore what I was personally comfortable with, I saw a friend of mine going on all expenses paid vacations and doing music videos and it looked like a lot of fun. I decided to try it just for the fun of it. What style of model do you consider your work to be? I consider my work to be classy budior, lingerie, implied nude, swimwear and fashion. I love doing all different types. If you were forced to choose only one, which emotion, more than any other drives you to stay in this tough business? Is it joy, anger, desire, passion or pride and why? I would have to say it’s desire. I have a desire to Photo by @ingrained_in_time_photography
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change my life, to push myself further, to do things I never thought I could do, and to break chains of unbelief. What do you think makes you stand out in an industry overflowing with new faces? I pride myself in being an honest person, and being genuine and kind. I love to Bring energy to a room and make everyone happy, and I feel comfortable being myself and expressing my personality through my work. What has been your biggest challenge as a model? Have you been able to overcome that challenge? If so, how? I’d have to say my biggest challenge has been dealing with the judgment and backlash of my family and some others I used to be close to. I’ve learned to accept not everyone will approve of the path I’ve chosen, but that MY happiness should come before anyone’s opinion of me. It’s hard not to care what everyone thinks or what they’re saying about you or to you, but you just have to set personal boundaries and protect your dreams from the people who try to put a damper on them.
Photo by @ingrained_in_time_photography
A common phrase in the industry is, “you must suffer for your art”. Do you agree with this statement? If so, how have you suffered for your art? Yes, I agree. I’ve suffered in many ways; some being dealing with haters, having to block people who Harass me for nude photos or sex, to having to spend hours in the gym and watching my diet. None of this is easy, but it’s worth it to watch yourself grow! How do you feel the Internet has impacted the modeling industry? Unfortunately, the internet has allowed people to be much bolder and more disgusting than they would be in person. People say things they’d never say to your face over the internet. On the other hand, the internet has been a great tool for advertising, making connections and finding great inspiration! What is the best advise you have received? The best advice I’ve received is to follow my own conscience instead of what others are saying, and to keep my head up and the goal in sight. What’s next for you? Up next, I’m taking a big step by reducing my house cleaning business to part time so that I can have more freedom to travel and build my modeling career. How can fans-to-be follow your career? My fans can follow me on: Instagram @beachhblondee, on Facebook (Brooke Carter), and on my Patreon page.
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Photo by @gimmieguy
SWEET BABY KITA Life of the PARTY We had the chance to speak to one of the funniest female comedians coming out of Spartanburg, SC the lovely, Sweet Baby Kita. Tell us a little bit about yourself? I am known as The Carolina Queen of Comedy. I’m originally from Spartanburg, South Carolina, born and raised. Came to Atlanta for Freaknik 92’ and stayed! What made you decide to be a comedian? I was always told that I was funny, no matter where I would work. Finally, took the leap of faith and loved it. Do you feel being a woman in a male dominated field is very hard? I don’t feel it’s hard, but women have to work harder to prove themselves to be equal to a man. Do you write your own routines? I don’t write, I just live my jokes and I have a very
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great memory. I keep it all in my head and move the jokes around how I want to tell them for the audience that I am in front of at the time. How long have you been a comedian for? I have been doing comedy for 12 years now, but solely for the last 3 years. If your life was a sitcom, what would it be called? “Kicking it with Kita” ...I’m the life of ANY party or function.
Which famous comedian had the funniest show, Dave Chapelle or Chris Rock in your eyes (and why)? Dave Chapelle, because his joke set up is so thought provoking! Why don’t they allow cameras at stand up shows? Because, people steal and sell the material. Where do you get your material? Everyday things, that’s why I am so relatable. What happens if they don’t laugh? Move on to the next joke. How do you deal with hecklers? I make them understand that I control the show. Do hecklers help you with shows? Not at all, I got jokes to tell. Say something funny? I hate when people say that to me. Have I seen you in something? Showtime at the Apollo and Kevin Hart Presents: Heart of the City. You make a living at this? Yes, a great living! Are you going to write a joke about me? Nope! Sweet Baby Kita, LLC licita.cromer77@gmail.com www.sweetbabykita.com Facebook: @sweetbabykitacomedy Instagram: @sweetbabykita Twitter: @sweetbabykita
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Stay Safe. Stay Healthy. World Health Organization Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) Pandemic https://www.who.int/emergencies/diseases/ novel-coronavirus-2019 CDC Frequently Asked Questions https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/faq.html Coronavirus (COVID-19): Small Business Guidance & Loan Resources https://www.sba.gov/page/coronavirus-covid-19-small-business-guidance-loan-resources Coping During COVID-19: Resources For Parents https://childmind.org 6 Emergency Grants for Artists https://www.thepennyhoarder.com/make-money/ emergency-grants-for-artists/
SELWYN JONES Justice for George 846 Could you please tell us a little bit about yourself? My name is Selwyn Jones. I grew up in rural NC. My parents were sharecroppers. We were extremely poor. I grew up in a house with no indoor plumbing, and no bathroom. We had a pump, outside, to haul water from. I remember having to use bathwater after somebody else had used it. We ate ham, that we salted, after we cut the worms out of it. Growing up, I learned about racism early in life. I learned how people were treated differently by the color of their skin or what they did or didn’t have. Football was my escape. It gave me an outlet to be able to come to the Midwest, where I met my wife. With my strong work ethics, I have worked hard enough to purchase a beautiful home, and a motel. We are raising our two young children in central South Dakota. As of May 25th, 2020 I am an activist for justice and equality. I have to change the world for my babies and for all. How are you related to George Floyd? I am George’s uncle, my sister Mrs. Larcenia Floyd is his mother. She is affectionately known by our family as “Cissy”. Unfortunately she departed this life in 2018.
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What type of relationship did you and George have throughout his life? George and I were actually like a big brother, younger brother during his formative years. He was nine years younger than me and our interactions were
that of mentor and a mentee, I was not old enough to be nor was I trying to be his father. What are some of your fondest memories of George? He could be a “knuckle” head sometimes, however; he was a sincere genuine loving person, he would do whatever he could to assist his family and friends in their life struggles, he was a heck of an athlete, and full of joy and laughter, he never met a person he did not like. What were your initial feelings when you received the news of George’s death on May 25, 2020? My feelings were all over the place, there was; sadness, anger, frustration, confusion, disgust, disbelief and most of all heart break and pain. How have those feelings changed over the past 7 months? These feelings are very much present and at this point I am dealing with the void, dealing with the hate filled way in which his life was taken, grappling with how someone could intentionally, murder another human being and act as if they are kneeling at the alter for prayer instead of kneeling on a person’s neck. How do you feel about the international attention received concerning this incident? Obviously, I feel that an occurrence such as this should never have taken place. I do however; appreciate
the love, support, and dedication that is being shown to our family. The international attention that is being shown is nothing less than miraculous. To have basically the entire world stand up and denounce not only racism, but send a resounding message that murder by those sworn to protect and serve will no longer be swept under the rug, and that there is no such thing as “Blue” lives. “Blue” is the color of a uniform, not of a person or persons. What changes do you hope to accomplish by bringing continued attention to the circumstances surrounding George’s death? I hope to open the eyes of those that have chosen to pretend to be blind when justice is not served and to keep not only George’s name, but those that have suffered the same or similar fate in the minds and hearts of those that promote humanitarianism, not “Race.” What is your current plan for accomplishing these changes? We are changing the George Floyd legislation, which has already passed in congress. We are establishing, Justice for George 846, a non-profit organization to promote and serve others that are disenfranchised and dismissed as being; Just an ordinary “Joe,” who is expendable and serves no purposeful place in society. What advise do you have for anyone who wants to help bring about these changes? My advice is for them to realize that; “The mirror holds an Image, but the soul holds the truth.” Simply meaning, I can lie to you as well as lie to myself, and it is incumbent upon me to break that mirror of personal and outward deceit. What words of wisdom do you have for the world that may have been brought about by this incident and the 7-month journey you have been on? Please do not wait until this or any other unavoidable tragedy knocks at your door, before helping to eradicate a system and individuals that walks on and wipes their collective feet on God’s creations, simply because they disapprove of said groups and or individuals. For life is but a vapor and tomorrow is not promised. In the words of my friend; “Nobody asked any of us about one single thing referencing our preeminent upcoming existence on God’s earth prior to the fertilization process being put into motion”. How can folks stay up to date on your mission to bring about these much-needed changes? People can stay up to date by checking our social media pages, contacting us directly, using our email; justice4george846@gmail.com. Instagram: georgefloyd2020 Facebook: @justiceforgeorge846 Twitter: @selwynj60136962a
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We caught up with...
Teresa B. Howell Sony/Orchard Music Distributor, Talk Show Host, Award Winning Playwright, Film Producer, and Author.
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Teresa B. Howell is an Exceptional Children’s Director that has two Master Degrees in education and leadership. She has received numerous awards and accolades in her profession, dedicated to mentoring and teaching students within the school system. Teresa was born and raised in the church. She witnessed the good and the not so good while not only attending, but also serving in various capacities in different church organizations. Teresa decided in July 2015 to put her experiences and observations on paper, and her first novel That Church Life was born. She aspires to be more than just the average Christian Author, which can be noted in her writing style. Teresa’s literary path is inspired by her faith, family, and close friends. We had the chance to sit down and speak with this lovely woman with a warm smile …. Being a female influencer in such a competitive market, do you feel things are a lot harder for you? Absolutely! The arts and film industry has always been a male dominant field. I am honored to join the group of female pioneers that paved the way for my “here and now” experience. But there are still issues with not treating women equally in the profession. I want to continue to break down the stigma and bias in the field and make history for all of the women that follow behind me. I strive to continue my pathway to being the best in the business. I will not stop until I reach the top within the film, theater, literary, and music industry. Tell us little bit about yourself? I am an educator by trade, but my talent has been bubbling up inside me as early as age 6. I started singing in the church and the journey began. I waited later in life to actually pursue my dreams due to fear. But fear is no longer a part of my being. I have conquered and accomplished a lot in the last 3 years and I continue to strive for excellence. I enjoy traveling in my leisure and spending time with my two boys. So you have published a few books, can you tell us a little bit about them? Where can you purchase them at? I have a trilogy called “That Church Life” which opened up the gateway to theater, television, and radio. Within 2 months after the release of the first novel, I was scheduling ma jor book tours and television appearances. The trilogy takes the reader on a journey of how domestic violence can look within the church. The main character is a general preacher destined to lead the way after her fathers retirement. But she struggles within because she is dealing with abuse from her boyfriend, the church musician. Readers grasped onto the books immediately and within a year over 10K books were sold. Now after 3 years, all 5 books combined have sold well over 50K copies to date. My other two books are titled, “Positive Vibes Only” and “Delayed but not
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Denied”. They can be purchased where ever books are sold or my website at: teresabhowell.com How long have you been doing what you are doing? A total of 4 years for writing. I became a playwright in 2018 and 2019 is when I started to pursue my interest in music distribution with Sony/Orchard and Film Production with my new company TB Productions. I started 3 interactive web shows in 2020 called Amplified Exposure Live, The Heat Seekers talk show, and The Heat Seekers radio show with Power 108.9 in Atlanta, GA. Can you give us some examples of thing you are doing or have done? I have created 5 award winning books in the genre of christian fiction, I have created the provoca tive play “That Church Life-the Play” which had all sold out shows ranging between 400-700 people in attendance. I have established an entertainmenthub company to service other indie artists in film, literature, and music. I have become a ma jor distributor for Sony/Orchard, I have also been asked to be a writer on an upcoming ma jor television series that I can’t discuss until 2021. I have also created 3 web talk show series that can be seen on Facebook, YouTube, Roku and Twitter.
especially during Covid-19. Getting all the funding out of pocket as an educator has been challenging. As we all know, educators are not recognized as being an important profession. What advice can you give other woman who want to follow in your foot steps? The only advice I can give is research as much as possible and have tough skin. The more you know, the more you grow. Its not an easy industry to work in but if you remain passionate and humble, God will make a way for you.
What made you decide to get into the field your in? Passion for the arts and the ability to make things happen with my undying drive to succeed. Which people or books have had the most influence on your growth and why? Kimberla Lawson Roby, Victoria Christopher Murray, and Jaqueline Thomas have been my inspiration for writing christian fiction. Tyler Perry’s unique way of building his brand and making his own mark on film and theater influenced me to start playwriting and screenwriting. Oprah has influenced me overall, when it came to creating an empire and having many facets of a brand that people can always relate too.
What has been your biggest customer success story? Why do you think it was a success? My biggest customer success story is when a woman walked up to me after a show with tears streaming down her face. She said she was in an abusive marriage and my stage play made her look in the mirror and face her truth. She was glad that there was a rainbow at the end where the main character not only overcame the issues of domestic violence but also became a prominent public figure for the church. She enjoyed watching the levels of growth in the character and stated she strived to do the same. My success doesn’t come from how much money I make doing this. My success comes from the stories of individuals who have life changing moments based upon the work that I push out to the public. What does a typical day in your week look like? I start off with teaching high school students how to become better readers. When school is over I go straight to my computer and I work on writing, complete promo videos or conduct zoom calls for
What would you say is the #1 key to success in your business? Patience is the key! Without it I wouldn’t have made it this far. I would also say a good support system would also be a key component for a successful business. Without my family and friends pushing my books, I dont know where I would be at the moment. Talk about the biggest failure you’ve had. What did you learn from it? My biggest failure in the industry would probably be finding the sponsors and investors to support my projects. I have been coming out of pocket since the beginning of my journey. It would be nice if there was some form of funding for individuals like me in this business. But, it has been hard to find
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celebrities to come on my show or discuss upcoming projects. By 6pm, I am trying to eat dinner with my children and help with school work. By 7pm, I am conducting my show Amplified Exposure Live which is streamed to 6 different locations. Once the interviews are completed, I go back to the computer and complete advertising or promo for upcoming events. I barely sleep...but I enjoy every minute of my day. What keeps you going when things get tough in your business? My children. I want to ensure that I leave a legacy for generations to come. They are my #1 fans and I am determined not to let them down. Do you have a website or social media? teresabhowell.com tbproductions.org twitter: @thehostteresab Instagram: @thehostteresab Facebook: @authorteresab Teresa B. Howell www.instagram.com/authorteresab www.facebook.com/authorteresab www.twitter.com/authorteresab website: Teresabhowell.com email: Info@teresabhowell.com Author: That Church Life 1,2, & 3, Positive Vibes Only and Delayed but not Denied. Playwright: That Church Life-The Play Walking In Victory International, LLC. and Teresa B. Productions Chief Empowerment Officer Photography by Tanisha Walker with In God’s Image Photography/Makeup Artistry. @inGodsimagepmua
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LOVE WALKER Making Moves Who is Love Walker? Please explain in your words. My name is Love Walker. I am an actor and model. I just started in the film industry and it is an amazing journey. I have been modeling since I was 9. I am creative, strategic, and I keep a positive mindset and surroundings, so I can share my art to the world. How did you get started in Fitness? I got started in fitness because I wanted to become the best version of myself inside and out.
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believe there’s inspiration behind every person we meet. Tell us about your first acting gig? My first acting gig is awesome, however it was shut down due to the pandemic. We will all get back when it is time!
How did you get started in Acting? I got started in acting from the encouragement from many people around me who were already in the film business. I gave it a shot, and I fell in love with the art behind the film industry.
Tell us about your daily routine during the Covid-19 pandemic? My daily routine always changes, because before the Covid-19 pandemic, I was always used to being on-the-go with film and modeling. My daily routine mostly consisted of working out, working from home, virtual practice with my acting coach, and walking my dog.
Who has been your most important role model and why? I cannot pinpoint one specific person, however I
How has the Covid-19 pandemic changed your life or how has it made you more determined? I’m not always on-the-go with work as much. I’ve
spent more time with loved ones near and using the this time to still work and prepare. If you could choose your next acting gig, who would you love to work with and why? My next acting gig, I would love to work with anyone who enjoys the art of acting as much as I do and take their career seriously. When you audition for new parts, do you see differences in NY style vs. Southeast vs. Los Angeles? If so, what are the differences? From an artist’s standpoint, I don’t see much of a difference. All I see, is that I deliver my best work effectively. You being a positive role model, how would you encourage new actors today? I would encourage new actors to take their career seriously. There’s a time to work and get ready, and when you’re done with your projects and work, then there’s a time to play. Please list all your social media links. https://www.instagram.com/youthskywalker/ https://www.facebook.com/thereallovewalker/
Top Left: Photo by @stevereganato Makeup by @loveevemarie
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AVA CONNOLLY Actress on the Move We caught up with the very talented Ava Connolly from Huntsville, AL. What do you like daydreaming about? I love daydreaming about traveling and fun vacations! I hope we can go on a va action this coming spring!! I’m looking forward to having an adventure!! Tell me something about you that you think I might not know. Most people don’t know that I’m really into science and I love reptiles. I wanted a snake but my mom said she would have nightmares, but she let me get three crested geckos! They can live for 15-20 years!! What’s a memory that makes you happy? Showing horses with my sister!! She helped me and let me use her horse and I won my first trophy!! What do you look forward to when you wake up? Breakfast first! My mom cooks a great breakfast and I love that time when we eat together and talk about our day that’s coming up. Then just concentrating on having a good day. I do virtual school and believe it or not that’s actually fun.
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You’re at the beach. What’s the first thing you do? That’s easy! I’m looking for hermit crabs when the waves go out and sea shells! I love the beach!
What makes you feel loved? My parents definitely make me feel loved. They are always there for me and I always know I can count on them!
How do you show people you care? It depends on who it is. I know my mom loves getting notes from me and I help her a lot. I try to tell my parents every day how much I love them. I give a lot of hugs to my family
If you had friends all over the world, how would you keep in touch? I actually like to write letters and send cards! We could FaceTime and email or text also! But I really like letters! It’s fun to get a written letter in the mail!
If you could give $100 to a charity which would you choose? I’ve been volunteering with Wildlife Enthusiasts of Big Spring Park. In our city we have a beautiful park but people drop off domestic ducks there and they are domestic so they can’t fly or go find food. So Waterfowl Enthusiasts spend their own money and time to feed a few hundred ducks every day. I’d donate it to them. I use my allowance every week to buy 50 pounds of duck food and me and mom go feed them on our day. I like helping.
If you joined the circus, what would your circus act be? Oh! I’d be the tarantula trainer! I’d have to convince them to take on a new act but it would be cool! My mom might pass out but I think it would be cool.
If you wrote a book what would it be about? I’d like to write a book of rare vocabulary words. I love looking up words and videoing a word of the day and it would be cool to take all the words and put them in a book! If you designed clothes, what would they look like? They would be super bright and colorful. I’d design a line that was all cat prints! The pants would all be leggings because they are way more comfortable than jeans. If you made a cave in the woods, what would be inside? Definitely a comfortable couch, hundreds of books because I love to read and couldn’t be without books! Maybe a pizza oven because I love pizza! If you were in a play, what would your character be like? My character would be loquacious, that’s one of my favorite words and it means chatty or talks a lot. So I’d talk a lot, laugh a lot, maybe be a good sister who helps a little brother out. I’d definitely be short, because I’m short! What makes your friends so awesome? My best friend is Avery and we have been best friends since we were four! She’s awesome because she’s really kind and funny. She loves to look at funny memes like I do. together. She always is a good listener too! What are three things you want to do this summer? I’m hoping to be on set filming! I’d love to go to the mountains with my family, we go to Pigeon Forge. I’d love to have my cousins come stay with us for a few weeks. We always have so much fun staying up watching movies, swimming and eating a lot of pizza!!
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SARA WINTA
Rapping her way to the Top Tell us a little bit about your self? I’m 31, I live in North Yorkshire and I love to rap! What helped you decide to get into rap music and why? Explain. I listened to Eminem when I was 10 and I was so intrigued and I just remember thinking I wish I could do this. When and why did you start being a rapper? I started writing lyrics in college, it’s a way to express my life and I love language and the things you can do with it. What was the first tune(s) you learned? Eminem, the real slim shady! Is your family musical? No
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Describe your family member’s musical interests and abilities? My family likes rock n’ roll music.
Which famous musicians do you admire? Why? I admire clever and conscious rappers because I can relate or learn from them to improve myself. Which famous musicians have you learned from? Eminem, Big L, 7L & Esoteric, Punchline & Wordsworth & Copywrite. Describe your first instrument. Other instruments? The triangle, haha. What are your fondest musical memories? In your house? In your neighborhood or town? Performing live for the charity Orb. My family and friends all came to watch. Were you influenced by old records & tapes? Which ones? I love old school rap, so anything really. Who are your favorite musicians? Groups? CD’s? I like the slim shady EP, I like kapital from Manchester, denku & NF.
Have you been in competitions? Fleadh’s? Any prizes? No. Do you perform in public? Describe those occasions? I have performed a few times live on stage for FEVA. How do you handle mistakes during a performance? I make sure I’m prepared before hand! I’ve made mistakes but made it funny. Do you get nervous before a performance or a competition? No never as I’m confident in my ability to rap my songs. What advice would you give to beginners who are nervous? Just practice, enjoy yourself and focus on your words but also engage with the crowd. How often and for how long do you practice? I tend to practice daily sometimes for hours at a time. What do you practice - exercises, new tunes, hard tunes, etc.? I usually cycle to help with breathing, I practice my new music, I’ve recently got into using boom bap beats. How do you balance your music with other obligation? I use up most of my time for music, I do other activities around rapping and writing. I was writing when I was working and studying also. https://mcreplay.bandcamp.com
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www.rsvpcigars.com
GRAYSON THORNE KILPATRICK Playing out his Future... Grayson is known for his role as Sheldon in Chicken Girls: The Movie, FX’s TV Series Dave, American Horror Story, Black Pumpkin, Netflix’s TV Series Wet Hot American Summer: Ten Years Later, Daddy’s Home, and Documentary Now! He also wrote, directed and starred in his own short film based on Chris Farley’s SNL Matt Foley “Living in a Van Down by the River” sketch that won Grayson the best actor award at Young Artist Awards (YAA). Grayson’s past TV Series are as following: ABCs: To Tell the Truth, This isn’t Working, Adult Swim channel show: Your Pretty Face is Going to Hell, Cinemax Outcast, TV Series NC-16 on Seeka TV. Grayson can be found on the cover of Gucci Mane and Blackbear CD Single Video “do re mi” on iTunes and Amazon. Tell us about yourself and how you first got into acting? I was born in Huntsville, AL on April 1 (I am a constant Joke) both my mom and dad are Engineers. When I was around three, I had a traumatic experience that changed my life. I do not talk about this incident much but my parents and I lived through a home invasion. My parents are my heroes because my mom was able to convince the invaders they had the wrong house because they did. This gave her enough time to lock the door behind them and get me and my dad into a back room of our house until police arrived. After the home invasion, my parents wanted to put me in Child Play Therapy. It
was a place where a young child could go after a traumatic event; they could act out their feelings to help them cope with whatever was bothering them. I know even several months after the home invasion when I heard a doorbell, I would run and hide under a kitchen table. A few years later mom ask me if I wanted to take an acting class and I usually replied “Nah”. She told me a few years later she told me she thought I had a talent, but she did not want to push me into something she was not sure I wanted to do. When did acting become a reality for you? Please explain. In 2012, my life completely changed. My dad had read in the local newspaper that Grayson Russell (Diary of a Wimpy Kid) was in town filming his new movie Space Warriors at the U.S. Space and Rocket Center. Grayson Russell was going to be at a local movie theater viewing the latest release in the Diary of a Wimpy Kid movie series with fans and would be signing autographs before the movie. So, my dad got our family and one of my friends, Mason, a ticket to go watch the movie with Grayson. Grayson Russell was great! He took the time to answer my questions and took pictures with me. At the screening, Grayson mentioned they were looking for extras to be in the movie he was filming. I asked my mom if she could take me to see if I could be an extra. She did and I got to be an extra and fell in love with the environment. I loved watching the crew move their
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equipment around to do the same scene, but to get the shot from different angles. The next week, my mom enrolled me in a local acting school called Hollywood Huntsville. I took classes under Bill and Ayoka Billions and later took acting classes from Gray’s Studio out of LA. We would travel to Nashville to participate in an intensive weekend class once a month for two days and this is where I met Mr. David Gray of Gray Studio out of West Hollywood, CA. I booked my first web series in 2013 called Unplanned Motherhood. After that, mom found me a talent agent in Nashville, Atlanta and New Orleans. It was in March 2013 I booked my very first movie called Campin’ Buddies. I got to work with legendary actors like Don Most, Tom Lester (Ep from Green Acres), Ray Stevens and Victoria Jackson. Tom Logan was the best Director for my first film experience. I also had a great mentor actor, Danny Vinson. I still send him messages and ask him questions. We were actually in the movie Heaven Bound together and I was lucky to get to film with Torry Martin, Jamie Costa, Victoria Jackson (my second movie with the SNL legend), Michael Joiner and Nancy Stafford. When production found out it was my birthday, they had craft services bake me a cake and sang “Happy Birthday” to me. I also got the chance to ride a horse around the set! How cool is that? Thank you, Adam Drake, director of this great movie, for giving me an opportunity to work with you! You have definitely accomplished a lot in a short time. Do you feel like you have “Made It”? I am very proud of my accomplishments, but by no means do I feel like I have made it. My parents are a huge influence in my life. They gave up their careers in Alabama to move to Los Angles to give me a chance. Knowing this keeps me humble. My Grandmama and my Aunt Delia reminds me how fortunate I am as well. My Aunt Delia and my grandmother are both very strong influences in my life as well as my parents. There were many times I got my feelings hurt when I did not get a part I had auditioned for. Mom would say to me “Grayson you are getting a call back that means people see something in you. You should be so happy for just getting these call backs because a lot of people don’t even get that.” I guess I had not thought about it in that way. It was not long before my mom was driving me all over the Southeast. One day, she drove me to Nashville then got a message I needed to be in Atlanta the next day. Therefore, instead of going home she drove me to Atlanta. I know one week she drove me to Dallas, TX for me to film, then New Orleans to film Man Down with Shia Labeouf, then I had to be in Atlanta that night to film the episode I got on Your Pretty Face is Going to Hell. Then, I booked a short film and we had to drive to Jacksonville FL. I was tired but I loved every minute of it. After that night of shooting the short film in Florida, I had to be back in Atlanta for an audition with HBO. After that, mom said,
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“Grayson this is a lot! I am tired, are you tired of this?” I said, no mom, I love it even more. My dad was working for NASA so he had to stay at home. It was hard on mom being away from home and I could see how tired she was driving me so much. My mom had a day job as well. Both of my parents are Engineers and at the time my mom was working on her Ph.D. I remember some nights she pulled over to take a nap in the Walmart parking lot because she had been driving so much. Mom and Dad both had to sacrifice a lot for me, so I want to say “Thank you” to them. They wanted me to be happy and go after my dream of being an actor.
ran long and I didn’t get that picture. I cried for a while going home. But mom said to me “Grayson you’re nine. You’ll have so many more times to work with him.” I didn’t think of it like that. The director of Daddy’s Home sent me a written note and a hoodie from the Daddy’s Home production. The photo of the scene Mark and I did can be seen on the IMDb Daddy’s Home page as still shot. So, mom was right. But I thought he was such a great actor, and he was so nice I can’t wait for the chance of working with him again someday. I wonder if he will remember me. In the scene, he called me “Peanut Butter” which is kind of ironic since I am allergic to peanuts!
What are your thoughts on supporting other actors? I am a big believer in supporting other actors in this field. It is not an easy road, but I think if you support each other, it can be easier for sure to travel it together.
What actors have inspired you to pursue a career in film? Two of my favorite actors were the late Chris Farley and Robin Williams. I remember a story of Robin going to Juilliard and one of his teachers, John Houseman, told Robin he needed to go home. He would never make it as an actor. Well, Robin proved John Houseman wrong. I love that story, it gives me hope, and I hope I can give another actor hope with my story one day. The day I found out Robin had died, I cried for hours! It was hard for a while to watch his films, but I think I was looking at it all wrong. I think his films and TV series were what he was meant to give us to inspire other actors that would come after him. My favorite role from was Robin as “Mork” from Mork and Mindy but I have all his movies as well. And I will forever honor Chris Farley as I did in my short film I wrote, starred in and directed John Foley: Motivationally Speaking. I am still “Living in a van down by the river”. The video can be found at: https://youtu. be/B8tSqMlg9Vg
Tell us about your new film, Black Pumpkin and how you got the role as “Pork Chop”? I loved playing Lawrence “Pork Chop” in Black Pumpkin. Ryan McGonagle the Director and writer of Black Pumpkin wanted to give reference to 80’s horror films he loved so my character in Black Pumpkin was named “Lawrence” from the Goonies so instead of “Chuck” it is “Pork Chop”I remember the first time I met Ryan for my audition. He was nice and he hired me that day. Later on, I heard the story of when he saw my head shot for the role of Lawrence and he was like “that is him! that’s Pork Chop!”. Of course, he added “I sure hope he can act.” ;)). I hope he thinks so. Tell us about the roles you have had as an actor? I did many of my own stunts and some of them were not easy but when I am on set, I want to give my 100%. I remember one day on set, I was riding this bicycle. LOL I think we did that take several times and I noticed three kids that stayed to watch the filming. When we had a break, I went over to say hi to them, I said “Thank you” to them for watching me. Ryan called me back a few minutes later to start on the next scene Another role was in a short Unconventional Gourmet where I played a kid called “Hector”. It was a twist off the “Hansel and Gretel” tale where Hector was the Hansel in the story. I loved being on the set of the Cinemax show Outcast. They flew in a stunt double for me. It happened to be the same stunt double that Danny Devito and Joe Pesi uses. I felt so great about that. Another film I was in was Daddy’s Home. I did a scene with Mark Walgberg but it got cut from the film, but it was great meeting him. My original role name was “Big Kid at Half Pipe” but Mark and I would bump fists a lot during takes so my name was changed to “Fist Bump Kid”. ;) That was my first big film. I wanted so bad to get a picture with Mark. I was nine at the time. I remember I waited for him, but his scene
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Other Video you can find Grayson in: Chicken Girls: The Movie as Sheldon currently 32M views: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e43rTlJtqvw Music Video with Gucci Mane and Blackbear do a remix ft. It currently has 155M views, also can be found on iTunes, Amazon Music, Spotify. at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dfzlUHOFQ5kTales of Diablio’s Den (Urban Legend of Bloody Bobby sequel is Black Pumpkin) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mh7GKZg7l7g&t=13s Black Pumpkin Trailer Release date is Dec 8th: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uFEqF4NcZh8&t=9s Interview on Good Morning La La Land: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bXt5wO0pLVA IMDb: https://www.imdb.com/name/nm6345366/ Social Links for Grayson: Instagram: www.instagram.com/graysonkilpatrick (Verified) Twitter: www.twitter.com/GraysonT04 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ graysonthornekilpatrick (Verified) Web page www.graysonkilpatrick.com Linkedin https://www.linkedin.com/in/grayson-kilpatrick-71181b93 Famous Birthdays :https://www.famousbirthdays. com/people/grayson-kilpatrick.html TikTok http://vm.tiktok.com/h2ugmE/
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BILL CHAMPLIN
Photo by Jim Orsetti
Has a “Reason to Believe” While He’s “Livin’ for Love” When the frost is fingering it’s way underneath the door, and people are crying for the moon, during these sequestered and unprecedented times, and when penicillin can no longer save the world, Bill Champlin, former member of the legendary band Chicago, has a “Reason to Believe.” “Reason to Believe” is Champlin’s recently released new single. The emotionally charged track comes as a prelude to his full-length album called “Livin’ For Love”, a record that evokes respect from men, angels and beasts. From “The Opposite Six” to “The Sons of Champlin” to “Chicago”, Bill Champlin focused on music, singing, songwriting and producing. In between bands he and his unique vocals rang true with a melodic and sophisticated anarchy while he did vocal sessions for artists including: Patti LaBelle, Donna Summer, Elton John, George Benson, Neil Diamond, Kenny Rogers, Boz Skaggs, and a host of others. He released his first solo album in 1978. Champlin was presented by the National Association of Recording Arts and Sciences, “The Most Valuable Player” peer award for male background vocalist and the following year won a Grammy for Co-writing “Turn Your Love Around” for George Benson. He won his first songwriting Grammy for co-writing “After The Love Has Gone.”
In 1982 he joined the iconic band “Chicago” to record “Chicago 16”, and on “Chicago 17” he sung “Hard Habit to Break.” After 28 years with the band Champlin left to focus on his solo career, often collaborating with his wife of 39 years Tamara Champlin, a singer/songwriter in her own right. While every inch of the Heaven was engulfed in flames (or at least California), Bill Champlin was embracing the darkness as a canopy where the stars hang so we can shine. “Livin’ for Love” was created and will be unveiled through “Imagen Records” and is available for pre-orders at https://www.billchamplin.com/shop I spoke with Bill regarding his new release and his fascinating career....The word legend evokes a fantasy, a tale, a fable conjured out of the air, however, Bill Champlin is real, as tangible as a beating heart..... So you have a cool announcement .... I have a new record that I’d like to talk about. I heard the single “Reason to Believe” and it’s awesome. It’s a crazy little song. My friend Bruce Gaitsch, who I’ve written with on and off over the years, wrote a
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lot of stuff with Richard Marx. He just dug into his stash of things he had recorded over a period of years and he found this one. It must’ve been five or six years ago. It was just a track with no lyrics and Tamara, and I listened to the track and said “holy shit, we’re doing it.” We jumped on it. It was written, sung, with background and everything except the Hammond organ the day we got it. It must have really been an inspirational track? What was cool about it is that the bass player on it is George Hawkins, who has been on every album that I’ve done for I don’t know how many years. And George passed away a couple of years ago. So, it was great to pull a track that he was on and get it listened to. He’s not here but at least his playing is still here. What inspired the lyrics of the song? Tamara and I wrote it and kind of where we were going with it was Bruce Gaitsch, the guy that sent it to us, his wife is a really good musician, good piano player, good singer. Bruce had gone through some serious medical problems and she really helped him through it. I did the same thing. I had cancer a couple of years back and if it wasn’t for Tamara, I don’t even think I’d be here. This song had a certain level of gratitude. Bruce is a Midwestern guy, so he doesn’t like to get too personal and when I told him this was about him and Janie and me and Tamara he said “yeah.” So, it was kind of a thank you in some way. How many songs are there on the album? I’ve got 14 songs on the American version and the Japanese version which is coming out on Sony in April has 16 because all of the companies there demand two bonus tracks. When I was mixing and mastering, I just took two extra songs and mixed them and mastered them because I knew that was going to happen. Most people get caught by surprise. I think that 2021 is going to have as many albums as people had babies after the New York Black out. A lot of musicians with studios in their homes figured that they can’t go anywhere and that they can’t play live but the one thing they can do is make music. I think in a lot of ways the people that are usually out there working just went to the studio and started working. So, in some ways the pandemic and the lockdown might’ve been a good thing for a lot of musicians. I know it was for me. I know a lot of musicians that admit to that. Yeah, I have a studio, I have a good microphone and a ProTools rig, a keyboard sitting right there and a decent guitar sound coming out of it. I don’t have to do anything except walk over to my guest house and go to work. I have a ProTools rig and my son has an Ableton rig so it’s two studios in one room.
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So, you collaborate musically with your wife? Tamara, my wife, co-wrote that and sang a good portion of the background vocals. She and I, both of us jumped in and got a lot of the background vocals done. She doesn’t work on my stuff just because she’s my wife. This woman sings and writes, she’s amazing. I kind of have to run fast to keep up with her. If I can’t make some of the notes without pliers (if you get my drift), I just ask her to sing it. I got back with Greg Mathison who produced one of my solo albums a long time ago. He’s had his physical problems and I pulled him out of his own world and got him to go to work and my God his tracks are ridiculous. The feel of everything Greg does is so deep grooved. We got into it. And I’ve got a handful of different people who played on it, Carmen Grillo played a solo on it. I’ve got Marc Russo who actually played sax for the Doobie Brothers and who played with my band Sons of Champlin for a while. Marc is an amazing sax player. He’s ridiculous, that’s how good this guy is. I just sent him the tracks and he did it in his house. There’s a lot of that going on, a lot of Zoom. Yes! You have a lot of musicians that are big fans of Sons of Champlin. We still play.....when anyone does. We do some gigs and when we do I don’t play my Chicago hits or any of that stuff when we play with the Son’s. We do just Son things and the audience is crazy about it. We kind of put it back together again. We lost a few members. Nick Gillette who was originally a trumpet player with Tower of Power passed away and James Preston, our drummer from 1972 to 2004 passed away. But it’s a small world and the guy we replaced him with was the drummer who plays with us now and also played on the album and mixed the record. A guy named Alan Hertz. He’s one serious ball of talent.
He’s just one of the best drummers ever, and one of the best ProTools engineers I’ve ever run across. Once again, as you get older the world gets smaller. I got Steve Porcaro to work on one and he was one of the original members of Toto. He’s an amazing musician also. I mean, I did a lot of the stuff myself but if it were just me for the whole record it would get a little boring....maybe not boring but people might say “I just heard that.” I did a lot of guitar work but I’m not the world’s best soloist. I did a couple on there but they’re real short and sweet. I kind of saved the ones that really called out for someone with more chops than me. You come from a musical family don’t you? My Mom was a songwriter, singer...she was a talented woman. Her parents met in a choir. My Dad’s side couldn’t carry a tune. I used to go to church with my Dad and listen to him sing....and woah....Tamara and I will be celebrating our 39th anniversary the day after tomorrow. We were married pretty much the same year, right before I joined up with Chicago. Then, we went on the road and the road just took over. Then, when I bailed out in 2009, I was home a lot more. Your son Will, is very talented as well. He doesn’t like to let people know, but he’s a Berkeley grad. He went to Berklee College of Music in Boston and graduated with a BA in music. He’s a monster, he plays circles around me. When I need a bass player,
I ask Will to throw a bass part on this one and there he is. He’s a good drummer, he can play just about anything. He is a great piano player and has become quite the programmer. You’ve been performing for a while, have you had your ultimate stage fantasy yet? I was performing with Chicago at the “We The People Festival.” This festival had over 500,000 people. They had speakers for about 14 blocks. What was cool is that Grover Washington opened for us. We went up and played and I thought about the tremendous amount of people ....it was unbelievable. I looked at Jason and said, “ do not look in anyone’s eyes, just look at their foreheads.” So, we went ahead and played and we had this one tune, I think it was a song called “Just You and Me”, and we kind of opened up and jammed in the middle. I was sitting there with Grover Washington to my left and we started jamming. Here we were in front of 500,000 people and I thought, “I’m sitting here playing with Grover Washington.” For the band it was one of the biggest audiences, but for me I was jamming with Grover Washington. He was such a good musician and I think people are just realizing it now and he’s been gone for quite a few years. It’s what you leave behind with the music. For me, I really just wanted to touch people as much as I can. The music has to be personal. With this album I kind of got it. There’s a song on the album called “Another Lie” and it’s about my older son Brad who passed away 3 years ago. I was diagnosed with real aggressive cancer and he died of cancer the next day. Rough week. It took about two years to get the song out of me, to really be able to sing it rather than just do it. It’s a great song if you don’t know the story but if you know the story you go “holy shit!” I think that “Reason to Believe” is like that. It really is kind of personal. I’ve been a professional songwriter, lyricist, for years and years and years. Sometimes you just write a song about a scenario between a guy and a girl and you write about it in the first person. It’s not necessarily something that happened. With this I want to really make it personal. That’s kind of where I’m at with the record. I thought “let me make it real.” What’s the first thing that you plan on doing when the pandemic is over? I want to play live. There are some “Son’s” gigs that we passed up that we are going to pick back up again. Then when you hear this album you will see it’s just perfect for the U.K. I’ve done a lot of stuff in Scandinavia and quite a bit in Europe over the years, but not a lot in the UK and Ireland. Chicago got there but not that often and that was a lot of years ago. I’m kind of keeping myself busy producing stuff for Tamara and myself and other people. As a cook I can burn water. I realized a couple of weeks ago I only do this well and the rest of the stuff I’m
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only halfway in it. I get preoccupied thinking about music. I sort of decided to apply that to the record. Tamara walked in when I was writing the song “Livin’ for Love” and she said, “Bill, its time you did a solo album.” There was a lot of time to do it so I thought I might as well get into it. So, I got into it and I think it’s one of the best albums I’ve ever done. People have heard it and it’s getting people’s attention. Even people who know my music throughout the years and have heard this album have told me that I’ve just raised my mark. The record came out sounding stellar. I did the vocals on that and I just let it fly. I’ve been a background singer for years. There is a certain kind of approach you have to take with background singing to make it work. You have to think about where it’s going, how it’s going to fit, and lead singing is a whole other world. On this album I didn’t sing lead on the same day that I sang background. So, I was able to switch hats, and really go after it. I had to really be aware of the lyrics while I was singing the song. I think that my lead vocal on the record, it’s pretty slammin’. There is some pretty cool stuff on it. You can feel it and I don’t want to do it if it doesn’t touch me. This stuff seems to be touching people. The official website for Bill Champlin may be found at: https://www.billchamplin.com Top and Bottom (Bill & Tamara) Photos by Jim Orsetti
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