Play It Forward Episode 33

Listen to "Play It Forward Episode 33 Reaching Beyond The Norm" on Spreaker. Hey it’s Arroe. This is Play It Forward. A look at the unexpected changes endured by entertainers, writers, camera people and all others affected but not infected by the global invasion of the Coronavirus. Real people. Real stories. The struggle to Play It Forward. Episode 33: Reaching Beyond The Norm Since day one I’ve been convinced that the Coronavirus isn’t just a human thing but rather it’s inviting unspoken things forward. Like ghosts or spirits from a different world. Brandon Alvis from Ghost Hunters sits on the same page. The TV show is Saved By The Barn hosted by real life farmer Dan McKerman. Rule number one if you’re gonna talk about animals you’ve always got to bring up human connection. Ok we’ve talked about ghosts and animals what’s another beast that seems to be affecting our socially distanced self? A lack of baseball! Because he’s got a new book titled The Inside Game I talked with baseball analyst Keith Law about the what if factor. It the game could come back into play what would it look like.

Levi Watkins

Listen to "Levi Watkins Makes It To NBC's The Voice" on Spreaker. Levi grew up in a musical family, so it came as no surprise when he began singing and playing guitar. A few years ago, he needed some money in his pocket and started mowing lawns as a side hustle with one of his brothers. Outside of music and mowing, Levi helps out at his dad's all-natural ice pops chain. Levi has type 1 diabetes so he can't eat many ice pops, but he enjoys cutting up the fruit and working the machinery. Levi, a freshman in high school likes to stay busy and is ready to focus on music. Levi's performance on "The Voice" will be his first time performing for an audience.

KJ And Ebony From Sistas

Listen to "KJ Smith and Ebony Obsidian From Tyler Perry's Sistas" on Spreaker. It’s become appointment television viewing on BET. Tyler Perry’s Sistas follows a group of single black females as they navigate their “complicated love lives”, careers and friendship through the ups-and-downs of living in a modern world of social media and unrealistic relationship goals. The one-hour drama takes viewers on a roller coaster ride of emotions and hilarious moments that are the epitome of #squadgoals. Tyler Perry’s Sistas is executive produced, written and directed by Tyler Perry. It stars KJ Smith, Mignon, Ebony Obsidian, Novi Brown, DeVale Ellis, Chido Nwokocha, Anthony Dalton, Brian Jordan Jr. and Kevin Walton. Tallahassee-native KJ Smith stars as ‘Andrea (Andi) Barns.’ Her numerous credits include roles in Dynasty, Oprah’s Queen Sugar, Blackish, NCIS: LA, and Madea’s Family Funeral. Ebony Obsidian stars as ‘Karen Mott.’ The one-time journalism major can be seen as Michelle in the Netflix series Master of None and Adrienne in If Beale Street Could Talk. Ebony can also be seen as Nia in the upcoming Hulu series Wu-Tang: An American Saga and Carol in Amazon’s The Hunt

Karen Gravano

Listen to "Karen Gravano From MTV's Families Of The Mafia" on Spreaker. Karen Gravano (VH1’s “Mob Wives”), Karina Seabrook, Ramona Rizzo and Sammy “The Bull” Gravano * Karen’s father, Sammy “The Bull” Gravano, was the underboss of the Gambino crime family who ensured his family never wanted for anything—but nothing lasts forever. Despite their tumultuous past, Karen strives to ensure her daughter, Karina, stays on the right path and focuses on her future and not just her volatile boyfriend, Paulie. Meanwhile, Sammy is keeping tabs on both the women, trying to ensure the Gravanos living on Staten Island now fare better than those of yesteryear.

What If We Knew The Story

Listen to "What If We Knew The Story" on Spreaker. What are we eight weeks deep into a vat of fat dubbed social distancing? The moment someone tries to pull free and do something on their own they end up being pulled back. I've had bosses that admitted to loving that way of life. There's nothing worse then hauling around sacks of unexplained and useless weight. On this podcast we leap into a subject not being talked about. At first it's going to come to you a little quirky but in the end you could find yourself on a different journey toward locating answers. We've heard so much about the Spanish Flu of 1918. Watched the pictures of the people gathering. Heard the modern reporters putting their own spin on something that up until recently remained a secret in many cities. They didn't want to identify the exact number of those lost. I do believe in one thing. The Kevin Bacon six degrees of separation. That being said. In my Native American studies I learned very quickly that what we do today will affect and infect the next seven generations. Hold onto that for a moment. The next seven generations. That tells me. You. Me. Our circle of internet friends and family. Through the Kevin Bacon rules of six degrees of separation probably have been affected by the events lived out during the Spanish Flu. What if we knew the story? While daily writing this morning two important thoughts fell from the nib of my writing instrument. The first was "It's a day of renewal. A moment of continued trust. Now that you've leveled the dust." That was my general reaction to last nights horrible rainstorm and flash flooding. I literally felt like I was supposed to sit and listen to all of it at two this morning. In doing so I heard more than nature. It's a day of renewal. A moment of continued trust. Now that you've leveled the dust. Cleared eyes to see. Lungs that can breathe. The walk is forward. But what happens if finding focus at the center of the heart is wanting to reinvent the circumstance? Quote number two. What happens if finding focus at the center of the heart is wanting to reinvent the circumstance? This isn't about living in a past you can't change. It's not about declaring war on uncertainty. You're gonna lose that one. It's about renewing your relationship with uncertainty. Over the past two weeks two huge steps have been made in helping to bring peace to those suffering from Covid-19. Over the past eight weeks businesses have discovered brilliant ways to communicate better while delivering products they didn't know they could bring forward. The education system is communicating with students in mind blowing one on one ways that only seems like a disconnection but in the years ahead it will be fine tuned and perfected. Uncertainty? You are living history. Say it to yourself, "I am living history." Seven generations from today will they know the story?

Play It Forward Episode 32

Listen to "Play It Forward Episode 32 Fusion The New Normal With Jessica Vines" on Spreaker. Hey it’s Arroe. This is Play It Forward. A look at the unexpected changes endured by entertainers, writers, camera people and all others affected but not infected by the global invasion of the Coronavirus. Real people. Real stories. The struggle to Play It Forward. Episode 32: Fusion The New Normal As states slowly begin to ease their stay at home policies the average person is gonna move through several moments of fusion. Life as you know it now growing back into where you’d like to return. I’ve said it a million times who you were in January and February 2020 is not the person you’ll see sitting in the mirror by summers end. Someone who understands how the soul swings is singer/songwriter Jessica Vines whose new album Moving Too Fast grips the core of where we’d like to explore but we can’t leave out the roots of what brought us to this point. We talked about music’s gonna change and how those who love that live stage are gonna have to begin a process of building new relationship with promoters and club owners just to get on the bill. Plus what happens if it takes the shape of a new generation of gypsies? How will fans react when they won’t want to be in the nose bleed section anymore but rather up close and personal on line with those living room style settings with acoustic music? That’s Play It Forward. I’m Arroe

Ravenscroft

Listen to "Ralph From Ravenscroft Releases The Album See Through" on Spreaker. Ravenscroft is a seasoned foursome of musicians whose individual personalities and styles present raw, driven alternative rock. Inspired by the legends of the past as well as the trailblazers of today, the RC crew continues to show the world they are ready to dominate. Ravenscroft has been compared by their loyal fans to such giants as: I Prevail, Adelitas Way, Highly Suspect, Disturbed, Sevendust, and Godsmack. A list of rock legends that the band is proud to be included in. With their latest album See Through, Ravenscroft is poised to take the world by storm. Without compromising sound and not being limited by one style, Ravenscroft manages to explore an audio universe which delivers pounding metal riffs along with melodic ballads that captivate audiences and leaves them wanting more.

Ben Oliver

Listen to "Ben Oliver Releases The Book The Loop" on Spreaker. The perfect book while you wait for the next Hunger Games Scottish writer Benjamin Oliver has been writing long before he could spell. His hard work has paid off with the publication of his first Y/A novel, THE LOOP (published by Chicken House/Scholastic on April 7th). A chilling tale set in a futuristic death row for teens wherein every inmate has the option to push back their execution date if they opt into scientific and medical experiments. But when, artificial intellegence takes over the outside world Luka Kane realizes that breaking out of the Loop might be his only chance to save himself and everyone he loves. It's Luka's sixteenth birthday and he's been inside The Loop for over two years. Rumors of a war on the outside are spreading amongst the inmates, and before they know it, their tortuous routine becomes disrupted. The government issued rain stops falling. Strange things are happening to the guards. And it's not long until the inmates are left alone inside the prison. In a thrilling shift, he must overcome fellow prisoners hell-bent on killing him, the warden losing her mind, the rabid rats in the train tunnels, and a population turned into murderous monsters to try and break out of The Loop, save his family, and discover who is responsible for the chaos that has been inflicted upon the world. Perfect for fans of The Fifth Wave and The Darkest Minds, THE LOOP will keep readers on the edge of their seats from start to finish.

Novi Brown And Magnon

Listen to "Novi Brown and Mignon From Tyler Perry's Sistas" on Spreaker. It’s become appointment television viewing on BET. Tyler Perry’s Sistas follows a group of single black females as they navigate their “complicated love lives”, careers and friendship through the ups-and-downs of living in a modern world of social media and unrealistic relationship goals. The one-hour drama takes viewers on a roller coaster ride of emotions and hilarious moments that are the epitome of #squadgoals. Tyler Perry’s Sistas is executive produced, written and directed by Tyler Perry. It stars KJ Smith, Mignon, Ebony Obsidian, Novi Brown, DeVale Ellis, Chido Nwokocha, Anthony Dalton, Brian Jordan Jr. and Kevin Walton. Originally from Washington DC with Creole heritage and a Georgia upbringing, Mignon is a Southern story teller and actress. With a B.A. in Film studies from Pepperdine University and extensive production experience, Mignon is no stranger to the industry. Though she is comfortable in front of and behind the camera, acting has always been her first love. Her original short film 42 Seconds, which she wrote, directed, executive produced, and starred in won Best Director at the Women in Film and Television, Atlanta Short Film Showcase. Born in the beautiful city of Berlin, Germany, Novi Brown has been traveling the world since in the womb. Through her many adventures, she derived a special joy for storytelling, which lead her to the arts. After starting with piano lessons and children's theatre, Novi instinctively knew this was her destiny, so she asked her mother to enroll her in the Young Actors Program at the world-famous Lee Strasberg Acting School, New York. After high school, seeking to continue developing her craft, Novi enrolled in a Bachelor of Theatre Arts at The City College of New York. She graduated Magna Cum Laude in 2011. It was in college that her modeling career began to take off, helping her land international contracts. With her eye on the next stage in her career, Novi moved to Los Angeles to produce her own content and to focus fulltime on performing.

Just Ten More Minutes

Listen to "Just Ten More Minutes" on Spreaker. I don't know where to begin. Only because during my daily writing this morning put the best part of the handwritten conversation in the final thought. My discipline is three pages. That's it no more. There are other journals that are to be used. Not these. Talk about treating your creative self like a child right? On this podcast I put a ton of energy into the final thought of today's writing. Now... Before you judge or your inner feelings of belief get heated up and you want to fire back. Look at the entire picture. The written out thought was: The distance of a day is still only twenty four hours yet the way we play a lifetime could last just ten more minutes. What? The distance of a day is still only twenty four hours yet the way we play a lifetime could last just ten more minutes. Here we go. Lets dive into this. This is where the real test begins. Today, a portion of the county to which I live is reopening. Some businesses and recreational areas. I'm not trying to put into place a wall of protection but a willingness to learn without anxiety stepping forward. The distance of a day is still only twenty four hours yet the way we play a lifetime could last just ten more minutes. I grip the fact that we've got to get moving. After my heart attack in 2009 the hospital had me up walking the next day. The picture I hold is how odd I always feel watching war movies and action packed dramas with big guns, huge car crashes and buildings falling down. You see I have feelings for every person including the extras used in those scenes to make it look real. My weakness in life is developing a feeling for the pain those characters went through so the hero could walk away into the sunset. Just an observation from a present place of getting it back on. Has that curve been flattened yet? The distance of a day is still only twenty four hours yet the way we play a lifetime could last just ten more minutes. Which hero is gonna walk away into the sunset?

Play It Forward Episode 31

Listen to "Play It Forward Episode 31 The Voices" on Spreaker. Hey it’s Arroe. This is Play It Forward. A look at the unexpected changes endured by entertainers, writers, camera people and all others affected but not infected by the global invasion of the Coronavirus. Real people. Real stories. The struggle to Play It Forward. Episode 31: The Voices Imagine making it past the Blind Auditions on NBC’s The Voice. That first initial push through an eighteen season mountain. The Battle Rounds then the Knockout. In years past I’ve had a blast talking to each of the singer/songwriters and performers about the huge collaborations that took shape due to The Voice. This year so much has been silenced by The Virus. Covid-19. Allegra Miles is 16 years. She sees the show as a power connection and escape for viewers. Joei Fulco has started to make her mark on the music front. Helping her to keep strong during these days of social distancing is her connection to Martial Arts. Michael Williams is a songwriter that loves to share stories. That instantly grabbed my attention because in a recent Dolly Parton Podcast I learned the songs that shaped the early days of Country music were actually used like a newspaper getting the word out. That’s Play It Forward I’m Arroe

Gtar Phil

Listen to "Gtar Phil From GoGo Tuner Reaches Beyond Blues" on Spreaker. Life rarely follows one path so directly. Nashville-based guitar maestro Phil Hughley knows this fact intimately; during his childhood in Shaker Heights, Ohio, Hughley saw Eric Clapton perform on television, and he fell in love with the guitar. It changed his life. He spent his adolescence learning everything he could musically, studying guitar and learning how to bend it to his will. While music embedded itself in his soul, Hughley’s path lead him away from his true passion and to The United States Military Academy—until one fateful night while on patrol. Hughley had a vision—his fourteen-year-old self stood before him, and reminded him that music was his true calling. He left West Point to attend Cleveland State University in Ohio, and returned to the arts. In 2007, Hughley moved to Nashville to pursue his dream and became a go-to session player and perennial sideman, in studios and on stages across the country with the likes of CeCe Winans, TajMo (the collaborative venture of Keb’ Mo’ and Taj Mahal), and The McCrary Sisters, earning himself two Dove award nominations for writing and producing in the process. Now, it’s time for Hughley to step away from the side and into the spotlight as Gtar Phil & The Chank with the release of his new EP, Worker Bee, a collection of blues-inspired, Americana-leaning gems—another deviation from the path. In spite of his rock and funk background, Hughley found himself veering into a new musical lane, under the encompassing umbrella of Americana music. And Americana music needs a voice like Phil Hughley’s.

Mike Mostert

Listen to "Mike Mostert The Coronavirus Won't Silence His Art" on Spreaker. The one thing I've really seen a lot of during social distancing is how incredibly close musicians are getting with their fans and followers. It's over the internet but I swear it's never been so personal. A new age of music meeting those who receive it has been given birth. Another side of the picture also showcases an amazing journey of how the singer/songwriters are sharing the full stories of their families and how they walked the path toward this present place. This means so much to me because there are multitudes of cultures around the world that are losing their family legacy because those growing into a pair of adult shoes don't see such a preservation as being where they want to stand now. One problem. In the years ahead when it becomes important and the elders are gone. The only thing you'll hold are memories which can easily be bent to fit any story. Mike Mostert shares with us his families experiences. Which will be held tightly into the digital wavs of this platform as a way of inspiring other families to do the same. If you don't want to write the history. Record it. Grow it forward.

Dyson

Listen to "Dyson Showcases Her Songs On NBC's Songland" on Spreaker. Hailing from a small town in the UK, Dyson made the move to London at 17 to hustle her way into the music industry. She moved to Sweden at 24 to explore the Swedish pop writing scene, which she feels fully shaped her as a songwriter. She went on to write for a K-pop group, Girls Generation. Her most notable writing credits are for the K-Pop group BTS, which helped her achieve two Billboard #1 albums. Thanks to her success in the K-Pop world, she made the move to write in Los Angeles a few years ago.

The Lyrics From Billy's Forest Chapter 199

Listen to "The Lyrics From Billys Forest Chapter 199" on Spreaker. Being transparent has always been my walk. Not always a good place to stand. Not everybody wants to tune into where reality currently hangs its hat. Growing up my parents were always extremely honest. When times were bad Dad let us know about it. When times were good we were eating at the nearest family restaurant. The Lyrics from Billy's Forest is nothing more than the words that move through me while sitting inside these trees in South Charlotte,NC. We've been together for twenty eight years. The transparency of this story is based on the whereabouts of how this Coronavirus is going to play out. Economically how will it hit all nations? There's no room for big talk and or fantasy visions. It's time to buckle down and prepare for what could be a division. On this podcast I honestly speak of my hidden fears about this forest. Because I can't predict the full impact of this moment in human history the heart can't help but find wonder if the trees and I are on the edge of a new beginning? I come here to breathe. To listen. To study. To participate with. Will those that follow me love this lay of land or dot on the map as much as a poet that found something to write about for nearly three decades? I come to the forest to let go. To which I ask you where yours is located. Is there a place in your yard or home that rejuvenates your mind body and soul? Where do you grow newly designed empowered shoes to get through the crumbles of a world we once knew? Where are you locating air? Maybe its time you let people know where it is. So much of you is left in that place over and over. Your energy never disappears. Only the days on the calendar.

Play It Forward Episode 30

Listen to "Play It Forward Episode 30 The What If Factor" on Spreaker. Hey it’s Arroe. This is Play It Forward. A look at the unexpected changes endured by entertainers, writers, camera people and all others affected but not infected by the global invasion of the Coronavirus. Real people. Real stories. The struggle to Play It Forward. Episode 30: The What If Factor Tyler Perry’s Sistas has returned to BET. It’s one of the most down to earth relatable dramas without officially labeling it Reality TV. Because so many people are affected by the deep rooted storylines I wanted to know how the characters of Karen and Andie played by Ebony Osidian and KJ Smith would react if they were forced into social distancing during a pandemic… Probably one of the coolest most original shows on the flat screen today is Prop Culture where the show’s host and fellow movie memorabilia collector Dan Lanigan shares the story of how a particular prop became part of very popular film. I turned it around on him. Being that collector if this Covid-19 crisis were a movie is there something from this moment that you’d want to collect? Keeping true to the theme of today’s Play It Forward, the what if factor truly plays out for singer/songwriter Mitch Perry. What if you write a new piece of music and it ends up being an amazing uplifting collection of lyrics and riffs that help inspire and influences listeners trapped inside their homes and or overtaken by anxiety. The song is called Believe. That’s Play It Forward I’m Arroe

Lauren Martinez

Listen to "Lauren Martinez from Songland On NBC" on Spreaker. Lauren grew up in Albuquerque and started playing piano at 3 and began singing at 9. Lauren graduated high school in less than two years to focus on music. She moved to California to study music but decided to leave and immerse herself in the music industry instead. Lauren has experienced some success with a song called “Paper Doll,” which played on Spotify’s New Music Friday and had song syncs on a few TV shows. Lauren is also a painter and sells paintings and painted jackets on Instagram.

Scott Evans

Listen to "Scott Evans From The Movie Almost Love" on Spreaker. A romantic comedy about a group of friends navigating love, life, and relationships as they reach the mid-point. At the heart of the story is Adam (Scott Evans), a talented painter now stuck ghost painting for successful contemporary artist Ravella Brewer (Patricia Clarkson). He and Marklin (Augustus Prew) are at the five-year mark of their relationship. They don't have kids, they're not married, and are face to face with the existential question "Is that all there is?" Their friend circle is confronting the same question in a whole host of ways: Elizabeth (Kate Walsh), Adam's best friend, is at the 15 year mark of her marriage, ready to bail when she discovers her husband's inappropriate text relationship with a younger woman; friend Cammy (Michelle Buteau) is dating Henry (Colin Donnell), but they never leave the house; Haley (Zoe Chao) is trying to figure out if her feelings for Scott James (Christopher Gray) are maternal or something more. Everyone's a bit of a mess, but at the same time eternally optimistic at finding new ways to make things work. Here's the trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VAwGG1yzdw4

Pod-Crashing Episode 53

Listen to "Pod-Crashing Episode 53 The Writing Instrument" on Spreaker. Pod-Crashing Episode 53 The Writing Instrument Making your voice last longer than a three hour Capitol building protest. We’ve all seen the 5 o’clock news and saw in the end that decision makers weren’t moved. I posted on Facebook. Sometimes we have to be reminded of how important a Writing Instrument is. We can easily get lost in a sea of protest banners and other people’s loud voices without realizing that you were will probably never be recognized for being there. With a Writing Instrument you can release you. Then take it to a long lasting podcast or blog. The reach is well beyond a protest on the streets of Anywhere America. Be your own leader and locate your voice in an age where its time that you accept the role of being a leader. Pick up a Writing Instrument and start a movement. Ok… let’s get serious. Another great reason to add Podcast Magazine to your frontline of gaining access to unending content is to learn all you can about truly participating with where your voice can make a difference. The founder of the magazine recently unveiled valuable information about the reality of where podcasting presently stands. There are officially 1 million podcasts available. Wow! Sounds like we should be shouting in the streets like a wild party on Saturday. Not according to Steve. While other industries find such a place on the map as a victory the truer picture of is has become two different faces. Of those 1 million podcasts only 47% are active. So that drops the number down to 470,000. Wait… Out that number only 46% have more than ten episodes. Which we talked about on this very podcast in the early days. I called the episode Unlucky 7. It was inspired by how I was seeing most getting into podcasting barely making it to their seventh episode. So according to Steve Olsher’s report there are in essence 216,000 podcasts proving to have longevity. Which he sees as the perfect opportunity to keep pushing your podcast forward. Stephen does predict that by years end there’ll be 1.5 million podcasts, which he sees turning into a huge billion dollar business. Why wouldn’t you support the cause by participating with the movement? Yes there’s a lot of pressure being put on podcasters living up to the performance but you can push through it by showing up more than ten episodes a year. Know what podcasting is. Grow with where podcasting will be tomorrow. Reach beyond the moment and be heard. Don’t do just a sports show with last nights scores. Build your connection with stories that can still be heard ten years from now. I get it binge watching television is a hot issue but make it real by keeping it locked on forward motion. Podcasting isn’t really about what’s happening Now. Maybe, if you’re lucky ten people might check in for a daily Hollywood update. Two weeks from today they’ll be labeling you old news. So what’s the moral of the story? Podcasting is a tough life. We’re all struggling to get through this Coronavirus mess. Gotta keep the episodes fresh and using Zoom, Skype and Google Meeting aren’t giving you that edge of perfection. You’ll never be great at this business until you listen to the radio like a listener. If everything you’re doing in a production room is how you think they’re picking up your podcast, you’re 100 miles off the path. The trustiest moment of the spoken word is right now. If you do your homework and showcase a little love for promotion your message will reach the people you’re trying to affect. Social Distancing will never go away. Which means the best way to be up close and personal with your daily listeners is to speak their street. Know their language. Lead because you’re one of them and not someone trying to tell us how we should feel.

Don't Lose Control

Listen to "Don't Lose Control" on Spreaker. Now that the daily number of Coronavirus deaths aren't earth movingly high in New York newsrooms across the nation are reaching toward the new story. Oh I know! Lets put focus on the mental conditions caused by the impact of these forty plus days of social distancing. I've been begging for this news day approach for seven weeks. Now they're just getting to here? I spoke last week with a national narcotics officer who laid it on the line. "Opioid use is going to skyrocket. Starting first with young adults then moving through the age groups." That was a tough pill to swallow. Can I say that? On this podcast we break open a new can of awareness. Beliefs. How I believe shouldn't be compared to how you believe. What each of us has experienced is only part of the lesson. We can share the moments all day but can we do it without having to judge another persons character? I put up on social media yesterday my beliefs. The reopening of businesses in some states is legalized gambling. They are gambling with human life. Then I followed it with two completely different waves of thought. 1. The only guarantee we have is Gods word. 2. What does such a thought mean to a non-believer? Wait! Shouldn't we have to define what a non-believer is first? Make this a mantra. Don't judge because someone might not see you're point of view. Listen to their belief. If it doesn't sit well. Walk away. Don't shove your word down someone's personal experience. Each of our beliefs may not be in harmony but it doesn't make anyone a non-believer. I believe the world hasn't endured the full impact of the Coronavirus shut down. The sickness is only part of the story. I'm not in fear but I am aware of what could happen economically. Because I believe in being prepared my circle of loved ones are beginning to prepare for what might become. Belief. You don't have to believe. You have you're own beliefs to which I respect. So... why did I have to bring up the world of news in the beginning? They're delivering stories about how you are or might soon feel mentally. They are planting seeds. Oh its a bad day. I guess I should be stressed because the news people said it so. Don't lose control. I meditate a lot. I use meditation frequency music you can get free on YouTube. You don't have to meditate. You may not believe in it. I'm ok with that. I only suggest it so that can have five minutes away from Top 40 and Country Music to make your own choice of how you want to feel. Don't lose control of that need to be in control. Be aware of how you feel. You decide if its what you feel. You aren't new to the world of survival. Your tool box has the right words.

Sarah Knight

Listen to "Sarah Knight Releases The Book F No" on Spreaker. We’ve all been there. The co-worker who always asks you to donate to the latest worthy cause, the wedding invite for a couple you barely know, your bff who never seems capable of carrying her own stuff when you go out. Its maddening and so often makes you feel frustrated because you always say yes! With her characteristic humor, bestselling author, Sarah Knight deals self-help with an edge and shows us the way out of the yes trap. Learn techniques to help you master the 4 different kinds of “no’s”, like: The Hard No- simple direct and non-negotiable This could be a straightforward No, a more pleasant No thank you, or a raised-eyebrow I think not. In any case, your content and delivery should imply that this is the end of the conversation. · The Professional No (The Pro-No) Sprinkle professional phrases like As it happens, Regrettably, and Upon consideration into your emails—or, for higher degree of difficulty, learn how to say them in the moment, in person, and with a straight face. · The No-and-Switch Did you know you can say no to one thing but offer an alternative thing THAT YOU PREFER? Indeed you can, Stan! The No-and-Switch is great for those times when you not only don’t want to hurt someone’s feelings, but you also actually do want to do some- thing with/for them, just not in the specific manner or time- frame they originally suggested. · The No That Leaves the Door Open Wishy-washy no’s that keep you from having to commit to commitments are a waste of time. You shouldn’t leave someone dangling, but if you want to decline now, but not entirely close off one of those opportunities for fun or profit later, then this is your no, Joe

Jordan Wiseley

Listen to "Jordan Wiseley From MTV's The Challenge Is Back" on Spreaker. The show that invented the reality competition genre is back for its 35th season with The Challenge: Total Madness airing Wednesday nights on MTV. Following a successful season of “War of the Worlds 2,” the explosive new season returns to a solo game format where no one is safe and it’s every traitor for themselves. Twenty-eight players (including 21 veterans and seven rookies) will face the most insane and strenuous challenges ever devised in pursuit of the $1 million-dollar prize. With a shocking twist and grueling mental warfare, who will take home the million dollars and who will succumb to madness? Jordan Wisely is a six-time competitor on The Challenge and also the reigning champion who emerged victorious after last season’s The Challenge: War of the Worlds 2. The 29-year-old actor and fashion designer from Oklahoma first rose to fame as a cast member on MTV’s The Real World: Portland. Now Jordan puts it all on the line as he competes in the biggest – and possibly, most dangerous – version of The Challenge in the show’s 22-year history.

Play It Forward Episode 29

Listen to "Play It Forward Episode 29 Covid-19 The Next Wave Of Opioid Addiction" on Spreaker. Hey it’s Arroe. This is Play It Forward. A look at the unexpected changes endured by entertainers, writers, camera people and all others affected but not infected by the global invasion of the Coronavirus. Real people. Real stories. The struggle to Play It Forward. Episode 29: From Covid-19 The Next Wave Of Opioid Addiction The reality behind the reality is that we’re still in the midst of the Opioid Epidemic. With nowhere to go during the pandemic, many young adults have turned to drugs to relieve their boredom and stress. A new online tool helps parents learn to identify hidden red flags of drug use in their home. Joe Abdalla is a 30-year veteran of the D.C. Metro Police Drug Enforcement Division, and Current Executive Director of Code 3. The goal is to help teach you what to check for. The warning signs of drug are right in front of you.

Michael Williams

Listen to "Michael Williams Makes It To NBC's The Voice" on Spreaker. Michael asked for voice lessons for Christmas when he was 6. His parents were surprised by the request since they lived in a small town where their life revolved around sports, but they agreed to pay for the lessons. Shortly after, Michael got involved in community theater and began performing at local events. At 10, Michael was diagnosed with a digestive disease that kept him from playing sports, so he relied on music even more. He is now starting his second year singing at the local amusement park and enjoys singing all different genres. Michael comes to “The Voice” ready to experience music outside of his small town.

Val Walker

Listen to "Val Walker Releases The Book 400 Friends And No One To Call" on Spreaker. While social media enables us to make connections with more people than ever before, social isolation is a growing epidemic in the United States. The National Science Foundation reported in 2014 that the number of Americans with no close friends has tripled since 1985, and an unprecedented number of Americans are living alone, particularly people over sixty. Meanwhile, the youngest generations among us - Generation Z and Millennials - report being the loneliest despite their high consumption of social media. As it turns out, we can have hundreds of “friends” on social media without having any meaningful connections whatsoever. This unhappy realization also hit Val Walker, author of 400 FRIENDS AND NO ONE TO CALL: Breaking Through Isolation and Building Community (a Central Recovery Press paperback, on sale March 26, 2020), when she found herself stranded after a major surgery. A well-established rehabilitation counselor, she was too embarrassed to reveal on social media how utterly isolated she was by asking for someone to help. As she recovered, Val found her voice and developed a plan of action for those seeking to heal from the pain of isolation and created a solid strategy for rebuilding support. Drawing on both her own experience as well as the accounts of others who overcame their own isolating ordeals, Walker encourages us to break through our isolation and build community by: Finding one empathetic person to talk to. Openly admitting to a comforting person (a friend, a therapist, or even a compassionate voice on a warmline) that we are lonely is a vital step to breaking out of the shame and social stigma of loneliness. Seeking meetups or support groups with those in similar situations. What isolates us can also become the force that unites us. Whether we are contending with social anxiety, loss of a loved one, illnesses, addictions, divorce, or any number of isolating issues, Meetup.com, www.211.org, and other platforms often feature groups for others grappling with similar issues. Staying open-minded and not too fixated on who fits our “tribe.” It is often surprising who welcomes us into their world when we aren’t trying so hard to find the “right” group to belong to. Offering our help to others. Ironically, we gather support by giving support. This is why volunteering is a solid way to build social networks. Persevering and not taking rejection personally. Many people might not be interested in developing a new friendship or maybe they have put their social lives on the backburner. Don’t give up! With persistence, we will find others who are looking to expand their networks, as well. Encouraging us to befriend our loneliness and validate our need to search for more support, Walker compassionately yet realistically shows us how to build our networks with more meaningful connections. An essential read for anyone who has ever felt lonely in a crowd or isolated in their unique circumstances, 400 FRIENDS AND NO ONE TO CALL will inspire even the loneliest among us to seek more fulfilling relationships.

Ryan Jay Reviews

Listen to "Just Another Day With Ryan Jay Episode 042420" on Spreaker. An Australian Western movie? The True History Of The Kelly Gang. Out this weekend but does it truly entertain a quarantined viewing audience? Although the film says its not a true story, Ryan extended his reach and located many connections that made this gang extremely real. Also new this weekend on Netflix is Extraction which he says is the perfect rocker for your passion to sit in front of the huge flat screen. Plus you know Ryan and I get wrapped up in a lot of great content talk about everything life with all its different layers of style.

What Is your Jazz

Listen to "What Is Your Jazz" on Spreaker. There used to be a time when anything with sound drove me insane. It must be a radio thing. Sitting in a production studio trying to craft a great feature and or commercial and the commotion outside the door bled onto the recording tape or digital device. I had to start over. Time I wasn't going to get back. On this podcast we travel into that area again by looking at noise as being a tool more than an interruption. During these days of social distancing and having to work from home with your spouse in one room and kids and animals in another there really isn't anything more bothersome than having to deal with an atmosphere you aren't used to. I invite you to pause. Go to YouTube and listen to Jazz. Learning to look beyond sound teaches your senses how to be less affected by the collaboration of all things in your moment of Now. Jazz isn't a concept. Its an exploration into a huge wilderness of opportunity. Look around you. Everything inside these Coronavirus days has gained the identity of a new texture. Business is done differently. Churches lead in ways that were once seen only as a lazy persons walk without having to step into a church. Now its the only connection. New games are being played on Zoom by family members you haven't see in awhile. The new Jazz. It's not the way you're used to. During my early years of Top 40 Radio I cringed at the idea of listening to anything outside of popularity. A totally out of control selfish way to accept music. One morning while daily writing in my journals I took note of every sound coming to life at 4:30 am. My birds, the shower, the owls outside, early departing airplane zooming over the house combined with traffic reporters in helicopters near the crowded highway. And in that moment of Now I realized it somehow fit together. I took the experience to music. First, I admit I don't listen to the lyrics of a song. I don't hear them. I'm completely tuned in to the bass guitar and drums then everything else associated. Vocals aren't present. Until you realize how important each word is to the process of the reach. It becomes your Jazz. If you ever have time, listen to what's beyond my thoughts on the podcast. You can hear my doves and Blue Crowned Conure. You can hear the occasional lawnmower or the mailman driving by the house. Jazz. The sound of the universe. If all you want is perfect silence you're truly missing out on the better connection. Trust me your listeners or clients aren't sitting in padded studios or offices expecting the perfect pitch. Being out of tune brings forward your artist self. Trust in the Jazz.

Play It Forward Episode 28

Listen to "Play It Forward Episode 28 Diagnosed With Corii From NBC's Songland" on Spreaker. Hey it’s Arroe. This is Play It Forward. A look at the unexpected changes endured by entertainers, writers, camera people and all others affected but not infected by the global invasion of the Coronavirus. No wait. This episode is different. Corii has Covid-19 The goal is to feature two different types of episodes. The individual conversations as well as a collected array of the entire picture. Real people. Real stories. The struggle to Play It Forward. Episode 28: Diagnosed The world got an incredible glimpse of Corii’s songwriting and unforgettable vocal skills this past week on NBC’s Songland. Unlike any other music competition this is a collaboration of well experienced talent getting the opportunity to create side by side with some of the strongest visionaries within the industry today. One twist. Add to the special mix of fun is legendary Latin artist Luis Fonsi. While we patiently enjoyed each and every song presented to the four, what nobody knew on the outside of Corii’s four walls is that she had just been diagnosed with Covid-19. We need to stop for a moment. Covid-19 has been labeled by many within the masses as being the old people’s virus. Corii isn’t even 30 year yet. I’m Arroe and that’s Play It Forward.

Dr Sid

Listen to "Dr Siddhartha Mukherjee From The Docu-Series The Gene" on Spreaker. Groundbreaking treatments will improve the lives of millions of people — potentially treating diseases like sickle cell — but there are worries that scientists will take gene-editing technology too far, using it to modify germline DNA in order to enhance certain traits deemed “preferable.” As THE GENE demonstrates, those fears have already been realized: in November 2018, Chinese researcher He Jiankui stunned and horrified the scientific community with an announcement: he had created the first genetically edited babies, twin girls born in China — a medically unnecessary procedure accomplished well before scientists had fully considered the consequences of altering the human genome. “These revolutionary discoveries highlight the awesome responsibility we have to make wise decisions, not just for people alive today, but for generations to come,” says Dr. Mukherjee. “At this pivotal moment when scientists find themselves in a new era in which they’re able to control and change the human genome, THE GENE offers a nuanced understanding of how we arrived at this point and how genetics will continue to influence our fates.” Co-executive produced by filmmaker Ken Burns, the two-part, four hour documentary weaves together science, history and personal stories for a historical biography of the human genome. THE GENE includes interviews with pioneers in the field along with compelling, emotional stories of contemporary patients and their families who find themselves in a desperate race against time to find cures for their genetic diseases, while documenting the thorny ethical questions some of these new treatments raise. Dr. Siddhartha Mukherjee is assistant professor of medicine at the Department of Medicine (Oncology), Columbia University and staff cancer physician at Columbia University Irving Medical Center. He’s also the Pulitzer Prize winning author of Emperor of All Maladies, the definitive work on the history and science of cancer.

Dr Jim Bell

Listen to "Dr Jim Bell 2018 Releases The Book Hubble Legacy" on Spreaker. Looking deep into space, by definition, means looking back in time—and the Hubble Space Telescope can look very far back, including at stars, nebulae, and galaxies that are millions, even billions, of years old. If there is a single legacy of Hubble as it turns 30 years old and nears the end of its useful life, it is this: It has done more to chronicle the origin and evolution of the known universe than any other instrument ever created. Hubble has also captured an astounding collection of ultraviolet images that include geysers of solar light, Mars’ famous dust storms, exploding stars, solar flares, globular clusters, and actual galaxies colliding. As for scientific milestones, Hubble has helped us learn that the universe is 13.8 billion years old, that just about every large galaxy features a black hole at its center, and that it's possible to create 3-D maps of dark matter. This definitive book will not only feature the most stunning imagery captured by the telescope, but also explain how Hubble has advanced our understanding of the universe and our very creation.

Brian Wheat From Tesla

Listen to "Brian Wheat From Tesla Talks About 5 Man London Jam" on Spreaker. The legendary American rock band TESLA has released their new live album, Five Man London Jam worldwide. The album is a live performance of some their most iconic songs from their catalog. Five Man London Jam was recorded and filmed in 4K high-definition as an homage to their critically acclaimed and highly influential Top 20 platinum album Five Man Acoustical Jam. Five Man London Jam will be available in multiple formats including Blu-ray, 2LP vinyl, CD and digitally. Produced by TESLA, Five Man London Jam is being released in conjunction with the group’s upcoming North American tour dates that will run throughout 2020. The recording of this live album took place when TESLA visited the famed iconic recording studio Abbey Road Studios for a one-night musical event capturing the band performing songs from their legendary arsenal including “Love Song” and “What You Give” along with their classic covers of “Signs” and “We Can Work It Out.” Additionally, the band performed live for the first-time-ever their new song “California Summer Song” from their latest album Shock including “Tied To The Tracks” and “Forever Loving You.”

No More Labels

Listen to "No More Labels" on Spreaker. While in prayer this morning this thought fell from my journey moving forward "A question of who and what is really in control of the human need." Obviously I must have spent some time reading CNN.com, ABCNEWS.com and visited a local television station website and none of them are on the same page. Is it journalism or are we satisfied with getting points of view. I'm extremely guilty of putting stuff on social media with all strings connected to something that's been experienced. It doesn't make me a top dog reporter or a valued go to guy for the news but every level of the industry is going in multitudes of direction with no true solid line of these are the facts. No wonder anxiety levels are starting to bring medical experts to the new front line. I have three interviews today with people that deal with where so many real people with real problems are headed and one of them is a doctor that foresees a huge rise in Opioid use in America. Young adults are looking for a quick release from these uncertain times and what do you think they're reaching for? A question of who and what is really in control of the human need. One of the hardest hit most invisible places of what will probably never be talked about is what its going to be like for regular people to return to an eight hour job under the strict control of a company that needs performers to keep the company out of bankruptcy. What are you doing as an employee of any business to recondition yourself for your return to Corporate rules and structure? I'm on day 37 of quarantine. Our Zoom meetings are amazing because each of us involved in every project are equal. There are absolutely 100 percent no labels. We're all playing the same game with no company ladder to wave in your process of building success. Once you get back will you return to fearing that email or phone call from the boss to see him or her in their office? Will you be more giving to the company purely gripped by the fear of if you don't you'll be fired? No more labels! We need to learn from this social distancing that we all bring something to the center of the story and in order to regain a relationship with clients it has to start with being who the client is freshly delivered to a new world. No more labels. We must remain equal.

Play It Forward Episode 27

Listen to "Play It Forward Episode 27 The Multiple Sides Of Storytelling" on Spreaker. Hey it’s Arroe. This is Play It Forward. A look at the unexpected changes endured by entertainers, writers, camera people and all others affected but not infected by the global invasion of the Coronavirus. The goal is to feature two different types of episodes. The individual conversations as well as a collected array of the entire picture. Real people. Real stories. The struggle to Play It Forward. Episode 27: The Multiple Sides Of Storytelling Steely Dan has been famously known for their incredible blend of Jazz/Rock fusion. Bring a more mass appeal to the process of their story have been the lyrics. Storylines that fans and followers found themselves carrying with them well beyond listening to the albums. Music Historian Jez Rowden digs in a little deeper… Coming from the hardcore roots of the Blues and beyond has been an adventure filled growing period for guitarist Gtar Phil. Tapping into the positive stage rather than a negative department is how to push sound forward. What happens if your first big break in music is on NBC’s The Voice? We asked Anaya Cheyenne about the best way to move forward when everything around you has been shut down. That’s Play It Forward I’m Arroe

Raven Goodwin

Listen to "Raven Goodwin From The Clark Sisters First Ladies Of Gospel" on Spreaker. Executive producers and Grammy Award winners Queen Latifah, Mary J. Blige and Missy Elliott present the authorized musical tale of the Clark Sisters in Lifetime’s original movie The Clark Sisters: First Ladies of Gospel. Having sold millions of albums and credited with bringing Gospel music to the mainstream, the five Clark sisters overcame humble beginnings in Detroit, enduring abuse, loss, rejection, betrayal, and sibling rivalries to achieve international fame as icons of the Gospel music industry. Raven Goodwin stars as Denise Clark and TV viewers will recognize her from her starring roles in TV series such as Showtime’s Golden Globe-nominated SMILF; BET’s Being Mary Jane; and Disney Channel’s Good Luck Charlie. She also had a recurring role in the Fox’s hit musical series Glee. On the big screen, Raven appeared in films such as Snatched with Goldie Hawn and Amy Schumer; Lovely & Amazing and The Station Agent. Raven can discuss what made the story of the Clark Sisters such an emotional and inspirational story; working with music icons Queen Latifah, Mary J. Blige and Missy Elliott; and what people can expect from the new movie

Jenny Boyd

Listen to "Jenny Boyd Releases The Book Jennifer Juniper" on Spreaker. When fashion and pop culture intersected during the Swinging '60's in London, she was swept up into both worlds. A promising young model for cutting edge designers, she worked in Carnaby Street by day and danced at the city's most popular clubs at night where the music of the best of the British Invasion was showcased. She was Beatle George Harrison's (and later Eric Clapton's) sister-in-law, she married Mick Fleetwood, founder member of Fleetwood Mac, twice, and she was entrenched in the rock 'n roll world of fame, money, drugs and betrayal. She accompanied The Beatles to Rishikesh in Northern India in 1968 to study meditation at the ashram of the Maharishi Mahesh Yogi and worked in the Beatles' Apple boutique in London. It was during her 10-year marriage to rock and jazz drummer Ian Wallace that Jenny Boyd stopped her rock and roll lifestyle and went back to school, becoming a research psychologist and author with a Ph.D in Human Behavior. Bridging her two disparate paths, her Ph.D dissertation about musicians and the creative process morphed into a book that was first published in 1992 and later updated and reissued in the US and UK in 2014 under the title IT'S NOT ONLY ROCK 'N' ROLL. She has effectively lived two lives, both of them extraordinary.

PipoBeat

Listen to "PipoBeat Wins With Sway On NBC's Songland" on Spreaker. The very opening seconds PipoBeat began to unveil his song Sway on NBC's Songland fans of the show globally knew they had just been introduced to a new music movement. Adding to that mix of energy was Luis Fonsi who truly knows how to make not only a live audience sway to the music but those tuning in on every digital platform on the planet. PipoBeat not only talks about the songs origin and journey toward NBC but opens the door for us to get to know him, his music and passion to bring people together through the energy of sound.

Wht If The Planet Needed A Rest

Listen to "What If The Planet Needed Rest" on Spreaker. I walked into the morning air at 5:30 am and literally heard four owls tossing vocals back and forth through the forest. Loud, robust, vibrant and message making. Because I've studied animal spirituality for decades I did take a moment to sit and listen. To become part of the circle of conversation. The owls visit means conserve your energy until the times right. Be observant of your surroundings. Owls normally sit in silence. Remove yourself from the noise. Remember owls can see through darkness. Heavy heavy right? Our days have been overtaken by something we can't see nor can our bank accounts predict. Uncertainty is generating a new wave of anxiety to which we are seeing at our state capitols. Exercising that voice is what we've always done. Until election day or the moment Johnny's school is holding a fund raiser and they need some funding to buy books or sports equipment. Then that voice tends to lean in an opposite direction. First... I grasp the get back to work drive. I want this nation to be stronger than what it was in January and February 2020. My only question is based on where have these protesters been for the other problems we've endured as people? I'm not challenging anyone to do anything but be themselves beyond this moment of speaking out and vocalizing freely. On this podcast we talk about the message of the owl. Mainly because its Earth Day. What? Yeah people used to protest for that too. But found reason to continue ripping down the trees and planting taller buildings and homes too large for the human to use. A couple of days ago a friend sent me a note expressing his love for the planet. He felt that maybe all of this is nothing more than the earth grabbing us by the nap of the neck and saying, "Ironman is a false idol and so is Tom Brady. Give me ten minutes of rest and we can get you back on the road." But no! We've chosen to fight the invisible beast. To take in six weeks of uncertainty and then shout out, "We're done!" What we need is unity. Right now we've got nothing more than choices to go in every direction beyond what we can control. If this didn't work yesterday or the day before we're going to try this then that oh wait how about this? The planet needs a rest. It tried to bring you onboard but oh well. Guess its back to what we truly know. Get up. Go to work. Bitch about our jobs. Hate the boss. Go home and complain about nothing being on television. Only to get up. Go to work. This isn't a new normal. Its a new texture that should include your voice being heard at work. Build your new tomorrow by physically beginning a process of participating with progress. Lets get back to work but lets do it in a way that makes us more than paycheck collectors. You know what unemployment feels like now. Push beyond it.

Play It Forward Episode 26

Listen to "Play It Forward Episode 26 With Tara Henley Lean Out" on Spreaker. Hey it’s Arroe. This is Play It Forward. A look at the unexpected changes endured by entertainers, writers, camera people and all others affected but not infected by the global invasion of the Coronavirus. The goal is to feature two different types of episodes. The individual conversations as well as a collected array of the entire picture. Real people. Real stories. The struggle to Play It Forward. Episode 26: Controlling Anxiety Tara Henley is a Canadian Broadcaster and writer whose new book, LEAN OUT shows how people can overcome the anxiety brought on by Covid-19. Henley knows of this trend personally – what she thought of as a health crisis wasn’t a cardiac event, but instead anxiety that told her it was time to slow down. What Henley then learned as she searched for answers can change how we look at the biggest issues of our time.

Katerine McNamara

Listen to "Katherine McNamara From The CW's Arrow" on Spreaker. Katherine McNamara, named one of Vanity Fair's "Breakout Bunch," is an accomplished actor, dancer, singer/songwriter and was awarded the 2018 People's Choice Award for Top Female Television Actress for her leading role of 'Clary Fray' in the Freeform series, Shadowhunters (2016) ; a book-to-screen adaptation of the bestselling "The Mortal Instruments." The series premiered to stellar ratings, being the #1 series debut in more than two years, and helped launch the re-brand of the channel alongside fan favorite Pretty Little Liars (2010). Kat was nominated twice for a Teen Choice Award for "Choice Sci-Fi TV Actress" and won the People's Choice Top Television Actress Award on the The E! People's Choice Awards (2018). In 2015, McNamara closed out a lightning year, portraying another fierce female role as 'Sonya' in the second installment of Maze Runner: The Scorch Trials (2015) trilogy, Maze Runner: The Death Cure (2018) (2018) alongside Dylan O'Brien and Kaya Scodelario. Most recently, she was cast as Mia, a tough street fighter, in the CW series Arrow (2012) with Stephen Amell and Emily Bett Rickards. McNamara began her professional career on Broadway, at the age of 13, as the principle character "Fredrika Armfeldt" in Stephen Sondheim's "A Little Night Music", starring opposite Catherine Zeta-Jones and Angela Lansbury. She was fortunate to continue on as "Fredrika" with the second ALNM Broadway cast of Bernadette Peters and Elaine Stritch. Her other theater roles include "Esther Jane" in the per-Broadway world premiere of "A Christmas Story, the Musical!", as well as "To Kill a Mockingbird", "The Crucible", "Inherit the Wind", "Annie", "The Secret Garden" and "Galileo". She has also been cast in a number of Equity workshops/readings, including "Little Dancer" and "Pan" (aka "Fly") with Laura Osnes, which was created by the "In the Heights" creative team - Jeffrey Seller, Alex Lacamoire, and Andy Blankenbuehler. McNamara's love for acting stretches beyond the stage, with credits in television and film productions. Television credits include Happy Together (2018) (2018), Glee (2009) (2009), Law & Order: Special Victims Unit (1999) (1999), Drop Dead Diva (2009) (2009), 30 Rock (2006) (2006), Late Show with David Letterman (1993) (1995), Good Morning America (1975) (1975) and PBS's Great Performances: Sondheim! The Birthday Concert (2010) . McNamara starred in Disney Channel's Girl Vs. Monster (2012) with Olivia Holt which attracted more than 5 million viewers and had recurring roles on Jessie (2011) as "Bryn Breitbart" and on Kickin' It (2011) as the mean girl from Swathmore Academy, "Claire". She filmed the much anticipated Disney pilot, Madison High (2012), where she portrayed "Cherri O'Keefe", resident fashionista and creator of Madison High's popular gossip blog. She can also be seen in the highly acclaimed Freeform series, The Fosters (2013). McNamara made her big screen debut film in Warner Brothers picture New Year's Eve (2011), where she portrays "Lily Bowman". Besides the Maze Runner series, Kat also starred in Universal's R.L.Stein film R.L. Stine's Monsterville: Cabinet of Souls (2015) opposite Dove Cameron as well as the independent bullying film, Contest (2013) with Kenton Duty . The film dives into the dark world of high school bullying and found a home on Cartoon Network as part of their anti-bullying initiative. Other film projects include Katherine starring as "Becky Thatcher" in the re-make of Tom Sawyer & Huckleberry Finn (2014), alongside Joel Courtney and Jake T. Austin, which was released in 2013, Disney's family-friendly Little Savages (2016), A Sort of Homecoming (2015) opposite Laura Marano, Is That a Gun in Your Pocket? (2016) with Cloris Leachman, Natural Selection (2016) with Anthony Michael Hall, A Wife's Nightmare (2014) with Jennifer Beals and Indiscretion (2016) with Mira Sorvino, Christopher Backus and Cary Elwes. She recently finished filming a cameo in the new Charlie Day comedy, El Tonto. The triple threat has added music to her resume. Katherine plays the guitar and piano and enjoys singing and songwriting. She has several songs featured in films/television, including her original song "Chatter" on the "Contest" soundtrack, "Wait for You" in "A Sort of Homecoming" and "Ember" in the Shadowhunters series. Besides working on music, McNamara wants to expand her creative repertoire to include directing. Katherine is also an advocate for education. At the age of 14, McNamara graduated with top honors from high school and then quickly graduated Summa Cum Laude with a degree in Business (emphasis in Finance) from Drexel University's Le Bow School of Business at the age of 17. She is now pursuing a Master of Science in Literature at John Hopkins University as part of their Advanced Academics Graduate Degree program. McNamara is an award winning dancer and has a passion for all forms including ballet, tap, jazz, hip hop, lyrical, waltz and even hula. She was a member of the Actors Equity Young Performers Committee and is a reader for the Blank Theater's New Play Development Reading Committee and recurring performer in their Living Room Series. Katherine is committed to giving back to the community as well. She is an ambassador for Girl Up, the United Nation's girl empowerment organization, a spokesperson for Stomp Out Bullying, an avid supporter of the MS Society, a member of the Lollipop Theater Network, a lifetime Girl Scout and a volunteer for the Children's Hospital of Los Angeles. She also supports St. Jude's Children's Hospital, the Big Slick benefiting Kansas City Children's Hospital, and Michelle Obama's Global Girls' Alliance, an organization that helps young women around the world achieved their potential. She currently resides in Los Angeles and her hometown is Kansas City, Missouri.

John Hues

Listen to "Jack Hues Releases The Album Primitif" on Spreaker. Jack Hues has had a career that most musicians can only dream of. He studied at the Royal College of Music, he recorded sessions for John Peel, he topped the U.S. charts, scored major Hollywood motion pictures and is now, finally, releasing his first solo album, the double LP, PRIMITIF. PRIMITIF will be released on March 20, 2020. PRIMITIF is the culmination of a career that has spanned 40 years and has seen Jack visit all four corners of the Earth, but we start our journey in Kent. Jack grew up in Gillingham in the Medway Towns about 40 miles southeast of London. He was interested in music from an early age. “My dad was a saxophone player and my grandfather was a musician too, but it was hearing ‘Please Please Me’ by The Beatles on the radio when I was about 8 years old that made me wake up and think…ahhh, so this is MY music.” Jack asked for a guitar that Christmas and while his parents agreed, they insisted he have proper lessons. Twice weekly Jack was taught classical and folk guitar and, unusually, how to read music, a skill that would serve him well many years later. “By the time I was 18, I had passed Grade 8 guitar and got a place at Goldsmiths College, London to study for a music degree. At this stage I knew very little about classical music. It was David Bowie and early ‘70s Prog that was my focus. The lines between genres were about as loose as they have ever been. Classical music didn’t seem remote, although I was turned down by 4 out of the 5 universities that I applied to, as Rock music was considered worthless by academics at that time.” Jack got his degree and won a BBC Composers Competition which enabled him to take a year at the Royal College of Music studying composition and electronic music. “Those four years immersed in classical music, particularly modern classical music, were very important and expanded my musical horizons immensely. However, when I came out of college the musical language I ‘spoke’ was rock music, albeit a highly seasoned vernacular.” Jack played in a variety of bands until he met bassist Nick Feldman through a Musicians Wanted ad in the Melody Maker. They formed a couple of bands before finally distilling their talents into Huang Chung. The band later renamed themselves Wang Chung at the suggestion of the head of their record label, David Geffen. “The name still comes up now. It was even on Saturday Night Live a couple weeks ago. I guess David was right.” Jack wrote the future hit-to-be, “Dance Hall Days”, while still teaching guitar at various schools around London. The song proved pivotal in the band’s development and established Wang Chung as an international success. They were signed direct to Geffen Records in the U.S., so Jack’s career was based in LA throughout the ‘80s. “I was fortunate to work on movie soundtracks during this time. William Friedkin (director of The French Connection and The Exorcist) commissioned us to score his movie, To Live and Die in LA, which was an incredible opportunity. We contributed songs to The Breakfast Club and Inner Space. In 1986 we had a Billboard #2 (Cashbox No. 1) hit in the U.S. with “Everybody Have Fun Tonight” whose chorus line ‘Everybody have fun tonight, Everybody Wang Chung tonight’ continues to capture the public imagination thirty years later.” 1987 saw Wang Chung on a coast to coast U.S. tour with Tina Turner and gigs all over the world, but by 1989, the times they were a’changing and the attention of the music business turned to grunge and hip hop. The band didn’t embrace either of those genres and eventually split in 1990. "Through the ‘90s I did various projects. I scored The Guardian for Bill Friedkin. I was the only composer to ever work for him twice! I recorded a solo album for Columbia in the U.S., but for various reasons the project foundered. I produced an album for Arkana and an EP for Arturo, working with Mick Glossop. I co-produced a couple of albums with Chris Hughes for The Definition of Sound and Gene and I formed Strictly Inc. with Tony Banks (of Genesis) to record his eponymous solo album.” For a change of scenery, Jack moved from London to Canterbury in 1998, only 25 miles away from where he was brought up, and with it came a new phase of his life which started to coalesce around Jazz. In the mid-nineties Jack met Sam Bailey and formed The Quartet, recording 2 albums Illuminated and Shattering with producer Chris Hughes on his Helium Label. In 2012 Wang Chung reformed and released their first new album in twenty years called Tazer Up!. Summer tours in the U.S. followed, but after a couple of years Jack stepped back from gigs to consider what he really wanted to do as he entered his seventh decade. “I released a trilogy of collaborative albums between 2013-18. My ‘jazz’ work tended to be instrumental, focusing on my guitar playing, but meeting and working with poets revived my interest in words and music. “ROTE-thru” is probably the most extreme experiment consisting of a long semi-improvised poem spoken by David Herd and Simon Smith set to music which I composed as 12 separate sections to be played in any order. “A Thesis on the Ballad” to poems by Kelvin Corcoran is more conventional, setting his words to song-based structures, but including space for improvisation.” Last, but not least, Jack recorded an arrangement of Beck’s “Nobody’s Fault But My Own” with his Quartet and members of Canterbury Prog band, Syd Arthur, plus Paul Booth on tenor sax. The recording was released in 2019 to critical acclaim. Also in 2019, in a parallel universe, Jack recorded and released an album of orchestral versions of Wang Chung songs entitled Orchesography to enthusiastic reviews. Due to a series of personal losses, Jack found himself more concentrated on music than ever. In the first 3 months of 2018 he wrote and recorded most of PRIMITIF. When asked to name the music that led him to the album, classical composers such as Schubert, Mahler and Debussy rub shoulders with Miles Davis, Robert Wyatt, Jon Hopkins, The Books and Lana Del Rey. He also wanted to design the album specifically as a 4-sided, double vinyl album, each side having a distinct character in the manner of The Beatles’ White Album or Jimi Hendrix’s Electric Ladyland. “I worked on the album through 2018-19 with another intensive period of writing and recording at the beginning of 2019. The resulting double album is my first-ever solo release and is, for me, the culmination of nearly 60 years of fascination and ultimately, obsession with Music and Recordings.” Music Videos: "A Long Time" - Jack Hues "Whitstable Beach" - Jack Hues

Thunderstorm Artis

Listen to "Thunderstorm Artis Makes It To NBC'sThe Voice" on Spreaker. Thunderstorm grew up in a large musical family with 10 siblings on the shores of Oahu. They formed a family band and would perform at their father's art gallery, attracting tourists from all over the world. Sadly, his father passed away suddenly after suffering a heart attack and Thunderstorm started singing as a method of grieving. He later teamed up with his brother to tour as a duo until Thunderstorm decided to go solo. For the past six years, Thunderstorm has been performing all over the U.S.

The Lyrics From Billy's Forrest Chapter 198

Listen to "The Lyrics From Billys Forest Chapter 198" on Spreaker. What language are you listening too? I mean with so much being thrown onto social media and our ears overtaken by the world of news and opinions, it's completely natural to find strength in selective hearing. There's a lot of movement outside the human drive to get their bodies back in shape before checking back into work. The message I keep hearing is how the mental stress caused by the Coronavirus is an issue that we're gonna have to face as business leaders and co-workers. The typical reaction would be to toss things aside and keep pumping forward but the experts that are looking beyond the lock down are forecasting a change in the mannerisms we once called our path. On this podcast I step into the early moments of the virus appearing in the states. March 4, 2020. The writer isn't sure of what's happening or how long it's going to last. While reading his notes I actually chuckled because its already April 21, 2020 and nothings really changed. While local and state governments struggle to bring life back to the streets of everyday America, the people that'll be the life are biting at the bit caused by several different explanations as to what's still happening versus what's going to happen. One news report puts focus on washing everything just purchased at the grocery store while another jumps all over the idea of retail businesses opening in South Carolina. I chuckle again when the headlines read how the beaches will open today but not in Charleston or Myrtle Beach. It gives you that feeling of, "Hey... um. My mom and dad always said what's good for one is good for all!" Look... I'm all about staying healthy and you can probably tell that there's a lot more patience in me to wait this stuff out. But back to the original question. What language are you listening to? Are you being swayed by AM Talk Radio hosts and or television networks striving to one up the other? My choice is to watch nature. Yeah! Have you seen what's taking place this season? It's been amazingly colorful! The birds are unbelievably louder and I still find enough space in my uncertainty to take note of how the stems of flowers look to be reaching outward in ways that trip the human imagination as it walks by. There's a lot of languages being shared by way of the universe. It's only difficult to understand when you choose not to pay attention. Yeah yeah we're gonna get back to work again. And in the months that follow you'll be yearning for the distance time provided to each and everyone of us that needed to feel longer than a two week summer vacation. Savor this one. It's got purpose.

Play It Forward Episode 25

Listen to "Play It Forward Episode 25 The Seeds Of Experience" on Spreaker. Hey it’s Arroe. This is Play It Forward. A look at the unexpected changes endured by entertainers, writers, camera people and all others affected but not infected by the global invasion of the Coronavirus. The goal is to feature two different types of episodes. The individual conversations as well as a collected array of the entire picture. Real people. Real stories. The struggle to Play It Forward. Episode 25: From The Seeds Of Experience When a huge part of what you do is a nightly thunder crash of live Metal Music, the next step during a pandemic is to readjust your creative avenues in the way of preserving the way you think. Ralph from Ravenscroft talks about how the entire field of all shapes and sizes of entertainment have shut down or completely reinvented their presentation. Actor/musician Hayley Orrantia has played her share of Top 40 Pop Music on ABC’s The Goldbergs. Her current project is actually deep rooted Country. An avenue of sounds that’s spent the past 100 years endlessly communicating with the fans that support it and she feels she’s going to help continue that tradition. Mike Mostert from Gogo Tuner has always had a deeper direction when it comes to marching musical art forward. I admit in the conversation that many artists have chosen not to let the Coronavirus become a part of future lyrics Mike actually sees it as a new age of experience. That’s Play It Forward I’m Arroe

Ed Begley Jr

Listen to "Ed Begley Jr Celebrating Our Earth" on Spreaker. As one of the most respected environmentalists in America, Ed Begley Jr. is often a go-to resource for politicians, community leaders, corporate executives, social media influencers, celebrities and company & brand leaders seeking information and guidance on environmental topics and facts. Ed is very knowledgeable and informative when it comes to all things green and eco. He has a way of making talking about the environment in a fun and positive manner! He is very funny, quick-witted, non-judgmental and above all, he loves to educate and engage those who want to learn more about ways that they too can be more Earth friendly and eco-responsible!