A Tribute to the Canceled Michael Baisden Show

Recently our nation became a little less "grown up".  If you are a fan of "real" R&B, Soul and Hip-Hop music, I'm sure you have heard by now that one of the most popular syndicated radio shows in our country has been canceled. "The Michael Baisden Show", created and hosted by its namesake,  aired for the last time on Good Friday, March 29th. Baisden couldn't reach a contract agreement with the show's syndication partner Culumus Media.

Baisden, a self made entrepreneur and author, started his radio career with a local afternoon program at 98.7 KISS-FM in New York City nearly 10 years ago. He quickly became popular due to his "grown folks" content; a mix of social, political & economic talk along with old school and "neo-soul" tunes. His show went against the grain and proved that there was a thirst for what he was offering as he held his own as a newbie against veteran radio personality Wendy Williams' gossip based radio show, which aired in the same time slot at rival 107.5 WBLS-FM. Baisden's show became so popular that he eventually became syndicated across the country and added millions of listeners to his "family". The show's popularity garnered Baisden a tv show, "Baisden After Dark" which ran a few episodes on cable station TV One. His radio show also helped inspire numerous parties, special events and his own social network website, "Mingle City" a place he created to help his "family" connect and find like minded folks for purposes of business and pleasure (this was well before everyone had Twitter and Facebook accounts).

Over time Baisden developed a strong and loyal following nationwide. He kept his audience engaged with lively discussions about relationships, sex, health, money, politics and more. People also knew they could count on Baisden to play solid music. Folks that were frustrated by a lot of the "junk" that is produced today got some musical medicine from "The Michael Baisden Show". Baisden's playlist featured everything from funk, to disco, to golden era hip-hop, to classic R&B ballads and everything in between. It was nothing to hear Frankie Beverly & Maze, Eric B & Rakim, Chaka Khan, Chubb Rock, Chuck Brown, Donna Summer and Luther Vandross all in the same show. Baisden played a lot of current artist too. He prided himself in playing artist that was making new quality music like Jill Scott, Raheem DeVaughn, Musiq Soulchild, Angie Stone and Brian McKnight. And Baisden also helped to open people's eyes (and ears) to more lesser known outstanding artist like Ledisi and Conya Doss. He pleased the ears and souls of many "grown folks" across the United States and helped educate some of the younger listeners who wanted to learn about more mature styles of music.

I felt compelled to write this piece as a small tribute to Michael Baisden and his musical contribution and influence to many of his listeners. People loved his show because he "kept it real" whether it was "real talk" or "real music". I don't know what Baisden may have up his sleeve next but with his determination and the technology we have today, I wouldn't be surprised to hear "The Michael Baisden Show" reappear somewhere again. So to his "family" out there, I wouldn't say "goodbye" to the show - like many of the storylines in his books, it's just the end of a really good chapter.

Why Does It Hurt So Bad? - Whitney Houston - Legend - Dies

Whitney Houston, one of the greatest singers in the history of recorded music, has passed away.  Formulating those words is tough for me because as a fan I truly loved Whitney Houston. When the great Don Cornelius died a few days ago, I was compelled not to blog about it only because I felt my blog was starting to look like a music obit. But for Whitney, I must write.

Whitney burst onto the music scene and into our hearts in the mid 1980s. Her self titled debut album produced the hits "Saving All My Love For You" and "You Give Good Love". It also contained the smash hit "The Greatest Love of All", which many people still think she recorded first but George Benson was the original singer; Whitney just "owned" it - LOL. That song quickly became the #1 choice of aspiring singers at talent shows all around the globe in the mid to late 80s. When I heard Whitney back then, I knew she was special because she was so clearly better than any of the female contemporary singers of the time. I felt the breath from her belly as she hit notes that most singers could only dream of hitting. She made the hairs on your body stand and demanded your attention and she wielded her craft.

I have been a fan of Whitney's since day one. When she really started to become an international superstar after her second album "Whitney" took off, it bothered me some when folks started criticizing her for going "pop".  That condemnation of her may have been some of the dumbest stuff I've ever heard. Crossing over is not always a bad thing. It opened more doors for her to expose her talents, like to do the movies "The Bodyguard", "The Preacher's Wife and "Waiting to Exhale". It gave her an opportunity to give us that mesmorizing performance of America's National Anthem at Super Bowl XXV and the great "One Moment Time" song for the 1988 Summer Olympic Games. It strengthened her brand.

Whitney's relative absence from the music scene for 15 years or so left a huge void. When she stopped releasing music consistently and stopped charting we were left with a lot of mediocre garbage. The vacuum left by her swept in a lot subpar performers. There has always been a part of me that HOPED she would make a big successful comeback and rule the industry again. That part of me never died until tonight (news of her passing); it wasn't meant to be. But Whitney, I'll never stop playing your music and I'll never stop talking about how great you was. You'll always be near the top of my charts. I hope you are at peace.

Christmas Time Is Here!!!

Christmas music is probably the thing I love most about the holiday season (aside from giving that perfect gift to someone). I have a long tradition of waiting until the night of Thanksgiving to play a couple of my favorite Christmas songs before going full steam ahead on playing all of the music the next day. I usually don't listen to any other kind of music between Black Friday & Christmas; I used to really savor playing it during this period because I couldn't listen to it throughout the year. I remember my mother wouldn't let me play Christmas music when it wasn't the holiday season when I was kid. I used to think that if you put a Christmas album on a record player, lets say in July, the record would not spin because it wasn't Christmas - LOL (did I just say album & record player - whoa, you youngins' go ask your parents about that!). As I grew up and became an adult, I continued the tradition of not playing holiday music during the year until 2009, when Michael Jackson passed away (long story that maybe I'll get into another time). Now if a Christmas song pops up on my MP3 player as I randomly go through my music I usually will let it play (and I know it will play - knowledge is power - LOL).

I grew up listening to traditional Christmas music so I do like the classics, even when they have been done a million times. The three albums that I played to death as a kid was The Jackson Five's "Christmas Album", Nat King Cole's "The Christmas Song" and Johnny Mathis' "Christmas with Johnny Mathis" (I also had Cole's & Mathis' albums on 8 track - youngins' don't bother asking! - LOL). My absolute favorite Christmas song of all time is "Give Love On Christmas Day", which I learned from the J5 Christmas album. I didn't hear many other versions of it after the J5 recorded it (just New Edition's & Johnny Gill's separate versions) until recently. In 2008, most notably, Ledisi released a great version of it on her Christmas CD "It's Christmas". But The Jackson Five's version is the staple. In 2009, Motown released an updated version of the original Jackson Five's "Christmas Album" titled "Ultimate Christmas Collection". This CD contains the original 10 songs remastered along with a couple of remixes and individual Christmas greetings that was recorded by the brothers. There is also an a cappela version of "Give Love on Christmas Day" which really allows you to hear Michael's great lead vocal along with Jermaine, Tito, Jackie & Marlon's tight harmony.

Speaking of staple, Nat King Cole's version of "The Christmas Song" may be THE staple song of all Christmas songs. It is the epitome of classic; it stands the test of time. And as many times as this song has been recorded (it has to be one of the most recorded & most known Christmas songs) no one has done it better than Mr. Cole. The song was written by Mel Torme and Robert Wells but Nat King Cole owns this song (figuratively). "Chestnuts roasting on an open fire......" ahhh just awesome! The rest of his Christmas collection is great as well and surprising short - 14 songs totalling about 32 minutes. Not only is the title track a Christmas staple, I'd have to say the whole album is a staple - you won't find many better and it is the ultimate classic Christmas listen.

Johnny Mathis over the many years has become synonymous with Christmas. His Christmas songs have played in many different homes, malls & office buildings all around the world. One of my favorites by him which appears on the "Christmas with Johnny Mathis" (Columbia) album is "The Secret of Christmas". It is a song that I have never heard anyone else perform. The song is a witty ballad, that preaches that the secret of Christmas is "not the things you do at Christmas time but the Christmas things you do all year through". It is a great, poignant message that really hit home with me at a very young age and to this day I think is a message that many of us need to heed to. From the calming flutes intro to the crescendo of Johnny's voice and violins at the end this song, it is a must listen for any one who loves music.

Even though I love traditional Christmas music, I do love the contemporary tuneups (to the classics) and songs as well. I must say though that the only Christmas rap song that I like was done by RunDMC, a cut titled "Christmas Is" - the chorus goes like this: "give up the dough, give up the dough, give up the dough on Christmas yo, give up the dough, give up the dough, give up the dough here we go, here we go" Ok, now if any one was nervous about those lyrics please don't be; Joesph and Darryl was just instructing folks to buy gifts (give up the dough) for your loved ones and even strangers. Some other artist have done a great job of making older Christmas songs sound very modern and in most cases, added original Christmas songs to their projects as well.. I think the best contemporary projects are the ones that balance the contemporary sound while still giving you a traditional Christmas feel. Will Downing's "Christmas, Love and You" CD is a great example of this.

I would like to just briefly mention a couple of pop Christmas songs that I really enjoy. The first is the collaborative effort done by some of the best selling British and Irish artist of the 80's (as well as some from the United States like, Jody Watley and Kool & The Gang), such as Duran Duran, Sting, Paul Young, George Michael, Bono, Boy George and many others. Collectively they called themselves Band Aid and they recorded a song titled "Do They Know It's Christmas?" in 1984 which was written by Bob Geldof. The proceeds from the sale of this song was to benefit famished children in Africa. I recently heard that Geldof thought that the song was terrible and I guess he wasn't artistically proud of it. Hey, lyrically it may not be the best song ever written but where the motivation came from to write it, and the awareness that it created, more than made up for it. And I really like the song anyway. This song I believe was also the inspiration for the extremely popular, U.S. star-studded song "We Are The World" written by Michael Jackson and Lionel Richie. Another of my pop Christmas favorites came from Bing Crosby and David Bowie. Crosby and Bowie did a "remix" if you will, of "The Little Drummer Boy" on a Crosby Christmas TV special in 1977. From what I understand, Bowie was reluctant to do the standard "The Little Drummer Boy" but was willing to sing with Crosby when writers added the infamous "Peace on Earth" part to it. This ended up being an amazing Christmas duet!!! By the way, what ever happened to the musical Christmas shows that used to come on every year?

I truly can go on and on and on about Christmas music but there is only so much time in the day. Below I am going to list a few Christmas CD's (albums) that I would recommend folks to pick up. I've seen some of these in record stores and online for great prices as well. Most of these CD's are by R&B artist:



All-4-One "An All-4-One Christmas"
Babyface "Christmas With Babyface"
BeBe & CeCe Winans "First Christmas"
BeBe Winans "My Christmas Prayer"
Boyz II Men "Christmas Interpretations"
Brian McKnight "Bethlehem
Brian McKnight "I'll Be Home For Christmas"
Dianne Reeves "Christmas Time Is Here"
The Jackson Five "Ultimate Christmas Collection"
Jeffrey Osborne "Something Warm For Christmas"
Joe Williams "That Holiday Feelin'"
Johnny Mathis "Christmas Eve with Johnny Mathis"
Johnny Mathis "Christmas with Johnny Mathis" (Columbia)
Johnny Mathis "Christmas with Johnny Mathis" (Import) - {this is a different set of songs than Columbia}
Kirk Franklin & The Family "Christmas"
Ledisi "It's Christmas"
Luther Vandross "This Is Christmas"
Nat King Cole "The Christmas Song"
O'Jays "Home For Christmas"
Peabo Bryson "Christmas With You"
Toni Braxton "Snowflakes"
Vanessa Williams "Star Bright"
Will Downing "Christmas, Love & You"
Yolanda Adams "Christmas With Yolanda Adams"



There are so many other songs and albums that are worthy of some kind of mention but it'll be summer if I don't rap this up now. All right, one more! We can't forget "This Christmas" by Donny Hathaway right?? Totally a classic now and many artist are recording it. That's it! Have a wonderful holiday season and enjoy some holiday music!!!!

RIP Heavy D

Wow. This was truly sudden and a big blow. Mount Vernon's finest Heavy D has left us at the age of 44. Dwight Myers (aka Heavy D) was a star in hip hop's Golden Era and he was unique; there definitely was no one else like him. Heav was also a real genuine dude. I used to work in the same building where Heavy's label Uptown Records had their headquarters. I ran into Heav quite frequently as I did many other artist on that label. No one was more down to earth than Heavy D; he always spoke and always engaged. The fame certainly didn't go to his head.

Heavy D will be remembered for his cool and suave demeanor. He made it cool to be a big fella. He wore the "overweight lover" moniker proudly. Not many could have pulled it off like he did. I think he helped make it easier for big guys like Notorious B.I.G. to gain acceptance.  I will always remember his hits like "Somebody For Me", "We Got Our Own Thing", "The Overweight Lover's In The House" and "Black Coffee". I'll always get jacked and rhyme the lyrics to the intro to "In Living Color" as I did back when that show was a smash hit. I'll remember the live shows I saw him at, where he did most of the dance moves his partners G-Whiz and the late Trouble T-Roy did. Big fella could get down!!! But mostly, I will remember that he was a good dude. Peace my brother, you will be missed.

Conrad Murray Found Guilty; Michael Jackson Still Gone Too Soon

Guilty. Dr. Conrad Murray was found guilty of involuntary manslaughter in the criminal court case involving the death of music superstar Michael Jackson. I have been a lifelong fan of Michael’s and his music as many of you have. I really wasn’t paying very close attention to the Murray trial at all, though it was difficult not to hear about some of the proceedings since it was such a high profile case. I did hear the verdict as it read and while many of his fans worldwide rejoiced, I felt pretty much nothing.  Don’t get me wrong, I’m glad that Michael’s family got some justice and I hope it eases their pain some. But my thing is Michael is gone and the proceedings in that court room was not going to bring him back. 

I didn’t know Michael personally but I had a lot of awesome memories of him. I was fortunate enough to see him perform live on a few occasions.  I have, like millions, enjoyed his records and videos over the years. He (and his brothers) was one the few people in life that I didn’t know that still had a positive influence on me.  Not only was the artistry brilliant but the dedication, the imagination, the determination was unmatched.

I was bothered to see so many folks tear him down over the years, it was downright embarrassing.  I recall so-called professional music critics starting to bash him with the “Bad” album and it progressively got worse after that. Just hearing or reading some of the critiques right away let me know that a lot of these so-called critics didn’t even really listen to the music. It was all about him being weird and how he would never match the “Thriller” album success. Unfortunately a lot of the public started doing the same.  His changes in his personal appearance didn’t help matters and the allegations of him being a child molester really tarnished his name. But folks weren’t listening to the music; people who weren’t his loyal fans just discarded him. When he passed away a lot folks changed their tune and they showed an outpouring of love for the music. As his music blared everywhere for a couple of weeks after his death, people rediscovered the old jams of his that they loved. I also heard a lot of people say how didn’t realize how good the full “Dangerous” “HIStory” and “Invincible” albums were; after he passed and there was nothing left but the music, they finally took time to listen.  Some people even keenly observed how some of his lyrics showed how connected to the world he was; his messages of healing the people of the world, healing the earth and other words about greed and despair has hit many folks close to home now.

I really wish I would have had the chance to meet Michael. I wish I could have had time to chat with him; there are so many questions I would have liked to ask him regarding the music, the performances, the family dynamic (as it pertains to the performing) and more.  My thoughts of him since his death have always been bittersweet. I’m appreciative of what joy I did receive from his work and still marvel and shake my head when I see the genius. But I’m saddened to know that we won’t get to hear anything new from him or see him again. I suspect I will always feel that way.  Murray being convicted and possibly going to prison for, at the max four years, didn’t change the feeling one iota.

Thank You Steve Jobs

There are so many positive things that can be said and will be said about Steve Jobs the former CEO and founder of Apple who unfortunately lost his battle with cancer. He truly defined the words innovator and visionary with his company Apple and because of him, the world will never be the same. All you need to do is take a short walk somewhere, or take look around your office, or even peer around your own house and you will find a product he has had a hand in creating. And if you don't use an Apple product, you surely use a product that has been influenced by Apple. Do you think the tablet market would be as robust as it without Ipads? What about smartphones? Certainly Iphones have raised the stakes in the cell phone industry. And Mac computers have always won the praises of its loyal users because of its intuitiveness, something that other brands of computers have tried but have yet to be able to match.

I personally have been a fan of the Apple Ipod. Being an avid music lover, Ipods make it so easy to organize, store and play your favorite tunes. I remember the first advertisement I ever saw for Ipod; I was ready to drop everything I was doing and go purchase it right then and there. Well, at least that was my feeling since I wasn't able to get one right away because of compatibility issues (with Ipod and my computer). Eventually, I did get one and have been a fan ever since. When you love music the way I do, it is cool to have something like an Ipod that is small enough to carry but the storage is big enough for you choose from a variety of artist and genres in a flash. Wherever my mood or memory takes me, my Ipod satisfies my musical desire in an instant. Just a few years ago I would of had to carry around 200 or more cassette tapes just to come close to that satisfaction.

It is indeed sad to see someone pass away at such a young age but for the short time that Jobs was here he made a global difference; not many of us will be able to have that said of us when we go. Though I did not know him I would be one of legions that would like to thank him for his innovations. Through his work, Jobs has made life a little easier.

RIP Amy Winehouse - Tragic Ending - Gone Too Soon

British singer Amy Winehouse was found dead in her home this past Saturday. At this time, an autopsy and a toxicology report has been performed but it is too early to determine her actual cause of death. This certainly hasn't stop public speculation as to what killed her. Unfortunately before her death, Winehouse's name had already become synonymous with drug abuse, so the assumption is she overdosed on something. Her struggles with drug addiction had been well documented.  Her name seemed to appear more in the press for rehab stints, fights and arrests than it did for record releases, concerts and awards. The last thing that garnered attention in the media for Winehouse was merely a month ago when she appeared to be under the influence on stage at a concert in Belgrade, Serbia. She mumbled, stumbled, and forgot lyrics as her band struggled to help her get through the set. Winehouse had a soulless look in her eyes and she constantly kept embracing herself. It was truly, truly sad; she looked and sounded absolutely awful. That may have been the worse thing I have ever seen on stage at a concert. Sadly and ironically, it was her very last concert appearance.

Winehouse rose to international superstar status in 2007 with her multi-platinum, multi-award winning soul album "Back To Black". In 2007 and 2008, Winehouse was debatably the biggest artist in the world. I honestly must say I wasn't totally sold on her. From the singles she released, I thought she was good but I couldn't understand the big fuss. I finally bought "Back To Black" after getting recommendations from several people who music taste I trust.  Along with that album, I also bought her first studio album "Frank".  I personally thought "Frank" was a much better project that "Back to Black". On "Frank" I saw her potential and things that I guess others saw on "Back To Black". "Frank" is what really made me respect her as an artist. Though the talent was definitely there, it was hard to ignore her bouts with alcohol and drugs; especially when her signature song is titled "Rehab" and part of the hook of the song is her insistence that she's not going ("no, no, no") to go get help.

I didn't personally know Amy Winehouse but I was saddened to hear about her passing. Just absolutely tragic. No one that young should ever die. She didn't come close to experiencing life.  Frankly I am a bit sick of seeing artist continuing to wreck their careers and lives with drugs. It has been happening for decades and it really needs to be addressed (pressures, highs & lows, isolation, etc). The reputation of drugs and alcohol being associated with being cool (ie "drug, sex & rock & roll") needs to be frowned upon as well. But as long as drugs persist in society it will in the entertainment business too. Drugs destroy lives of "every day" people everyday. No matter how many people try to help addicts, nothing will change until they are ready. Addicts make choices to indulge and it's only when they make the serious choice to stop can they begin to recover. Unfortunately for many, like Amy, they never get a chance to make that choice.