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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:02):
Bion News This Hour, Helm Doug Davis coming up. If
you love smooth R and B music, Today I'm chatting
with one of the most distinct, soulful voices in the
music industry, Will Downing. Will dive into his legendary career,
get into his latest album and ask some fun questions.
That's next on bion News this Hour, But first, here's
bion News Now.

Speaker 2 (00:21):
Republican Representative Lauren Bobert joined Democrats and forcing a House
vote to release the Epstein files. She kept her name
on a petition despite reports of White House pressure. Why
would I put my name on it?

Speaker 3 (00:31):
In the Novelfoil, I'm coastponsor of the bill, like of
course the book.

Speaker 2 (00:34):
The petition gained enough signatures after Arizona Democrat Adelina Grijalva
was sworn in in Central Florida and Tavis Johnson, a
black project manager, was chased and threatened with lynching by
a white couple during a utility visit. The attack, caught
on video, led to assault charges after police first claimed
no crime. The woman also faces abuse charges showing a
violent pattern and displays honoring black US soldiers were removed

(00:58):
from a World War II cemetery in the the Netherlands,
sparking outrage. The panels, installed back in twenty twenty four,
highlighted segregation and black servicemen stories. Officials are demanding their reinstatement.
Get bi in News Now on demand twenty four to
seven on the iHeartRadio app. Now back to Doug Davis.

Speaker 1 (01:16):
All Right, thank you, good afternoon, and happy Friday. We're
turning up the soul on BIN News this hour with
the one in Nony, Will Downing and RnB Icon who's
been serenading us for decades. Welcome to bi in News
this hour. The one and only Will Downing was that the.

Speaker 3 (01:29):
Money good to see.

Speaker 1 (01:31):
Likewise, brother Will, great to have you on Bin News
this hour. Let's start off with your inspiration. Who are
some of the artists that inspired you? And when did
you know that you had this talent that could move people?

Speaker 3 (01:42):
Well, you know what, I don't know if I can
go back to a specific time or place, but I've
always loved music. I've always been influenced by the masters.
I've always wanted to emulate what they do, so probably
like a loud Evandros being like the most influential person
and wanting to really do this full time. You were young.

Speaker 1 (02:01):
When did you sign your first major recording deal?

Speaker 3 (02:05):
Well, my first solo deal was signed probably back in
nineteen eighty six eighty seven, and then my first release,
which was self titled will Downey.

Speaker 1 (02:14):
Well, you've dropped over twenty albums throughout your career. It's
twenty twenty five, brother, How do you stay relevant?

Speaker 3 (02:21):
I'm very fortunate that I came up in a time
where I have hits that I can go back to
that have helped me sustain my career, and I've always
tried to better myself each project. I tried to find
better songs, I tried to sing better whatever it was,
we just tried to better The last project, perfect segue.
Let's talk about your latest project. Was there any inspiration

(02:42):
behind it?

Speaker 2 (02:43):
I can't say that.

Speaker 3 (02:44):
There really is. I mean, aside from I just had
written a bunch of songs that I was really excited about.
And it's an EP as opposed to an eight to
ten song full album. This is the five or six
song EP that'll be coming out November twenty nine, which
is my birthday, so that's the only way I remember it.

(03:04):
So it's my birthday gift to me that has been
for the last few years. So it's called Still in
Love and the first single is called back to Us.

Speaker 1 (03:13):
What do you want people to say about your music
twenty years from now when they pull up songs like
never Felt Like This or you know one of my favorites,
wishing Gonna Start Well.

Speaker 3 (03:22):
You know, I hope that I'm held in the same
regard that I hold my heroes up in, like Luther
vandross Is. I want to be held in that regard
as an artist that was consistent, an artist that moved
them in some kind of way musically, you know, someone
that laid down the foundation for what they're doing and
something that they could always referred to as quality music.

Speaker 1 (03:45):
Will Downey hanging out on bin News this hour this Friday,
and Will has agreed to join us this Sunday on
The Black Perspective. We'll take a deeper time into his career,
his thoughts on today's music, young black love, and what's
lacking in today's current music, how it affects our culture,
and why we need to bring songs of real love
back to our community. That's this Sunday on The Black Perspective,

(04:08):
airing at six AM and six PM Eastern, Stay informed,
stay connected, and subscribe. Follow Bion News This Hour wherever
you get your podcasts. I'm Buck Davis for the Black
Information Network.