Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Sanya (00:07):
This is not a video.
When I was coming out, we hadto go outside the city.
We had to go travel, go out oftown, beat down doors.
This was the first time Billhas ever gone on this set.
Melba (00:19):
He said here comes the
token.
This is not a video.
Sanya (00:22):
And out of my mouth I
said F you, but all the fans are
asking for positive women withfamily and business.
That's what we bring to theshow, and yet still it's like oh
, she's boring.
It's my real story.
This is really who I am.
I build myself off a dollar anddream without a man's help,
(00:42):
without a basketball player.
Particularly, the patriarchalbox says white cisgender males
have defined for us should behow we define ourselves.
I didn't say it.
That's what we're saying on thestreet, the streets, the
avenues and the bulletin.
Welcome, welcome, welcome.
(01:05):
You're now tuned into anotheramazing edition of Sign you On
Air.
And how do I start each andevery single episode?
You guessed it.
I have another great show foryou.
I'm excited.
I'm excited.
But before I tell you abouttoday's guest, I need you to
subscribe.
Sign you On Air streams acrossevery major streaming platform.
(01:29):
If you're watching this Signyou On Air episode on YouTube,
not only subscribe, but makesure you hit the little
notification bell.
That way, every time I uploadan all new Sign you On Air
celebrity interview and pattingtheir pivotal milestones and
moments, you'll be the firstones to know.
So go ahead and hit thatnotification button and go
across every streaming platformand make sure that you subscribe
(01:52):
to Sign you On Air.
Now back to today's guest.
Now, she's been on Sign you OnAir twice.
The first time was in the earlydays of Sign you On Air, when I
started off as a radio show anda podcast and she is back today
.
I have none other than thelegendary, iconic five-active
(02:16):
voice-sanging Melba Moore.
When I tell you, it is an honorjust to have a conversation
with this woman who has reallyleft such strong footprints
throughout the music industry,and what I really want to do in
this conversation with Ms Mooreis to give her her flowers.
(02:37):
I don't think the musicindustry really pays their
respects to the icons, thelegends, the people that really
started music for black folk.
You know, I don't think that wegive them their flowers.
We are in this new space of thetransference of the guards for
(02:59):
a better lack of descriptionwhere there is an emergence of
new artists, and these artiststoday don't have any idea about
the Melba Moors of it all.
So this is what this episodewill do is introduce this
younger generation to thelegendary Ms Melba Moore and
then remind the seasoned, grownfolks, remind them.
(03:22):
She ain't done yet, not at all.
So we are going to be talkingabout her early beginnings
navigating through the musicindustry.
She was also in Broadway, plays, television and, if you don't
know, by the end of thisconversation you're going to
know Ms Melba Moore.
So I'm excited.
(03:43):
So, before I bring Ms Moore intothe Sonia On Air Studio.
Let's just hop into somecelebrity news.
So today I want to talk aboutJonathan Majors.
He's back in the news.
Back in the news.
(04:03):
So if you don't know whoJonathan Majors is, go ahead and
Google him.
But he's appeared in such hitfilms such as Creed III and also
Lovecraft Country.
They need to bring that seriesback.
Lovecraft Country loved it,loved it, loved it.
I don't even know why it wascanceled, but Jonathan Majors,
if you don't recall, back inMarch of 2023, he was arrested
(04:29):
and charged with assaulting hisgirlfriend.
Now, the girlfriend was sayingoh, he beat me up and Jonathan
claimed his innocence all thistime.
And you know, the court ofpublic opinion called social
media the judge and jury of themall.
They tried and committedJonathan Majors.
(04:50):
But lo and behold, lo andbehold, recently, recently, like
last night okay, the police arenow filing charges against the
ex-girlfriend who claimed thatJonathan beat her up.
Lo and behold, she's the onewho hurt herself.
(05:10):
So wait a minute.
So this is what happened at.
This incident happened at 1240am in New York City, midtown.
Now, I don't know about you,but if you come from the
melanin-dopeness households,your grandma or your mother told
you, the only people outsideafter midnight are pimps, holes
(05:35):
and those looking for trouble.
So trouble found them.
We're not even going to getinto the race issue of it all.
I'm just going to leave thatalone.
But what this really says, onceagain, is when you put things
out there in the public, socialmedia and this whole digital
(05:56):
space, it allows people to makeup so many opinions about
individuals that may not even betrue.
They form so many opinionsbefore they even go in front of
the judge.
I'm telling you, social mediaand this whole digital space is
the judge and jury of it all theSupreme Court, the president,
(06:18):
parliament, the House ofCongress, the neighborhood mayor
.
They are it all okay.
So I'm curious to find out.
So what happened?
The NYPD?
What they did was wait a minute.
They issued an iCard.
I never heard of this until Istarted learning about this
(06:42):
update of Jonathan Majors.
So the NYPD issued an iCard.
The reason is, if the policewere to run across said
girlfriend you know, just runacross her by accident that
there is probable cause for herarrest.
I don't get it.
Either you're going to arresther or you don't.
(07:04):
So the iCard just tells NYPDthat there is probable cause to
arrest her.
So let's assume this happens.
I said woman is just walkingdown 34th street and NYPD
officer approaches her becausehe's like, hmm, you look kind of
(07:26):
familiar and he runs her nameand it says it says I probably
should arrest you, but I'm notsure.
Is that what an iCard mean?
I don't get it the privilege ofit all, because you cannot be
black in America roaming thestreets, roaming the streets of
(07:51):
this fair land, with an iCard,because when you have skin that
looks like mine, it's justguilty, guilty, guilty.
Ain't no probable cause, ain'tno iCard, none of that.
It is like a monopoly game.
Go straight to jail.
So I am curious to see how thisstory unfolds.
But this is crazy.
(08:12):
Once again, I'm not going toget into the race issue of it
all.
Because people can like who theylike, but you've got to have a
lot more discernment in choosingwho you like.
Because another story it'salleged that he's now boot up
with Megan Good for the past fewmonths.
(08:33):
That don't even look right tome.
I don't know.
I don't know.
I don't know.
I'm just going to leave it atthat.
So why don't we do this?
Let's get back to the show andtalk about Miss Melba Moore.
(08:56):
Let's do that.
So, like I told you, I havecoming up in just a few short
moments, the iconic, thelegendary Miss Melba Moore.
This is a conversation that I'mgoing to be leaning into, just
(09:20):
like every celebrity that Ibring here on.
Sonia Onia, I'm definitelyleaning in.
I'm a perpetual learner, nomatter what space is that I'm in
.
If I'm surrounded by greatness.
Every word that they say is ateachable moment for me.
Some lessons I might take.
Some lessons I might say, huh,let me think about that a little
(09:40):
bit more.
But she did it right.
She did it right and she's awoman of a particular age who
has gone through a few things,but she's still a lot to learn.
So why not start continuelearning today with the five
octave singing?
No, the five octave singing,because there's a difference
(10:02):
between singing and singingLegendary.
And what Miss Melba Mooredoesn't know is I was introduced
to her Okay, in my head Allwhen I was in elementary school.
I was in a story.
When Miss Moore joins us, sowhy don't we just bring in the
(10:25):
legendary icon Singer, missMelba?
Hi, miss Moore.
Melba (10:33):
Can you see me and hear
me?
Yes, I can.
Okay, sweetie.
Sanya (10:38):
How are you?
Fantastic?
How are you?
I'm blessed, I'm blessed.
Let me tell you why I'm blessed.
Today, please tell me, I'm inyour space having a conversation
with you.
Uh-oh, that's me.
Let me tell you.
Anytime I can tap into someonewho was instrumental in my life,
(11:01):
it is an honor and it is ablessing.
Wow, well, great.
So let's just jump right intoit, because I really want the
purpose of this conversation tointroduce you to a new
generation and to remind mygeneration of all the wonderful
(11:22):
and amazing things that you havedone throughout the years.
So let's just start with yourearly years as a music teacher
in Newark, new Jersey.
Talk about that.
Melba (11:32):
Oh, that was amazing.
I did not want to teach.
My natural father was a bigband leader very well known by
the name of Teddy Hill.
My mother was.
They did not marry, but mymother was a professional singer
.
So my point is, it was in mygenes, it was in my DNA, but
then she married a piano playerfrom Newark, new Jersey.
So now I have a father, but hehad a son and a daughter.
(11:56):
So now, instead of being just adisjointed, you know
discombobulated, and you knowyour families broke up before
you even start.
Yeah, now I got a sister, abrother.
We had two more brothers later,I had cousins and I had a
family.
That's very important.
But because mother and daddyworked together as a
professional group, my motherwas my step dad's lead singer in
(12:20):
his group and so, because theywere musicians, they want all of
us to have a good education andperhaps be teachers.
So that was the inspiration forthat, and they want us to have
real jobs.
So I studied piano along withmy sister and brother.
(12:42):
We all became intimatelyacquainted with an instrument.
Also, before that, I was nineyears old and my mother met and
married my step dad.
So when you're the instrument,you usually know you can sing by
the time you're three or fouryears old, but there was no
music in my life.
No, so none.
(13:03):
No family, lots of abuse andterrible things that happened
when a man is not in the houseto protect you, especially when
you're a little girl.
But now I have this incrediblegentleman.
His name is Clement Mormon,which is where I took the name
Moore.
Okay.
(13:23):
My name was Smith.
Really, yeah, I was a littlegirl from so much and the way he
treated my mother and us, itmade us the family.
I remember I started my life onthe streets, were in New York
City.
So you play on the streets andwhatever, and you know, if
you're a girl and you're verylike I was, you get kind of
(13:43):
rough already.
Yeah, so glad to have a brotherbecause I could fight him, you
know, and I was there with himand said, melba, he looked me in
my eye and the first grown manI ever heard Look me in my eye
and look with the love of theconcerns.
And, melba, you can't fightanymore.
You have to learn how tocommunicate.
(14:05):
And maybe part, I have a sister, my sister.
You know, I was so close, whichshe's my step sister, which is
my sister.
You know.
I don't know about step no more.
You know what I'm saying.
I learned family but he wantedus to be teachers.
My brother was passed away.
It was great.
He was also a teacher.
(14:25):
My sister just retired a coupleof years ago from public school
teaching.
She taught elementary schools,which means she taught generally
, but her field was historyteacher and I became a music
teacher because I don't knowabout music, so I learned that
(14:46):
and learned how to teach it, andbecause daddy and mother said
so.
I went to school and I want tosay that I absolutely adored
teaching.
I became another person.
It's like becoming an actor ina play.
You get in front of thechildren and you see them look
at you and you have a teacher'splan and taught everything how
to do.
And you there, it transformsyou, yeah it does.
Sanya (15:13):
I can definitely agree
and relate.
As I'm listening to you, I'mlike, oh my gosh, we have so
many similarities.
I too started off my earlycareer in education.
I'm still in education as adirector of many high schools,
but started off as a classroomteacher, a special education
teacher very, verytransformative for my life and
(15:35):
that's a way to give back to tomy community.
But do you find that teachingback then and teaching now are
two different worlds?
Melba (15:45):
But I knew this was
coming.
Well, first of all, I startedout my education in Catholic
school and they could hit you,you know and you learn, the 10
come damage and you know, youknow, the catechism is very,
very, very strict.
And then, when I came to Newark, I went to public schools
(16:07):
Different, huge, hugelydifferent.
And what I saw as I taughtthere I taught about maybe four
or five years, maybe maybe lesswas was especially, of course,
in junior high school, when thekids are starting to go into
puberty and the hormones takeover and you might as well be
(16:28):
teaching in a jail and you arethe prisoner, not them.
Sanya (16:36):
Tell me about it.
Tell me, miss Moore.
I work with high schoolstudents and every night before
I go to sleep I have to go for atherapy reflection walk Just to
unpack the day and recalibrateand show up brand new and
refresh the next day.
Melba (16:54):
But I started off working
in prison, so it prepared me to
work with similar,unfortunately, what I saw
happening, especially perhapsbecause I know because I was a
music teacher, the principal ondown did not respect that
category.
Yeah.
They don't know the value of it, the power of it, and so I saw
(17:16):
a lot of different instanceswhere the top down did not
respect the school system.
Yeah.
And so as I went on, especiallytoward in junior high school, I
could see how the breakdown ofthat would deteriorate the
school system over the years.
And that's what's happened.
You have to have armed guardsin there now.
Sanya (17:37):
Yeah, yeah, and the way
that our students are lined up
outside of the building just toget through scanning.
Melba (17:46):
It's like the pipeline to
the prison system, because Well
, personally, you're sayingscanning, because the people who
ran that system have led adeteriorate to that point and
have been so selfish.
What have education and peopleabout their desires and their
needs?
They have not taken care of thestudents they have.
(18:07):
So the system is gone, so it'snot safe for anyone.
Sanya (18:11):
No, it's not.
It's really not.
So you had a history experienceas a teacher in Newark, New
Jersey, but then somethinghappened where you landed on
Broadway.
Melba (18:24):
Well, what happened was I
didn't want to be a teacher,
right, I'm just saying as beinga part of the system.
I could see what was comingdown the road.
That's not why I left.
I really had a strong desire totry to be a performer and so I
went to my stepdad, or my dad,and I said Well, I'm teaching
(18:44):
because you've told me to teachyou, you want me to teach, and
I'm very good at it and I loveit, but I'm going to try to be
an entertainer.
I want to try to be a performerlike you and mother.
You're laughing so much fun.
Right, right.
So I asked my dad to take mearound to some of his agents and
people to get me into theindustry and to make a long
story longer story a little bitshorter.
One of the first people we raninto taking a meeting with
(19:08):
somebody and we were all in kindof the reception area was
Valerie Simpson.
We were all trying to makemeetings, trying to do things,
yeah, and so we exchangednumbers and she got me involved
with studio backup scenes.
So that was my entry into showbusiness.
Sanya (19:25):
Oh, wow, yeah, the right
place at the right time with the
right person.
Melba (19:30):
That's my story.
Sanya (19:32):
And you were ready, and
you were ready.
Let me tell you about anotherimpact that you made on my life,
just talking about your segueinto Broadway.
I was, I was a young tenderoniin elementary school and I had
an amazing music teacher by thename of Paula Holmes rest in
(19:53):
power and she would have us puton these huge Broadway
productions and the first songthat we ever sang was from
Perley, and I had no idea whoMelba Moore was, but she she
wanted to make sure that thelyrics resonated with us, that
we knew who Melba Moore was.
(20:15):
She gave us this whole historylesson so that when we sing such
words as I ain't never seen aman do the things that that man
can, my Perley Like we knewexactly what we were singing
because she told us about you.
So in elementary school, thatwas when I first learned about
(20:38):
you, miss Melba Moore, and onceagain, that's why I'm honored to
have you in front of me for thesecond time on signing on here.
Talk about just your entireexperience on Broadway.
Melba (20:50):
Well, before I do that,
that's the same thing I used to
do in the classrooms, whateverthe music was on the radio.
What was that?
We use that, for example, sothat we could have something to
start to relate to.
Well, okay, well, the first,the first opportunity I had on
Broadway, came because ofrecording session that I was
doing along with Nick and Valand a whole bunch of other
(21:12):
background singers for GottMcDermott, who wrote the music
for the Broadway show Hair, andthey were still casting.
So they were still looking forstrong black singers for this
parody that they were going todo on the Supremes.
That was the main feature thingthat they were still casting
for.
So when the date was finished,they invited all of us to come
and sing for the director andthe producer.
(21:33):
Nobody else on the date wantedto do that, so I did.
So I got on Broadway, I got intomy first Broadway show, which
was Hair, but before I left theshow because I stayed in for
almost two years it was longerthan that, maybe almost three
years they kept changing thelead and one of the girls in the
(21:53):
course was a black girl.
She said why come, I can be.
I thought this was free loveand you know, and you know
freedom and equity and you knoweverything's.
You know you don't have to bepushed up because you black.
She said how come a black girlcan't do the female lead?
And I said, well, as whitepeople?
They said we didn't think of it.
So so they let me try out forit.
(22:15):
And they rehearsed before thematinees, but the person I wound
up replacing was Diane Keaton.
Sanya (22:21):
Yes.
But, that's how it happened,wow, so so you were actually the
first African American actressin a Broadway production to take
over a leading role previouslyheld by a white woman, diane
Keaton.
Yeah, have you fully acceptedthe magnitude of that first
(22:42):
milestone?
No.
Melba (22:46):
That's why I'm telling
the story like it is.
First, we need to see by how ithappened.
I don't know how good it works,I don't know.
I'll tell you the next oneAfter I've been doing that for a
long time.
That's saying big mouth blackgirls have not been doing the
show for three years.
You need to start going.
You know, learn how to audition, because you really didn't
(23:07):
audition for this.
She told me how you auditionedand she told me that we're
having auditions for this newBlack Broadway show and she told
me where to get a script andeverything.
And I saw she said don't worryabout trying to get the role,
just you need to learn how toaudition.
You don't even know how toaudition.
So I was trying to learn how toaudition but I got the part,
but that was to play Pearl.
(23:28):
Wow.
But the reason I had theability to play that little
country girl was because that'swho I was raised by, because my
mother was a single parent.
She was going all the time.
So the person who raised me wasilliterate, she was orphaned,
she didn't know who her parentswere and she somehow came up
(23:50):
north from North Carolina withsome family that she worked with
.
So that's really kind of who Iwas Just country and a broken
family.
And she said well, this is howyou do it.
I said okay.
Sanya (24:07):
I'll try it, but coming
from that you know, like you
said, a broken family beingraised by someone from the South
who was illiterate how were youstill strong enough to navigate
through Broadway in such a timewhere there weren't really
spaces, comfortable spaces forpeople like us?
Melba (24:27):
Yes, Because I was raised
by an orphaned sharecropper and
then I know nothing else.
Yeah, yeah, I mean we'd bescared of everything anyway, but
we go anyway.
Sanya (24:43):
That speaks to the
strength of where we came from.
That's where we are.
Yes, and you know, I was havinga conversation with a woman
today and just talking aboutbeing in the valley and
oftentimes our experience issometimes in the valley.
There's no way up for.
There's no other way, but upfor us because we come from the
(25:05):
fight, we come from winning, wecome from navigating through
struggles and that's why Iwanted to address another
whiteboard is grassroots.
Melba (25:14):
It's the root of
everything.
So you may be scared but you'renot really uncomfortable
because you know that's, that'snatural, supernatural, it's the
essence of everything.
Yeah, I mean you may not knowall.
I mean I can articulate it now,that education and then on
Broadway I have interviews.
I can say it now, but you areit.
Sanya (25:37):
That really resonated.
You are it?
Yeah, because sometimes peopleare still trying to figure it
out.
They are listening to otherpeople without understanding.
Just like you said, you are it.
Melba (25:52):
You have to keep trying
to figure it out, because God is
always doing something new, butit's wonderful to be able to
sit here and say to people youare it and you know what I'm
saying is true.
You know, we're not talkingabout anything specific.
We're talking about yourculture, your heritage, if
you're a black person, but ofcourse doesn't matter what race
you are.
Whatever it is, you are it.
Sanya (26:12):
You are it, you are
enough.
Yeah, I love that.
So, navigating through Broadwayand then you land on television
.
Now a family member told me totell you this because I was
still a baby at that time, so Ireally don't have any
recollection.
Like I said, my firstintroduction to you was when I
was in elementary school in the80s.
(26:34):
But my older aunt she told me,she said tell Ms Moore, that
while everyone was racing to thetelevision to watch Sonny and
Cher, we have Melba Moore andClifton Davis.
How did you land on television?
Melba (26:50):
You knew the black, sonny
and Cher.
Sanya (26:54):
How did you land?
Melba (26:55):
on television.
I have to say thank you to MsCalvinette.
Sanya (27:00):
Wow, another icon.
Melba (27:05):
How did that happen?
Well, I'm trying to think therewere some agents who came to
see the show.
I'm trying to think I don'tthink I had an agent yet.
I might have had.
I can't remember all the details, but I was also romantically
involved with Clifton Davis atthe time and he was he was, I
(27:25):
tell you what was happening onBroadway at that time.
He was down the road in thecourse of Hello Dolly, which was
then starring Ms Pearl Bailey,and her leading man was Cab
Calloway and one of the ingenueparts was Chris Calloway, cab's
daughter.
Anyway, that was an incredibletime and Clifton and I were
dating and Clifton left HelloDolly to get his first male lead
(27:51):
role in a musical called TwoGentlemen of Arona, which was
kind of a remake of aShakespeare story.
But so we were already theBlack, sunny and Share.
We were the love interest andthe offer was made to both of us
to do the summer replacement.
I guess they made thearrangement with Carol Burnett.
That happened I'm trying toremember or understand how all
(28:16):
this happened and so we got itas a replacement TV show and
that's how that happened.
But then, you know, theybrought the writers and, you
know, created the whole CBS didthe whole concept of the show.
I don't know whose idea was.
(28:37):
I know a big song was called Upon the Roof, so we did our
performances on the roof.
I guess that was first of all.
Sanya (28:47):
That was very colored,
you know, but you know, as
you're mentioning your, your,your relationship with Clifton
Davis, I'm like you know what.
So Beyoncé and Jay-Z was notthe first one, it was Melba Moy
and Clifton Davis.
How about that?
So, once again in a space ontelevision where we didn't see
(29:11):
too many people like us, right,how did you still have the
strength to say I'm going tokeep moving forward and
answering God's assignments.
For my next assignment, I don'tthink.
Melba (29:26):
I don't think I knew so
much that it was God then, but
my parents were entertainers.
This is what I saw around theold time.
I mean people like Sarah Vaughncame to my house.
Sanya (29:35):
Really yeah, oh my gosh.
I met Ella Fitzgerald in theairport one day she said hello
to me, I would have, I wouldhave fanned out, I would have
fainted.
Melba (29:48):
I did.
I mean, I didn't pass out, butso these were our daydreams,
yeah.
Sanya (29:55):
Yeah, but see, see how
you talk about people that
you've met and you fanned out.
That's how I feel about you.
Melba (30:04):
Do?
Have you ever heard the songthat I do?
Colleen on me.
Of course you know where I gotthat from when Miss Aretha
Franklin.
Sanya (30:18):
Another icon.
Melba (30:20):
I couldn't stand to watch
her without screaming until I
got hoarse.
So if I had a shoulder Iwouldn't go see Miss Aretha.
Sanya (30:29):
Wow, talking about, you
mentioned, like Carol Burnett,
clifton Davis, aretha Franklin,like I would say, like, who was
the number one person that youwished to meet, that you did
meet.
Melba (30:47):
I met everybody.
Sanya (30:49):
Name them, name some of
them, name some more.
Oh gosh.
Melba (30:53):
I met well people that
was, you know, kind of scary
People like Frank Sinatra, Imean big, big, big, big, big big
stars.
You know, I'm trying to thinkBecause people I love, like Lou
Rawls and Nancy Wilson andCicely Tyson, wow, icon, oh,
just so many, many, so many,many, many, many, many people.
Sanya (31:17):
So can I ask you a
question, just talking about the
relationships between people ofcolor in the industry back then
, do you think there was sort oflike a camaraderie back then
that we don't have?
Melba (31:29):
I don't know that we
don't find it today.
I think we do.
Sanya (31:31):
Okay.
Melba (31:32):
I do.
Sanya (31:33):
You think it's different
in any way though?
Melba (31:35):
I'm sure it is because
you know it's 50 years now.
Yeah, Wow, you people, youyoung people come along.
You don't even know what thatwas like I know.
Sanya (31:46):
That's why I'm asking you
like mention all of these names
, because to me it's just in themiddle of the world.
I'm not sure if you know who Isaw on television, who I heard
my parents listening to.
Melba (31:58):
I'm going to sit down and
hear these type of stories
because I feel like I was there.
But do you, do you in your, inyour field, meet a lot of
different well-known people?
Sanya (32:07):
I'm sorry, say that again
.
In your field of journalism, doyou meet a lot of people?
Yes, I do so.
Think about it like that.
Yeah, and every time I meetsomeone it's a teachable moment
for me.
I'm a professional learner.
Melba (32:21):
Right, each person, yeah.
Sanya (32:24):
So who was the one person
that you met that you learned
the most from?
You can't, you can't.
Melba (32:31):
You can't, I could, I
could.
Okay, cool, I said, oh, youcan't, you can't, oh yeah, you
could.
Who is that?
One person might be PastorShirley Caesar.
Sanya (32:45):
Wow, I got greens, beans,
potatoes, hands and you name it
.
I'm sorry.
Melba (32:51):
What was a good example?
Because she's a sacred artist,but she's in all the world Like
when we did.
What is it?
The temptation, the movie?
The fighting, fighting, fighting, fighting, fighting, fighting,
fighting, fighting.
But when I was having really,really, really difficult times
(33:12):
and I didn't know that I wassaved, but trying to sing.
But I didn't have no songs.
So one of the one of the peopleI met was Shirley Murdock, who
wrote some music for me so Icould do a gospel album, and she
did it.
You have to listen to it.
This song is incredible.
We both signed it.
She wrote it for me and she,you know she can sing anything.
She didn't sing over me oranything like that.
She wrote it for me and thenshe put herself and she sang
(33:34):
back up for me.
Those experiences you know.
But but Pastor Shirley and Iwould visit a lot of different
churches and it was during atime when I lost everything, so
she would just be there with me,helping me to navigate the
church wall, because she knew Iwas saved.
First of all, and I wasn't agospel singer, I didn't have no
(33:55):
songs.
But we related on a Christianlevel, right and as two fellow
artists and two Right Sorry.
Remember when, when, when MissOprah had this big party for for
everybody at her house.
We were one of the parts of hermansion.
Sanya (34:16):
Well, you said Oprah.
Melba (34:18):
Miss Oprah.
Yes, oprah, okay, okay.
And we were in one place.
I was oh my God, there's TinaTurner all over there.
And and the song said Melva,and it was Diana Ross.
I was oh my God.
And then Pastor said Melva,melva, who's that over there?
She's one of them secularsingers.
Who's that?
I said Pastor, that's Mary JBlige.
Sanya (34:39):
Oh, to be in that room.
I can only imagine the energy.
Melba (34:46):
And she spoke to me like
that because we were friends.
She just whispered who's thatover there?
Wow, I think that's incredible.
Sanya (34:56):
Yeah, that is incredible.
But what was the?
What was the?
The, the biggest lesson thatPastor Shirley Caesar left you
with?
Melba (35:06):
I'm not sure I pick out
one thing.
It's just how she was.
Sanya (35:10):
Just how she was and that
taught you how to be very I.
Melba (35:14):
I.
I worked a lot of differentthings with her Different
community events, church typesof things, films and stuff and
it's she's very grassrootscountry.
It's all about how you presentyourself before God, if it's the
(35:38):
way you dress or whatever youknow she was like no, but look
at that.
Look at that Right.
No, that ain't right.
Sanya (35:47):
You know, Miss Moore, I
got a little distracted because
I grew up in a household wheremy parents always had pictures
on the walls and the picturestold the story of my lineage.
What are the pictures behindyou?
Melba (36:03):
Oh, okay, the top one is
a picture of me and Ted Kennedy.
Wow, this is Charlton Heston,the man who played Moses.
Yes, this is Bob Dole he was asenator.
(36:25):
Wow On your walls, all my walls, over here.
These are some recordexecutives down here.
This is Bobby Brown, that'sDebbie Allen, that's Deanna
Warwick, and we're rehearsing todo lift every voice and sing
the whole the version that we do, with all the different artists
on it.
(36:45):
And this right here is BethMidler, looking down on me
saying hello.
Wow.
And I've got lots more.
Sanya (36:53):
Yeah, that's what I'm
talking about.
You don't walk into householdsnowadays where there's pictures
of your experiences lining thewalls.
I got that from my parents andI've continued that legacy, like
my daughter and I.
We take pictures all the timebecause we want to look back on
those moments.
But I kind of want to move backa little bit, because you
(37:14):
mentioned briefly the momentthat you lost it all.
Yes, talk about that.
When did you lose it all andwhat was the reason behind
losing it all?
Melba (37:26):
Well, my then husband I
didn't realize it was a white
collar criminal, and one of thethings that had happened was
that I found a document whichrevealed that he had had someone
forge my signature on a divorceagreement and he had divorced
me for the purpose of taking allof our assets.
Oh wow, and what?
(37:47):
I confronted him?
Well then, everything hit thefan and fell apart, and
eventually I counted for properdivorce, because there was no
mention that we had a child.
And then everything really wentdownhill.
I became homeless and I lost mychild.
My husband was my manager he'sthe reason I have all these hit
(38:08):
records even now Genius is thatand so I had to start all over
again and get my life back, andwhat happened was I met a
gentleman by the name of MichaelMatthews, who had called me
just before all of thatmanifested and fell apart.
(38:29):
He invited me out on the roadto do probably one of the first
gospel plays, and I was saved.
That had happened.
And so when I went out there onthe road, it was just amazing.
First of all, it was a realgospel.
Everybody was saying there's alot of things I could tell you
about it, but I was devastated.
(38:51):
I was just beating, it was just.
I wasn't angry or anything, Iwas just kind of numb, right,
and I was like you don't reallyknow what's happened to you, you
don't even have a conversationabout it.
Who's best?
You can keep going step by step.
But Michael Matthews, he paid me$5,000 in cash After every
(39:14):
Sunday matinee.
I didn't even have a bankaccount.
Oh, wow, wow.
So, my dear friends, my littlegospel church friends on the
road showed me how to do mybusiness at the post office.
I was like I'm gonna get moneyorders and put them, because
that's less cash.
You paid it from the box office.
A lot of it was singles, youknow, paper pads for cash, like
(39:36):
a stripper with a dollar.
You look like that or likeCasaseza.
So I began my life all overagain.
I was trying to find out wheremy daughter was.
Eventually I got her back, youknow, and that was the beginning
(39:57):
.
Really, I have a greatfollowing down in the church
world.
Yeah.
I have some gospel albums andeverything.
One thing everybody knows isMelville more is saved.
Sanya (40:08):
Yes, we know that
Melville more is saved, but we
also know that you are not asinger, but you are a singer
child.
You are, you are a singer childthe first time that you were in
a recording studio.
Melba (40:23):
Talk about that.
Oh, probably the first time wasbehind, seeing that backup,
behind my mother, behind yourmother.
Wow, rational singer.
She was recording artist.
Uh huh, so I don't even knowthis.
I never sang on any of her hits, but you said the first time in
a studio, so singing backgroundfor you.
Uh huh, let me start here.
Did I mention that one of thefirst people I met when I was in
(40:46):
the industry was ValerieSimpson?
Sanya (40:48):
Yes, you did Okay.
Melba (40:51):
Well, she ushered me into
recording studios for the first
time as a professional singer.
Sanya (40:56):
Wow, did you feel that
you were ready at that time?
Melba (40:59):
Absolutely, I had taught
people how to do that.
Yes, I was a real teacher andyou know, music was a
centerpiece of our family.
So, absolutely, and I saw themusic on TV.
That was a big role model forme and I was a big fan of it and
I didn't know that was going tohappen.
So I was in a relationship withher and I was in a relationship
(41:20):
with her and I was in arelationship with her.
And I was in a relationshipwith her and that was a big part
of my life.
Sanya (41:28):
But one of the recording
sessions turned into going up
for Well presentation wasn'treally an audition for my first
Broadway show, which was hairRight, but I could.
I enjoyed backup singing somuch.
That's right, that's what itwas, but I'm glad that you
(41:48):
emerged from being a backgroundsinger to being the iconic Lee
Melbourmore singer that we knowtoday, because the songs that
you have put out into theuniverse are amazing.
One of my favorite all-timesongs is with I'm going to do it
with Freddie Jackson.
Talk another iconic singer, nota singer.
(42:10):
Talk about working with thelegendary Freddie Jackson.
Melba (42:14):
Well, once again, my
husband my ex-husband was our
manager and he had formed arelationship with Kashif.
Kashif knew all thesesongwriters and performers and
producers and among them wasPaul Lawrence and Kashif, and
one of them was also FreddieJackson, and so on recording
(42:38):
sessions Freddie used to singsome backup and I heard that
voice.
I said, ooh, look there, somaybe he should come out on the
road with me as a backup singer.
Then when we got on the road, Iwould feature him in the middle
of my show and the first songhe sang was Good Morning, Hardix
.
I said, OK, After I heard himsing that everybody just went
cuckoo for cuckoo pops.
Sanya (43:02):
I didn't know that he
started backup with you.
Melba (43:05):
Yeah.
So then I would say to theaudience I would say, ok, before
I bring him out here, I'm goingto tell you who he is and he's
going to be a star, because Iknow once he starts singing
you're not going to hear nothingbecause you're going to be
hollering and hooping all over,right?
And so that's how I introducedFreddie, and my then husband and
our company got in his firstrecording situation I think it
(43:26):
was with Capitol Records andlaunched him as a star, and then
I became his mentor.
Sanya (43:33):
Nice.
You know I'm going to framethis because I want people to
really understand what you justsaid, because having social
capital is so, so important.
Having a strong network ofpeople with similar interests so
they can take you to the nextstep is so important Because
other nationalities they do it.
(43:53):
They pull up their nieces,nephews, brothers, sisters,
aunts, uncles, and we have tomake sure that we are surrounded
by the right type of peoplewith similar interests to take
us where we need to go, becausewe are already enough so we can
show up in spaces.
Melba (44:12):
But you have to tell
African-American people that,
especially younger people,because they don't realize that
the family is still broken.
All the other nationalitiesdidn't come here as slaves.
They didn't have their familyline broken, so they know to
pass it on or pass it around.
So we have to remind each other.
We are family now We've beenmended and this is who we are
(44:33):
and what we are and what we have, so that we can have a network,
first of all, and so that wecan have a future.
Sanya (44:41):
Yes, yes.
Well, talking about the futureor this current space of music,
are there any current artiststhat you listen to and you like?
Melba (44:52):
I don't have time to
listen to people who I'm so busy
doing my stuff.
But there's so much talent itis ridiculous.
Yeah, yeah, it's a lot.
It's marvelous and we're beingtaught we should be in charge of
ourselves in our business, andbusiness starts when you're five
years old.
Sanya (45:12):
How, at five years old,
talk about that.
Melba (45:16):
Get a paper route or
clean the house and you get paid
by your parents.
Sanya (45:19):
OK, I remember when my
daughter was three and I told
her I don't care what you do,you better sing a song, tap
dance, write a book, it'ssomething.
But I want you to own and leadyour future.
We know to do that now, so yes,yes, yes, yes, oh my gosh, but
you know, fast forward.
(45:39):
You just released your 33rdalbum titled Imagine and your
daughter she is the one whobrought the idea to you to
reinvent yourself.
Sometimes, when you reinventyourself, there's a little fear.
Were you fearful of reinventingyourself and creating new music
(46:05):
?
I?
Melba (46:06):
don't think that's what's
there.
I think what's there isignorance, because you ain't got
a mirror, you can't even seeyourself.
You need to have other people'sperspective and God tells you
I'm doing something new, so youneed to know what they feel.
But you wouldn't even know todo that.
Someone says, ma, listen tothis.
(46:26):
I said, okay, yes, great,wonderful, so I think you should
do that.
You think I should do that.
Of course, she's been raisedwith us in the industry.
She's done a lot of differentthings, but she's never worked
with me as a record executiveperson in this, so I don't
really know what she knows.
She's just been my baby.
Sanya (46:49):
Right.
So how was it working with yourdaughter?
Incredible.
Melba (46:53):
I said wow, you see me
singing this.
That's how it is.
She's seen beauties andstrengths and stuff that I have,
no cold that I have, just likeI see her.
And then of course she's a verywhat can I say?
Maybe she's like me, I don'tknow.
She's a very caring and justvisionary too.
(47:17):
But you have to kind of pull itout of her.
She doesn't put her opinion onyou or anything, and maybe she's
respectful of adults so shewould come in.
So you know, she's seen me dosomething that she don't even
like.
She mustn't want to like thatone, but she would never.
She would never a front mealcost me or hurt me in any way.
(47:38):
And so when she tells mesomething, not only do I know
that she's thought it through,but she loves me so much she
don't want to see me hurt bysomething and she would try to
be smart about it as possible,not so she could prove to me
that she's smart, but so thatwhen I heard it I could use my
(47:59):
expertise and we could talkabout it and see what each other
here and see.
I think it's fabulous, it's awhole new.
I mean, if I could have thisrelationship with somebody I
knew that I brought and we couldbe as open with each other and
start on such a caring level.
I don't think there would beany fear, because she's, you
(48:22):
know, told me everything shethought about how each song
should be done, and how it'sgoing to be paid for, and how
I'm going to do this and how I'mgoing to go on with my own life
and how she's going to do herlife.
This is not even a job.
That's what she wanted to throwmy way and I'm like, wait a
minute.
She doesn't really know whather profession is, I mean to
(48:42):
call it.
So she puts this together.
I'm so okay, well, you're theexecutive producer, that's what
you call it.
Sanya (48:49):
Right, right, right.
But did you, did you allow herto really lead that entire
experience and you became thelearner?
Melba (48:59):
Yes, First of all,
because I didn't depend on it
for anything.
Everything that I do is stillintact, so if I don't feel like
doing it, something happens andshe walks away.
There's no risk, right?
So everything that we're doingis because we thought about it.
Yeah, we want to do it eachstep of the way.
Sanya (49:17):
Right, right, I like that
, I like that, but I want to go
back to relationships for amoment.
You're still married.
Melba (49:26):
No, but we're still a
family.
That's something God creates,so okay.
Sanya (49:33):
Navigating relationships
as an older woman?
Yes, Okay.
Melba (49:37):
Well, as a person in the
world, sometimes you don't agree
with different people, but youhave something that you should
work with or work on.
Sanya (49:45):
So, at your age, what is
a non-negotiable when it comes
to relationships with men?
Melba (49:52):
I don't know because I
don't have none.
Sanya (49:55):
Me either Melba Me,
either.
I thought you was going to tellme something.
I'm trying.
Are you hoping that you'llmarry again?
Melba (50:12):
I have no clue Really.
No, because I'm.
I don't.
I mean, I've been lonely, butI'm not lonely.
I think even if you're withsomebody, you're going to be
lonely.
Sanya (50:23):
Well, I wouldn't say that
.
I would say you're just notalone.
There's a difference betweenbeing lonely and being alone.
Melba (50:31):
I know I'm not just
describing it properly and my
daughter's not married, but Iwant that for her.
I want her to have thatexperience in that relationship,
Even if you don't have children.
I would like her to have thatexperience.
Sanya (50:50):
But let's say a man came
your way, that kind of
loneliness.
Melba (50:53):
I know that's, that's
different.
Sanya (50:54):
Yeah, that's right.
But let's just assume a man didcome your way and he was saying
all the right things and hejust presented well and he asked
you for your hand in marriage,would you?
Melba (51:05):
be open If he said all
the right things, because I
would know.
But what I thought and how Ilived, if that was good or not,
sure I would.
Yeah, I don't have anythingagainst it.
I don't have experience to drawfrom.
Sanya (51:21):
I hate you.
I'm trying to keep hope alivetoo.
And my parents?
They were married for what?
50 years.
So I use that, you know, as atestimony that you know love is
definitely possible.
I'm still open to it.
But I look at you know olderwomen such as yourself, and I'd,
like I said, I'm a perpetuallearner and whatever advice you
(51:44):
can give me a space, especiallyin this dating space, because
it's crazy.
Melba (51:51):
If you're going to date,
that's another whole set of
parameters.
It means you're only puttingyourself in a position of a
possibility of sharing a lifewith something you're
considering.
That, sure, you have to knowthat Maybe you have certain
feelings and you haven't reallyorganized it yet, but if that's
what you're really thinking, youwant to do, I think you should
(52:13):
think about it and see whatwould your parameters be.
Sanya (52:17):
And I couldn't tell you
that you should do that, yeah,
I've thought about those thingsat this age.
The number of eligible men it'svery limited.
Melba (52:30):
That's always the case,
but also these are different
times and the family structureis different, so I want to close
the door.
Sanya (52:40):
No, I'm definitely, you
know, embracing the
possibilities and saying if itcomes my way, I'm open to it and
, as you mentioned before, I'mready.
Melba (52:51):
When you say you're ready
, you have to think about what
is the family structure thesedays and who are you potentially
partnering with and what istheir idea of what that is?
Sanya (53:02):
Yeah, and I know I
envision something very
non-traditional and it's goingto take someone who agrees with
being non-traditional.
And what I mean bynon-traditional?
I don't mean like the Jada andWill Smith type of it all, not
that.
Melba (53:19):
I don't know what they do
, so tell me.
Sanya (53:22):
Well, they have an open
marriage.
Melba (53:24):
Oh, I remember what that
was no.
Sanya (53:28):
And Jada Pinkett Smith is
now.
You know she released a tellold book and she's saying that
her and Will Smith have beenseparated since 2016.
Melba (53:36):
That's not a relationship
, that's a movie for publicity.
Sanya (53:41):
I said the same thing
because she has a new book
coming out and all of thesesecrets that she's dropping.
I'm like whoever her publicistis, they are just trying to
generate sales, that's it.
Melba (53:51):
No, now we're talking
about relationships.
Yeah, yeah.
I think that the way the societyhas been splintered and divided
and going through so manytransitions and transformations,
you would have to sit down oversome time and assess what you
(54:12):
really believe in right now andwhat you think a man should
should if he were to, you know,appealing to you.
Just kind of think those threeand then consult some different
people who are really in thatage range and have some
experiences to draw on about howthings are going now.
So it's not just your opinion,your feeling.
(54:34):
Yeah, I'm going to take thatadvice and pursue that and see
what's going on around you, seewhat it's made up of now.
I think I've done that andthat's why I'm succeeding at
what I'm doing.
Right, right.
Sanya (54:47):
I'm going to lean into
that and I'm going to try it.
I'm definitely going to try it.
Melba (54:52):
I think the family and
relationships are so wonderful
they are even with all theterrible things that can happen.
I do yeah, that's so true Ihave a relationship with my
ex-husband because I'm aChristian and he's become saved
on his own, and so now, whateverwe bring to the table, it has
(55:14):
to meet God's opinion, right?
And we go like this because Isaid, uh-uh, no, I don't belong
to you, no more, I'm notinterested in your opinions.
What did God say?
Sanya (55:31):
How do you use that Uh-uh
, uh-uh what?
Melba (55:34):
did God say?
I know what God said now.
So when you tell me something,I don't know if that's your
opinion or not.
Sanya (55:40):
Right, right, I love it,
I love it, and that's the wisdom
that I aspire to achieve.
Melba (55:47):
Yes, yes, and those are
things you can kind of say, you
can question and say, oh well,where am I?
You got to navigate where youare.
You got to find out where, yougot to find out who you are now.
Sanya (55:57):
Yeah, yeah, so true, and
that's all part of it, you know,
so true.
Do you and your daughter sitdown and talk about
relationships?
Absolutely yeah.
My daughter and I redo as well.
My daughter's 28.
How old is your daughter?
She's 40.
Really, wow, yeah, so you twoare having real authentic,
(56:18):
transparent type ofconversations.
Melba (56:21):
Yeah, Because we've been
damaged so much, and so has my
ex-husband.
Probably the most damage he didwas to himself.
Now it's our job to help himmend.
Yeah, we could only think likethat because we were born again
Christians.
All the little different, verysubtle details that go into that
(56:45):
, and loving the way God saysyou're supposed to love.
Sanya (56:49):
Yes, when you wake up, do
you start each morning with a
prayer?
Melba (56:54):
No, a whole series of
prayers before I open my eyes
and the ministers come on.
I just put the tape record onbecause in case I fall asleep.
And then I got some people,because I'm Catholic and we
invoke our angels.
I know who they are theservants.
The servants, the thrones, thedominions.
(57:14):
I know who they are.
Bring them in there first.
And now I'm getting to thepoint where they're starting to
blossom and expand into things,not to just that basic prayer,
but you've got to grow inknowledge and wisdom and
everything and the things of God.
So there is, it's a tailor madefor you, but they're still my
gods, I remember, because youcan't see them or touch them or
anything.
(57:34):
Right, that's the real realitythat we have to conform to.
Yeah.
Yeah, that's, that's my what doyou call it?
My job, my routine and how Ispend the first several hours of
beginning of my day.
Yeah, so that's why I stillhave a career, but that's my job
(57:58):
.
Sanya (57:59):
Right, Right, I love it.
You know, I started this day aswell.
Once I got into the office, Iclosed my door and I told my
assistant.
I said you know what?
We're going to turn on somegospel music and we're going to
praise him for as long as ittakes and then we're going to
start our day.
Melba (58:18):
First of all, then you
two are on one accord Go ahead,
yeah.
Sanya (58:21):
Yeah, we are on one
accord.
And like I pray over my space,my father, he's also a chaplain.
My mother God rest her soul shewas a deaconess.
So all of that spirituality,you know, they've instilled it
in me.
Melba (58:39):
So now it is my
responsibility to share it with
the world and you know that it'sall of our responsibility.
We don't know it.
We're strict of our verysecurity.
Yeah, yeah.
Much less our responsibility.
Sanya (58:53):
Yes, yes, so I'm assuming
that you go to church every
Sunday?
Melba (58:58):
No, I go every day.
Oh, we're Catholic.
Sanya (59:02):
Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah.
I in church all the time andstanding up and standing down
every five minutes.
Melba (59:10):
I take a union, I go to
confession.
Sanya (59:17):
Oh my, are you a
deaconess or no?
Melba (59:20):
Well, you're in the
Catholic church, so they don't
have no, they have them, but Itravel, so I can't do that.
Okay, I have to be.
You know, minister, on the road.
Right, I'm what you call anapostle with sent.
Sanya (59:34):
I hear you.
I hear you.
So you know, I feel that a lotof my success is attributed to
because I made a promise to GodI will never deny your name,
Whatever he said right, if youacknowledge me, I'll acknowledge
you.
Melba (59:49):
So you can't, you can't
lose.
Yes.
Sanya (59:52):
Yes, yes.
So this is why you know,especially coming from a school
system now involved in media,these type of conversations
aren't always welcomed.
But I like to spark theconversations just to see am I
in the space of like mindedindividuals Like you?
Melba (01:00:08):
need to find out where
you are yes, because it's war.
Sanya (01:00:15):
Yes, it is, it is.
I feel the spiritual warfare ona daily basis and this is why,
at the end of every day, I haveto do a therapy, self reflection
walk where I'm talking to God.
Sometimes I don't even talk, Ijust listen and say, okay, I'm
just, I'm just listening to you,god, I'm here, I'm ready.
(01:00:39):
So I every night, faithfully.
That's how I end my day.
You sound?
Melba (01:00:44):
kind of radical.
Sanya (01:00:45):
I am.
I am you know, I was talking tomy daughter accepted that I am
a disruptor.
Okay, I believe that that'swhat God purposed me to do to
disrupt spaces that aren't inalignment with.
Melba (01:01:07):
This is a season and we
can't accept it.
That's the first denominationof Christianity, is the one that
Jesus started.
That's why there's all thesephysical reminders of what he
did in Israel and, of course,israel was the synagogue first.
But I forgot what I'm gonna say.
But I forgot what I was gonnasay.
Sanya (01:01:27):
I'm sorry, it's okay,
it's okay, but you know
switching topics.
I was so pleased to see yougetting your flowers when you
received a star on the HollywoodWalk of Fame, and I was even
more pleased to know that CatWilliams had a lot to do with
that.
Talk about that.
Melba (01:01:51):
The whole process was
very amazing.
And then, of course, let's talkabout Cat Williams.
I met him for the first timethere at the presentation and I
really didn't know what to sayto him.
Of course, I said thank you,all that, but I wanted to see
him.
Who is this?
What is this?
You know what he is.
He's like a Holy Ghost person.
That's what he is.
Sanya (01:02:12):
And a lot of people
wouldn't even think that.
Melba (01:02:14):
No, he won't let you know
that, he doesn't.
You know, I found out andeverything and we were very
unstrictly, you know, come inand not to say a lot about it.
Well, especially at first.
Then at a certain point, mypartner, ron Richardson, put it
out on our site once.
He said it was okay, because wewanted to say thank you and we
wanted to get to know MrWilliams, because this is a very
(01:02:39):
, very, very, very, very veryspecial person who would do
things like this, and apparentlyhe does it all the time.
Yeah, he does, he does.
It's not that I'm trying to getto be bosom buddies with him,
but I was really curious.
I said oh gee, you know what isthis and you know.
(01:03:00):
All my life and all my career,with all the traumas I've had,
I've had people come to my aidand help me and do things.
I was saying that I went out onthe road to my first class will
play with Michael Matthews andat the time that I'd happened I
was already homeless.
I lost my daughter andeverything that.
And this gentleman, michael, atthe end of the first week paid
(01:03:25):
me $5,000 in cash, and I didn'teven have a bank account, right?
So I noticed people like that,yeah.
Sanya (01:03:33):
Yeah there are, you know,
unsung heroes and angels out
there that will step in andprovide when we need it the most
.
So you didn't even reach out tocat Williams to ask him for his
help.
He did that on his own.
Melba (01:03:49):
I think my partner Ron
discovered him.
I knew who he was and found him.
Sanya (01:03:57):
So talk about that day
when you receive the star on the
Hollywood Walk of Fame and youhave people speaking about all
of your amazing work in theentertainment industry.
I saw a Loonel she spoke onbehalf of.
I love Loonel, love her.
Melba (01:04:20):
She's another one, yeah,
and with that potty mouth, you'd
never know it.
Sanya (01:04:28):
I live for a good curse
word, Miss Mool.
I'm sorry.
Melba (01:04:33):
Oh my God, she called me
a few days before it was
supposed to happen and just gaveme some wonderful and
encouraging words and then wejust it was short, but it was
personal, they're just, onceagain, show you the kind of
person she is.
I said, well, where did I getthese kind of friends from?
(01:04:53):
Wow, you think of it that way.
But then you say once again,well, who is she?
What kind of a person is she?
You know, but I'm getting tosee how she is, you know,
hilarious and you know, partierand a good, good, good, whole
person.
Yeah.
Sanya (01:05:13):
Yeah, but you know, I
think that you've given the
world so much that what you putout in the world, the universe
will give you back in return,and I think that this is just
the way of the universe sayingthat we see you, we appreciate
all of the amazing things thatyou've given to us.
So people are now given to youand I'm so glad to see this
(01:05:35):
happening because, as youmentioned, you know, you lost it
all your money, your daughter,fighting your way back and to
see you in the space.
I love a great comeback storyand you are a definite testimony
of a great comeback story.
So talk about coming back.
You are going to release.
(01:05:56):
I think they're going to do theremake of the Imitation of Life
and you're going to be in it.
Melba (01:06:01):
That's going to be.
That's quite a ways down theroad, but, yes, that's going to
happen.
Yes.
Sanya (01:06:05):
So they haven't started
any type of production yet.
Melba (01:06:07):
No, that's not going to
be for a while.
They have some other thingsthat they have to do first.
That'll be down the road, but Iwill do that.
I'll be doing it, oh but it's adefinite.
Yes.
Sanya (01:06:16):
That's also iconic.
I know about this classic film,but a lot of you know this
newer generation they don't.
So I'm glad to see that they'regoing to do a remake of it, but
why?
Why are they doing this, do youknow?
I?
Melba (01:06:30):
think it's in the ethos
once again, because we want to
preserve our, our heritage asholy servants.
Yeah.
Yeah, because I looked at thecredits and how the packaging
was of the CD and how they hadto do it back in the 40s I think
that's when it was first done.
It was a white, white, white,white, white, white society.
(01:06:54):
So somebody had to breakthrough and kind of coach, and
how you present this storyBecause the maid, she's the star
of it.
So you couldn't say that Right,right.
And now, all these years later,we haven't lost interest in it
and that's a story that againwill be received so well because
(01:07:18):
we've come so far.
Now we want to look back andreminisce, right Well, our
heroism really.
Sanya (01:07:27):
Mm, hmm, so you can
reminisce when you go back to
Newark, new Jersey, where youattended high school and they
renamed the street after you.
How amazing is that.
Do you go back to Newark, newJersey, and visit too often?
Melba (01:07:46):
I do really a lot of
community service there for the
purpose of keeping some contactsthere, because that's where I
really had family or where myfamily was mended and I found
music, that I was, that I was amusician and got my education
and grew to be a person thatcould be in the right place at
the right time to get an actingrole, you know, or to have such
(01:08:09):
good training that I can runinto somebody like Valerie
Simpson and she said here's mynumber, you read music.
Yeah, that's what all that allhappened in Newark.
So I want to keep my contactsthere and so my basic roots
there are, with the church andcommunity service there.
Sanya (01:08:25):
Yeah, Nice, Nice.
I love to hear when people giveback.
I think it's everyone'sresponsibility to give back to
this world in some way, big orsmall.
Just give back to to yourcommunity.
We've talked about some of theamazing things that you've
contributed to this world.
Unpack some of your milestonesand pivotal moments, but what
(01:08:50):
legacy do you intentionally wantto leave this world with?
That's the one give back togive back.
Melba (01:08:58):
Hmm, I mean from the
beginning, you teach your
children to do community service, to volunteer stuff.
Sanya (01:09:05):
I love it.
I love it you don't know.
Melba (01:09:07):
Sometimes in the
beginning you don't even know
what your gifts are.
But still, if you're firstgifted to be a giver, give
yourself.
Sanya (01:09:14):
Yes, yes, oh my gosh,
what are your hobbies?
I just want to know, becauseyou look amazing Every time I
see you.
You are impeccably dressed.
What are your hobbies?
Working out, really, you workout Every day.
Yeah, see, I feel bad aboutmyself because I'm still trying
to find the time, but you reallywant to.
(01:09:37):
Do you find the time?
So that's not an excuse.
Melba (01:09:40):
Well, right now you could
call it rehab.
Okay, you start early enough,it can be a hobby.
Then you should be, you know,working to your life.
So the routine, so thatmaintains your well being.
Sanya (01:09:53):
True, true.
So, besides exercising, whatelse do you like to do?
Melba (01:09:59):
I don't really have
hobbies yet.
I think after I reach my nextlevel here and I get the rest of
my team in terms of being anexecutive producer of some of
the projects that I'm going todo, I'm going to travel a little
bit Maybe.
I used to like to swim.
I don't have time to do thatanymore.
I used to want to like to maybeskydive a little bit or
something.
I don't know.
(01:10:21):
I want to find out, because Ihaven't had time to think about
it.
Sanya (01:10:25):
I get you.
Yeah, I'm in this space for thepast two years of doing things
that I would have normally notdone.
I don't call it the pandemic.
I call it the pandemic Duringthe pandemic.
Unfortunately, I lost my mom,and what it taught me was to
cherish each and every singlemoment, to step outside my
(01:10:49):
comfort zone, to make everysingle moment count.
So that's my advice to you, msMoore Step into that new phase
and do things that you wouldhave normally not have done, and
just try it out.
Melba (01:11:06):
I agree, it's a wonderful
, wonderful world and it's to be
explored.
And time, even if you live tobe 120 years old, it flies.
Sanya (01:11:16):
Yes, yes, it sure does.
I know every day my daughter'slike I hope this day goes by
fast and I'm at this point whereI'm just like I want to cherish
every single second Second.
I don't, I don't want to thinkabout tomorrow, because I want
to live in right now and justcherish that, because this
second it's gone, this secondright here is gone.
(01:11:39):
This second it's gone.
So I just want to make it count.
Melba (01:11:43):
Sometimes I think, oh my
God, I'm falling asleep, but I
want to stay awake just a littlebit longer.
I love this story.
Sanya (01:11:50):
I go through that every
night too.
Every night I'm like go to bed,son, okay.
Melba (01:11:55):
You gotta go to sleep
because you kind of get up and
be ready for tomorrow.
But I'm gonna finish today yet.
Sanya (01:12:02):
Yes, yes, yes, yes.
So, ms Moore, thank you so muchfor this conversation.
I am so full, I am so honored.
You gave me some next steps tothink about and I'm definitely
going to tap into yourconversation and do.
Thank you so much.
Melba (01:12:19):
Thank you, I'm gonna take
your advice too.
When I get a month, somemoments.
Now I'm gonna make a margin.
No, but what would you like todo for a hobby when you get a
chance?
Yeah, because those moments toplan are going to.
Sanya (01:12:34):
Yeah, I went sparkling
for the first time in St Thomas.
Melba (01:12:39):
I like to do that.
Okay, yeah, go ahead.
Sanya (01:12:41):
It was scary, but I
challenged myself to just and.
I swim.
But I said, you know, I got totry it because I would hate to
if something would have happenedto me and I can no longer walk
or talk to say I missed thatopportunity to do something new.
Melba (01:12:58):
And you just reminded me
I used to snorkel.
Let me go back into some thingsI used to do.
Sanya (01:13:02):
Yeah, yeah, because you
look good, Malva, you look good.
Melba (01:13:08):
I'm gonna get somebody to
see me.
Sanya (01:13:11):
Look good.
You really really do.
But once again, continueblessings, miss Moore.
Thank you for blessing my showand I'll stay in touch and
continue following you on socialmedia.
Please do Take care, love, bye,bye, oh gee.
(01:13:31):
So the iconic, the legendaryMiss Melba Moore just talking
about things, her life, losingit all, the comeback story, the
husband, the ex husband whoforged the divorce papers.
She lost her daughter, but thenher 33rd album.
(01:13:55):
The daughter led the new albumand allowed Miss Moore to step
into a new space, her socialcapital of iconic figures in
history, such as Freddie Jackson, diana Ross, the queen, valerie
Simpson, who's also been on theshow, oprah Winfrey, mary J
(01:14:20):
Blige, clifton Davis, pastorShirley Caesar.
Who else is she named?
Who didn't she name FrankSinatra?
When you are surrounded bygreatness, there is no other
excuse but to be great.
Hence, miss Melba Moore, Ireally enjoyed that conversation
(01:14:45):
and I hope that you enjoyed ittoo.
Make sure that you share thisconversation with your friends,
your family.
If you're older, find peoplethat are younger than you and
share this conversation withthem too.
We can't figure out where we'regoing if we can't understand
(01:15:07):
where we come from.
And when she mentioned that ourexperience is sort of like a
grassroots.
We are it, we are enough.
We come from.
We come from struggle and overthe years, over the decades, we
have kept one foot in front ofthe other to navigate through
(01:15:29):
the struggles to come outsuccessful.
On the other side, we have itin us.
So let this conversation be areminder that you have
everything that you need alreadyand we are able to be
successful.
This has been another amazingedition of Sign your Own Air.
(01:15:51):
Make sure you subscribe.
See you just now.
Bye.