August 25, 2025 • 31 mins
Frankie Darcell gets DEEP with Kem! Kem sat down with Frankie Darcell to talk all about how he went from a Motown-recording artist to relaunching his label Kemistry Records and releasing his new single "Rock With Me." He also shares his new journey and talks a lot about what has shaped him into the artist and family man he is today.
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
Philly's Best. Do you throw back to one O five
point three w G A S. Frankie Darcel with you?
Speaker 2 (00:05):
And we've been excited and waiting on the brand new
single Rock.
Speaker 1 (00:09):
With Me from Chemistry Records Kim and he is joining
me by phone. What's happening, Kim?
Speaker 3 (00:16):
So, Frankie is Cam? How you doing?
Speaker 2 (00:18):
You know you ain't supposed to be sounding like that
in the middle of the afternoon.
Speaker 1 (00:26):
Who do you think you're talking to? Let's start there.
I'll be for real. I'm like what and I'm single?
Speaker 2 (00:36):
Man?
Speaker 1 (00:37):
Please, let's do this again.
Speaker 2 (00:39):
Good afternoon, Kim?
Speaker 3 (00:46):
Like what.
Speaker 1 (00:49):
You you sounding like a sarenaate coming? What is up
with that? I'm on yeah, cool.
Speaker 3 (00:57):
Yeah, trying to stay on brand.
Speaker 1 (01:00):
I can't you, brother, You own brand for real? Now.
I know you too well to be calling me sounding
like that. God dadga, that's that single sexy sound.
Speaker 2 (01:16):
So we have been banging the brand new single, which
is so deserving, all day to day Rock with Me,
and it happens to be one of my favorite people
on the planet.
Speaker 1 (01:28):
Kim is joining me. What's happening, brother?
Speaker 3 (01:31):
What's happening Frankie?
Speaker 1 (01:32):
But everything is good.
Speaker 2 (01:33):
We're gonna start talking with you as well that you
are now back to being the CEO owning your stuff,
Chemistry Records. Quite frankly, I get it. I get the
major label, but to hear you know that Chemistry Records
is alive and well and you get to go back
to your roots, not your roots, your roots and do
(01:56):
your thing, and do your thing, talk about talk about
how you got there and now releasing your brand new single,
We're going to talk about that as well.
Speaker 1 (02:05):
But how did you get here?
Speaker 3 (02:06):
I you know, people, Well, first of all, it's always
a pleasure talking to you man, and I really really
appreciate you, uh throughout the years, you know, and uh,
you know, from the from the Panopscot building in Detroit
for today. You know what I'm saying. I appreciate you. Yeah, yeah,
you know, people have been trying to get me to,
(02:28):
uh to go back to being an independent artist for
years and and I've always kind of recoiled at the
idea because of uncertainty. And uh, you know, it's nice
having you know, big budgets and you know, and being
at a label and having you know a team of
(02:49):
people who are working on your behalf and and we
were always kind of independent anyway with even within the
major label structure. Whatever the label wasn't doing, we we
we tried to do on our own. But Motown had
been has been as the rest of the record industry,
the music industry has had been in uh, they had
(03:10):
been in in you know, in transition and transition.
Speaker 1 (03:16):
Right.
Speaker 3 (03:16):
Transition is the more eloquent word, right labeled, the label
had been in transition, and and I was ready. I
knew that I was. I was approaching the time when
when I wanted to release new music, and I'm looking
at the label and it's like, well, if you want
to release a record today, how are you going to
do that? Yeah, you know, within this, within this construct.
(03:40):
And there was an opportunity to move to another label,
within the Universal family, but I really stepped back and said, Okay,
you know, it's twenty twenty five. You know, you've been
doing this for you know, for for twenty three years,
you know, almost twenty five years. It's like, you know,
you know, you know, a different season of life, and
(04:02):
every every area of my life is different, you know,
personally and professionally. The industry has changed, So how do
you want to move going forward? You know? And it
really made sense to to bring it home, you know,
to bring everything back in house. Uh. And and I'm
really really excited by I surrounded myself with some industry
(04:26):
professionals in every category, marketing, PR, you know, social media,
digital marketing, created a and R, you know, So I
really and I wasn't trying to set up a label.
Speaker 4 (04:38):
I'm just trying to to put my music back.
Speaker 3 (04:42):
Out in the into the world.
Speaker 2 (04:44):
But but but not just put it out there, Kim,
and put it up.
Speaker 1 (04:47):
You want to do it and do it right?
Speaker 3 (04:49):
Do it? Yeah, you know, and and right and and
to do it right and to do it, to do
it in a way that is fitting with the times,
you know. And we're brand and brand and when I
want to and how I want to And I'm really
really really really excited about it.
Speaker 2 (05:11):
Well we we we are excited as well. First of
all today debuting uh the single rock with me?
Speaker 3 (05:20):
Right?
Speaker 1 (05:21):
And first of.
Speaker 2 (05:22):
All, what what what way to reintroduce now your because
some of it is going back to who and what
you were when you started. Everything in between with the
label is fine, but there's just a different kind of
hum in your voice now, right.
Speaker 1 (05:43):
Was there a difference from where you where you were.
Speaker 2 (05:46):
Which was brilliant to the new brilliant and now doing
it differently today.
Speaker 3 (05:53):
Yeah, our if we had an operating manual at uh
at at Chemistry Records that we handed out to everybody,
the front of it would say return to love it.
It's a return to you know, me and the song
and the keyboard. You know, It's a return to the
(06:15):
the the the intimacy of of just me sitting down
and writing a song, not because I'm looking for another
hit record, not because you know, I want to get
you know, more followers. It's me sitting down just because
that's what I love, That's what I like to do,
you know, me sitting down because and I'm not chasing anything,
(06:37):
you know, for the love of it. It's me sitting down.
As as as a member of the audience, I'm the first,
I'm the I'm a member of the audience, you know.
And so it's it really really is is refreshing and
and and it feels good. Rock with me is is
uh come in just in time for cuddle season. It's
(07:00):
it's love calls, can't stop loving you and share my life.
If those if those Kim records, you know what I'm saying,
and uh, and I'm really excited for you all to
hear it.
Speaker 2 (07:12):
So I've read where and I've done South Africa. I
was in Johannesburg, so wato I had a brilliant time.
You talked about that journey and one of your inspirations
for that and and the writing of Rock with Me.
You talked about like a love letter to your wife Erica.
Is that How did you connect those two? How did
(07:33):
they come together to create this latest single?
Speaker 3 (07:37):
When I go, When I go to South Africa, you know,
the first time I stepped on the continent of Africa,
it was like coming home, you know. And and uh,
and I've been away for far too long and spent
too much time away from from from South Africa and
uh and Erica is home, you know, Erica is home,
and and Rock with Me is really you know. And
(08:01):
when you go on and there's work and there's work
to do at home, you know, And and somebody asked, me, Uh,
you know, how did you know you know Erica was
the one? And it's because I'm willing, because I'm willing
to do the work, you know, And you know, how
did you know? How did you know? You know? She
was the one because I'm because I married her write.
(08:22):
Everything before, you know, was what you know, love for
you know's respect for everything that came before. But this
one I married, you know what I'm saying, and that
and that comes with the responsibility and and and having
to recognize that you have to be willing to to
really to do the work. I'm vulnerable. I let my
(08:42):
feelings show with you because I want you to rock
with me, you know, I want you to I want
you to rock with me. She had. We got in
a fight one time and she said, uh, she said,
you know, you know, do you you know, like you
know talking to me like you don't love me. I'm like, dude,
I love you more than like I'm only I'm only
doing this work because I love you. You don't get
(09:03):
in you don't come out here in the deep. You
don't come out here in the deep like this with
these with these kids.
Speaker 5 (09:09):
And all of this stuff, you know, and not the
love has got to be that's the motivator behind everything
that I you know, so because I want you to
rock with me, you know, I want you to keep
rocking with me, you know. So that's that's the sentiment
behind the record.
Speaker 3 (09:23):
I know I talk too much, but that's okay.
Speaker 1 (09:25):
Let me just tell you, brother.
Speaker 2 (09:27):
You're octave changed when you had that conversation, so I
get the whole rock with you on that and when
you talk about that passion. But you know what, Kim,
you always connected some reality, some passion, some love, some life.
Speaker 1 (09:42):
Experience to your music.
Speaker 2 (09:45):
And that's what makes your music so relatable and that's
why it's going to.
Speaker 1 (09:49):
Be around, you know, forever and ever and ever and ever.
Speaker 3 (09:53):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (09:54):
Thanks, what does and that's what and that's why people
respect you as an artist as well. I like to
hear these little tidbits to how we get the great
songs we get, you know what I mean.
Speaker 1 (10:04):
I met an Erica and that's that's cool. That's cool.
Speaker 2 (10:06):
Listen, let's talk about the single give My Love.
Speaker 3 (10:10):
Yeah, give my Love is uh you know, that's the
first single off of Chemistry Records since Love Calls right
and Give My Love was sent to me by one
of my my creative partners, Rex ride Out. He sent
me to music and I wrote and I wrote to
it and it really put us in the mind. It
really it really struck me as you know, an Island
(10:33):
vibe ay uh, afro beat type of vibe and I
think we dust settled somewhere in between a shady vibe
shay Day esque and uh, and then we did a
line dance to it. But it's a really it's a
spiritual song. Yeah, it's a spiritual song. And uh we
(10:53):
did a line we called Kenny J. Line dance choreographer
extraordinaire and uh, I flew out learn this line dance
that you created for Forgive my Love and was able
to bring it home and spend some time in Detroit
teaching folks. You know. It's just you know, it's really
really really really uh really an exciting time and I
(11:14):
love making what I what I hope people receive is
as great music, music that you can that you can
vibe to and uh and that you can and that
you can rock with, you know, wherever you are, cleaning
the house, driving, you know, whatever you're doing. You know,
and I'm really excited about Thank you, thank you for
mentioning Give my Love.
Speaker 2 (11:34):
Yeah, absolutely having fun with it and want to definitely
shout out Kenny J.
Speaker 1 (11:38):
Right across the bridge in Jersey. That was that was
a lot of fun.
Speaker 2 (11:41):
And I was going to say, with all your Grammy
nods and all of your accolades and the things that
you accomplished and will continue to accomplish.
Speaker 1 (11:48):
One of the most important is that you got a
line dance to your music.
Speaker 3 (11:52):
All right, all right, right, right right? You hanging out
with us?
Speaker 1 (11:57):
Yeah, big, hanging out with us?
Speaker 2 (11:59):
Yeah that was big fun, big fun. You know you've
made it. When you get a hustle, a line dance
to your to your music, you know, that's big. That's big,
that's big.
Speaker 1 (12:12):
You know you were.
Speaker 2 (12:12):
Talking about how you come up with your your music,
your relationship with with the keyboards as well, And it's
because you've shared yourself not only an accomplished recording artist
and continuing to do.
Speaker 1 (12:27):
Your thing, you are also an author.
Speaker 2 (12:29):
So I've got to mention that as well for people
that want to be able to even get to know
you share my life a journey of love, faith and
redemption as a recording artist and an author. Now there's
been a couple of years releasing releasing the book.
Speaker 1 (12:45):
You share a lot about who you are. Are you
glad you did?
Speaker 3 (12:50):
I've always been you know, I try to be well, well,
I share a lot, but I don't share it all.
Look right, I ain't everything look right?
Speaker 1 (13:03):
Yeah? Could I stop? Right?
Speaker 3 (13:04):
Yeah?
Speaker 1 (13:04):
I want second? What just flashback?
Speaker 2 (13:08):
I remember doing Talk of the Town and you know,
I go there on any topic and you came into
the studio and I was talking about something hot and
you walked in.
Speaker 1 (13:16):
I said, you want to comment?
Speaker 2 (13:17):
You were like, hell, Now, I got people on both
sides of the issue. I won't keep my opinion to myself.
That just flashed, right, That just flashed in my memory.
Speaker 1 (13:32):
But yeah, go ahead, right.
Speaker 3 (13:33):
Right, Yeah, you're right. You ain't got to talk. You
ain't got to comment on everything, you know what I'm saying.
Speaker 1 (13:39):
Yeah, but uh.
Speaker 3 (13:41):
You know, sharing my story, My life is transformed because
people shared their stories with me, you know. And uh,
you know, in this day and age, when we posting,
you know, our latest outfit or our latest vacation or
you know, celebrating our latest move and all the all
the you know, giving our all ourselves all these accolades.
(14:02):
You know, there's I guess there's a place for that.
But really, when people, people's lives are changed. When you
share your brokenness, when you share your struggle, when you
share you know how you how you got through, you
know your dark knight of the soul and uh so
I try to be transparent and authentic because that's really
the best you know, that's the best place to be
(14:24):
because you ain't got to you ain't got the pivot
when you being yourself the right memory, right, Yeah, you know,
I know how the story goes because it's the truth, right.
Speaker 2 (14:37):
But but yeah, one point five billion streams Chemistry Records,
Kim is my guess, and excited about having you on.
The new single is called rock with Me and you
can find it on all of the streaming platforms. Always
good to have you join me on the show and
(14:59):
so that your journey continues doing some incredibly brilliant, brilliant things.
Speaker 1 (15:06):
You know, And everybody has their their favorites.
Speaker 2 (15:09):
And there's not a Kim song that I can listen
to that I don't like. But I gotta tell you,
nobody promised to love brother.
Speaker 1 (15:17):
You know, you're part of my riding music.
Speaker 3 (15:19):
You know when people.
Speaker 2 (15:21):
Get in my car, right, they get in my car,
have an SUV. They get in my suv and and
I never have the radio on. I don't I get
it in their car at first, and I'm like, oh,
I'm turning the radio and I'm like I am the radio.
Speaker 1 (15:31):
Can we give it off? You know what I mean?
Speaker 2 (15:33):
So, but when I ride, when I ride, you Whitney,
Alexandro O'Neil and Brenda.
Speaker 1 (15:41):
Russell, Oh wow, there you go, right.
Speaker 2 (15:44):
That's and I'll throw in some Algira every now and then,
but those four are.
Speaker 1 (15:48):
In my deck, right, That's what I listen to when
I ride.
Speaker 2 (15:52):
So when I'm driving between here to go see my
brother in connecticut's like a six hour ride. When I'm
going to Virginia Beach to see my family, it's like
a five valor ride.
Speaker 1 (16:00):
That's what I ride to, especially on a beautiful and
I got to tell.
Speaker 3 (16:04):
You, thank you company, right.
Speaker 1 (16:08):
Right, And I'm listening to it all.
Speaker 2 (16:10):
And do you know when I drive like that and
that kind of music speaks to my soul and it's
so authentic the music. And you know, Brenda Russell just
speaks to me for some reason. I don't know what
that is, right, And I saw more of my challenges
when I'm driving and riding and.
Speaker 1 (16:28):
Listening to my favorite artists.
Speaker 2 (16:31):
And quite frankly, those are my favorite artists with all
of my favorite songs. And and you're in that deck,
and I got to tell you.
Speaker 1 (16:38):
I hit all the time that when that that promised to.
Speaker 2 (16:40):
Love, it's just just does something, just does something when
I when I when I listen to it, and I'm briden.
So listen as we get ready to close, thank you again,
you know for joining me and with everything that you're
doing here.
Speaker 1 (16:55):
You know, I wish you nothing.
Speaker 2 (16:56):
But you know the very best I absolutely of you
to life and and and know that this is the
continuance of the incredible journey.
Speaker 1 (17:07):
What more do you want to do?
Speaker 3 (17:10):
You know, that's that's that's a that's a heavy question.
You know, I want to I think that there is
a there's a Grammy out there with my name on it.
Speaker 1 (17:21):
That part we claiming that part we claiming that.
Speaker 2 (17:25):
We're claiming that, and it would be great. Look look wait,
we're going to claim that. And we're claiming Chemistry Records,
which makes it even better.
Speaker 3 (17:34):
But go ahead, there you go, there you go. I
co sign and received that. Yeah, I want to do
a a a duet with and you know those are
those are career you know, career goals. Andy, continue to
(17:55):
make good music and and really uh just be uh
at the at the end of the above, all of that,
I want to be a good husband and a good dad.
You know, right, just let me you know what I'm saying.
Take this right. We all trying to get you know,
everybody talking about their platform and they brand, and we're
(18:16):
trying to get followers, and we want to be you know,
and I want to be an influencer. It's like, dude,
I just I just want to influence my house.
Speaker 2 (18:24):
Say that, daddys, we close out as we close out. Look,
I thought when you said I want to, I was like,
is he gonna say reality show?
Speaker 1 (18:38):
Would you do one?
Speaker 3 (18:39):
Would I do a reality show? Probably? I you know,
I you know, I never put a what I got
that from you.
Speaker 2 (18:46):
I never put a comma a period a period where
put a comma.
Speaker 3 (18:52):
Right, it's not it's not my rate, it's not you know,
that's you know.
Speaker 6 (18:56):
If I thought that it could be, if I thought
that it could be authentic, and I thought that it could,
it could it could you know, if it was something
that I believe that would represent you know, the things
that are important.
Speaker 5 (19:09):
To me, black love and faith and family, you know,
in a way that was authentic and true, I would
I would consider it, you know, and the and the
and the right number Okay, I would, I would, I
would consider it.
Speaker 2 (19:24):
Any musicians on the way in your household, Yeah, they're
all musically inclined.
Speaker 3 (19:31):
You lo check it at music by Chime on social media.
My my Trinity was playing Happy Birthday to my wife.
She plays my ear, you know, she said, she plays
like she hears something and then sits down at the
keyboard and starts playing it. You know. She's she's she's
she's four, you know. And my kids are all God
(19:51):
bless my wife. She got them all the music class.
These these these jokers reading music better. I can't read music.
My kids read music.
Speaker 1 (20:03):
I'm waiting. I'm waiting on.
Speaker 2 (20:04):
I'm waiting on when they're when they're playing with you
on stage right, I don't care where you are in
the world.
Speaker 1 (20:11):
I'm going to come and see that one. I am. Yeah.
Proud of you, brother, proud of you. Brother.
Speaker 2 (20:16):
When we met, I remember, God bless him no longer
with us, but he said there's a brother, Frankie. You
got to hear And I was like, what you know?
Speaker 5 (20:27):
Is it J L B.
Speaker 2 (20:28):
At the time, and you know, but that's when we
had a blast, man. I mean, we could take a record,
throw it on. We ain't need nobody's permission. They have
to have no committee of folks. You know what I'm saying,
This sound good, Let's roll with it. Steve Hagwood, the
whole nine and.
Speaker 1 (20:42):
And you had Blue on What would happen?
Speaker 2 (20:46):
Remember you remember Blue on on what Ward Avenue right
there Grant Taker Circus Park and it was stand up only.
We ended up after hearing you do your thing for
about two hours watching your performance, I just.
Speaker 1 (21:06):
Was totally totally blown away. You had started to label,
you started doing your.
Speaker 5 (21:10):
Thing, and.
Speaker 1 (21:13):
You know, the rest became history after that.
Speaker 2 (21:15):
When you got signed to Motown, everybody was so very proud.
I want to also chronicle in this conversation because people
are going to be hearing it around the world what
you've done outside of just the music and your authenticity.
Speaker 1 (21:30):
You did not forget the people who were there with you.
Speaker 2 (21:34):
Two situations in particular, I want to mention one where
you came back to the city and the city of
Detroit specifically, and you did a summer concert for maybe
a year or two you did it, I think at
least two years, and you know, you provided breakfast for
(21:54):
the homeless population. Then you did this free concert talk
about why you did that.
Speaker 1 (21:58):
Can you go back to that.
Speaker 2 (21:59):
For a moment before we closed. I just want to
chronicle that in this conversation.
Speaker 3 (22:04):
Yeah, that's that's that's uh, that's Mac and third. And
we did probably I think the first one may have
been in twenty oh nine. Uh, and the last one
that we did was h was in twenty fourteen. And
you know, Bible says to who much is given, much
is required, you know, and I seize upon every opportunity
(22:28):
to give back. And Mac and third, you know, the
free concert was something that was that was you know,
really an opportunity to to to give back to the
to the community. And actually the first one took place
in cas Park, you know, when I was you know,
Cass Park, which is right down the street from the
Detroit Rescue Mission where I was, you know, a resident
(22:52):
in my uh in my addiction. So to speak to
that community and to keep ties to that segment of
the community always been something that has been near and
dear to my heart and something I consider it a
privilege to continue to do, you know, and in many
different ways. So thank you for mentioning that.
Speaker 2 (23:11):
Meant Yeah, And to see the faces of those men
and women who for that day felt so special and
giving that back to them. Uh And and finally, when
you performed at home, you auditioned some young people, some
people that you had played with, and one of your
(23:34):
big concerts at then Shane Park now known as the Aretha,
you you actually gave some young people. I sat there
through the audition and watched you pick who you thought
would would was deserving. And I mean when I saw
you in your work mode, I was like, Ooh, this
dude is intense.
Speaker 1 (23:54):
I get it. I get it.
Speaker 2 (23:56):
And I had said to you as well, on the
front end, I wanted to talk about why you felt
like it was necessary to select those people who played
a role in your success on the front end and
having them one stage with you in that big arena.
Speaker 1 (24:13):
Talk about that verse.
Speaker 3 (24:15):
Yeah, because you know I came up, you know musically,
my musical chops. You know, I learned singing in the
wedding band, you know, in Detroit or one. I was
only in one wedding band, Persuasion, and my friend Lawanda
from the scene these dance on the scene you got
that thing next to her. And then I was in
(24:38):
a choir at Renaissance Unity with you know, there's so
many musicians, and there's so many you know, Detroit is
filled with so many singers and musicians that you know,
we you know, somebody will never grace the cover of
Billboard magazine, but they work in musicians for real. You
know what I'm saying. You're doing four sets a night,
four forty five minute sets with twenty minute breaks in between,
(25:00):
and then getting up and going and then getting up
in the morning and going to work.
Speaker 1 (25:04):
Going to the job.
Speaker 4 (25:06):
Yeah, it was important for me to pay homage to
those folks, you know, to Uh, to Lawandra and to
Thornetta Davis. Yeah, you know, and I learned they were
really part and they were integral and teaching me how
to be on stage, you know, and having the kids
and having the kids there, man, you know, giving an
opportunity to to uh two kids who were coming up
(25:29):
and trying to you know, trying to learn the business.
Speaker 1 (25:31):
And they.
Speaker 3 (25:34):
They they were good.
Speaker 1 (25:35):
Yeah, they were talented.
Speaker 3 (25:37):
That one that one young boy, I forget his name,
that that boy came out there singing I Can't stop Love.
You almost had to have security take him off the stage,
like you can't even.
Speaker 2 (25:47):
Right.
Speaker 1 (25:47):
Yeah.
Speaker 5 (25:48):
But then of course the one of the major highlight
that night was having you actually saying on on on,
find your way.
Speaker 3 (25:59):
So that was That's one of the standout memories of
performing in Detroit. It was a great, great, great time.
Speaker 1 (26:05):
Yeah, you know, I Kim.
Speaker 2 (26:09):
If I could do life looking at the crystal ball
and do it again, I'd be two things. One I
think I'd be an attorney. I really do think I
would be an attorney. Or if God blessed me so
with a beautiful voice, I would have loved to have
been able to sing.
Speaker 1 (26:24):
So I sing.
Speaker 2 (26:25):
I don't sing well, but I sing and I sing
along with stuff all time. And I just remember just
the thought because I get so so excited when I
see artists and how you all get on stage and
you captivate an audience with the music because it all
started somewhere as a thought and then you put it
at the time on paper in a computer, and then
(26:46):
you made a melody and then you people loved and
they pay money to come see you.
Speaker 1 (26:51):
That's fascinating to me, right, And that's how you can'ptivated.
Speaker 2 (26:59):
And as a playwright now I'm doing my life in
two worlds, radio and theater. I get the creativity of that,
and it just gives me so much. So I so
admire your ability to be able to captivate people in
that way. So so this sister for the audience who
was listening had the audacity as much.
Speaker 1 (27:21):
As I was serious when I said it. I said, I.
Speaker 2 (27:24):
Want to sing with you one day and you called
me and said, you said doing sing right? You know
I'm doing this thing in Shane Park. I was like, ah, cool,
you want to sing?
Speaker 1 (27:33):
I said sure, and I was cool witting, I really was.
I was cool what I said, you can. You can
hold a note to sing background. You could do that.
Speaker 2 (27:43):
Just get back down to word. Let cute little short,
little skirt and get back there and sing background. And
you said, nah, I want you. I want you to
do find my way. And I was like, what find
your way? I was like, what I said, I can
do that. So I practiced, and I'm gonna tell you Foulin.
My daughter happened to be maybe twelve ish ish and
(28:04):
we came to the rehearsal.
Speaker 1 (28:06):
It was nobody in the theater. It was you the band,
and you were directing.
Speaker 2 (28:10):
I said, oh my god, what and the hell have
you gotten yourself into?
Speaker 1 (28:14):
And I got out there and I did it.
Speaker 2 (28:16):
I walked off the rehearsal stage, got in the car
and I said to Fellin. I said, Falin, I'm nervous.
I don't know if I can do this. She said,
I don't know why you decided.
Speaker 1 (28:27):
You were gonna do this anyway. I said, I was
looking for your support. I don't know why you decided
you're gonna do this anyway.
Speaker 2 (28:34):
And she said, well, you can't turn back now, can
you still practice?
Speaker 1 (28:38):
So you know, locked up. Did everything I needed to do.
Speaker 2 (28:42):
The night was beautiful, the vibe was beautiful, the performance
was on point.
Speaker 1 (28:47):
And then it was my turn.
Speaker 2 (28:48):
When I tell you, my wig was soaking wet, I
was sweating bullets. And I went out there and I
looked at you and I went blank.
Speaker 1 (28:58):
And you grabbed you grab my hand. I want to
say it.
Speaker 2 (29:01):
I almost feel like I want to cry. You literally
grabbed my hand. You put your mic to the side
and you say you got this, yeah, and you looked
me in my face and I just stared at you
while I sang that. And you know, Kivin, I cannot
tell you. At this stage of my life and when
(29:24):
I was diagnosed with cancer and I think about the
great moments and the blessings.
Speaker 1 (29:33):
That have come my way.
Speaker 2 (29:35):
I don't have a complaint in the world, and I
just want you to know, and we've talked about this before,
but this moment to let you know how much.
Speaker 1 (29:46):
That meant to me.
Speaker 2 (29:49):
That you allowed me to do that. Yeah, I don't
know how you think I sound for real, but yead
damn it, you let me do it anyway, you know,
thank you, thank you.
Speaker 5 (30:01):
It was a.
Speaker 3 (30:04):
It was a great moment. But even more than all
of that, you know, the you know, we go you know,
we've been talking about it, you know, we go, we
go back, and you know, the blessing that you have
been to people all over the world, you know, in
our communities. But these stories, these this this, this Frankie
(30:25):
Darcel energy, this this vibe has been resonating for what
seems forever, you know, and it cannot be overstated. The
blessing that you've been to us, you know, the blessing
that you have been to us, The ways that you
have you know, uh, talking to you know, talk talk
(30:48):
of the town, talking, you know what I'm saying, I mean,
you know, dropping so many gems on us. You know,
the way that you show up for the community way
you show up for your sisters out here. Continue to
show up and been doing it. You know you you are,
you know, one of a kind and we and we
(31:09):
appreciate and love you. And I appreciate and love you.
So ain't nothing you can do about that.
Speaker 1 (31:17):
I love it.
Speaker 2 (31:18):
I love it, and so brother, thank you, thank you
for for being who you are, you know, thank you
for what you've given me in my life. And to
the people that you will probably never met, never talked
to you, never shake a hand, never take a selfie,
to those people whose lives that you have touched them anyways,
through through your music, through the writing of your book,
(31:39):
and just being the authentic brother that you are.
Speaker 1 (31:42):
You know, we just say thank you always.
Speaker 3 (31:44):
Thank you. Thank you. Yeah, thank thank you, Frankie, thank
you for ricking with me. I appreciate you.
Philly's Best. Do you throw back to one O five
point three w G A S. Frankie Darcel with you?
Speaker 2 (00:05):
And we've been excited and waiting on the brand new
single Rock.
Speaker 1 (00:09):
With Me from Chemistry Records Kim and he is joining
me by phone. What's happening, Kim?
Speaker 3 (00:16):
So, Frankie is Cam? How you doing?
Speaker 2 (00:18):
You know you ain't supposed to be sounding like that
in the middle of the afternoon.
Speaker 1 (00:26):
Who do you think you're talking to? Let's start there.
I'll be for real. I'm like what and I'm single?
Speaker 2 (00:36):
Man?
Speaker 1 (00:37):
Please, let's do this again.
Speaker 2 (00:39):
Good afternoon, Kim?
Speaker 3 (00:46):
Like what.
Speaker 1 (00:49):
You you sounding like a sarenaate coming? What is up
with that? I'm on yeah, cool.
Speaker 3 (00:57):
Yeah, trying to stay on brand.
Speaker 1 (01:00):
I can't you, brother, You own brand for real? Now.
I know you too well to be calling me sounding
like that. God dadga, that's that single sexy sound.
Speaker 2 (01:16):
So we have been banging the brand new single, which
is so deserving, all day to day Rock with Me,
and it happens to be one of my favorite people
on the planet.
Speaker 1 (01:28):
Kim is joining me. What's happening, brother?
Speaker 3 (01:31):
What's happening Frankie?
Speaker 1 (01:32):
But everything is good.
Speaker 2 (01:33):
We're gonna start talking with you as well that you
are now back to being the CEO owning your stuff,
Chemistry Records. Quite frankly, I get it. I get the
major label, but to hear you know that Chemistry Records
is alive and well and you get to go back
to your roots, not your roots, your roots and do
(01:56):
your thing, and do your thing, talk about talk about
how you got there and now releasing your brand new single,
We're going to talk about that as well.
Speaker 1 (02:05):
But how did you get here?
Speaker 3 (02:06):
I you know, people, Well, first of all, it's always
a pleasure talking to you man, and I really really
appreciate you, uh throughout the years, you know, and uh,
you know, from the from the Panopscot building in Detroit
for today. You know what I'm saying. I appreciate you. Yeah, yeah,
you know, people have been trying to get me to,
(02:28):
uh to go back to being an independent artist for
years and and I've always kind of recoiled at the
idea because of uncertainty. And uh, you know, it's nice
having you know, big budgets and you know, and being
at a label and having you know a team of
(02:49):
people who are working on your behalf and and we
were always kind of independent anyway with even within the
major label structure. Whatever the label wasn't doing, we we
we tried to do on our own. But Motown had
been has been as the rest of the record industry,
the music industry has had been in uh, they had
(03:10):
been in in you know, in transition and transition.
Speaker 1 (03:16):
Right.
Speaker 3 (03:16):
Transition is the more eloquent word, right labeled, the label
had been in transition, and and I was ready. I
knew that I was. I was approaching the time when
when I wanted to release new music, and I'm looking
at the label and it's like, well, if you want
to release a record today, how are you going to
do that? Yeah, you know, within this, within this construct.
(03:40):
And there was an opportunity to move to another label,
within the Universal family, but I really stepped back and said, Okay,
you know, it's twenty twenty five. You know, you've been
doing this for you know, for for twenty three years,
you know, almost twenty five years. It's like, you know,
you know, you know, a different season of life, and
(04:02):
every every area of my life is different, you know,
personally and professionally. The industry has changed, So how do
you want to move going forward? You know? And it
really made sense to to bring it home, you know,
to bring everything back in house. Uh. And and I'm
really really excited by I surrounded myself with some industry
(04:26):
professionals in every category, marketing, PR, you know, social media,
digital marketing, created a and R, you know, So I
really and I wasn't trying to set up a label.
Speaker 4 (04:38):
I'm just trying to to put my music back.
Speaker 3 (04:42):
Out in the into the world.
Speaker 2 (04:44):
But but but not just put it out there, Kim,
and put it up.
Speaker 1 (04:47):
You want to do it and do it right?
Speaker 3 (04:49):
Do it? Yeah, you know, and and right and and
to do it right and to do it, to do
it in a way that is fitting with the times,
you know. And we're brand and brand and when I
want to and how I want to And I'm really
really really really excited about it.
Speaker 2 (05:11):
Well we we we are excited as well. First of
all today debuting uh the single rock with me?
Speaker 3 (05:20):
Right?
Speaker 1 (05:21):
And first of.
Speaker 2 (05:22):
All, what what what way to reintroduce now your because
some of it is going back to who and what
you were when you started. Everything in between with the
label is fine, but there's just a different kind of
hum in your voice now, right.
Speaker 1 (05:43):
Was there a difference from where you where you were.
Speaker 2 (05:46):
Which was brilliant to the new brilliant and now doing
it differently today.
Speaker 3 (05:53):
Yeah, our if we had an operating manual at uh
at at Chemistry Records that we handed out to everybody,
the front of it would say return to love it.
It's a return to you know, me and the song
and the keyboard. You know, It's a return to the
(06:15):
the the the intimacy of of just me sitting down
and writing a song, not because I'm looking for another
hit record, not because you know, I want to get
you know, more followers. It's me sitting down just because
that's what I love, That's what I like to do,
you know, me sitting down because and I'm not chasing anything,
(06:37):
you know, for the love of it. It's me sitting down.
As as as a member of the audience, I'm the first,
I'm the I'm a member of the audience, you know.
And so it's it really really is is refreshing and
and and it feels good. Rock with me is is
uh come in just in time for cuddle season. It's
(07:00):
it's love calls, can't stop loving you and share my life.
If those if those Kim records, you know what I'm saying,
and uh, and I'm really excited for you all to
hear it.
Speaker 2 (07:12):
So I've read where and I've done South Africa. I
was in Johannesburg, so wato I had a brilliant time.
You talked about that journey and one of your inspirations
for that and and the writing of Rock with Me.
You talked about like a love letter to your wife Erica.
Is that How did you connect those two? How did
(07:33):
they come together to create this latest single?
Speaker 3 (07:37):
When I go, When I go to South Africa, you know,
the first time I stepped on the continent of Africa,
it was like coming home, you know. And and uh,
and I've been away for far too long and spent
too much time away from from from South Africa and
uh and Erica is home, you know, Erica is home,
and and Rock with Me is really you know. And
(08:01):
when you go on and there's work and there's work
to do at home, you know, And and somebody asked, me, Uh,
you know, how did you know you know Erica was
the one? And it's because I'm willing, because I'm willing
to do the work, you know, And you know, how
did you know? How did you know? You know? She
was the one because I'm because I married her write.
(08:22):
Everything before, you know, was what you know, love for
you know's respect for everything that came before. But this
one I married, you know what I'm saying, and that
and that comes with the responsibility and and and having
to recognize that you have to be willing to to
really to do the work. I'm vulnerable. I let my
(08:42):
feelings show with you because I want you to rock
with me, you know, I want you to I want
you to rock with me. She had. We got in
a fight one time and she said, uh, she said,
you know, you know, do you you know, like you
know talking to me like you don't love me. I'm like, dude,
I love you more than like I'm only I'm only
doing this work because I love you. You don't get
(09:03):
in you don't come out here in the deep. You
don't come out here in the deep like this with
these with these kids.
Speaker 5 (09:09):
And all of this stuff, you know, and not the
love has got to be that's the motivator behind everything
that I you know, so because I want you to
rock with me, you know, I want you to keep
rocking with me, you know. So that's that's the sentiment
behind the record.
Speaker 3 (09:23):
I know I talk too much, but that's okay.
Speaker 1 (09:25):
Let me just tell you, brother.
Speaker 2 (09:27):
You're octave changed when you had that conversation, so I
get the whole rock with you on that and when
you talk about that passion. But you know what, Kim,
you always connected some reality, some passion, some love, some life.
Speaker 1 (09:42):
Experience to your music.
Speaker 2 (09:45):
And that's what makes your music so relatable and that's
why it's going to.
Speaker 1 (09:49):
Be around, you know, forever and ever and ever and ever.
Speaker 3 (09:53):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (09:54):
Thanks, what does and that's what and that's why people
respect you as an artist as well. I like to
hear these little tidbits to how we get the great
songs we get, you know what I mean.
Speaker 1 (10:04):
I met an Erica and that's that's cool. That's cool.
Speaker 2 (10:06):
Listen, let's talk about the single give My Love.
Speaker 3 (10:10):
Yeah, give my Love is uh you know, that's the
first single off of Chemistry Records since Love Calls right
and Give My Love was sent to me by one
of my my creative partners, Rex ride Out. He sent
me to music and I wrote and I wrote to
it and it really put us in the mind. It
really it really struck me as you know, an Island
(10:33):
vibe ay uh, afro beat type of vibe and I
think we dust settled somewhere in between a shady vibe
shay Day esque and uh, and then we did a
line dance to it. But it's a really it's a
spiritual song. Yeah, it's a spiritual song. And uh we
(10:53):
did a line we called Kenny J. Line dance choreographer
extraordinaire and uh, I flew out learn this line dance
that you created for Forgive my Love and was able
to bring it home and spend some time in Detroit
teaching folks. You know. It's just you know, it's really
really really really uh really an exciting time and I
(11:14):
love making what I what I hope people receive is
as great music, music that you can that you can
vibe to and uh and that you can and that
you can rock with, you know, wherever you are, cleaning
the house, driving, you know, whatever you're doing. You know,
and I'm really excited about Thank you, thank you for
mentioning Give my Love.
Speaker 2 (11:34):
Yeah, absolutely having fun with it and want to definitely
shout out Kenny J.
Speaker 1 (11:38):
Right across the bridge in Jersey. That was that was
a lot of fun.
Speaker 2 (11:41):
And I was going to say, with all your Grammy
nods and all of your accolades and the things that
you accomplished and will continue to accomplish.
Speaker 1 (11:48):
One of the most important is that you got a
line dance to your music.
Speaker 3 (11:52):
All right, all right, right, right right? You hanging out
with us?
Speaker 1 (11:57):
Yeah, big, hanging out with us?
Speaker 2 (11:59):
Yeah that was big fun, big fun. You know you've
made it. When you get a hustle, a line dance
to your to your music, you know, that's big. That's big,
that's big.
Speaker 1 (12:12):
You know you were.
Speaker 2 (12:12):
Talking about how you come up with your your music,
your relationship with with the keyboards as well, And it's
because you've shared yourself not only an accomplished recording artist
and continuing to do.
Speaker 1 (12:27):
Your thing, you are also an author.
Speaker 2 (12:29):
So I've got to mention that as well for people
that want to be able to even get to know
you share my life a journey of love, faith and
redemption as a recording artist and an author. Now there's
been a couple of years releasing releasing the book.
Speaker 1 (12:45):
You share a lot about who you are. Are you
glad you did?
Speaker 3 (12:50):
I've always been you know, I try to be well, well,
I share a lot, but I don't share it all.
Look right, I ain't everything look right?
Speaker 1 (13:03):
Yeah? Could I stop? Right?
Speaker 3 (13:04):
Yeah?
Speaker 1 (13:04):
I want second? What just flashback?
Speaker 2 (13:08):
I remember doing Talk of the Town and you know,
I go there on any topic and you came into
the studio and I was talking about something hot and
you walked in.
Speaker 1 (13:16):
I said, you want to comment?
Speaker 2 (13:17):
You were like, hell, Now, I got people on both
sides of the issue. I won't keep my opinion to myself.
That just flashed, right, That just flashed in my memory.
Speaker 1 (13:32):
But yeah, go ahead, right.
Speaker 3 (13:33):
Right, Yeah, you're right. You ain't got to talk. You
ain't got to comment on everything, you know what I'm saying.
Speaker 1 (13:39):
Yeah, but uh.
Speaker 3 (13:41):
You know, sharing my story, My life is transformed because
people shared their stories with me, you know. And uh,
you know, in this day and age, when we posting,
you know, our latest outfit or our latest vacation or
you know, celebrating our latest move and all the all
the you know, giving our all ourselves all these accolades.
(14:02):
You know, there's I guess there's a place for that.
But really, when people, people's lives are changed. When you
share your brokenness, when you share your struggle, when you
share you know how you how you got through, you
know your dark knight of the soul and uh so
I try to be transparent and authentic because that's really
the best you know, that's the best place to be
(14:24):
because you ain't got to you ain't got the pivot
when you being yourself the right memory, right, Yeah, you know,
I know how the story goes because it's the truth, right.
Speaker 2 (14:37):
But but yeah, one point five billion streams Chemistry Records,
Kim is my guess, and excited about having you on.
The new single is called rock with Me and you
can find it on all of the streaming platforms. Always
good to have you join me on the show and
(14:59):
so that your journey continues doing some incredibly brilliant, brilliant things.
Speaker 1 (15:06):
You know, And everybody has their their favorites.
Speaker 2 (15:09):
And there's not a Kim song that I can listen
to that I don't like. But I gotta tell you,
nobody promised to love brother.
Speaker 1 (15:17):
You know, you're part of my riding music.
Speaker 3 (15:19):
You know when people.
Speaker 2 (15:21):
Get in my car, right, they get in my car,
have an SUV. They get in my suv and and
I never have the radio on. I don't I get
it in their car at first, and I'm like, oh,
I'm turning the radio and I'm like I am the radio.
Speaker 1 (15:31):
Can we give it off? You know what I mean?
Speaker 2 (15:33):
So, but when I ride, when I ride, you Whitney,
Alexandro O'Neil and Brenda.
Speaker 1 (15:41):
Russell, Oh wow, there you go, right.
Speaker 2 (15:44):
That's and I'll throw in some Algira every now and then,
but those four are.
Speaker 1 (15:48):
In my deck, right, That's what I listen to when
I ride.
Speaker 2 (15:52):
So when I'm driving between here to go see my
brother in connecticut's like a six hour ride. When I'm
going to Virginia Beach to see my family, it's like
a five valor ride.
Speaker 1 (16:00):
That's what I ride to, especially on a beautiful and
I got to tell.
Speaker 3 (16:04):
You, thank you company, right.
Speaker 1 (16:08):
Right, And I'm listening to it all.
Speaker 2 (16:10):
And do you know when I drive like that and
that kind of music speaks to my soul and it's
so authentic the music. And you know, Brenda Russell just
speaks to me for some reason. I don't know what
that is, right, And I saw more of my challenges
when I'm driving and riding and.
Speaker 1 (16:28):
Listening to my favorite artists.
Speaker 2 (16:31):
And quite frankly, those are my favorite artists with all
of my favorite songs. And and you're in that deck,
and I got to tell you.
Speaker 1 (16:38):
I hit all the time that when that that promised to.
Speaker 2 (16:40):
Love, it's just just does something, just does something when
I when I when I listen to it, and I'm briden.
So listen as we get ready to close, thank you again,
you know for joining me and with everything that you're
doing here.
Speaker 1 (16:55):
You know, I wish you nothing.
Speaker 2 (16:56):
But you know the very best I absolutely of you
to life and and and know that this is the
continuance of the incredible journey.
Speaker 1 (17:07):
What more do you want to do?
Speaker 3 (17:10):
You know, that's that's that's a that's a heavy question.
You know, I want to I think that there is
a there's a Grammy out there with my name on it.
Speaker 1 (17:21):
That part we claiming that part we claiming that.
Speaker 2 (17:25):
We're claiming that, and it would be great. Look look wait,
we're going to claim that. And we're claiming Chemistry Records,
which makes it even better.
Speaker 3 (17:34):
But go ahead, there you go, there you go. I
co sign and received that. Yeah, I want to do
a a a duet with and you know those are
those are career you know, career goals. Andy, continue to
(17:55):
make good music and and really uh just be uh
at the at the end of the above, all of that,
I want to be a good husband and a good dad.
You know, right, just let me you know what I'm saying.
Take this right. We all trying to get you know,
everybody talking about their platform and they brand, and we're
(18:16):
trying to get followers, and we want to be you know,
and I want to be an influencer. It's like, dude,
I just I just want to influence my house.
Speaker 2 (18:24):
Say that, daddys, we close out as we close out. Look,
I thought when you said I want to, I was like,
is he gonna say reality show?
Speaker 1 (18:38):
Would you do one?
Speaker 3 (18:39):
Would I do a reality show? Probably? I you know,
I you know, I never put a what I got
that from you.
Speaker 2 (18:46):
I never put a comma a period a period where
put a comma.
Speaker 3 (18:52):
Right, it's not it's not my rate, it's not you know,
that's you know.
Speaker 6 (18:56):
If I thought that it could be, if I thought
that it could be authentic, and I thought that it could,
it could it could you know, if it was something
that I believe that would represent you know, the things
that are important.
Speaker 5 (19:09):
To me, black love and faith and family, you know,
in a way that was authentic and true, I would
I would consider it, you know, and the and the
and the right number Okay, I would, I would, I
would consider it.
Speaker 2 (19:24):
Any musicians on the way in your household, Yeah, they're
all musically inclined.
Speaker 3 (19:31):
You lo check it at music by Chime on social media.
My my Trinity was playing Happy Birthday to my wife.
She plays my ear, you know, she said, she plays
like she hears something and then sits down at the
keyboard and starts playing it. You know. She's she's she's
she's four, you know. And my kids are all God
(19:51):
bless my wife. She got them all the music class.
These these these jokers reading music better. I can't read music.
My kids read music.
Speaker 1 (20:03):
I'm waiting. I'm waiting on.
Speaker 2 (20:04):
I'm waiting on when they're when they're playing with you
on stage right, I don't care where you are in
the world.
Speaker 1 (20:11):
I'm going to come and see that one. I am. Yeah.
Proud of you, brother, proud of you. Brother.
Speaker 2 (20:16):
When we met, I remember, God bless him no longer
with us, but he said there's a brother, Frankie. You
got to hear And I was like, what you know?
Speaker 5 (20:27):
Is it J L B.
Speaker 2 (20:28):
At the time, and you know, but that's when we
had a blast, man. I mean, we could take a record,
throw it on. We ain't need nobody's permission. They have
to have no committee of folks. You know what I'm saying,
This sound good, Let's roll with it. Steve Hagwood, the
whole nine and.
Speaker 1 (20:42):
And you had Blue on What would happen?
Speaker 2 (20:46):
Remember you remember Blue on on what Ward Avenue right
there Grant Taker Circus Park and it was stand up only.
We ended up after hearing you do your thing for
about two hours watching your performance, I just.
Speaker 1 (21:06):
Was totally totally blown away. You had started to label,
you started doing your.
Speaker 5 (21:10):
Thing, and.
Speaker 1 (21:13):
You know, the rest became history after that.
Speaker 2 (21:15):
When you got signed to Motown, everybody was so very proud.
I want to also chronicle in this conversation because people
are going to be hearing it around the world what
you've done outside of just the music and your authenticity.
Speaker 1 (21:30):
You did not forget the people who were there with you.
Speaker 2 (21:34):
Two situations in particular, I want to mention one where
you came back to the city and the city of
Detroit specifically, and you did a summer concert for maybe
a year or two you did it, I think at
least two years, and you know, you provided breakfast for
(21:54):
the homeless population. Then you did this free concert talk
about why you did that.
Speaker 1 (21:58):
Can you go back to that.
Speaker 2 (21:59):
For a moment before we closed. I just want to
chronicle that in this conversation.
Speaker 3 (22:04):
Yeah, that's that's that's uh, that's Mac and third. And
we did probably I think the first one may have
been in twenty oh nine. Uh, and the last one
that we did was h was in twenty fourteen. And
you know, Bible says to who much is given, much
is required, you know, and I seize upon every opportunity
(22:28):
to give back. And Mac and third, you know, the
free concert was something that was that was you know,
really an opportunity to to to give back to the
to the community. And actually the first one took place
in cas Park, you know, when I was you know,
Cass Park, which is right down the street from the
Detroit Rescue Mission where I was, you know, a resident
(22:52):
in my uh in my addiction. So to speak to
that community and to keep ties to that segment of
the community always been something that has been near and
dear to my heart and something I consider it a
privilege to continue to do, you know, and in many
different ways. So thank you for mentioning that.
Speaker 2 (23:11):
Meant Yeah, And to see the faces of those men
and women who for that day felt so special and
giving that back to them. Uh And and finally, when
you performed at home, you auditioned some young people, some
people that you had played with, and one of your
(23:34):
big concerts at then Shane Park now known as the Aretha,
you you actually gave some young people. I sat there
through the audition and watched you pick who you thought
would would was deserving. And I mean when I saw
you in your work mode, I was like, Ooh, this
dude is intense.
Speaker 1 (23:54):
I get it. I get it.
Speaker 2 (23:56):
And I had said to you as well, on the
front end, I wanted to talk about why you felt
like it was necessary to select those people who played
a role in your success on the front end and
having them one stage with you in that big arena.
Speaker 1 (24:13):
Talk about that verse.
Speaker 3 (24:15):
Yeah, because you know I came up, you know musically,
my musical chops. You know, I learned singing in the
wedding band, you know, in Detroit or one. I was
only in one wedding band, Persuasion, and my friend Lawanda
from the scene these dance on the scene you got
that thing next to her. And then I was in
(24:38):
a choir at Renaissance Unity with you know, there's so
many musicians, and there's so many you know, Detroit is
filled with so many singers and musicians that you know,
we you know, somebody will never grace the cover of
Billboard magazine, but they work in musicians for real. You
know what I'm saying. You're doing four sets a night,
four forty five minute sets with twenty minute breaks in between,
(25:00):
and then getting up and going and then getting up
in the morning and going to work.
Speaker 1 (25:04):
Going to the job.
Speaker 4 (25:06):
Yeah, it was important for me to pay homage to
those folks, you know, to Uh, to Lawandra and to
Thornetta Davis. Yeah, you know, and I learned they were
really part and they were integral and teaching me how
to be on stage, you know, and having the kids
and having the kids there, man, you know, giving an
opportunity to to uh two kids who were coming up
(25:29):
and trying to you know, trying to learn the business.
Speaker 1 (25:31):
And they.
Speaker 3 (25:34):
They they were good.
Speaker 1 (25:35):
Yeah, they were talented.
Speaker 3 (25:37):
That one that one young boy, I forget his name,
that that boy came out there singing I Can't stop Love.
You almost had to have security take him off the stage,
like you can't even.
Speaker 2 (25:47):
Right.
Speaker 1 (25:47):
Yeah.
Speaker 5 (25:48):
But then of course the one of the major highlight
that night was having you actually saying on on on,
find your way.
Speaker 3 (25:59):
So that was That's one of the standout memories of
performing in Detroit. It was a great, great, great time.
Speaker 1 (26:05):
Yeah, you know, I Kim.
Speaker 2 (26:09):
If I could do life looking at the crystal ball
and do it again, I'd be two things. One I
think I'd be an attorney. I really do think I
would be an attorney. Or if God blessed me so
with a beautiful voice, I would have loved to have
been able to sing.
Speaker 1 (26:24):
So I sing.
Speaker 2 (26:25):
I don't sing well, but I sing and I sing
along with stuff all time. And I just remember just
the thought because I get so so excited when I
see artists and how you all get on stage and
you captivate an audience with the music because it all
started somewhere as a thought and then you put it
at the time on paper in a computer, and then
(26:46):
you made a melody and then you people loved and
they pay money to come see you.
Speaker 1 (26:51):
That's fascinating to me, right, And that's how you can'ptivated.
Speaker 2 (26:59):
And as a playwright now I'm doing my life in
two worlds, radio and theater. I get the creativity of that,
and it just gives me so much. So I so
admire your ability to be able to captivate people in
that way. So so this sister for the audience who
was listening had the audacity as much.
Speaker 1 (27:21):
As I was serious when I said it. I said, I.
Speaker 2 (27:24):
Want to sing with you one day and you called
me and said, you said doing sing right? You know
I'm doing this thing in Shane Park. I was like, ah, cool,
you want to sing?
Speaker 1 (27:33):
I said sure, and I was cool witting, I really was.
I was cool what I said, you can. You can
hold a note to sing background. You could do that.
Speaker 2 (27:43):
Just get back down to word. Let cute little short,
little skirt and get back there and sing background. And
you said, nah, I want you. I want you to
do find my way. And I was like, what find
your way? I was like, what I said, I can
do that. So I practiced, and I'm gonna tell you Foulin.
My daughter happened to be maybe twelve ish ish and
(28:04):
we came to the rehearsal.
Speaker 1 (28:06):
It was nobody in the theater. It was you the band,
and you were directing.
Speaker 2 (28:10):
I said, oh my god, what and the hell have
you gotten yourself into?
Speaker 1 (28:14):
And I got out there and I did it.
Speaker 2 (28:16):
I walked off the rehearsal stage, got in the car
and I said to Fellin. I said, Falin, I'm nervous.
I don't know if I can do this. She said,
I don't know why you decided.
Speaker 1 (28:27):
You were gonna do this anyway. I said, I was
looking for your support. I don't know why you decided
you're gonna do this anyway.
Speaker 2 (28:34):
And she said, well, you can't turn back now, can
you still practice?
Speaker 1 (28:38):
So you know, locked up. Did everything I needed to do.
Speaker 2 (28:42):
The night was beautiful, the vibe was beautiful, the performance
was on point.
Speaker 1 (28:47):
And then it was my turn.
Speaker 2 (28:48):
When I tell you, my wig was soaking wet, I
was sweating bullets. And I went out there and I
looked at you and I went blank.
Speaker 1 (28:58):
And you grabbed you grab my hand. I want to
say it.
Speaker 2 (29:01):
I almost feel like I want to cry. You literally
grabbed my hand. You put your mic to the side
and you say you got this, yeah, and you looked
me in my face and I just stared at you
while I sang that. And you know, Kivin, I cannot
tell you. At this stage of my life and when
(29:24):
I was diagnosed with cancer and I think about the
great moments and the blessings.
Speaker 1 (29:33):
That have come my way.
Speaker 2 (29:35):
I don't have a complaint in the world, and I
just want you to know, and we've talked about this before,
but this moment to let you know how much.
Speaker 1 (29:46):
That meant to me.
Speaker 2 (29:49):
That you allowed me to do that. Yeah, I don't
know how you think I sound for real, but yead
damn it, you let me do it anyway, you know,
thank you, thank you.
Speaker 5 (30:01):
It was a.
Speaker 3 (30:04):
It was a great moment. But even more than all
of that, you know, the you know, we go you know,
we've been talking about it, you know, we go, we
go back, and you know, the blessing that you have
been to people all over the world, you know, in
our communities. But these stories, these this this, this Frankie
(30:25):
Darcel energy, this this vibe has been resonating for what
seems forever, you know, and it cannot be overstated. The
blessing that you've been to us, you know, the blessing
that you have been to us, The ways that you
have you know, uh, talking to you know, talk talk
(30:48):
of the town, talking, you know what I'm saying, I mean,
you know, dropping so many gems on us. You know,
the way that you show up for the community way
you show up for your sisters out here. Continue to
show up and been doing it. You know you you are,
you know, one of a kind and we and we
(31:09):
appreciate and love you. And I appreciate and love you.
So ain't nothing you can do about that.
Speaker 1 (31:17):
I love it.
Speaker 2 (31:18):
I love it, and so brother, thank you, thank you
for for being who you are, you know, thank you
for what you've given me in my life. And to
the people that you will probably never met, never talked
to you, never shake a hand, never take a selfie,
to those people whose lives that you have touched them anyways,
through through your music, through the writing of your book,
(31:39):
and just being the authentic brother that you are.
Speaker 1 (31:42):
You know, we just say thank you always.
Speaker 3 (31:44):
Thank you. Thank you. Yeah, thank thank you, Frankie, thank
you for ricking with me. I appreciate you.
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