Two-time Emmy and Three-time NAACP Image Award-winning television Executive Producer Rushion McDonald interviews Dyana Williams. She is Broadcaster/Celebrity Strategist/Curator/Live Event Producer -Dyana is celebrating 50 years in the music, broadcasting, and entertainment industry professional. Some of her archives are now in the Library of Congress. Co-founder of Black Music Month and is on the board of the National Museum of African American Music in Nashville
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Speaker 1 (00:04):
Welcome to Money Making Conversations.
Speaker 2 (00:06):
It's to show that she is the secrets of success
experience firsthand by marketing and Brandon expert Rashan McDonald. I
will know he's giving me advice on many occasions. And
in case you didn't notice, I'm not broke. You know
he'll be interviewing celebrity CEOs, entrepreneurs and industry.
Speaker 1 (00:20):
Decision make because it's what he likes to do. It's
what he likes to share.
Speaker 2 (00:24):
Now it's time to hear from my man, Rashaan McDonald
money Making Conversations.
Speaker 1 (00:28):
Here we go. This is Rashan McDonald had to grab
the mic because I was in there dancing because you know,
we're about to talk about some great music. I know,
I know, I know, but I'm about to mention some
song gonna bring back some memories today because next month
is that's June is a Black music month, and we're
(00:51):
gonna talk to music. But let me let me get
the intro started and so I can just lay everything correctly.
Welcome to money Making Conversation master Class. As you know,
I'm your whole Rashaan McDonald. Our theme is that there
is no perfect time to start following your dreams. I
recognize that we all have different definitions of success. For you,
it may be the size of your paycheck. Mine is
(01:11):
inspiring you. That's right, you who are listening, You who
are driving, you, who are streaming this show nationwide? To
accomplish your goals and live your very best life, It's
time to start reading other people's success stories and start
living your own. The reality is is that when I
do this show and I look at myself, cause I
get up every morning at four thirty Monday through Friday.
(01:32):
I get up and I tell people when I get up,
I'm not a happy It's not about a happy get
up at four thirty in the morning. But to achieve
my dream, to achieve my goals, I have to get up.
I can't hit this snooze button. I can't think about
what if somebody else did what I needed them to
do so I can be successful. In the end, your
dream is your dream. To achieve your dream, to make
(01:52):
your dream happen, you have to make it happen. And
I always tell people this. Everybody has a gift, not gifts.
Let's talk about that gift. Let's hone in and that
one town, that one skill, that God has given you.
Lead with that gift, and don't let your friend's family
or coworker stop you from planning or living your dreams.
I will tell people this, between the ages of eighteen
and twenty four, you are invincible, You're immortal, You're a dreamer.
(02:15):
Can't nobody tell you nothing. When you get forty, fifty, sixty, seventy,
get that same attitude back that can't nobody stop you,
that you're invincible, that you're gonna live forever. Because even
at eighteen, there was no guarantee that you would live forever.
So why should you not have the same mentality when
you're forty, when you're fifty and sixty, that you're going
to live forever. Because your dreams, your legacy you create,
(02:41):
can make you a legend, can make you a memory,
can make you a person that has changed other people's life.
I remember when I was diagnosed for cancer, and when
you get diagnosed for cancer, the thing about it is
that your light flashes before your eyes, and all I
could think about was my future. But I settled down,
(03:05):
I realized what I had done in my life. At
that point, I was really comfortable if cancer was going
to bring an end to my life. Unfortunately for me,
it has not. So you have to live each day
with a goal, with a desire to understand that when
you wake up, have a sense of purpose when you
(03:27):
wake up, have a goal. When you have that goal,
achieve the plan that you are trying to achieve out
of that and don't let nobody stop you from achieving.
I guess she's that person. One of my favorite people
I interview on my shows. You know sometimes on NPR
you can't like promote or say you like something, but
I gotta say I like her. She's one of my
favorite people. My guess it's Deana Williams. She's the broadcaster, celebrity, strategist, curator,
(03:52):
live event producer, celebrating fifty years in the music, broadcasting
and entertainment industry. Professional. That's what she is. She's the
person that's been there. Because it's really interesting and we're
going to talk about this. We talk about longevity because
when you're successful, you really doesn't think about longevity. To
you get to that longevity part and then somehow you
(04:13):
get nervous because you look it back, look back on
what you've achieved, and you wonder if you can continue
to achieve that some of the archives are really now
in the library of Congress co founder. Check this out,
Black Music One. It's on the National Museum of African
American Music and Nashville Board. A regular TV wants Unsung
and is referred to as the mother of Black Music One.
(04:35):
She's established and she's going to get a big proclamation
in the city of Philadelphia. Please welcome the one and
only the Money Making Conversation Masterclass, Deanna Williams.
Speaker 3 (04:44):
How are you doing, Diana, ooh blushing, I'm another collar.
Oh my goodness for san Now you know I love,
love any opportunity to interact with you for a myriad
of reasons. One, you are so inspiring. You are when
we talk about success, you are helping. You're giving the
(05:05):
blueprint to listeners, to viewers of success because you are
bringing on the air people who are grustlers, grinding and hustling,
and you are a master grustler. So I'm honored to
be with you today. I'm wc Okay, all right now,
my daughter went to she went she attended school there,
(05:28):
and shout out to David Lynton and.
Speaker 1 (05:30):
The oh David Lynton, he's sitting in here. Okay, he's
sitting in the room, and I didn't know that that's
my boy. You know, he got me on over here
boy too, because you know, everybody has a dream, and
I was talking about that earlier. But when you say, like,
I remember when I when out, I left IBM, and
I wanted to pursue a career as a standing comedian.
(05:51):
I just wanted to do it. You know, I was
just I was twenty six years old at the tem
cauld't nobody tell me nothing, because I felt that I
had to do it. And a lot of people said,
don't do it. You're leaving a great job like IBM.
And then thirty came, and then forty came. And I
really tell you this to be honest, that it wasn't
into my forties did I really realized that I had
a gift, that I had the ability to do things
(06:14):
that everybody else wanted to do. And people were starting
to come to me for advice and starting to understand
that I had a different way I looked at things
when it came to marketing and branding. When I did
this show, bringing people like you on the show. Let's
talk about that journey in the early years when you
were just a voice, but you were an incredible voice.
And when did you realize that you were seeing things
(06:36):
and giving advice to people that was a little bit
different than they were getting anyplace else.
Speaker 3 (06:42):
Well, salute to you again for helping craft the careers
of many super successful individuals. I wish i'd met you
younger in life difference. But the person who inspired me
there were two people other than my parents, my mother
Nancy Newman and my father George Williams. And other than
my parents and my grandparents, my family, my foundation, it
(07:03):
was my ex Kenny Gamble and my best friend Kathy Hughes,
who was the founder of everything with the one in It,
Urban one TV, the Dollar one, everything. And so those
are the individuals that helped shape me. But a good
friend of mine, Hubert Law said to me when I
was in college. He says, you have a great voice.
(07:25):
You should do radio. So he was one of my
you know, he was one of my early advocates. So
I would give credit to those individuals. And a gentleman
by the name of Van j And lastly, the person
who gave me my first job with health benefits, his
name Bob Nighthawk Terry, and he saw the movie Talk
(07:46):
to Me. He was in the movie with P. D. Green.
Nighthauw Terry was the gentleman who came in with the dogs.
That was my former boss who gave me my first
job in radio.
Speaker 1 (07:56):
Well know, not today. You know you got to have
that boys back in the day. You have to talk
certain way, got to have a voice. And as about personality,
you really get really don't have to talk like you talk?
Are the way everybody to have the articulate every word
came I clear, But now everybody throw out the word authentic,
you know, organic, relatable. How is that? How have you
(08:17):
seen that? Has that changed the business?
Speaker 3 (08:20):
You know? Back I come from the era of radio personalities,
where people who are very vibrant personalities like Frankie Crocker, Yes,
By Higginson, who is the woman who inspired me, who
was also on the air at WBLS in New York
on one O seven point five. Uh. You know it
kind of got wortered down at a certain point. But
I think radio personalities we come for that tradition. You know,
(08:44):
the great Jocko Henderson and Georgie Woods, the guy with
the goods. These are legendary broadcasts. Mary Mason Louise Williams Bishop.
That's that's what I come from. And while I am
currently celebrating my fiftieth anniversary, I've seen all kind of
changes in radio broadcasting. But at the end of the day,
(09:05):
it's personalities. People want to hear a voice that they trust,
they can rely upon, that they can set their watch.
Oh wait, we don't set our watches anymore, but you
know what I mean. They want they want that familiarity,
they want somebody who feels like family. And that's the
style of radio that I've always engaged. And even though
(09:26):
now I'm doing talk radio, I've done music radio my
entire career. But I'm a guest commentator on w u
r D, which is progressive black talk radio in Philadelphia,
So I get to do what you do.
Speaker 1 (09:40):
What you do, well, we know the beauty of you know,
because you threw out a name. You know, you throw
out a name just in my ex nite.
Speaker 3 (09:46):
Which one, oh my EXX you know, Piker Rock of
my family and my very very dear friend Kenny Gamble,
who is one of the architects of the found of
Philadelphia with his partners.
Speaker 1 (10:00):
Don't go past that too fast, now, you know, South
of Philadelphia. Come that music. We gotta talk about that
music loop, Okay, because you see a lot of people
don't know all they is the artists all if they
hear the singer, they don't know who the master behind,
mastermind behind, I miss you.
Speaker 3 (10:18):
You know Kenny Gamble, Leon Hoff, the great Drummer, Young Love,
the Ojs, Kenny Gamble again and Leon Hull ain't no
stopping us now, Big Fadin and Whitehead, Gin and John
great producers and songwriters.
Speaker 1 (10:33):
That's just a few, y'all. Because of the fact that
you know, the soul trained thing.
Speaker 3 (10:40):
The soul Trained theme with Don Cornelius was done by
Gambling Huff and it featured the three degrees and mss
turn off the lights, my my borrow a cup of sugar,
neighbor and my best friend until he made his transition.
Theodore pender Grass, Teddy Pendergrass Girl.
Speaker 1 (11:00):
That was my song back in the day, boy, turn
off get me excited because now going back to my
younger days, when you know when when when a slow
song meant something back in the club dates, Yeah, you know,
you look across the you look across the floor and
made eye contact. That's all you needed. If she looked
(11:22):
your way, you looked that way, and you just did
the head now, the head up or the head to
the right of the head up, and she went cool.
Then y'all made our way to the floor and.
Speaker 3 (11:34):
Exactly exactly, and you know what, Sad Jones, mel Lewis,
Gambling Huff died two albums. I believe with them, the
great Dexter Wanzelle, who was coming from a jazz tradition
as well. So incredible musicians. They called from the Philadelphia
Orchestra string layers and then they had the fiercest rhythm section.
(11:55):
I love the music of the sound of Philadelphia, Philadelphia.
Speaker 1 (11:59):
International, you know the music, but it had a message
in it too a lot of times, you know, like
wake up everybody, they're sleeping in.
Speaker 3 (12:07):
Harold Melvin and the Blue Notes again with Teddy Pendergrass.
Speaker 1 (12:11):
Family Reunion for the Old James, the reunion.
Speaker 3 (12:16):
I got to have. And you know what, how about
I always loved my mama. Dambling huffros that one as well,
and I always loved my mama come on, my favorite girl.
Speaker 1 (12:27):
Well, you know the thing the thing about it is
that are we are now this generational Okay? You know
you had pop but then you had rock and then
you had the mothership landed. You know, it landed. You
know it landed. When I was playing basketball in the
early seventies, when the when the when the pea fonk came,
make mother funk the phone come on now. But nobody
(12:51):
was stopping them boys in Philadelphia.
Speaker 2 (12:54):
No, not at all.
Speaker 3 (12:55):
And they were inspired. I thought, I heard you say,
Barry Gordy. Barry Gordy and Motowns and Detroit set the
standard for Gamble and Huff. They actually flew out. Gamble's
first airplane ride was to Detroit to visit Motown, where
they were interested in speaking to them to be songwriters
producers at Motown. And when Gamble and Huff saw what
(13:19):
Barry Gordy had done. And if you've ever been to
the studio, which I'm sure you have, absolutely in a house,
it's small, no way, all that great, big music from
all those artists Stevie Wonder, Martha Reeves and the Bandelas,
Mary Wilson, Diana Ross and the Supremes, the Temptations, you're.
Speaker 1 (13:40):
Right there, you know, because sometimes we be in the mix,
and so you know, it's like it's like you just
be rolling through it and you don't realize you understand
what's happening, but you don't really appreciate it because it's
just happening. And you enjoyed a moment because greatness was
all around you from those sounds and artists. And what
(14:01):
was your head at at that moment?
Speaker 3 (14:04):
Yeah, very great question. I often reflect back to it.
I knew that great things were happening. I was very
cognizant of the fact that I was around tremendously talented people,
not just my man, but the people that he signed
to the roster. Junie carn is godmother to our children.
Gamble and I had three children, so I was I
(14:26):
was aware, and I was on the radio. So I
was on the air the first at WBLS. Then I
went into television for a minute. Then I came back
to Philly and I was on w DAS one oh
five point three when it is a monster heritage station
absolutely in Philadelphia, and that's the station where you know
great like for instance, there's a woman named Patty Jackson.
Speaker 1 (14:49):
She has been on the air full Letdeana see, that's
where you bring friends on because you got to remind
them of the blessings they've given us. If you've watched
TV ones on song, you've seen her, you have seen
Deanna Williams. You already heard all this music. So when
you try to go back and get one of those
those greats, they gonna roll her end and go queen
start talking. Give give us the truth, because you know
(15:12):
the truth because you saw it all You saw. Not
only you saw it, you played it, you participated. You
were at the concerts, used at the events where the
music was revolutionizing the sound, but it was all coming
off the East coast, and then you had Detroit, then
you had the West Coast, those sounds and that music.
And I be remiss because I want you to go
back and talk about my girl, Patty Jackson, because I cannot.
(15:35):
She's done so much for my career. She's done so
much as you've done for my career being able to
give me a voice and give them the talents that
I've worked with a voice. Because people don't understand black
radio is a little bit different in our community because
black radio tells us how to vote. Black radio tell
us where to go, tell us about the weather, tell
us how to get up in the morning, tell us
(15:55):
when to go to bed, tell us makes us feel
good about our said. It makes us party that I
says remind us of respect. Black radio is powerful and
it should never go away because of the fact it's
an emotional tool to our future.
Speaker 3 (16:09):
Do you agree exactly? I completely totally agree. Black radio
is the clarion voices of our community and it has
been and will continue to be as long as humanity exists.
And prior to the break, what I was saying about
Patti Jackson is that she has been on the air
in the same time slot for thirty years. Unheard of, white, purple,
(16:30):
polka dot orange. She is a voice in the community
and as you reference my career celebrating fifty years, Patti
Jackson and I are part of a group called the
Inaugural thirty thirty Black women broadcasters from all over the country.
Our archives last Friday were installed into the Library of Congress.
(16:55):
We started the morning out at the White House with
Steve Benjamin and you know the new Press Secretary, well,
she's a year in her position, Carine Jean Pierre and
Erica who's in charge of African American media, Erica Lowe.
It was incredible, but shout out to all those women
(17:15):
for their illustrious careers and being voices on the regular
in our community. As you said, Rashaan, where do you
go vote? Who's coming to town? What place did you need? What?
You know? It's voting, it's time to register, where to go,
where to get help, where to get social services? Where
who's hiring? Job theres That's what we do. We do
(17:38):
more than just play feel good music. We are the
voices in our community to alert, to inspire, to inform.
Speaker 1 (17:47):
We know it was really interesting. Like I'm from Houston, Texas.
I can remember or stationed down there called Magic one
h two. I can tell you right now today the
very first song that that station played in nineteen seventy
seven when it came on with to get Talk on
Johnny Guitar Watson.
Speaker 3 (18:02):
So one do you remember real Mother?
Speaker 1 (18:05):
For you?
Speaker 3 (18:05):
Oh? Yes?
Speaker 1 (18:06):
And you know. And so that's how powerful music is
because it can lock you into an emotion. It can
also inspire you to be great. Now when you talk
about black music, when I cannot get off this air
is talk. Let people hear the story of how that
came about, how you very instrumental alone with mister Gamble
and coming about tell us about how black music Mark
(18:28):
came about and now it is recognized every June.
Speaker 3 (18:32):
Well credit goes to Kenny Gamble. Again, we were a
couple at the time, so obviously as a couple we
worked together on everything, including the children. But Gamble went
to Nashville and he saw what the Country Music Association
was doing with their unity, carving out a region calling
it Music City, being very smart about the economics of
(18:54):
the creativity, and he said, we need to do that
in the black music industry. And so he came back
under the offices of another organization that he established called
the Black Music Association. June Black Music Month was born
and Clarence avonz who's known to many in the industry
and outside as the Godfather, called the White House as
(19:17):
President Carter's administration to host an event at the White
House for the Black music industry. And it was a
little bit of everybody. Billy Eckstein was there, Chuck Berry,
Evelyn Champagne, King, MFSB Dexter, Wanzell, Andre Crouch, They all
performed and in the audience was Barry White, Gloge Robert Gordie,
(19:40):
just Frankie Crocker, myself, Dabele and I you know. It
was my first time going to the White House. So
June seventh, nineteen seventy nine, Jimmy Carter declared June Black
Music Month, and that was forty four years ago, and
we've been celebrating ever since. Myself as well as DJ
ed Wright, worked Withamble for the further establishment of June
(20:02):
Black Music Month. And in two thousand, I went to
President Clinton, I went to Congress, I got legislation passed
a bill called the Black Music Month Bill, acknowledging the
multi billion dollar industry that black music is all genres.
With Sean, you know, it's not just it's all genres,
(20:23):
but the number one genre in the world right now
is hip hop music as we celebrate fifty years of
hip hop. So that was the origin Gamble, ed Wright
and myself carving out a month for us to highlight.
That doesn't mean that July first, we don't celebrate black music.
It's the three six ' five celebration. But June is
(20:44):
a concentrated period of time for us to elevate and celebrate.
Speaker 1 (20:48):
Now, now this is amazing when I hear all this conversation,
because you know, you can say, you know, hip hop
is the number one stream music but guess what he's
sampling from.
Speaker 3 (20:58):
Often from R and B in jazz, no question about that.
And tribe call quest with a Q tip. They definitely
borrowed liberally sampling from jazz and R and D.
Speaker 1 (21:13):
Absolutely Now the National Museum of African American African American
Music in Nashville, Now, what is that museum in Nashville.
Speaker 3 (21:23):
The museum is in Nashville because it became a partnership
between the public and private sector and they raised, we raised,
I'm on the board, hundreds millions of dollars necessary to
build the museum. So people overlook and I didn't know
this either, Rashaan, that Nashville a rich tradition and gospel
(21:46):
as well as jazz. Jimmy Hendricks was there in the
late sixties. Jimmy Jimmy Hendricks was living in Nashville. So
and country music. I know some people want to dispute this,
but the reality it came from black people. White people
developed their own style of country music. But country music
and black folks and the blues and gospels always in Nashville.
(22:09):
And the biggest ambassadors around the world in the eighteen
hundreds were the Fifth Jubilee Singers and people overlook that
as well.
Speaker 1 (22:19):
Well, you know that a lot of people forget all that,
you know, the Tennessee, Alabama. You know, if you look
at you know, the whole when you look at the
Aretha Franklin, her story when she was going down to Alabama,
you know, muscle shows, that's what she was going down
that she was going all the way down there to
get the best musicians and with some white boys.
Speaker 3 (22:39):
And absolutely local musicians. And hey, all those early Aretha
Franklin songs that we loved were backed a lot of
white boys and black people too. Bernard Party was a
great drummery.
Speaker 1 (22:55):
I wonder why she's an on song all the time.
It's like, I just I'd actually like to just shut
up and just let us talk, because you're so elegant,
first of elegant in your tone, and also the information
you just throw out, you know, is like now, you know,
like I said, you know, it's never too late to
manage somebody. So you know, we'll talk later off there,
you know, you know I should have met you earlier.
Speaker 3 (23:19):
Now, sure we're connected forever. So. Nashville is the home
of the National Museum of African American Music, located on
Fifth and Broadway in the heart of downtown Nashville. One
side is the original Grande olopri the other side is
the Bridgestone Arena. So we are like in the heart
(23:39):
of downtown and we cover all genres and sub genres
of Black music from Phil Hollows straight through to hip
hop right now. So you gotta, you gotta come see
the museum. And I encourage everyone to go to n
M a a m dot org. That's name a'am and
that's the acronym of the museum, so you can peruse it.
(24:03):
You can see our galleries. We have seven galleries, fifty
six thousand square foot facility, a contemporary, her story and
history Museum of Music.
Speaker 1 (24:13):
Congratulation. Now you've got a big proclamation coming up in
Black Music Monty Wise, in Black Music Month. I wonder
why this happened in Philadelphia, but tell us about it,
and you know, I will tell you this. I was
honored recently at the Black Media Awards and went over there,
and you know, you don't get old when people recognize you.
(24:35):
It doesn't get.
Speaker 3 (24:35):
Old in the fact that you have congratulations. You deserve it.
Speaker 1 (24:38):
Thank you know, a congratulations on you because of the fact,
I'm just reminding everybody that you know, when people knock
on your door, they call you or remind you of
what you're doing now or what you've accomplished. It's truly
a blessing. And for you to be honored in Philadelphia
in Black music monk, tell us about it and tell us,
(24:59):
h you expectations. Are they gonna let you talk or
you gonna take their wood? You're gonna walk around, take
some photos? What's going on?
Speaker 3 (25:06):
Oh, that's beautiful. We're gambling. I as two of the
founders that live still in Philadelphia, are being recognized by
Philadelphia City Council on June eighth, and we are receiving
proclamation for our work as the co founders of June
Black Music Month and still living. We're champions of music
in Philly. I'm on the board of the Recording Academy,
(25:26):
which is the Grammy organization. Gamble is still very active
in perpetuating culture amongst black folks and others in the
city of Philadelphia. So we are very excited and our
children very excited about parents recognized.
Speaker 1 (25:42):
They just thought they just need to have a party
out there, you know. Missus Me and Missus Jones be
jamming the train, the sound of Philadelphia, it just be
you know, did the ship a horseship of horseship of
come on nine? They can just they can. It's really
amazing the genius. You have put the word genius because
(26:03):
it's something that that that I can't comprehend. My degree
is in math, so I know understand logic. I understand numbers.
I understand two plus two is four. But the creativity,
the process of being able to manipulate sound and put
together words and make those words just resonate not only
years but decades later. And the fact that you were
(26:25):
part of that is still a part of that. Being
able to tell this story on my show today, I
just want to thank you. I want to thank you
for taking the time to come one masterclass.
Speaker 3 (26:35):
Oh thank you Rashaan for everything. Like I said, what
you do, you are a master.
Speaker 1 (26:39):
I appreciate that. But again, let me just tell you
this now. You know, I'm just letting everybody know the
world know. She said, I wish I'd have met you earlier,
because you know, this is about the This is about
the fourth time I've interviewed you, Diana, Okay, and every
time we always say we're gonna get together. Remember the
first time we supposed to, we were working on some
TV show where we're gonna go, We're gonna be like
the Master sitting over here and you know, talk to
(27:01):
young people trying to make careers out of that went
no where because guess what, we didn't talk no more.
Speaker 3 (27:06):
Okay, it's not too late. It's it's never too late.
That's an advocate of it. It's never too late to
actualize your dreams.
Speaker 1 (27:13):
She threw out a word that I knew nothing. I
never heard, actualize because you know why I would never
say that, because I will fumble through it.
Speaker 3 (27:20):
Actual You wouldn't know, you wouldn't.
Speaker 1 (27:26):
I love the other incredible congratulations and you know, uh,
this is live this Live radio. I wanted people hear.
It's gonna get syndicated nationally through all my HBCU campuses
that carry my show and podcasts. But more importantly, you
are a You are an incredible person. Thank you for
coming on Money Making Conversation master Class, the one that
(27:50):
Queen she's the mother of Black music man that we
celebrate every June DA.
Speaker 3 (28:02):
We'll be right back with more Money Making Conversations Masterclass
with rough Shawn McDonald,
Welcome to Money Making Conversations.
Speaker 2 (00:06):
It's to show that she is the secrets of success
experience firsthand by marketing and Brandon expert Rashan McDonald. I
will know he's giving me advice on many occasions. And
in case you didn't notice, I'm not broke. You know
he'll be interviewing celebrity CEOs, entrepreneurs and industry.
Speaker 1 (00:20):
Decision make because it's what he likes to do. It's
what he likes to share.
Speaker 2 (00:24):
Now it's time to hear from my man, Rashaan McDonald
money Making Conversations.
Speaker 1 (00:28):
Here we go. This is Rashan McDonald had to grab
the mic because I was in there dancing because you know,
we're about to talk about some great music. I know,
I know, I know, but I'm about to mention some
song gonna bring back some memories today because next month
is that's June is a Black music month, and we're
(00:51):
gonna talk to music. But let me let me get
the intro started and so I can just lay everything correctly.
Welcome to money Making Conversation master Class. As you know,
I'm your whole Rashaan McDonald. Our theme is that there
is no perfect time to start following your dreams. I
recognize that we all have different definitions of success. For you,
it may be the size of your paycheck. Mine is
(01:11):
inspiring you. That's right, you who are listening, You who
are driving, you, who are streaming this show nationwide? To
accomplish your goals and live your very best life, It's
time to start reading other people's success stories and start
living your own. The reality is is that when I
do this show and I look at myself, cause I
get up every morning at four thirty Monday through Friday.
(01:32):
I get up and I tell people when I get up,
I'm not a happy It's not about a happy get
up at four thirty in the morning. But to achieve
my dream, to achieve my goals, I have to get up.
I can't hit this snooze button. I can't think about
what if somebody else did what I needed them to
do so I can be successful. In the end, your
dream is your dream. To achieve your dream, to make
(01:52):
your dream happen, you have to make it happen. And
I always tell people this. Everybody has a gift, not gifts.
Let's talk about that gift. Let's hone in and that
one town, that one skill, that God has given you.
Lead with that gift, and don't let your friend's family
or coworker stop you from planning or living your dreams.
I will tell people this, between the ages of eighteen
and twenty four, you are invincible, You're immortal, You're a dreamer.
(02:15):
Can't nobody tell you nothing. When you get forty, fifty, sixty, seventy,
get that same attitude back that can't nobody stop you,
that you're invincible, that you're gonna live forever. Because even
at eighteen, there was no guarantee that you would live forever.
So why should you not have the same mentality when
you're forty, when you're fifty and sixty, that you're going
to live forever. Because your dreams, your legacy you create,
(02:41):
can make you a legend, can make you a memory,
can make you a person that has changed other people's life.
I remember when I was diagnosed for cancer, and when
you get diagnosed for cancer, the thing about it is
that your light flashes before your eyes, and all I
could think about was my future. But I settled down,
(03:05):
I realized what I had done in my life. At
that point, I was really comfortable if cancer was going
to bring an end to my life. Unfortunately for me,
it has not. So you have to live each day
with a goal, with a desire to understand that when
you wake up, have a sense of purpose when you
(03:27):
wake up, have a goal. When you have that goal,
achieve the plan that you are trying to achieve out
of that and don't let nobody stop you from achieving.
I guess she's that person. One of my favorite people
I interview on my shows. You know sometimes on NPR
you can't like promote or say you like something, but
I gotta say I like her. She's one of my
favorite people. My guess it's Deana Williams. She's the broadcaster, celebrity, strategist, curator,
(03:52):
live event producer, celebrating fifty years in the music, broadcasting
and entertainment industry. Professional. That's what she is. She's the
person that's been there. Because it's really interesting and we're
going to talk about this. We talk about longevity because
when you're successful, you really doesn't think about longevity. To
you get to that longevity part and then somehow you
(04:13):
get nervous because you look it back, look back on
what you've achieved, and you wonder if you can continue
to achieve that some of the archives are really now
in the library of Congress co founder. Check this out,
Black Music One. It's on the National Museum of African
American Music and Nashville Board. A regular TV wants Unsung
and is referred to as the mother of Black Music One.
(04:35):
She's established and she's going to get a big proclamation
in the city of Philadelphia. Please welcome the one and
only the Money Making Conversation Masterclass, Deanna Williams.
Speaker 3 (04:44):
How are you doing, Diana, ooh blushing, I'm another collar.
Oh my goodness for san Now you know I love,
love any opportunity to interact with you for a myriad
of reasons. One, you are so inspiring. You are when
we talk about success, you are helping. You're giving the
(05:05):
blueprint to listeners, to viewers of success because you are
bringing on the air people who are grustlers, grinding and hustling,
and you are a master grustler. So I'm honored to
be with you today. I'm wc Okay, all right now,
my daughter went to she went she attended school there,
(05:28):
and shout out to David Lynton and.
Speaker 1 (05:30):
The oh David Lynton, he's sitting in here. Okay, he's
sitting in the room, and I didn't know that that's
my boy. You know, he got me on over here
boy too, because you know, everybody has a dream, and
I was talking about that earlier. But when you say, like,
I remember when I when out, I left IBM, and
I wanted to pursue a career as a standing comedian.
(05:51):
I just wanted to do it. You know, I was
just I was twenty six years old at the tem
cauld't nobody tell me nothing, because I felt that I
had to do it. And a lot of people said,
don't do it. You're leaving a great job like IBM.
And then thirty came, and then forty came. And I
really tell you this to be honest, that it wasn't
into my forties did I really realized that I had
a gift, that I had the ability to do things
(06:14):
that everybody else wanted to do. And people were starting
to come to me for advice and starting to understand
that I had a different way I looked at things
when it came to marketing and branding. When I did
this show, bringing people like you on the show. Let's
talk about that journey in the early years when you
were just a voice, but you were an incredible voice.
And when did you realize that you were seeing things
(06:36):
and giving advice to people that was a little bit
different than they were getting anyplace else.
Speaker 3 (06:42):
Well, salute to you again for helping craft the careers
of many super successful individuals. I wish i'd met you
younger in life difference. But the person who inspired me
there were two people other than my parents, my mother
Nancy Newman and my father George Williams. And other than
my parents and my grandparents, my family, my foundation, it
(07:03):
was my ex Kenny Gamble and my best friend Kathy Hughes,
who was the founder of everything with the one in It,
Urban one TV, the Dollar one, everything. And so those
are the individuals that helped shape me. But a good
friend of mine, Hubert Law said to me when I
was in college. He says, you have a great voice.
(07:25):
You should do radio. So he was one of my
you know, he was one of my early advocates. So
I would give credit to those individuals. And a gentleman
by the name of Van j And lastly, the person
who gave me my first job with health benefits, his
name Bob Nighthawk Terry, and he saw the movie Talk
(07:46):
to Me. He was in the movie with P. D. Green.
Nighthauw Terry was the gentleman who came in with the dogs.
That was my former boss who gave me my first
job in radio.
Speaker 1 (07:56):
Well know, not today. You know you got to have
that boys back in the day. You have to talk
certain way, got to have a voice. And as about personality,
you really get really don't have to talk like you talk?
Are the way everybody to have the articulate every word
came I clear, But now everybody throw out the word authentic,
you know, organic, relatable. How is that? How have you
(08:17):
seen that? Has that changed the business?
Speaker 3 (08:20):
You know? Back I come from the era of radio personalities,
where people who are very vibrant personalities like Frankie Crocker, Yes,
By Higginson, who is the woman who inspired me, who
was also on the air at WBLS in New York
on one O seven point five. Uh. You know it
kind of got wortered down at a certain point. But
I think radio personalities we come for that tradition. You know,
(08:44):
the great Jocko Henderson and Georgie Woods, the guy with
the goods. These are legendary broadcasts. Mary Mason Louise Williams Bishop.
That's that's what I come from. And while I am
currently celebrating my fiftieth anniversary, I've seen all kind of
changes in radio broadcasting. But at the end of the day,
(09:05):
it's personalities. People want to hear a voice that they trust,
they can rely upon, that they can set their watch.
Oh wait, we don't set our watches anymore, but you
know what I mean. They want they want that familiarity,
they want somebody who feels like family. And that's the
style of radio that I've always engaged. And even though
(09:26):
now I'm doing talk radio, I've done music radio my
entire career. But I'm a guest commentator on w u
r D, which is progressive black talk radio in Philadelphia,
So I get to do what you do.
Speaker 1 (09:40):
What you do, well, we know the beauty of you know,
because you threw out a name. You know, you throw
out a name just in my ex nite.
Speaker 3 (09:46):
Which one, oh my EXX you know, Piker Rock of
my family and my very very dear friend Kenny Gamble,
who is one of the architects of the found of
Philadelphia with his partners.
Speaker 1 (10:00):
Don't go past that too fast, now, you know, South
of Philadelphia. Come that music. We gotta talk about that
music loop, Okay, because you see a lot of people
don't know all they is the artists all if they
hear the singer, they don't know who the master behind,
mastermind behind, I miss you.
Speaker 3 (10:18):
You know Kenny Gamble, Leon Hoff, the great Drummer, Young Love,
the Ojs, Kenny Gamble again and Leon Hull ain't no
stopping us now, Big Fadin and Whitehead, Gin and John
great producers and songwriters.
Speaker 1 (10:33):
That's just a few, y'all. Because of the fact that
you know, the soul trained thing.
Speaker 3 (10:40):
The soul Trained theme with Don Cornelius was done by
Gambling Huff and it featured the three degrees and mss
turn off the lights, my my borrow a cup of sugar,
neighbor and my best friend until he made his transition.
Theodore pender Grass, Teddy Pendergrass Girl.
Speaker 1 (11:00):
That was my song back in the day, boy, turn
off get me excited because now going back to my
younger days, when you know when when when a slow
song meant something back in the club dates, Yeah, you know,
you look across the you look across the floor and
made eye contact. That's all you needed. If she looked
(11:22):
your way, you looked that way, and you just did
the head now, the head up or the head to
the right of the head up, and she went cool.
Then y'all made our way to the floor and.
Speaker 3 (11:34):
Exactly exactly, and you know what, Sad Jones, mel Lewis,
Gambling Huff died two albums. I believe with them, the
great Dexter Wanzelle, who was coming from a jazz tradition
as well. So incredible musicians. They called from the Philadelphia
Orchestra string layers and then they had the fiercest rhythm section.
(11:55):
I love the music of the sound of Philadelphia, Philadelphia.
Speaker 1 (11:59):
International, you know the music, but it had a message
in it too a lot of times, you know, like
wake up everybody, they're sleeping in.
Speaker 3 (12:07):
Harold Melvin and the Blue Notes again with Teddy Pendergrass.
Speaker 1 (12:11):
Family Reunion for the Old James, the reunion.
Speaker 3 (12:16):
I got to have. And you know what, how about
I always loved my mama. Dambling huffros that one as well,
and I always loved my mama come on, my favorite girl.
Speaker 1 (12:27):
Well, you know the thing the thing about it is
that are we are now this generational Okay? You know
you had pop but then you had rock and then
you had the mothership landed. You know, it landed. You
know it landed. When I was playing basketball in the
early seventies, when the when the when the pea fonk came,
make mother funk the phone come on now. But nobody
(12:51):
was stopping them boys in Philadelphia.
Speaker 2 (12:54):
No, not at all.
Speaker 3 (12:55):
And they were inspired. I thought, I heard you say,
Barry Gordy. Barry Gordy and Motowns and Detroit set the
standard for Gamble and Huff. They actually flew out. Gamble's
first airplane ride was to Detroit to visit Motown, where
they were interested in speaking to them to be songwriters
producers at Motown. And when Gamble and Huff saw what
(13:19):
Barry Gordy had done. And if you've ever been to
the studio, which I'm sure you have, absolutely in a house,
it's small, no way, all that great, big music from
all those artists Stevie Wonder, Martha Reeves and the Bandelas,
Mary Wilson, Diana Ross and the Supremes, the Temptations, you're.
Speaker 1 (13:40):
Right there, you know, because sometimes we be in the mix,
and so you know, it's like it's like you just
be rolling through it and you don't realize you understand
what's happening, but you don't really appreciate it because it's
just happening. And you enjoyed a moment because greatness was
all around you from those sounds and artists. And what
(14:01):
was your head at at that moment?
Speaker 3 (14:04):
Yeah, very great question. I often reflect back to it.
I knew that great things were happening. I was very
cognizant of the fact that I was around tremendously talented people,
not just my man, but the people that he signed
to the roster. Junie carn is godmother to our children.
Gamble and I had three children, so I was I
(14:26):
was aware, and I was on the radio. So I
was on the air the first at WBLS. Then I
went into television for a minute. Then I came back
to Philly and I was on w DAS one oh
five point three when it is a monster heritage station
absolutely in Philadelphia, and that's the station where you know
great like for instance, there's a woman named Patty Jackson.
Speaker 1 (14:49):
She has been on the air full Letdeana see, that's
where you bring friends on because you got to remind
them of the blessings they've given us. If you've watched
TV ones on song, you've seen her, you have seen
Deanna Williams. You already heard all this music. So when
you try to go back and get one of those
those greats, they gonna roll her end and go queen
start talking. Give give us the truth, because you know
(15:12):
the truth because you saw it all You saw. Not
only you saw it, you played it, you participated. You
were at the concerts, used at the events where the
music was revolutionizing the sound, but it was all coming
off the East coast, and then you had Detroit, then
you had the West Coast, those sounds and that music.
And I be remiss because I want you to go
back and talk about my girl, Patty Jackson, because I cannot.
(15:35):
She's done so much for my career. She's done so
much as you've done for my career being able to
give me a voice and give them the talents that
I've worked with a voice. Because people don't understand black
radio is a little bit different in our community because
black radio tells us how to vote. Black radio tell
us where to go, tell us about the weather, tell
us how to get up in the morning, tell us
(15:55):
when to go to bed, tell us makes us feel
good about our said. It makes us party that I
says remind us of respect. Black radio is powerful and
it should never go away because of the fact it's
an emotional tool to our future.
Speaker 3 (16:09):
Do you agree exactly? I completely totally agree. Black radio
is the clarion voices of our community and it has
been and will continue to be as long as humanity exists.
And prior to the break, what I was saying about
Patti Jackson is that she has been on the air
in the same time slot for thirty years. Unheard of, white, purple,
(16:30):
polka dot orange. She is a voice in the community
and as you reference my career celebrating fifty years, Patti
Jackson and I are part of a group called the
Inaugural thirty thirty Black women broadcasters from all over the country.
Our archives last Friday were installed into the Library of Congress.
(16:55):
We started the morning out at the White House with
Steve Benjamin and you know the new Press Secretary, well,
she's a year in her position, Carine Jean Pierre and
Erica who's in charge of African American media, Erica Lowe.
It was incredible, but shout out to all those women
(17:15):
for their illustrious careers and being voices on the regular
in our community. As you said, Rashaan, where do you
go vote? Who's coming to town? What place did you need? What?
You know? It's voting, it's time to register, where to go,
where to get help, where to get social services? Where
who's hiring? Job theres That's what we do. We do
(17:38):
more than just play feel good music. We are the
voices in our community to alert, to inspire, to inform.
Speaker 1 (17:47):
We know it was really interesting. Like I'm from Houston, Texas.
I can remember or stationed down there called Magic one
h two. I can tell you right now today the
very first song that that station played in nineteen seventy
seven when it came on with to get Talk on
Johnny Guitar Watson.
Speaker 3 (18:02):
So one do you remember real Mother?
Speaker 1 (18:05):
For you?
Speaker 3 (18:05):
Oh? Yes?
Speaker 1 (18:06):
And you know. And so that's how powerful music is
because it can lock you into an emotion. It can
also inspire you to be great. Now when you talk
about black music, when I cannot get off this air
is talk. Let people hear the story of how that
came about, how you very instrumental alone with mister Gamble
and coming about tell us about how black music Mark
(18:28):
came about and now it is recognized every June.
Speaker 3 (18:32):
Well credit goes to Kenny Gamble. Again, we were a
couple at the time, so obviously as a couple we
worked together on everything, including the children. But Gamble went
to Nashville and he saw what the Country Music Association
was doing with their unity, carving out a region calling
it Music City, being very smart about the economics of
(18:54):
the creativity, and he said, we need to do that
in the black music industry. And so he came back
under the offices of another organization that he established called
the Black Music Association. June Black Music Month was born
and Clarence avonz who's known to many in the industry
and outside as the Godfather, called the White House as
(19:17):
President Carter's administration to host an event at the White
House for the Black music industry. And it was a
little bit of everybody. Billy Eckstein was there, Chuck Berry,
Evelyn Champagne, King, MFSB Dexter, Wanzell, Andre Crouch, They all
performed and in the audience was Barry White, Gloge Robert Gordie,
(19:40):
just Frankie Crocker, myself, Dabele and I you know. It
was my first time going to the White House. So
June seventh, nineteen seventy nine, Jimmy Carter declared June Black
Music Month, and that was forty four years ago, and
we've been celebrating ever since. Myself as well as DJ
ed Wright, worked Withamble for the further establishment of June
(20:02):
Black Music Month. And in two thousand, I went to
President Clinton, I went to Congress, I got legislation passed
a bill called the Black Music Month Bill, acknowledging the
multi billion dollar industry that black music is all genres.
With Sean, you know, it's not just it's all genres,
(20:23):
but the number one genre in the world right now
is hip hop music as we celebrate fifty years of
hip hop. So that was the origin Gamble, ed Wright
and myself carving out a month for us to highlight.
That doesn't mean that July first, we don't celebrate black music.
It's the three six ' five celebration. But June is
(20:44):
a concentrated period of time for us to elevate and celebrate.
Speaker 1 (20:48):
Now, now this is amazing when I hear all this conversation,
because you know, you can say, you know, hip hop
is the number one stream music but guess what he's
sampling from.
Speaker 3 (20:58):
Often from R and B in jazz, no question about that.
And tribe call quest with a Q tip. They definitely
borrowed liberally sampling from jazz and R and D.
Speaker 1 (21:13):
Absolutely Now the National Museum of African American African American
Music in Nashville, Now, what is that museum in Nashville.
Speaker 3 (21:23):
The museum is in Nashville because it became a partnership
between the public and private sector and they raised, we raised,
I'm on the board, hundreds millions of dollars necessary to
build the museum. So people overlook and I didn't know
this either, Rashaan, that Nashville a rich tradition and gospel
(21:46):
as well as jazz. Jimmy Hendricks was there in the
late sixties. Jimmy Jimmy Hendricks was living in Nashville. So
and country music. I know some people want to dispute this,
but the reality it came from black people. White people
developed their own style of country music. But country music
and black folks and the blues and gospels always in Nashville.
(22:09):
And the biggest ambassadors around the world in the eighteen
hundreds were the Fifth Jubilee Singers and people overlook that
as well.
Speaker 1 (22:19):
Well, you know that a lot of people forget all that,
you know, the Tennessee, Alabama. You know, if you look
at you know, the whole when you look at the
Aretha Franklin, her story when she was going down to Alabama,
you know, muscle shows, that's what she was going down
that she was going all the way down there to
get the best musicians and with some white boys.
Speaker 3 (22:39):
And absolutely local musicians. And hey, all those early Aretha
Franklin songs that we loved were backed a lot of
white boys and black people too. Bernard Party was a
great drummery.
Speaker 1 (22:55):
I wonder why she's an on song all the time.
It's like, I just I'd actually like to just shut
up and just let us talk, because you're so elegant,
first of elegant in your tone, and also the information
you just throw out, you know, is like now, you know,
like I said, you know, it's never too late to
manage somebody. So you know, we'll talk later off there,
you know, you know I should have met you earlier.
Speaker 3 (23:19):
Now, sure we're connected forever. So. Nashville is the home
of the National Museum of African American Music, located on
Fifth and Broadway in the heart of downtown Nashville. One
side is the original Grande olopri the other side is
the Bridgestone Arena. So we are like in the heart
(23:39):
of downtown and we cover all genres and sub genres
of Black music from Phil Hollows straight through to hip
hop right now. So you gotta, you gotta come see
the museum. And I encourage everyone to go to n
M a a m dot org. That's name a'am and
that's the acronym of the museum, so you can peruse it.
(24:03):
You can see our galleries. We have seven galleries, fifty
six thousand square foot facility, a contemporary, her story and
history Museum of Music.
Speaker 1 (24:13):
Congratulation. Now you've got a big proclamation coming up in
Black Music Monty Wise, in Black Music Month. I wonder
why this happened in Philadelphia, but tell us about it,
and you know, I will tell you this. I was
honored recently at the Black Media Awards and went over there,
and you know, you don't get old when people recognize you.
(24:35):
It doesn't get.
Speaker 3 (24:35):
Old in the fact that you have congratulations. You deserve it.
Speaker 1 (24:38):
Thank you know, a congratulations on you because of the fact,
I'm just reminding everybody that you know, when people knock
on your door, they call you or remind you of
what you're doing now or what you've accomplished. It's truly
a blessing. And for you to be honored in Philadelphia
in Black music monk, tell us about it and tell us,
(24:59):
h you expectations. Are they gonna let you talk or
you gonna take their wood? You're gonna walk around, take
some photos? What's going on?
Speaker 3 (25:06):
Oh, that's beautiful. We're gambling. I as two of the
founders that live still in Philadelphia, are being recognized by
Philadelphia City Council on June eighth, and we are receiving
proclamation for our work as the co founders of June
Black Music Month and still living. We're champions of music
in Philly. I'm on the board of the Recording Academy,
(25:26):
which is the Grammy organization. Gamble is still very active
in perpetuating culture amongst black folks and others in the
city of Philadelphia. So we are very excited and our
children very excited about parents recognized.
Speaker 1 (25:42):
They just thought they just need to have a party
out there, you know. Missus Me and Missus Jones be
jamming the train, the sound of Philadelphia, it just be
you know, did the ship a horseship of horseship of
come on nine? They can just they can. It's really
amazing the genius. You have put the word genius because
(26:03):
it's something that that that I can't comprehend. My degree
is in math, so I know understand logic. I understand numbers.
I understand two plus two is four. But the creativity,
the process of being able to manipulate sound and put
together words and make those words just resonate not only
years but decades later. And the fact that you were
(26:25):
part of that is still a part of that. Being
able to tell this story on my show today, I
just want to thank you. I want to thank you
for taking the time to come one masterclass.
Speaker 3 (26:35):
Oh thank you Rashaan for everything. Like I said, what
you do, you are a master.
Speaker 1 (26:39):
I appreciate that. But again, let me just tell you
this now. You know, I'm just letting everybody know the
world know. She said, I wish I'd have met you earlier,
because you know, this is about the This is about
the fourth time I've interviewed you, Diana, Okay, and every
time we always say we're gonna get together. Remember the
first time we supposed to, we were working on some
TV show where we're gonna go, We're gonna be like
the Master sitting over here and you know, talk to
(27:01):
young people trying to make careers out of that went
no where because guess what, we didn't talk no more.
Speaker 3 (27:06):
Okay, it's not too late. It's it's never too late.
That's an advocate of it. It's never too late to
actualize your dreams.
Speaker 1 (27:13):
She threw out a word that I knew nothing. I
never heard, actualize because you know why I would never
say that, because I will fumble through it.
Speaker 3 (27:20):
Actual You wouldn't know, you wouldn't.
Speaker 1 (27:26):
I love the other incredible congratulations and you know, uh,
this is live this Live radio. I wanted people hear.
It's gonna get syndicated nationally through all my HBCU campuses
that carry my show and podcasts. But more importantly, you
are a You are an incredible person. Thank you for
coming on Money Making Conversation master Class, the one that
(27:50):
Queen she's the mother of Black music man that we
celebrate every June DA.
Speaker 3 (28:02):
We'll be right back with more Money Making Conversations Masterclass
with rough Shawn McDonald,
Host
Rushion McDonald
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