Here’s To Life with Tori Reid

Dubbed a “national treasure” and nicknamed the “Mother of Black Hollywood,” she’s starred in over 400 episodic TV shows, 68 movies, and four Broadway shows. During her prolific screen career, she’s most notably known as Zelma Bullock in Tina Turner biopic "What's Love Got to Do With It" and as Ruby Johnson in the socially-conscious sitcom "Black-ish." She’s an award-winning actress who steals every scene sh...

Part II: Tori returns in delight with one of her favorite spirits, a true comedian's comedian and one of the world’s most groundbreaking, well-respected, and beloved entertainers. A true pioneer and legend in the entertainment industry with 52 years of comedy, relationships, stories, and wisdom to share. He has made over 500 national TV appearances as a stand-up comedian, including more than 60 appearances on The Tonight Show,...

She is so much more than a costume designer or expert storyteller. She is a trailblazer. A pioneer. A leader. Think Ryan Coogler’s Black Panther. Spike Lee’s Malcolm X, Do The Right Thing or 12 other Spike Lee joints. Ava DuVernay’s Selma. Lee Daniels' The Butler. Steven Spielberg’s Amistad. Coming 2 America… and so much more. But who is the woman behind the accolades? What makes her tick? What gives her life? And what drove h...

Tori returns to her beloved alma mater, Hampton University, reflects and has a very special homecoming with the singular President Dr. William R. Harvey. Known for more than 40 years of legendary leadership, he transformed the university from a small Black college to a world-class leader within higher education. Whether it’s his powerful presence, establishing the largest free-standing proton beam cancer center in the world, increa...

She is so much more than a costume designer. She is a national treasure and global visionary. She was nominated twice for an Oscar for her timeless work on Spike Lee’s Malcolm X and Steven Spielberg’s Amistad. She became the first African American to win an Academy Award in Costume Design for her exquisite designs on Ryan Coogler’s Black Panther. The proud Hampton University graduate has designed an impressive filmography of over 6...

Tori delights in talking to one of her favorite spirits, a true comedian's comedian and one of the world’s most groundbreaking, well-respected, and beloved entertainers. He has made over 500 national TV appearances as a stand-up comedian, including more than 60 appearances on The Tonight Show, and was a favorite guest of David Letterman. For fourteen years he was the opening act for Frank Sinatra, and performed countless times...

Just who is the woman behind our latest "Aunt Viv?" Let's get the Inside track, and we use that word "inside" knowingly, on this powerful, every woman. Get ready for joy. Fresh out of NYU's Tisch Graduate Acting Program, she fulfilled her dream of working with both Denzel Washington, as his wife, and Spike Lee, in the hit film, "Inside Man". How?  You may wonder. By being herself.  And she&ap...

Part II:  Tori explores the ancient adage "to whom much is given, much is required" with a soul star and Grammy Award winner and soul storyteller for Part II of this fun, insightful, and warm conversation. As a self-described "country boy" and "soul man whisperer", he never forgets his roots, and is determined to always fuel his communities that he stays connected to through his music, and his soul. He...

For Black History Month, we're celebrating a cultural icon dubbed the "first Black action hero" and the groundbreaking film that birthed him, made Oscar history, and was inducted for preservation in the National Film Registry by the Library of Congress for being "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant". Shut yo mouth! He returns for a Part 2 conversation as he talks about the 50th anniversar...

Tori takes pleasure in speaking with the “original Black action hero” and a cultural iconoclast. Many see him simply as John Shaft with a brash, ‘take no prisoners’ veneer. He however says, “what you see is not the actual”.  So, he is not only cool but a true gentleman, gentle soul and master thespian whose works span 5 decades including his forthcoming show with Ava DuVernay. The man also known as double R (or RR) is his father&ap...

Tori has the pleasure to speak with an emerging, compassionate love champion. A true champion of the spirit. She is a proud Zimbabwean singer-songwriter, philanthropist, activist, storyteller, gymnast and television personality. Using words as weapons of love, her 2021 debut album "I'm not a mother, but I have children," is about the responsibility she feels to build a better world for future generations of all livin...

Before George Floyd, before Breonna Taylor, before America knew about Black Lives Matter, there was Michael Brown, Jr. On August 9th, 2014, in Ferguson Missouri, Darren Wilson, a white officer, fatally shot an unarmed Brown, and in the days that followed protest, anger, frustration and fear took over the city and its community. Six years later, a new story emerges, one filled with hope, love and beauty. Through interviews from comm...

He is a soulful storytelling master. As a matter of fact, he is in the soulful lineage of Sam Cooke, Al Green, or Bill Withers in his vocal mastery, storytelling prowess and evolution of self, as well as his sound. He could be one of the last of his kind in an era characterized by quick fixes on social media, streaming music and the evolution of Hip Hop.  He is a soul man who takes his sweet Southern time and by his own lyrical adm...

He is an internationally acclaimed fine art photographer, an evolving spirit, and a humble creative. One who captures the ocean, the sun… the surf - like no other. Known for being the Creator of Modern Surf Photography, he’s redefining the sport of modern surfing through his lens. He’s traveled to over 50 countries for films, travel journalism assignments and his epic imagery has been published worldwide in hundreds of books, along...

This is Part II of a 2 part series celebrating and looking closely at the Fischer family musical legacy to our times and the world.

Grammy-winning producer, composer, arranger Brent Fischer carries on the legacy of his legendary father, Dr. Clare Fischer.  Brent's  arranging credits appear on over 30 million albums to include: Usher, Michael Jackson, Elvis Costello & The Roots, and D'Angelo (who won Grammy Al...

I am Tori Reid and I have a long standing tradition called “Tori Sundays” where I tune in, in order to tune up. Call it meditation. Dancing. Dancing with the universe. Dancing in my innerverse.  Reading. Call it prayer. Writing. Call it really loving myself. For me, that’s Tori Sundays. I've put my all into these shows. But really, they are sharings of myself with my listeners. And I get so many comments about not only our mag...

Some may know him as Ray Campbell on Sister, Sister, and others as Venus Flytrap on WKRP in Cincinnati. And then there are those who fondly recall him as Frank Parrish on Frank’s Place, or others as "Downtown Brown" on Simon and Simon. But none of these aliases hold a candle to the man, distinct, renowned and an original in his own right.  He is called a pioneer because of his founding of New Millennium Studios in 1997 be...

Last week Prince enjoyed a birthday.  He remains one of the most celebrated pop artist of the 20th century and the soundtrack by which many artists measure their own creations and draw inspiration from.  In this episode of Here’s to Life’s, Tori Reid explores the music and orchestral arrangements of some of his most widely celebrated albums including Parade, Sign of the Times, Batman (Soundtrack), Lotus Flow3r, Chrystal Ball, Graff...

Part II:  This episode bookends our March Women's History Month as a tall glass of sweet Virginian iced tea between Tori Reid and her step mother.  We celebrate the 25th anniversary of the series finale (May 20, 1996) of "The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air". Our Aunt Viv discusses her sweet joy and well lived memories from The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air Reunion special on HBO Max, the late great James Avery, the surprise first...