*The year 2024 for The Pulse of Entertainment has many highlights, but I want to mention a few. The year started with a quote from Stunt Director Chuck Borden, “At my age I want control.”
He was talking about going from stuntman to stunt director with credits that include working on the Star Trek movie franchise and Fast & Furious movie franchise. I was so impressed with Chuck and his experience that I asked him to speak at a client’s international film festival and to my surprise he said, “Yes!” He showed up via Zoom while out of the country (on assignment). What an honor and way to start the year off.
Chuck’s interview was followed by an interview with the members of the R&B group Final Draft. Before the interview, I saw the group all over social media singing cover songs and was so very impressed with their harmony. They remind me of such legendary groups as Boyz II Men, Dru Hill, and New Edition – smooth/tight vocals. The group talked about their single “Roses” which came out right in time for Valentine’s Day. The final Draft consists of Divine, Lucky, and Voice. Their talents garnered them an appearance on “America’s Got Talent” and they walked away with a record deal with Blackground Records 2.0 (Aaliyah, Toni Braxton).
A lover of all genres of music, another highlight for me was an interview with Country legend T. G. Sheppard about his cover of the Shania Twain hit single “You’re Still The One” featuring Kelly Lang which also came out for Valentine’s Day. Sheppard has 21 #1 Billboard Chart-Topping Country hits. One hit song “Make My Day” features Clint Eastwood and it is the reason for Clint’s famous script line of the same that appears in most of his early films. Another interview that was special for me was the one with Broadway performer/Jazz singer Aaron Akins. He released a new single “When Do We Love” featuring Walter and Wallace Scott (The Whispers). That interview led to seeing him perform with his band and background singers at the Catalina Jazz Club in Los Angeles – what a show! Iconic.
In 2024 another highlight was my interview with female drummer Cindy Blackman Santana. Her fame as a drummer started performing with Lenny Kravits’ band. While touring with Kravitz she met iconic guitarist Carlos Santana and soon after she started touring with the Carlos Santana band. The story goes, that Carlos proposed to her during a show, and as they say, the rest is history. We talked about her House of Blues (HOB) tour with the Carlos Santana Band and her performance dates with her Cindy Blackman Quartet.
My interview with Emmy Award-winning Jazz guitarist Chieli Minucci about the release of the live album “Return to Budapest With Love” from his Grammy Award-winning band Special EFX. He is such a legend in the Jazz world, and I have been interviewing him for many, many years. The album was to pay homage to the late Hungarian percussionist George Jinda, co-founder of Special EFX.
Staying in the Jazz genre, another highlight from 2024 is my interview with Grammy-winning Jazz guitarist Norman Brown – truly a legend. We talked about his new album “It Hits Different” from the Shanachie Entertainment imprint. Brown is another legend I have been interviewing for many years. What an honor for the opportunities. Aside from his solo projects, Norman Brown has played as guitarist for Peabo Bryson, Michael McDonald, Kirk Whalum and Chante Moore.
The Stellar-winning Gospel pioneer Vanessa Bell Armstrong’s interview about her new album “Today” was a highlight for me in 2024. The 17x Grammy-nominated legend was excited about her 14th album after a 14-year absence from the music industry. I was excited about talking to such a trailblazer. Aside from her music Vanessa has performed on Broadway and in Spike Lee’s “The Women of Brewster’s Place” and NBC’s sitcom “Amen.” The interview with saxophonist Kirk Whalum (Whitney Houston) was a highlight as well. We talked about his new album “Epic Cool” (Mack Avenue Music Group) featuring Doc Powell and Greg Manning. I have been interviewing Kirk since I became a journalist over 30 years ago. I was also honored to go to a performance of his at the 2024 Long Beach Jazz Festival – where he literally serenaded the audience onto their feet. Staying in the Jazz genre another highlight in 2024 was my interview with Grammy-nominated saxophonist Boney James. We talked about his single “All I Want Is You” (Concord Records) featuring October London (Deathrow Records). The single is off Boney James’ 19th album “Slow Burn.” I have been interviewing Boney for over 30 years as well.
As we end 2024 my interview with the First Lady of Motown Claudette Robinson was a highlight and an honor as well. We talked about the new group she is backing, called Motown 65 which consists of Lyric Ontiveros (her grandchild); Alia Rose (Tina Marie’s daughter); Imani Archer (D’Angelo’s daughter), and Trace Austin (Otis Williams of the Temptations’ grandson). We also talked about her history as a member of The Miracles, the first group on Motown and the first ever platinum-selling group that has given us the hits “My Girl,” “Ooh Baby Baby,” “You Really Got a Hold on Me,” “Tears of a Clown,” and “Who’s Loving You.”
I am so excited, as I am every year, for the new year coming up. Can not wait to see who in 2025 I will get to talk to and what events I get to review. I end the year with my column, The Pulse of Entertainment, maintaining an average weekly readership of one million, and its digital magazine www.ThePulseofEntertainment.com attracting an average of 160,000 visitors a month. See you all in 2025!
SYNDICATED COLUMN: Dr. Eunice Moseley has an estimated weekly readership of over one million with The Pulse of Entertainment. She is also a Business Management/Public Relations Strategist and Consultant at Freelance Associates and is Promotions Director (at-large) for The Baltimore Times. www.ThePulseofEntertainment.com. EVENTS: “Uplifting Minds II” Entertainment Conference (ULMII), founded by Eunice in 1999, is in its 26th year. The next events are coming to Baltimore via Zoom on Saturday, April 19, 2025, presented by Security Square Mall and The Baltimore Times, and Los Angeles via Zoom on Saturday, November 8, 2025. The ULMII event is a free entertainment conference offering a Professional Panel Q&A Session, a Professional Talent Showcase, and a National Talent Competition (vocal, songwriting, dance, and acting) where aspiring artists have a chance to receive over $20,000 valued in prizes/product/services. Log onto www.UpliftingMinds2.com and RSVP for Zoom Access at EventBrite.com or email [email protected].
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