A DAY IN "THE LIFE OF RILEY"

miss watley is everything

MISS Jody Watley made it a "Night to Remember" for 'Life of Riley' (and childhood friend Ernest Maynor's BDAY + NJ BFF TATA met her "DIVA" in person). B.B. King Blues Club's was the place to be as MISS Watley sang from her Shalamar AND solo repertoire. She was in AWESOME VOICE and her performance gave everything her loyal fans (and the sold-out audience) hunger to experience: the HITS; the MOVES; the DRAG; the DRAMA; and the DIVA! I was on my feet through most of the highly-charged set... and on my knees  -BOWING DOWN - for the rest! LOL! SO WAS THE REST OF HER LOYAL FOLLOWING! She did 'Most' of the material but not 'everything'! BACKSTORY: So, I have loved MISS Jody Watley since she was a teenager – dancing on Soul Train before she joined the group Shalamar – at which time I was a footloose and fancy-free Air Force Brat of six-years old in San Bernadino, CA on Norton Air Force Base --- with a blow-out of dusty dark brown and the inevitable bell bottoms! LOL! Well, fast forward through many years in which she brought me only the FIERCEST brand of JOY - from the balance of her SHALAMAR years through to the launch and lift-off of her SOLO career... and stop for a moment on July 1995. Philadelphia. And MISS Jody Watley was headlining a concert for the National Association of Black Journalists' annual convention. She called me on stage to dance with her. Talk about A NIGHT TO REMEMBER! Though I’d seen her fabulous solo show a couple of years ago at B.B. KINGS, I got another opportunity to be an audience with MISS Jody Watley (album) back in September 2013. Her publicist Juanita Stephens is a mutual friend and led MISS JODY WATLEY to my blog A DAY IN THE LIFE OF RILEY as a vehicle to – via phone and an on-line Q&A - update folks on her latest release "PARADISE" – quite the global dance senastion: iTunes Digitally (as well as other select digital outlets) –

https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/paradise/id901587446?uo=4  [EXCLUSIVE CD, includes 'Everlasting' not available digital: http://jodywatley.bigcartel.com/]. What a GREAT PHONE CHAT:

http://thelifeofriley.squarespace.com/rilys-blog/2013/9/10/a-nightlife-to-remember.html. SO LAST NIGHT: MISS JODY WATLEY was back at B.B. King Blues Club accompanied by her new and reloaded Shalamar… and we ENJOYED THE SHOW; CELEBRATED BFF (since 7th grade), Ernest Maynor’s birthday; and – afterwards – got some LIFE OF RILEY & JODY WATLEY time and - FINALLY - my posed photo op (though LOVE NABJ bestie and Morehouse brother Michael K. Watts captured MISS WATLEY and me on stage in Philly). Was great to catch with MISS JODY WATLEY on all she's got going: her upcoming shows - including one in NYC this summer (TBA; Stay tuned...); how she came to re-incorporate the SHALAMAR legacy into her SOLO shows - now that she OWNS THE NAME & BRAND! YOU GO, MISS JODY!; and – because ‪#‎itsinthemusic – she shared that her upcoming music release plans, which include forthcoming single “DANCER”: https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/paradise/id901587446?uo=4. AND we're excited to hear some of what we didn't hear this go around THE NEXT TIME - including: "Most of All"; "Everything"; "All Begins With You" (MY REQUEST FOR NEXT! LOL!); "When A Man Loves A Woman"; "Off The Hook"; and WHAT ELSE? Shalamar’s “I Don’t Wanna Be The Last” and the MOTOWN REVUE song! LOL! OH, WE JUST LOVE YOU, JODY WATLEY! And could listen to you and DANCE WITH YOU ALL NIGHT LONG! SHOUT OUT to MR. WALLACE who works with JODY... and Editor in Chief of UPTOWN MAGAZINE, my brother friend Isoul Harris! XOXOXOXO ‪#‎JodyWatley#itsinthemusic ‪#‎dancer ‪#‎paradise ‪#‎nightlife‪#‎lifeofriley#allstarkaraoke ‪#‎billiesblack ‪#‎motownmay#ARISETV360 ‪#‎NBCBLK‪#‎COZITV ‪#‎OWNTV ‪#‎TVONE#CENTRICTV ‪#‎BET

more arise

In the wake of doing a freelance interview with Lee Daniels for recurring client NBCBLK: 

http://www.nbcnews.com/news/nbcblk/precious-butler-director-lee-daniels-building-empire-n290416, I got a booking to chat about the success of EMPIRE on ARISE AMERICA with Debbye Turner Bell: https://www.facebook.com/video.php?v=10152816022788737. We had a GREAT TIME as she's a FAN like me. I guest co-hosted last week on ARISE ENTERTAINMENT 360 (and am on HOLD for some days in the coming weeks). Has been fun to fill in for my friend Shannon Lanier to and to rejoin Sharon Carpenter who is filling in for our beloved Lola Ogunnaike. YOU can watch them (and me from time to time) - now on Time Warner, Verizon Fios, and On Demand... www.YouTube.com/AriseENT360.  As always, THANKS FOR YOUR SUPPORT! Here are a few of the segments we did this week:

Author of "The Work" Wes Moore!

- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ghEXbewLspY

The Authors of "Single Man Married Man!"

- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0hbvDBYlCJs

Author of "MelloYello" Walker Smith!

- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oHd0HBPTpQ4

T.S. MONK (Thelonious Monk III)

- http://youtu.be/1EMJPYRQSW4

BRIAN WATKINS (jeweler)

- http://youtu.be/T4dNgHuqxa4

Zaraah Abrahams (from Spike Lee's "Da Sweet Blood of Jesus")

- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YOIm5qqeIdE

#arise360 #ariseTV360 #allstarkaraoke #billiesblack #wesmoore #thework #singlemanmarriedman #pervistaylor #melloyello #jacktherapper #walkersmith #brianwatkins #ritani #theloniousmonkIII

vivica a. fox

Shout out to my friends from SavvyMarketing Entertainment Group LLc for inviting us out to the Unsung HOLLYWOOD premiere of Vivica A. Fox which is airing on TV One! IT'S GOOD!!!!!! And was good to see my peeps Savoy Walker; Mark A Forrest; Cynna Gorham; Tasha Lynch; Jamar Dunn; Deborah Gregory; and MISS Vivica A Fox herself!

3 the hard way comedy

Shout out to my BET colleague and sister in CREATIVITY, Thembisa Mshaka, for hipping me to some work she's doing with an amazing comic named Jabari Baraka Davis, whose definitely on the rise in standup. He produces an event called 3 The Hard Way Comedy--the goal being to diversify comedy in NYC with talented women and people of color taking the often segregated stages of Manhattan. He considers himself a product of both philosophy and hip hop, and his comedy reflects this in unexpected ways. He's also a former substitute teacher, so the jokes are smart and street.The BHM edition has 3 Black comedians: Seaton C. Smith and Janelle James join Jabari Davis on 2/24 at 8pm at Stand Up NY LabsY. There will also be shows March 6 and 31 - so look for my updated accordingly and know that I'll likely be at one of the shows. SO, PLEASE SAY HI, if you come. Here's a link to Jabari's bio: http://jabaridavis.site.socxs.com/home CONGRATS!

get focused on reading

Shout out to my brother friend Goldin Martinez, Founder of Get Focused - www.getfocused.org - introducing its newest initiative called Get Focused On Reading, which will be the focus of an event on Saturday, March 21st, 2015 at Inwood Academy to commemorate National Reading Month. They want to increase their impact with Get Focused On Reading… and to give you a chance to help:

1. Organize a book collection with your network. They accept all books from poetry, biographies, children books, and more, and can arrange a pick-up. This will help us reach our goal of 1,000 books.2. Make a personal monetary donation to our cause. This will help us with transportation, storage, t-shirts, marketing material, etc. Our goal is to raise $2,000 to help pay for expenses.

Go to www.getfocused.org for more information.

standing next to God

He's much like a nephew! Mr. Myles and his mom Tracey Moore are producing his documentary "Standing Next to God" about his recovery from traumatic brain injury. Please make a Love Donation and share this link in your network. Thank you! This is the fundraising campaign for Standing Next to God -Myles Marable: http://de.gofund.me/StandingNextToGod  ‪#‎StandingNextToGod

precious queen

MY LATE, GREAT MOM QUEEN ELIZABETH BELLINGER RILEY - a social media SENSATION! LOL! With all the controversy over Beyonce and Ledisi and "Take My Hand, Precious Lord" and the Grammys, I'd been having an internal dialogue with myself about MY LATE, GREAT MOM QUEEN ELIZABETH BELLINGER RILEY. My self-chat goes something like this: "Thank you, Thomas Dorsey for the song! Thank you, Mahalia for sharing it with the world! Thank you, Ledisi for your recording on SELMA! Thank you, Beyonce for your performance on the THE GRAMMYS! But NO ONE SANG "TAKE MY HAND, PRECIOUS LORD" LIKE MY MOTHER!!!!!!!!" 

Well, I'd told many of you my mother could sing and did often in The House of Prayer (our family church) as well as in all our travels - from Germany to Japan to California to Valdosta, GA, etc.  I've even compared her to Mahalia Jackson with a little Tamala Mann to boot! LOL! Well, via FACEBOOK, it seems we're not the only ones thinking this. A FACEBOOK note from my sister's childhood friend from our mid-to-late-'70s days in San Bernadino, Califonia on Norton Air Force Base underscored what we always knew (How’d she remember, after all these years?):

 February 10 at 7:05am · Edited ·

Janice, I don't care what anyone says "Queen" is still my winner when it comes to singing "Take my hand". Everytime I hear it I remember her singing it at Norton! — feeling blessed.

 MY FIRST DIVA! LOL! #RIP #QUEENELIZABETHBELLINGERRILEY

mo’ better arise

I guest co-hosted this week on Arise Entertainment 360 – filling in for my friend Shannon Lanier and rejoining Sharon Carpenter who is filling in for our beloved Lola Ogunnaike. YOU can watch them (and me from time to time) - now on Time Warner, Verizon Fios, and On Demand... www.YouTube.com/AriseENT360. As always, THANKS FOR YOUR SUPPORT! Here are a few of the segments we did this week:

Author of "The Work" Wes Moore!

- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ghEXbewLspY

The Authors of "Single Man Married Man!"

- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0hbvDBYlCJs

Author of "MelloYello" Walker Smith!

- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oHd0HBPTpQ4

T.S. MONK (Thelonious Monk III)

- http://youtu.be/1EMJPYRQSW4

BRIAN WATKINS (jeweler)

- http://youtu.be/T4dNgHuqxa4. 

 #arise360 #ariseTV360 #allstarkaraoke #billiesblack #wesmoore #thework #singlemanmarriedman #pervistaylor #melloyello #jacktherapper #walkersmith

cindy crawford

Shout out to my dear friend Kiwan Michael Anderson, Special Events Manager at Ω OMEGA Watches (Division of The Swatch Group (U.S.), Inc.): www.omegawatches.com/corbis. He made sure Anthony Harper and I were in the house at The NY Historical Society to celebrate the screening of a special documentary OMEGA produced with iconic Supermodel and businesswoman Cindy Crawford and Orbis (the flying eye hospital). Crawford narrates the compelling doc. Nice to pop by my friends Mario and Randall’s Thursday night set in HARLEM: NABE. FUN TIMES! #omegaorbisteddy

beyond the lights

Shout out to Tagan Lee and Anna Fuson for getting me out to the Parker Meridian Hotel-Bar to see Director SUPREME Gina Prince-Bythewood whose Beyond the Lights is now available on Digital HD via iTunes and Amazon digital – just in time for Valentine’s Day! It will release on Blu-ray™ & DVD Feb 24. The PG-13 film – called by some a modern-day The Bodyguard – stars Gugu Mbatha-Raw (also from Belle – the premiere of which I got to attend and meet Gugu); my buddy Nate Parker (who I recently saw in L.A. while out there Executive Producing NBCUniversal’s The More You Know campaign for 2015-16); Minnie Driver; Richard Colson Baker (MGK); and Danny Glover. I got to interview Gina Prince-Bythewood and Nate Parker in Chicago in 2008 at the National Association of Black Journalists' annual convention where they were promoting The Secret Life of Bees (film) - also directed by Gina: http://thelifeofriley.squarespace.com/rilys-blog/2008/7/29/like-i-never-left.html.#beyondthelightsfilm #nateparker#belle #BeyondTheLights 

between riverside and crazy

ALSO: Shouting out my friend Marcia Pendelton for getting Anthony Harper, Marlynn Snyder, Derrick Hemphill, and more out to see one of several off-Broadway productions she’s marketing where the lives of African-Americans unfold in front of the audience in bold, diverse strokes. Our latest treat from her repository of HOT SHOWS was Between Riverside and Crazy by Stephen Adly Guirgis starring Stephen McKinley Henderson and Ron Cephas Jones, now playing at Second Stage Theatre, through March 22…and inside its very NYC-centric narrative, the two-act play is nothing short of spectacular! MUST-CHECK-OUT

#SecondStageTheatre#BetweenRiversideandCrazy 

loud 100

Shout out to David Bridgeforth for including me on your Loud 100 LGBT PEOPLE OF COLOR OF 2014 LIST http://dbqmag.com/loud100.html. Go see who else made the list! CONGRATS to all of my brethren and sisters! #dbq #loud100 #lgbt

blackbird

A few months ago, I shared with all of your that I attended Film Life Presents the 18th annual American Black Film Festival in NYC: www.abff.com - at which my friend Patrik-Ian Polk PREMIERED his NEW FILM “BLACKBIRD – Executive Produced by and Starring Academy Award winner Mo’Nique. Well,  the distribution deal is done and the theatrical release date is April 24th: http://blogs.indiewire.com/shadowandact/exclusive-umc-sets-theatrical-date-for-patrik-ian-polks-blackbird-new-release-poster-trailer-20150210. Here is the trailer:

https://vimeo.com/86641697  #blkbirdthefilm #abff

lesbe real radio talk

 Shout out to Jazz Gray-Sadler, Producer and Host of LesBe Real Radio Talk! She popped into New York City for her birthday and squeezed me in for a FAB TALK that she'll be sharing via her airwaves very soon. Stay tuned for those details.  Meanwhile, please take a few minutes to check out this video & article to learn more about her journey:  http://www.newsworks.org/index.php/speak-easy/speak-easy-feature/item/75910-a-live-mic-for-lgbt-philadelphias-most-disenfranchised. ALSO: Check out What's New @ LesBe Real on Pinterest! Adventure, Lovers, Travel, Wellness & more...www.pinterest.com/lesbereal1/ THANKS JAZZ! Looking forward to seeing/hearing our CHAT! #lesberealradiotalk

ross

From the house, MISS ROSS came OUT at the GRAND RE-OPENING of the Kings Theatre. In the audience? NYC Mayor de Blasio; Natalie Cole; Gordon Chambers; Rhonda Ross; Miss Ross' first husband Bob Silberstein (father of Tracee Ellis Ross and Chudney Ross); Art Thompson; and all my DIANA tribe members. WAS TOO EXCITED to experience the show with my nephew, his first ROSS extravaganza, which capped off with "Reach Out and Touch (Somebody's Hand)" on which Rhonda Ross joined her mom with an ad-lib plus Ross' son Evan Ross joined her with his new wife Ashlee Simpson who is pregnant with Miss Ross' third grandchild.Ashlee's son joined them on the stage as well - dancing with Miss Ross whose ex-stepchild Leona Naess, Evan and Ross' sister via thier late father Arne Naess, was also in attendance. Miss Ross will tour this final leg of her IN THE NAME OF LOVE 2014-15 tour throughout February. Then, she’ll jump into rehearsals and relocation for here mini-residency in April at The Venetian in Las Vegas - http://www.venetian.com/ - THE ESSENTIAL DIANA ROSS: SOME MEMORIES NEVER FADE. #endlesslove

ella

It's Ella's Sweet 16! She is my NABJ buddy Brian Henderson's stepdaughter (Daughter of Brian's wife Nikita Stewart Henderson).Had to have her "guncles" in the house! That's right! Anthony Harper's back! Yay! XO #e16

titi

Billie's Black PRESENTS ALL STAR KARAOKE with Patrick L. Riley's sponsor Miss Jessie's MIKO BRANCH asked me to sing Sylvester/Patti LaBelle's "You Are My Friend" for the public celebration of her sister Titi Branch's life held recently at the Brown Memorial Baptist Church, Brooklyn, NY:

http://youtu.be/KDlVBgqBH0U

. A BEAUTIFUL, UPLIFTING AFTERNOON! #TitiBranch#RIPTitiBranch #billiesblack #allstarkaraoke

brunch

Champagne Fashion Brunch during ALL STAR WEEKEND! Women in POWER (and the men they love) NETWORK and enjoy an afternoon on Sunday, February 15^th.  

Empire

THIS JUST IN! Please SHARE! My debut contribution to new, recurring client NBC’s new African American vertical NBCBLK: an interview with Lee Daniels whose Empire on FOX TV - starring Taraji P. Henson, Terrence Howard, and Gabourey Sidibe - is a BIG HIT - http://www.nbcnews.com/news/nbcblk/precious-butler-director-lee-daniels-building-empire-n290416!  LET ME KNOW YOUR THOUGHTS! And as always, THANKS FOR YOUR SUPPORT! XO #NBCBLK #Empire #Lee Daniels #FOXTV

Idol

Y’all know I love me some Toni Seawright! And her boyz Qaasim and Khalil are the bomb too! Qaasim is one to watch this season on American Idol! Happy that he (and the whole fam) brought their talents, love, and gifts to “Billie’s Black PRESENTS All Star Karaoke with Patrick L. Riley” – the Spring 2014 Series! I am further honored that Toni invited me to host her 50TH BDAY PARTY – a tribute to Michael Jackson! We all shared the stage that BEAUTIFUL NIGHT as well! GO QAASIM! #billiesblack #allstarkaraoke #motownmay #AmericanIdol

STEPS

I did a rare day of "acting" in an independent film STEPS - an Eddie Harris Script and Production. My part shot yesterday in Jersey City (and I'll shoot one more day next week). It's this project that my beloved Penwah Phynjuar was instrumental in casting me. I play RUDY who is a hoot with heart. Check out some great press STEPS got as it shoots around Jersey City and here in the Tri-State Area:

http://hudsonreporter.com/view/full_story/26378011/article-Making-it-real--Local-filmmaker-creates-feel-good-movie-with-a-bit-of-grit-?instance=jersey_city_top_story #STEPS

Nightly Show

Glad to attend a Meet & Greet Breakfast for The Nightly Show with Larry Wilmore – scheduled to premiere MLK Monday on Comedy Central. He’s branded himself quite well as a comic personality who turns humor about race, class and social issues into big laughs — from his days of writing for In Living Color and Jamie Foxx Show; executive producing Bernie Mac Show; and Eddie Murphy's animated comedy The PJ's; creating specials for Showtime Networks and writing a book, I'd Rather We Got Casinos: And Other Black Thoughts. GLAD TO HANG OUT WITH MY INDUSTRY BUDDIES Isoul Harris (Editor in Chief at Uptown Magazine); iconic editor and writer Angela Bronner Helm ("The Root", "Essence", "Uptown", "Honey", etc.); and NBCBLK’s Amber Payne (Editor whose dispatched me to do my debut contribution to NBC’s new African American vertical, the interview with Lee Daniels). #ComedyCentral #LarryWilmore #THENIGHTLYSHOW #UPTOWNmag

Mel’isa Unsung

My friends at SMEG have one of their diva clients Meli'sa Morgan on Unsung Wednesday, February 4^th on TV ONE. The new season’s been great so far with Rick James and Peaches & Herb. I LOVE UNSUNG! And I adore MELI’SA and her SAVVY-MARKETING ENTERTAINMENT GROUP team! And I CELEBRATE SAVOY on his 50^TH! HAPPY BIRTHDAY, FRIEND!

Centric Celebrates Sisterhood

Not sure if you folks saw a little of my last BET project for CENTRIC - "Centric Celebrates Sisterhood": three TV/viral spots I worked with their creative services team to produce, shouting out on their FOUNDERS WEEK, the AKAs, DELTAs, and ZETAs: https://www.facebook.com/CentricTV/videos #CentricCelebratesSisterhood

FRESH

Shout out to my Orlando-based friend Tammie Dunlap whose Fresh Natural Spring Water is delicious! She sent me a box that greeted me upon my return from Georgia. And what a convenience to have water at the ready as I needed to hydrate from all of that eating and drinking down South. Imagine me reaching for more and more bottles of FRESH – light, refreshing, and crisp – instead of my “bubble” (usually a sip of Coca Cola! LOL!). Well, it’s happening. Check it out: www.Drinkfreshusa.com. CONGRATS, TAMMIE! Need another box! LOL!

Motown… See u around

I INTERVIEWED MR. BERRY GORDY and MISS DIANA ROSS and MARY WILSON on OPENING NIGHT of MOTOWN: THE MUSICAL on Broadway: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KK1yncqPlOQ. Got to see the show one more time with my Carl Nelson. MOTOWN THE MUSICAL rocks… and will continue to do so – in London and all over the United States before it returns to Broadway (another theater) in 2016. #ENDLESSLOVE #MOTOWNMAY #BILLIESBLACK #ALLSTARKARAOKE

HB DANI!

Great times at our girlfriend Danielle Andrea Simone Knight's 50th bday party! Eventi - A Kimpton Hotel in NYC hosted the night! Here come the "50 fetes"! LOL! HAPPY BIRTHDAY, OUR DANI! WE LOVE YOU!

fractured

Check out my friend Pierre Romain's upcoming project: "Fractured" - Staring Eric Roberts, Jake Busey and Athena Lebessis, Directed by Lance KR Kawas, Executive Produced by Pierre Romain, from Washington Street Production, Sterling Worldwide Entertainment and RU'YA International (coming April 2015). Get all the tea here: https://m.facebook.com/profile.php?id=822129274526908.

Arise 2015

Just guest co-hosted on behalf of my friend Shannon Lanier today on Arise Entertainment 360 alongside Sharon Carpenter who was filling in for our beloved Lola Ogunnaike – the first time the show needed two fill-ins. IN ADDITION to two segments of HOT TOPICS, we also interviewed Elena Murzello - http://t.co/hoTSt0z1OZ - @ElenaMurzello – http://t.co/MEGkhnK4JB - and we did “This Ain’t Your Mama’s Yoga” with wrestler Diamond Dallas - @dppyoga.YOU can watch them (and me from time to time) - now on Time Warner, Verizon Fios, and On Demand... www.YouTube.com/AriseENT360. As always, THANKS FOR YOUR SUPPORT! #arise360 #allstarkaraoke #billiesblack #CENTRICTV

THINspired is OUT!

ABC News hosted FAB "lunchtime" book set for my "internet wifey" Mara Schiavocampo - Good Morning America correspondent! Mara Schiavocampo's book is "THINspired", baby! Selling like HOTcakes! Go get YOURS!
So proud of her! And excited to see Rakia Clark, Michael J. Feeney, Elaine Griffin, Dana Baxter, Patrik Bass from Essence magazine, Pat Sumpter-Davis (as in Pat Sumpter-Davis from NENE LEAKES glam-squad), and too many to mention in the house to celebrate MY MARA! GET IN ON IT NOW:

http://www.amazon.com/dp/1476784051/?tag=googhydr-20&hvadid=54956104243&hvpos=1t1&hvexid&hvnetw=g&hvrand=11236531940248394239&hvpone&hvptwo&hvqmt=b&hvdev=c&ref=pd_sl_40vt97yw48_b!

CONGRATS, MARA! #billiesblack #allstarkaraoke #motownmay #THINspiredbook #THINspired