A DAY IN "THE LIFE OF RILEY"

“BABY, IT’S ME”

Broadway's new musical "Baby, It's You" (about The Shirelles and its founder Florence Greenburg) brought more than wonderful music and a great new staging of a special moment in pop music. It also brought me a nice chat with Jane Fonda and her man Richard Perry, legendary producer of my Miss Ross' "Baby It's Me" album (1977) - one of my favorite albums ever… and her duet with Julio Iglesias (“All of You” – her lead-off single from her 1984 “Swept Away” album). My nephew, his mom, and other friends joined us. Afterwards, on a rainy Saturday night, friends Nicky, Eric, and Steph joined us for karaoke; cocktails; and Cafeteria. While at “Baby, It’s You”, I ran into my friend Phil Geston whose “Love Is Finally Here” CD is available on iTunes, rhapsody, CD Baby, and Amazon. To follow Phil, go to: www.facebook.com/philgeston 

“BABY, IT’S YOU”

“BABY IT'S YOU” is an original Broadway musical that is based on the inspiring true story of Florence Greenberg, a suburban housewife from New Jersey, who discovered one of the greatest girl groups of all time, The Shirelles, and created Scepter Records, becoming the music industry's first female powerhouse. BABY IT'S YOU! features non-stop doo-wop, pop, and rock 'n' roll classics such as "Dedicated to the One I Love," "Duke of Earl," "He's So Fine," "It's My Party," "Louie Louie," "Mama Said," "Shout," "Sixteen Candles," "Twist and Shout" and many more! Celebrate Florence's incredible journey from housewife to record mogul, and discover the fascinating, untold story behind your favorite songs at BABY IT'S YOU! The production is playing at The Broadhurst Theatre, 235 W. 44th Street between 8th and Broadway. Shout out to my girl Marcia Pendelton from Walk Tall Girl Productions.

DIANA ROSS

The Supremes’ success came in the wake of The Shirelles. Some might attribute Diana, Mary, and Flo as the reason for the commercial demise of The Shirelles. You be the judge when you see it, but Ant and I are clear – from our recent experience of Miss Ross – why she is LEGENDARY and such a SUPERSTAR. Miss Ross was closing out her tour at a Staten Island Theater. Her background singer Fred White – also the writer of “I Love You” http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5_xc_bJEVYw&feature=related – graciously met us after the amazing show. I hope he and Miss Ross are collaborating on some new music.

JANET JACKSON

Ant’s diva is Janet Jackson and we got to see one of our sold-out performances here in NYC at Radio City Music Hall. These tix surfaced because of our friend Lajuan who came in from Houston, TX for the occasion. Now, we hear Miss Jackson is extending her tour dates. GO JANET! Oh! And Wanda Sykes sat next to us during the show! LOVELY LADY!

ARETHA FRANKLIN

Ant and I got to attend Miss Franklin’s birthday party a couple of years ago in Detroit. This year, she came to NYC to celebrate. My friend Greg Dunmore got to attend along with many other buddies. I hear it was a GREAT PARTY! Take a look at the video version of: Greg Dunmore's Hot Happenings!!! Defining "Fabulous": Aretha Wows 'Em in Manhattan!!! http://jazzjewels.tv/enter/?p=214 And for more info: www.jazzjewels.tv and www.pulsebeat.tv

DIONNE WARWICK

http://thelifeofriley.squarespace.com/rilys-blog/2011/2/8/i-kept-the-memories-one-by-one.html THE LEGEND HAS LEFT THE BUILDING – meaning Mr. Trump’s board room. We LOVE YOU, DIONNE! HOLD YOUR HEAD UP! The nerve of those hussies! LOL! Watch your back, Miss LaToya! Betta step it up, boo boo! They are closing in! GO STAR, as always! WHAT A FUN SHOW this season!

DONNA KARAN

Shout out to platonic boo Carl Nelson for invite to Donna Karan's Urban Zen. She hosted the benefit for Women for Women Int'l (Zainab Salbi) & We Advance featuring the photography/art of Elizabeth Jordan. Also in the house: new Norwegian friends Elizabeth & Andre; Mexico’s Next Top Model's Jo Lance; and social buddy George T. Wilson.

WENDY WILLIAMS

How is Wendy Williams doing after getting the boot off of Dancing With The Stars last night? Just fine, children! She’s on the cover of ESSENCE Magazine! GO WENDY! And I went to the party that celebrated it the other night! My good girlfriend Constance White is now the Editor-in-Chief. And it was so good to see so many fab friends and associates – including Miss Sherri Shepherd, Yvette Nicole Brown; and more. Also, my sometimes-editor Patrik Henry Bass was in the house. Also, another NABJ buddy Chemene – producer at “Today”. Also in the mix: Wendy's parents and Lynn Whitfield (here posing with Wendy's dad). Speaking of ESSENCE, my friends Fred T. Jackson & Perri Pebbles Reid sent me notes about www.essence.com/rbstar (THINK: AMERICAN IDOL).

TOCCARA

My boy Lamoh Hicks & I went to my friend Jamar Dunn's Hennessy Remixed party. It was hosted by Toccara. And what a good time we had as we took in the well-appointed space; the delicious cocktails; and the video games. And the room was an impressive one - including Nicholas with Pradia bow-ties (www.robertjpradia.com) and a host of other friends.

PAUL WHARTON

ALL-STAR KARAOKE THURSDAY NIGHT is always a BLAST… and will continue to be for the next few weeks (We’ll go on summer hiatus from NATIVE on the 2^nd week of May). This week, however, we’ll celebrate Ant’s birthday – so PLEASE COME OUT! Last week, Paul Wharton (of “Real Housewives of DC” fame) came by to support along with a fun group of friends – including my Sidra and our new ALL-STAR for the night: Timothias! He turned the room upside down… in a good way! And it was nice to see all of my ALL-STARs who come out to support our good time!My dear friend Jamie Foster Brown (Publisher, "Sister to Sister") popped by recently. As for Paul, he is moving to NYC to do his new show "Model Intervention" for MTV 2. He’s back with the team that hired him in 2002! Also, his new book is launching June 1^st:  http://paulwhartonstyle.com/pulling-it-all-together/.

MARA BROCK-AKIL & SALIM AKIL

My friends Mara Brock-Akil and Salim Akil have been busy as ever. “THE GAME” was a big success at BET, which renewed it for a new season. It’s been announced that they are working on a “SPARKLE” remake. And Salim’s directorial genius can be seen in “JUMPING THE BROOM” – out in a few weeks. Y’ALL BETTER WORK! And send me some!!! LOL!

ANTHONY DAVID

NYC's Irving Plaza was the backdrop for a Windsor Forest High School reunion of two KNIGHTS as I enjoyed a performance by my Savannah homeboy and classmate Anthony David who performed his new hit and some of his classics. This BET Music Matters set also included Melanie Fiona & Marsha Ambrosius.  Anthony and I caught up afterwards! Make sure you catch his new CD "As Above So Below" & the new video for "God Said".

PROJECT 1 VOICE

I’ve been working on a project with my friend Erich McMillan-McCall. Well, I’m supporting it. One day, he asked me to stop by and participate in his PROJECT1VOICE (www.project1voice.org) video. Well, here’s one of the videos: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Project1voice/158820437504381 On JUNE 20th, 2011, PROJECT1VOICE will stage a one day play reading of Alice Childress' TROUBLE IN MIND in theatres across the country. PLEASE JOIN OUR MOVEMENT!

JENNIFER HOLLIDAY & RAPHAEL WARNOCK

Y'all know I LOVE ME SOME Jennifer Holliday! http://thelifeofriley.squarespace.com/rilys-blog/2007/6/13/from-black.html  Looks like she and my Savannah homeboy & Morehouse brother Raphael Warnock have a collabo that we must ALL check out! http://thelifeofriley.squarespace.com/rilys-blog/2008/4/16/as-the-sun-has-its-place-up-in-the-sky.html 

VY HIGGINSEN & GOSPEL FOR TEENS

I also LOVE ME SOME Vy Higginsen and have interviewed her myself a time or few. Well, get your kleenex (if u haven't seen it already): This 60 MINUTES piece on her "Gospel for Teens" program will have you swimming in tears <at least, it did me>! BEAUTIFUL WORK, VY!

PART 1: http://www.cbsnews.com/video/watch/?id=7361574n

&

PART 2: http://www.cbsnews.com/video/watch/?id=7361570n&tag=contentMain%3Bconte

JILL SCOTT

Y'ALL KNOW I LOVE ME SOME JILL SCOTT, right? If you're a fan, too... check out her new viral video of "LOVELY DAY" on www.jillscott.com and you can participate in Phase I of the "HAVE A LOVELY DAY" Campaign or you can link directly here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yOmPJeIJd8k LOVE YOU, JILL!

PAULA MADISON

Was just with NABJ mentor Paula Madison at the AFUWI event I helped produce: http://thelifeofriley.squarespace.com/rilys-blog/2011/1/27/live-out-louder.html In fact, via NBC, she and I have partnered on some AWESOME A&E programming at NABJ... over the years: http://thelifeofriley.squarespace.com/rilys-blog/2010/8/4/i-can-feel-the-warmth-of-love-surrounding-me.html. CONGRATS on JOB WELL DONE, PAULA!

JOHN STANLEY

My friend John Stanley just performed two sold-out shows at The Triad here in NYC! I was not able to make it, but I hear it was AMAZING… as I have experienced him many times (as Patti LaBelle’s Music Director). Plus, he has worked with everyone from VALERIE SIMPSON to LUTHER VANDROSS Download ALRIGHT from: www.johnstanleymusic.com And check this out from that night: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NYtQrn-S0QU&feature=share. CONGRATS, JOHN!

BLACK BUTTERFLY

My Itika T. Oldwine took me to the premiere of this film "Black Butterfly" last year while on an extended special project in Chicago: http://thelifeofriley.squarespace.com/rilys-blog/2010/4/30/lip-sync-for-your-life.html. Looks like more people will be able to see it in cities across the U-S. For more information: https://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=93122939113.

DARRYL STEPHENS

Just stumbled into this tid-bit about Darryl Stephens, Noah of "Noah's Arc" fame. He has a debut novel! CONGRATS DARRYL (who I met during my 2009 stint in L.A. See attached blog entry which also includes another QUEEN OF SOUL set I attended in Beverly Hills after her "Hollywood Bowl" concert & lots more!) http://www.lulu.com/product/paperback/shortcomings/15235929 CONGRATS, DARRYL!

DARIEL PULLIAM

To my Frankie & Neffe family - Evolyn Brooks, Nichole Andrews Shellman, Shareen King, Maia, Elizabeth, et al. Wasn't Dariel Pulliam a calm inside of a storm? May he rest in peace! www.DarielPulliam.com

SIDNEY LUMET

R.I.P. Sidney Lumet - DIRECTOR of "THE WIZ" and many more! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DnrP-4LVhgU

So, check out “Out” magazine (www.out.com) this month (http://www.out.com/detail.asp?id=25657
). I am featured in the lead story photo inside the current issue which profiles Food Network star Sandra Lee (page 51): http://www.zinio.com/reader.jsp?issn=1062-7928 (click on the page at the bottom of the screen). You may recall, I shot it last year. I met Sandra Lee one night at a NYC cocktail party hosted by a friend.On this night, Sandra asked me to come visit her photo shoot for OUT Magazine the following day as I knew her publicist Audra. Upon my arrival to the photo studio, she asked if I'd join the shoot as she had - since the night prior - been going goo-goo and ga-ga over my ---- get this ---- cheekbones. Suddenly, I was being whisked away from the kraft service table into wardrobe, hair, and makeup. QUITE THE RUSH! Well, here it is: http://www.zinio.com/reader.jsp?issn=1062-7928And this is how I blogged about it last year: http://thelifeofriley.squarespace.com/rilys-blog/2008/8/15/butterflies-begin-from-having-been-another.html R.I.P. to E. LYNN HARRIS: Without him, I may not have ever gotten to the point where I would agree to do such a shoot. His works - from "Invisible Life" to the present - helped me EMBRACE MY TRUTH... and helped me be PROUD about who I am - for "the world to know"! I am HAPPY and HUMBLED to be a part of this layout as perhaps the extent of the diversity on the particular page.

Another highlight from the last couple of weeks was being able to do a few days of business back in New York City (as I’ve been holed up in Atlanta on a project featuring singer Monica).I can’t detail all the goings on but you’ll be able to see it yourself come October on BET. The best part is I got the chance to see Ant as we were put up at The Hudson Hotel (www.hudsonhotel.com) - a stone’s throw from his day work on “The Wendy Williams Show” (www.wendyshow.com).I got the chance to introduce Ant to Monica. And we got the chance to introduce to Monica my nephew Noot, who has been the Grammy-award-winning diva’s #1 fan for many years.In addition to a reality show, Monica has a new CD coming out… and I trust it to be a big hit for her. Though work, great to share it with my guys.In between our long-in-the-tooth shooting days, Ant and I got to hang out a little – including some time at my old stomping ground for ‘intimate evenings of song’ The Duplex (http://216.117.188.141/rileyshowforkodjoe.wmv). My “Broadway baby love” Ken Roberson performed The Wiz’s “If You Believe” and Pippin’s “Magic To Do” for the spirited crowd. We also got to hang out with our friends at spots like “Nowhere” and “Splash”.But we had a blast hanging in Fort Greene Park in Brooklyn (www.fortgreenepark.org) with Ant’s Denver buddies Manivone, Chris, Reggie, and many others.On this night, we enjoyed a taste of Greek cuisine at a neighborhood spot (juxtaposed to now-old-hat-soul-food–since–in-Atlanta from Amy Ruth --- www.amyruthsharlem.com) and we even got a little karaoke in at our favorite spot One 7 (www.karaoke17.com). While in NYC working, I got access to Whitney Houston’s listening party. However, scheduling didn’t allow me to attend.Still, New York City provided me lots of pleasure – including a quick visit with my Detroit buddy Greg Dunmore with whom I spent lots of quality time on my last leg of L.A. (http://thelifeofriley.squarespace.com/rilys-blog/2009/6/23/hes-hoppin-it-to-hollywood.html). We dined at the Hudson Hotel’s “Kitchen”. Check out Greg’s HAT CONTEST PROMO for Aretha’s SOLD-OUT Detroit Fox date from a week or so ago: www.youtube.com/?v=m1pjxxPOVso.

I have been working alongside Monica for the last month and change (not to mention the chance to work with some of the best and most kind folks in the business).And on top of that, there have been some additional, personal highlights to my time here.I was excited to get the chance to warm up for an exclusive performance she recently did at my Morehouse brother Christian Ruffin’s place “The View” (www.TheViewatKingPlow.com).His One Stop Productions company (www.OneStopProduction.com) managed the sound, lighting, staging, etc. for the affair. Though in place as a stretching mechanism for Monica’s fab costume changes, it was good to be on the stage and to be given an opportunity to let my personality shine through.I sang too! Lots of fun.Plus, I got to invite some dear friends out – including my homegirl from Savannah (READ: elementary school) Tonja (http://thelifeofriley.squarespace.com/rilys-blog/2008/8/26/its-good-to-be-black.html).She brought her husband Andrew who is managing a music group 430 that is creating quite the buzz on the charts and on the road as they prepare to tour stateside and internationally (www.myspace.com/4thirty). Tonja also proved herself quite the “A Day in the Life of Riley” correspondent as she also took this pic at our high school classmate Anthony David’s recent Atlanta set that I couldn’t attend due to scheduling (www.anthonydavidmusic.com/).Also, my girl Elise – Media Relations Manager at Morehouse (www.morehouse.edu) - came and enjoyed the show along with Morehouse brother Jabez Shakur (www.marooninstitute.com). And amidst our preps for this project, Monica’s makeup artistChristian – also a friend of my L.A. buddies Scott and Tony – and I got to enjoy some lovely meals at two ATL hot spots: “Geisha House” (www.dolcegroup.com) and “Two Urban Licks” (www.twourbanlicks.com).He's been an awesome host to me - and not always as over as the accompanying picture, but always cute, fly, and so cool!

I also got some quality time with family and friends. My brother Herman, sister Janice, and I got the chance to spend some quality sibling time together. Of course, we did one of our favorite things to do: EAT. First, Houston’s (www.hillstone.com). Then, Busy Bee (for banana pudding): www.thebusybeecafe.com. Also, we got the chance to memorialize Michael Jackson (as a family) since he was such a part of our growing up.We met him on Norton Air Force Base in San Bernadino, CA at an airplane expo: The Thunderbirds. Also, we shared an audience with him at Magic Mountain for a Sylvers Concert.Then, there are the Jacksons/solo shows we've attended in addition to one moment in Atlanta when I got to meet him at The Omni for a charity benefit at which he made an appearance with TLC. Oh! And I attended that pre-9/11 30th Anniversary concert in September of 2001.We played Michael all day and night long which brought a bit of closure to The King of Pop’s passing (I wondered why I hadn’t quite gotten over it yet. I was waiting on this moment with my brother and sister.). Janice, cousin Floyd, and I got the chance to do a meal at “Six Feet Under” (www.sixfeetunderatlanta.com) followed by a screening of DVD “Madea Goes To Jail” (www.madeagoestojailmovie.com/).

And my friends popped by too – including my Morehouse brother Khalid with whom I enjoyed Ron Winans and Gladys Knight Chicken ‘n Waffles (www.gladysandron.net).Also, on the Morehouse tip, I stumbled into my Spelman sister Laura Morse while in the Atlanta airport. Always good to see my peeps.And Morehouse brother Michael K. Watts was in town for business but made it his business to see me (in a very small window of time).He’s been doing some awesome work with his writing (as his Maxwell interview is featured in this month’s UPSCALE Magazine – www.upscalemagazine.com).But Michael is also doing some awesome work inside his longstanding brand as a collector of pop culture memorabilia. Stay tuned for more details on this special way in which Michael Jackson’s #1 fan is being a stand for the great entertainer’s legacy.

And there was lots of fun to be had at Midown Tavern (www.midtowntavern.net) where our friend Anthony Hill, head writer for Tyler Perry’s “Meet The Browns” (www.tbs.com/shows/meetthebrowns) invited us to karaoke.I experimented on Diana’s “Waiting in the Wings” (www.youtube.com/watch?v=kAVA6kBZ73Q). Anthony and I did The Spinners “Games People Play” (www.youtube.com/watch?v=5znh58WITU8). I got a showstopper in: Mariah Carey’s “Can’t Let Go” (www.youtube.com/watch?v=bLkwbUPfk3g).And SWV’s LeLee (my colleague Shareen’s buddy) was in the house. Shareen introduced us on our last stint in Atlanta.

Meanwhile, You recall I told you about Laurent Korcia earlier this year (http://thelifeofriley.squarespace.com/rilys-blog/2009/1/14/through-the-mirror-of-my-mindi-see-reflections-of-you-and-me.html). Well, here’s a link to a recent NPR story on him: http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=106479206 His CD is coming out next week.

And one of my favorite New York City editors Kerry Soloway has some great programming coming on Public TV soon (www.NightingaleEditorial.com). It’s a Great Performances “Harlem in Montmartre”. Check it out!And my girlfriend Paula Witt is a part of a speakers’ bureau and spreading positive messages all over the world via “Truth Be Told Speakers” (www.truthbetoldspeakers.com). CONGRATS!

… and as I come to the end of this leg of my Atlanta stint, I head home for a few days.I’ll take a little breather, though will still be prepping for NABJ in Tampa (www.nabj.org) and my two-month stint in L.A. for which I still am trying to identify a place to stay. And when I get a moment in, I am simply counting my blessings!