An Open Letter to Oprah

Earlier this year I was DJing at the Brotherhood and a scruffy-looking older man came up to the DJ booth and just started talking at me. This kind of thing would happen to me from time to time at the Brotherhood. People know you're kind of stuck there and can't escape.

Anyways, this guy talked at me for about 20 minutes non-stop (literally) and in that time I learned his entire life story and heard all of his conspiracy theories. He told me he had been born without a mouth, which seemed like a plausible story given the look of him. He had gone through a lot of reconstructive surgeries but didn't have the funds for the next one. He told me he had written to everyone seeking help. EVERYONE had turned him down, including Oprah! He just couldn't believe that Oprah wouldn't pay for his surgery.

This got me to thinking about our desperate situation in this world today. It seems so many of us are looking for a miracle to save us from disparity and the three most sought after solutions are the lottery, the casino and Oprah. People in this country turn to Oprah like she's Santa Claus or Jesus. Granted, she kind of brings it on herself by giving people stuff on her show, but still... I wonder what it must be like for her to have those kinds of requests, demands and criticisms made of her on a constant basis.

I mean, I'll admit it, there have been a couple of times when, after my mom has suggested (as only a mom could), "You should write to Oprah for help" I have for a split second considered it. I mean, sure, I'm poor struggling artist down on my luck. But then, why is it Oprah's responsibility to save me, or anyone else for that matter?   It's completely absurd, not that I wouldn't accept a donation.

So today, in my boredom I thought for entertainment purposes I would compile a sampling of the open letters to Oprah posted on-line.  There are actually quite a few on her official website but I didn't post those for fear that the mighty Oprah Claus might sue me.

Here are some excepts from just a few Open Letters to Oprah:

"If you want to change education, Oprah, don’t make the mistake everyone else has. Ask teachers. Would you have a conversation about the national state of medicine and health care without asking for the input of doctors, nurses and patients? And yet we have left parents, teachers and students completely out of this critical talk."

Kuanon

"Oprah,

I would like to call your attention to something that I feel very passionately about: breastfeeding. I believe we need greater awareness and support provided for moms and babies, and more education for the general public, so that the practice becomes accepted and less stigmatized. "

Lara Audelo
MamaPear Designs

"After watching your two-part town hall meeting: "After Imus: Now What?" I'm compelled to reach out to you....................

..............Just as Jesus was not accepted in his own town of Nazareth, jazz is shunned by most Americans not exposed to its true glories, yet many in Europe, Japan, and other places in the world recognize it as a fine art representing the best of America and black American culture.

By doing a show with the likes of those above, Ms. Winfrey, you'd continue to turn the tide, raise awareness of, as Abraham Lincoln once said, the "better angels of our nature," and bring even more exposure to the cultural excellence from which we as a people spring."

Greg Thomas

Host/Co-Producer

"Dear Oprah,

I have to confess, I have never watched more than a few minutes of your show. Probably not the best way to start a letter to you, but I want to be honest. And the truth is, I think you’re making a terrible mistake......................But I couldn’t leave the stadium wholly inspired by you, as I’m sure many others did. To me, it is clear that a significant number of people look up to you, and trust your advice and judgment. That is why it is such a huge mistake for you to endorse Jenny McCarthy with her own show on your network."

Shirley

"Hello Oprah,

I'm writing this open letter to you because I've run across thousands of women that love you. This is tough for me to write because you are doing so many awesome things for people all over the world.

I'm the director of a documentary called "America the Beautiful," which deals with our unhealthy obsession with beauty. I've interviewed 2000 women over a six-year period about how they feel about themselves and, as I'm sure you know, the results weren't pretty.

2009-04-04-oprahpic.jpg All of that being said, here goes. Oprah, I'm not exaggerating when I say this: everywhere I go, women's groups, teenage girls and the heads of eating disorder clinics ask me, "Why does Oprah have such a problem with her body?"

Of course, I can't answer the question, because I don't know you like that, but I can say it seems to be a problem for a lot of women. With your influence, you have a prime opportunity to be a role model for millions of women that don't "fit the ideal."

Darryl Roberts

Huffington Post

"Dear Oprah,

Your business empire has excited and empowered women for many years. We appreciate your humble beginnings and your never-say-die attitude in making your way to the top. Whether harnessing your television audience, your crazy good business sense, or wide-reaching network, your big ideas and passion for change are a big inspiration to me and my community.

My community, you ask? That’s the very purpose of this letter!

My community is the creative thinkers, makers, and designers of the indie craft & design movement. And Oprah, we’re ready for you. "

Tara Gentile
Scoutie Girl

"We would love the opportunity to share more about our lives of prayer, community and ministry on a future episode of The Oprah Winfrey Show. We would gladly speak with you, invite you to experience our daily service, or help broaden your viewers’ understanding of religious life in any way we can."

Catholic Sisters

"Dear Oprah:

It was with
surprise and disappointment that members of our community at
NaturallyCurly.com alerted us to your Great American Haircut Makeovers.

In case after case, beautiful waves, curls and kinks were beaten into
submission with blow dryers, flatirons and extensions. In one of the most
curious cases, a beautiful woman - who was wearing a gorgeous and
undoubtedly hard-won afro - was given stick-straight extensions."

NaturallyCurly.com

"Dear Oprah,

Ever since your shows on bioidentical hormones aired, my newsletter readers have showered me with emails requesting that I respond. Being a discriminating group, they realize that while your shows were wonderful and will help millions of women, there are a few points to be made that can help women use hormones with even greater wisdom and safety."

Virginia Hopkins

"Dear Oprah (or, if you prefer, Opraaaaaaaaah!),

I loved you in The Color Purple, but that’s not why I’m writing.

(A quick, early digression here to tell you how much I agonized over that first sentence. I’m sure you get more mail than your people can sort through, and when I combine that realization with the knowledge that the first line of any communication can be make or break it, well, the pressure was on to really knock your socks off. Wait. Do you even wear socks? Maybe that could be an episode of your show. “Today on a very special Oprah…Socks: Fashionable Foot-Warmers or a Menacing Threat to Shoes?” Anyway…)"

Danny Evans
Desperate Loser and Author of Rage Against The Meshugenah

"Open letter to Oprah Winfrey

By way of introduction, I am the President of Home School Legal Defense Association (HSLDA) and we represent 80,000 member families nationwide. This letter is to call attention to your essay contest and the unfortunate fact that homeschoolers are not allowed to participate. "

J. Michael Smith

HSLDA President

"Dear Oprah,

Please just stop. Please. And I don’t mean that in a nasty way (though some of my commenters will). I mean please, stop doing this to yourself.

I know saying that is pointless, because I’ve been there, and I know it’s hardly a matter of just telling yourself to get over it and accept that this is what your body always does, what your body always will do if you keep dieting. But gosh, it would be so nice if you stopped. "

Kate Harding

Does not work in French

I'm getting very exciting about DJing with Beyonda tomorrow.


also I just remember that I have a cover of this in French somewhere. It's pretty annoying in French.

I nerd alone.

So far, sharing this blog has accomplished little more than if I had simply nerded out by myself in my living room.  Perhaps it's not the right blog to be doing.  I will, however, keep nerding on, with or without a blog or a radio show or a regular DJ gig.  Because that's what nerds like me do.

Remembering The King of Rock n Soul

Last night I was late to catch the news of Solomon Burke's passing.  It's hard to believe that such a formidable talent is gone.  After so many of his contemporaries had fallen, it seemed that King Solomon would push on forever.

Like most people of my generation, I hadn’t heard of Solomon Burke until I was about 13.  Compared to the 80s pop that surrounded me, "Cry to Me" was absolutely electrifying.  I sought out more of his music on cassette (that was the dominant format at the time).  I found it was unavailable, but I didn't stop looking. I did buy records at the time but I could pretty much forget about finding any Solomon Burke vinyl in Minnesota in those days. A few years later I was able to get a CD “The Best of Solomon Burke” or something, but it only contained early 70s religious recordings. It seemed I was never going to be able to find the recordings I wanted so desperately to hear.

Finally, purely by accident, I learned in conversation with my aunt & uncle from the Bay Area that they were huge Solomon Burke fans.  They had gone to see him live numerous times and were eager to preach about the king and all his glory.  After they made me a tape of their Solomon Burke LP, I was finally able to hear more music from his golden era.  Lets just say, the wait was well worth it.  I can still remember my reaction to hearing those songs for the first time.  The production + vocal = PURE EXCITEMENT.  The heavens opened up and I realized exactly how GOOD music really can be.  In fact, to this day, when I listen to those early 60s recordings, it's as if I'm hearing the music of the gods for the first time.  They never get old, never lose their power.

I had the honor of interviewing Solomon not once but TWICE; first in the mid-90s and second in the early 2000s. He was promoting CD releases.  You see, the easiest way to get interviews in radioland is during a promotional cycle.  When an artist has a project they want to promote they make themselves available for interviews.  In the early days of my radio show I had my nose to the ground actively sniffing out excuses to interview the legends of soul.  It was my mission to be a champion of the music,  to help the survivors of soul have their stories heard.  I was driven.  In the days before the internet explosion, I was determined to sing for the unsung heroes.

The first time I interviewed Dr. Burke, he was sort of floundering in obscurity.  He had a relatively small following in California due to his frequent live shows, but on a larger scale he was generally forgotten and fighting his way back.  That was a common situation for the soul pioneers at that time.  In fact, I suppose it still is. 

In the 1980s after the audience for traditional soul and R&B music had mostly dried up, former stars of soul had fewer and fewer opportunities to reach a wide audience.  Some, like Johnnie Taylor and Bobby Blue Bland, continued to try to remain "current" in their sound and found success in regional markets particularly in the south.  Others who stayed true to the traditional soul sound of the 1960s became categorized as "blues" by the music & radio industry.

During the 80s  the national "blues industry" became increasingly dominated by public radio.  Unfortunately, the door was only open to a handful of classic soul and r&b artists at any one time. Etta James, Irma Thomas. Ruth Brown, Johnny Adams and Otis Clay are some of the artists who found some success in the “blues market”.  If you were someone who only paid attention to what was spoon-fed to you by the industry, you might have thought that all of the rest of the classic soul artists had retired and faded away.  On the contrary, there were many folks fighting to regain some of their past glory.  Solomon Burke was one of them.

Strangely, the 1990s were kind of a cool time to be trying to interview former stars of soul. Soul was at an all time low in terms of appreciation in the USA (it still had attention over seas).  The classic artists were really grateful to be remembered, let alone be interviewed for airtime (even if it was on a dinky community radio station). People were generally very eager to talk.

King Solomon was the second artist I had interviewed (Ruth Brown was the first) and I was deeply nervous. Not only was he a legend through his music, but there were loads of stories circulating about his self-promotional and entrepreneurial antics during the 60s.  There was a good chance, in my mind, that this guy would crush a young radio novice like me.

Instead, he was incredibly gracious and totally put me at ease.  He was suave -  The smoothest man I've ever met.  Using only his voice he made me feel like the most important person in his world, at least for those moments we spoke.  The man was a professional, the likes of which we simply don't see these days.

During that first interview I asked a lot of basic questions.  I really didn't know much about interviewing yet.  I'm sure I asked him the same questions that everyone else had asked him a million times.  It's embarrassing to think about it in retrospect, but it makes me appreciate him all the more because he was totally gracious about it.

Our second interview took place right before his "big comeback" on Fat Possum (released in 2002).  He was promoting the Sundazed reissue of his late 60s recordings.  He talked about that release and the woman who produced those recordings, Tamiko Jones.  That was cool enough, but the big news revealed in the interview was that he had been approached by Fat Possum about recording an album.  I was pretty thrilled for him, though I could tell he didn't really understand exactly what Fat Possum could do for him.  I got the impression that, to him, Fat Possum was just another blues label that was willing to take a crack at launching him into a comeback. I knew better. I knew that Fat Possum would deliver.  They would deliver King Solomon, thrown and all, directly to the "hip" college market as well as NPR and Triple A radio.  In other words, all of his years of struggling to regain popularity was just about to pay off.

How lucky I was to speak to him right on the cusp of that.  What joy to know that someone whose music essentially changed my life, was about to finally get some dues.  And along with that I was able to ask him some real questions.  He talked about the assassination of MLK and how it affected his music.  He talked about being with Sam Cooke right before he was murdered- a conversation that brought both of us to tears. And by the end of that discussion I felt that we were friends.  Once again, proving that Solomon Burke was a master of show business.

And so today, as I mourn the loss of one of my greatest heroes, I actually feel lucky.  How often do we get a chance to talk to our heroes and ask them everything we ever wanted to know?  How often do we get to do that twice?

I think that the best way I can honor his memory is to follow his example.  So, my promise to The King of Rock 'n' Soul is this: During times of struggle, when obstacles seem insurmountable, I will think of you and your endless perseverance.   I will not give up.  I will push on...hopefully with style and grace.  Thanks King Solomon.  I will miss you.

Lighting My Fire

I'm putting together a set right now for a gig tonight.  It's going to be a mixed crowd (age and background) so I'm trying to pick out more familiar songs than the ones I normally play.  I have chosen to play Erma for the first time in a LONG LONG time.

Erma Franklin "Light My Fire" was a staple of my first DJ sets of the late 90s.  I stopped playing it when it became reissued on CD and on vinyl.  I guess right now I am sort of longing for the time when no one in my world knew about that recording.  I could put it on the tables and blow people's minds.  Those were good times.

I still remember buying the LP.

It was at Positively 4th Street in downtown Olympia.  I must have gone in there 5 times and held it in my hands, drooled over it and put it back.  It was $8.00.  That seemed like so much money for a record back then.  It was before records had made their come back and I was accustomed to paying no more than $2.00 for used record.

On the 6th visit I gave in.  It seems so ridiculous now. Erma, you were definitely worth much more than $8.00! I look forward to having you join me again tonight.   I've missed you.