Benny Harrison Live on Game Changers With Vicki Abelson 

What fun to sit down and catch up with keyboardist, singer, songwriter, producer, Benny Harrison, who I’ve known for 5 decades. There was so much I didn’t know. Benny gave us the back story––growing up mixed race from hard-working parents who may or may not have been on the wrong side of the law, but who taught him strong work ethics and appreciated immediately and encouraged his musical gifts.

When his brother sold his piano, Benny turned lemons into lemonade, practicing at a local school which garnered him his first professional gig with Henry Gross, which led him to sing onstage with Michael McDonald. When I met up with him, he was sitting in with Mason Reese, and then Phoebe Snow sat in with Benny and The Spydrs. A kickass player and entertainer, Benny was in regular rotation at all the clubs I booked back in the day. 

Benny tells a great story about a night at Spo-Dee-O-Dee’s and a couple of huge surprise special guests. 

Benny has played with Vernon Reid; Corey Glover; Joe Walsh; Elvis Costello; Simon Kirke; and Charlie Drayton, among many others and for four years his Spydrs were the house band at The China Club’s famed Monday nights where Bruce Willis, Rick James, Steve Stevens, Linda Perry, Eddie Vedder, Billy Idol, and whoever was in town, would sit in with the band. We talked with mutual zeal of our love for the place, those nights, that time. 

Benny has been active with Veterans who are either suffering from PTSD, alcohol, drug abuse, or homelessness, in a program called Voices of Valor. It's a 9-week process to write a song with the Vets who have served our country. He produces and creates the musical/harmonic part of the process, and then takes the Vets into a recording studio, where they can experience the process. He shared a most moving sweet story of a silent woman’s transformation. 

Working on an upcoming Documentary, Back Up Front, it tells the story of players including him who started out in front, worked the backline and are once again stepping out front.

Benny’s upcoming album, Pages, drops April 14th. He had planned to perform a couple of the tunes with his producer, Mike Ciro, but that didn’t pan out. He treated us to a few little tastes with an unmiked guitar. A few tech challenges, but as with all things Benny went with it, eventually singing a capella. He’s a pro!  To get the album, be at The Bitter End for the album release, and for all things Benny go to BennyHarrison.com. I got an advance listen- it’s fab! 

I adore my dear friend. It was such a treat to get lost in time and tales with this talented, resilient, fun, and passionate, pal. 

Benny Harrison Live on Game Changers With Vicki Abelson 
Wednesday, 3/5/25, 5 PM PT, 8 PM ET
Streamed Live on YouTube
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dtfBeq7CsGg&t=3s

Benny Harrison Live on Game Changers With Vicki Abelson

Jim Vallely Live on Game Changers With Vicki Abelson 

Sitting down with Emmy and WGA award winner, Jim Vallely was a cozy, comfortable, fun, and funny hang. He even told us a joke joke, on request. It’s one he’s been “testing” as part of a sociological experiment of sorts. Win/win, we got a laugh with a lesson.

Who knew that having a seizure in 6th grade would lead to a career as a TV comedy writer. Jim takes us through and it makes perfect sense. This accountant studying student just happened to sit next to the right guy at an NYU audition, ask his mother the right question on the right day, marry the right girl, move into the right apartment, partner with the right actor/comedian, Jonathan Schmock, become 1/2 of The Funny Boys comedy team, appear on Johnny Carson, co-star on the sitcom, Double Trouble, and then write on The Golden Girls, one of the most successful sitcoms of all time. Brotherly Love, Ladies Man, Action, Two and a Half Men, My Wife and Kids, The John Larriquette Show, Till Death,  Extended Family, as well as Arrested Development, for which he garnered 4 Emmy nominations, and the aforementioned awards, followed.  Jim was an executive producer and co-creator with Will Arnett and Michael Hurwitz of Running Wilde on Fox. There’s more.

Jim tells a great Carl Reiner/Alan Brady story, tells us how the real Kramer, Larry David, Bill Maher, Callie Khouri, Chris Thompson, Don Reo, Mitchell Hurwitz, Will Arnett, and Jay Mohr factor into his story, gives us the before, during, and after of his career milestones, and speaks with great pride and tenderness about the great loves and joys of his life, his talented wife, Maggie, and his successful daughter, Tannis.

We talked about our friends, Taylor Negron and Ron Zimmerman. There is no friend like Jim. His love, devotion, and care for Ron, was a gift he gave all of us who loved him. Jim’s a tender-hearted, special man. And boy, is he funny. A very funny boy, indeed! 

Jim Vallely Live on Game Changers With Vicki Abelson 
Wednesday, 3/12/25, 5 PM PT, 8 PM ET
Streamed Live on my Facebook & YouTube 
Replay here:
https://bit.ly/4iCKgPq 
YouTube
https://www.facebook.com/vickiabelson/videos/937526015211102

Jim Vallely Live on Game Changers With Vicki Abelson

Alan Zweibel Live on Game Changers With Vicki Abelson

Live from the Zoom Room, it’s Alan Zweibel! It was so great to jump back in with the fabulous, funny, and fun Emmy Winner.

Alan took us back to his earliest days in the biz, how he made his way in, the first joke he sold, still funny! The Catskill Mountains, Morty Gunty, Freddie Roman, Rodney Dangerfield, maybe his first collaborator… with whom Alan comes full circle, presently.  Doing standup with Billy Crystal, leading to years of collaboration, being discovered by Lorne Michaels… SNL, Alan’s game changer. Gilda, a partnership made in heaven -  how Roseannne Roseannadanna and Emily Latella came to be, Belushi, Ackroyd, the current film, Saturday Night, where it felt right, where liberties were taken, how it felt to have someone play him. 

Co-creating It’s The Garry Shandling Show with Gary, how they worked together. Writing Lunatics with Dave Barry, long distance, For This We left Egypt with Dave and Adam Mansbach, and a great story about how that friendship and collaboration began.  Broadway with Billy and with Martin Short, and the cute, sweet note after their encounter at the SNL 50th reunion. Alan’s current collab with Barry Levinson, how that started and where it is today, that full circle Rodney story coming to fruition currently… and through it all, Robin. Alan’s love and wife since the early SNL days… and his most fruitful collaborator.  

Alan’s devotion to his family is what stories are made of, as is his work ethic, resiliency, tenacity, and talent. His storytelling is what good conversations are made of, served up with laughs, lots of them. What an inspiration! 

Loved every minute of this. And I sure did need the eggs. 

Alan Zweibel Live on Game Changers With Vicki Abelson
Wednesday, 5/14/23, 5 pm PT, 8 pm ET
Streamed Live 
Links in the comments
Replay on YouTube 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u1uvKClTYdY

Alan Zweibel Live on Game Changers With Vicki Abelson

Rosemary Butler Live on Game Changers With Vicki Abelson  Part 2

Rosemary Butler has sung with everyone on every song I love. Pretty damn close. In this, our 2nd sitdown, Rose picked up where we left off, post Paul & Ringo, The Rolling Stones, and Three Dog Night - see Part 1 for those fab stories, and took us through Bonnie Raitt, Jackson Browne, Linda Ronstadt, James Taylor, The Section, Kenny Loggins, Michael McDonald (her first student, who taught her to create her own unique voice), Neil Diamond (on his Christmas album… to which Neil said, I’m Jewish, why am I doing this) Joe Cocker, Johnny Mathis, The Bish, Willie Nelson,  David Lindley (the most fun), Warren Zevon, Alan Parsons, Don Henley, Bruce Springsteen (when he was sleeping under the Jersey pier with his guitar), Billy Joel, Joni Mitchell (her idol), and Paul Simon. Rosemary’s voice intermingles magically with all of them. Stories, stories, more stories about hero after shero. Peter Asher, she credits with opening the doors. 


Teaching and sharing what she’s learned and what she knows, you too can study with the master - reach out at RosemaryButler.com. And, catch her Live with The Tribe at their 10th anniversary celebration at The Canyon Club in L.A. where it all started. 

I’m so grateful for this opportunity to traverse a career and a life brilliantly lived. The road, the buses, the food, the fun, and the hit music her iconic voice is synonymous with. Can I ever hear Running on Empty and not think of her… no way. 

Love the Rosemary Butler!

Rosemary Butler Live on Game Changers With Vicki Abelson  Part 2
Wednesday, 5/21/25, 5 PM PT, 8 PM ET
Streamed Live on my Facebook & YouTube

Replay Links:
https://bit.ly/3Fj8Syt
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dgO9MJHZNj4

Rosemary Butler Live on Game Changers With Vicki Abelson  Part 2

Tracy Newman Live on Game Changers With Vicki Abelson

We were Live with my good friend, 2x Emmy nominee, Gary Stockdale. What a joy after a long void. Pre-pandemic, it seems we saw each other everywhere, and often. COVID changed life. A lot. We talked about that and how both of us have Facebook Lives born out of necessity. You’d think with our combined expertise, it would be smooth sailing. You’d think. Tech glitches messed with Gary’s fine art… his singing/playing and songwriting, which we were challenged to present, but Gary persevered and did treat us to two songs from his new musical, Showstopper, and an a cappella treat to take us out that I won’t spoil. 

Gary took us back to his early days in Glendale, musical theatre at LA City College, his mentor Henry Mancini, Penn & Teller for whom he scored for 25 years. There was Sabrina the Teenage Witch, The Aristocrats, Spongebob Square Pants, and lot of Gary music along the way to discuss. 

Even with the challenges, it was a fun, relaxed ride down Gary’s memory lane. The kind of conversation that happens between friends. Lovely. And Gary’s voice… I don’t know how it’s possible, but he sounds even more incredible than ever. What a gorgeous voice, and what an amazing songwriter! After a particularly crap day, this time with Gary truly healed my weary soul. 

Gary Stockdale Live on Game Changers With Vicki Abelson
Wednesday, 6/4/25, 5 PM PT, 8 PM ET
Streamed Live on my FB & YouTube
Links in the comments

FB Replay here:
https://bit.ly/4kV1oB1

YouTube Replay here:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jkMYA_Qfz7E

Gary Stockdale Live on Game Changers With Vicki Abelson

Leland Sklar Live on Game Changers With Vicki Abelson

Happy Happy Joy Joy, that’s spending time conversing with our good friend, Leland Sklar, who’s made it all about the bass with everybody on everything, from Phil Collins, James Taylor, Linda Ronstadt, Jackson Browne, Billy Cobham, Carole King, Hall & Oates, Crosby Stills, & Nash, Barbra Streisand, Joe Cocker, Toto, Lyle Lovett, and the list goes on and on, and on, and on… over 2500 + albums worth. I’m exhausted typing this. How the hell does he do it? 

An activist, Lee’s stood up, spoken out, and paid the price innumerable times. A voice of clarity, passion, and reason, we got into it big time… the LA protests, the insanity surrounding them, the terrifying regime, our hope for Newsom, the unknowing of how to stop it, or how it will ultimately shake out… the fires, the transition back to living post the pandemic. 

Of course, we did talk music too. Respects to Brian Wilson and Sly Stone, Lee having played with the former, and influenced by the latter… how health has befallen so many heroes, Phil Collins, Linda Ronstadt, Billy Joel, Neil Diamond… and the wonder of Leland, currently doing 3 hr concerts with Lyle, still standing. That boy has good genes. Levis. The ongoing and upcoming big tour with Lyle and the sad putting aside, for now, of The Immediate Family. We talked about the lads, his brothers, Russ Kunkel, Danny Kortchmar, Waddy Wachtel, and Steve  Postel, what makes that band so rockin’ special, we talked about James Taylor, Peter Asher, who Lee holds responsible for launching his career, Phil Collins, and his amazingly talented son, Nick,  Toto, Stevie Nicks, his book, Everybody Loves Me, which I’m blessed to be in, and Lee’s marriage that has endured for 54 years and counting. 

Lee’s one of the most universally adored musicians for his playing, his humanity, his humor, and his great big heart. I adore him. Who doesn’t? Well, maybe a couple of fools on Capitol Hill. 

The man’s a marvel. 

Leland Sklar Live on Game Changers With Vicki Abelson
Wednesday, 6/11/25, 5 PM PT, 8 PM ET
Streamed Live on my FB 
https://bit.ly/4dZz0Lx
And YouTube
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BU7luUSTrRU&t=22s

Leland Sklar Live on Game Changers With Vicki Abelson

Decades later, as if no time had passed, bassist Kevin Jenkins came to call. I met Kevin in 1986ish, when he was playing with Cyndi Lauper at the height of her fame. He had stopped in to the Rock ’N Roll Cafe, sat in, and graced our small stage. Big man on campus, he was pop-rock royalty. Girl just wanted to have fun, so with my Cafe cohort, Steve Principe, we headed to The Stone Pony to catch Kevin with Cyndi. About a decade later, I’d meet up with Cyndi as Upper Westside mommies… but I digress. Kevin continued to come around and sit in, most notably with my beloved Phoebe Snow and Matt Sorum from Guns & Roses, at the Cafe Wha.

From Tokyo’s Budokan to London’s famous Albert Hall to NYC’s Madison Square Garden - Kevin’s played them all, with the aforementioned Cyndi Lauper, and Enrique Iglesias, Taylor Dayne, Vicki Sue Robinson, Graham Parker, Lamya, Tom Rush, Maxwell, Roberta Flack, Debbie GIbson and, most recently, Grammy® nominated blues queen Shemekia Copeland, who he’s been with 2005. We talked about them all, as well as the music that influenced him, how he got started, how one meeting led to one gig, which led to another. When imbibing started to interfere, Kevin got sober 38 years ago. We discussed that journey, too. We discussed his highlights, opening for Clapton and Michael Jackson, as well as loss, and love. 

Kevin filled us in on his solo efforts, Step Inside and True Groove, as well as his latest, She:  A Tribute to Joni Mitchell, which will be released in November. 

Humble and unpretentious to a fault, it was a delightful stroll down memory lane with loads of new info and great stories along the way. Kevin is just as I remember him, except even better. Wisdom, experience, and a clear mind have added to the mix. Adore the man, love his playing, respect his humanity. 

Kevin Jenkins Live on Game Changers With Vicki Abelson
Wednesday, 6/11/25, 5 PM PT, 8 PM ET
Streamed Live on my FB 

Kevin Jenkins Live on Game Changers With Vicki Abelson
Wednesday, 6/11/25, 5 PM PT, 8 PM ET
Streamed Live on my FB 
http://bit.ly/4kG0LeK
And YouTube 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eup_wy0SJlM&t=2985s

Kevin Jenkins Live on Game Changers With Vicki Abelson

Bradley Whitford Live on Game Changers With Vicki Abelson

It was a sweet reunion when 3 x Emmy-winner Bradley Whitford of The West Wing was surprised and serenaded by composer Snuffy Walden, with the show’s Emmy-winning theme. They share quite a bit of history, having also done Sorkin’s Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip. Last night Snuff and I binged the pilot episodes of both shows and were astounded by how timely they still are. Bradley and I discussed his storyline in that first West Wing, which could’ve been ripped out of today’s headlines. We also talked about Studio 60 and the irony of Danny Trip’s confession to Matt Albie, played by Matthew Perry, about his drug slip. Bradley’s emotional remembrance of the show, its cast, and specifically Matthew’s comedic brilliance, and the pocket of sobriety for Matt that allowed for some of his best work. 

Bradley ain’t no Hollywood fluffernutter. Of progressive Quaker stock, his father, who worked at an insurance company, was the local president of Planned Parenthood before it was political, his mother was an outspoken advocate, and his brother, a conscientious objector.  Talk about an unusual childhood, he has an 85-year-old sister. Bradley came from a loving, functional home, and still became an actor. Now that’s an anomaly right there. 

We did a deep dive into the state of the union. Thoughtful, passionate, and in solution, Bradley puts his activism where his mouth is. We talked Trump, Musk, Kennedy, gender affirming care, Biden, Kamala, Hillary, Iran, immigration, how art will not save us, only politics will. And yet much of Bradley’s art is political. We spoke about The Handmaid’s Tale from innumerable angles. For me, arguably perhaps the greatest show ever on television, and his Commander Lawrence, is probably the most layered, complex character he’s portrayed. We talked about Elisabeth and their earlier connection in The West Wing, Anne Dowd, and how her spectacular performance inspired Margaret Atwood’s writing, The Testaments, for her. 

Bradley was far more interested in talking about current affairs and how essential it is that we do more than talk than he was in talking about his work. But we did squeeze in some time to discuss For Worse, the indie feature his bride, Amy Landecker, wrote, directed, and stars in alongside Bradley. His respect, love, and admiration to Amy are adorable to behold. Making the festival circuit and winning awards along the way, I can’t wait to see the film loosely based on their romance. 

I’m a fan. A great, big avid Bradley Whitford fan. The last time we met, it was at a big Hollywood soiree. He was equally as open, personable, unaffected, opinionated, and accessible as he was this day. As much as I adore his work, I’m grateful as hell for his humanity and advocacy. I hope to consider “What would Bradley do” a whole lot more moving forward. And speaking of hope, he has it in abundance… mix that with some fun, his learned recipe’s secret sauce, and there’s good reason to trust that there are better days ahead. It’s up to us, all of us, to make it so. 

This should be essential viewing for anyone in fear and despair. 

Bradley Whitford Live on Game Changers With Vicki Abelson
Wednesday, 6/25/25, 2 PM PT, 5 PM ET
Streamed Live 
FB Replay 
http://bit.ly/4lv7rfX
& YouTube
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pFMXr8g9yyY&t=187s

Bradley Whitford Live on Game Changers With Vicki Abelson

In this episode, we explore the world of 18+ WhatsApp groups — not the vulgar kind, but real, respectful communities made for mature conversations, networking, and clean discussions. If you're over 18 and looking to join a trusted WhatsApp group without spam or inappropriate content, this episode is for you.

We talk about:

What 18+ WhatsApp groups really are

Why they’re gaining popularity

Who should join

Group rules & safety

How to find verified links

🔗 Join verified WhatsApp groups here:
👉 https://mygrouplinks.com/

✅ All groups mentioned are strictly moderated and safe for adults. We do not promote NSFW or explicit content.

🎧 Subscribe for more podcasts on digital communities and secure social networking.

18+ whatsapp group links

Celebrity Maps to Success... people living their dream... the paths they took to get there

New tracks tagged #Chat,