Tony Braunagel Live on Game Changers With Vicki Abelson

What a long great trip it’s been. Grammy and Blues Music Award Winner, Tony Braunagel, took us through his early days in Houston, playing nightclubs at 15 with soul bands, to connecting with a certain Snuffy Walden and Terry Wilson a few years later, playing together on and off over the next 50 + years, including next Wednesday at The Write Off Room with the amazing Teresa James.

Tony told great stories about Johnny Nash, London, Rabbit, Bob Marley, New York, Ahmet Ertegun, Paul Kossoff, Back Street Crawler, opening for Foreigner, Kansas, and Robin Trower, LA, Eric Burdon, thrice over the years, including producing three of his albums, Michael Ruff, Katy Segal, Rickie Lee Jones, Bette Midler, Etta James, 8 years with Bonnie Raitt when she rose to superstardom, Buddy Guy, Keb Mo,  The Blues Brothers, he’s still doing those gigs, 8 years on According to Jim as a player and an actor, Taj Mahal with whom he still plays in the Phantom Blues Band, winning that Grammy, Lyle Lovett, Robert Cray, producing dozens of artists including the before mentioned Taj. 

Tony’s got at least a half dozen projects currently on his plate, in addition to playing with as many bands. Busy, busy man. Lucky, lucky us.

Love this crazy talented man behind a drum kit, on a mixing board, a Zoom screen, or hanging in life. Always a treat. As is his girlfriend Stephanie’s, Delassa… yummy, healthy chocolate. 

Tony Braunagel Live on Game Changers With Vicki Abelson
Wed, July 19, 5 pm PT, 8 pm ET
Streamed Live on The Facebook
Replay here:
https://bit.ly/46To9Pt

Tony Braunagel Live On Game Changers With Vicki Abelson

Steve Porcaro Live on Game Changers with Vicki Abelson

I loved every second with 3x Grammy Winner, founding member of Toto, Steve Porcaro. A down-to-earth sweetheart of a guy who just happens to be one arm of the iconic legendary musical Porcaro family. These ain’t no lip-sinking, TV frontmen, the Porcaros define chops. World-renowned drummer, Joe, who left sticks and skins around, brother Jeff, who picked them up and banged them to new heights, Mike who segued to bass, and Steve who found his passion and his niche with keyboards, programming, and sythns. Separately, and together they made musical history. We talked beginnings influences, The Beatles, Keith Emerson, from playing school proms to clubs with David Paich, Hungate, and Lukather, to Boz Skaggs to Toto, Bobby Kimball, Hold The Line, Rosanna, Arquette, and the song, success fulfilling all childhood dreams and then some. Sessions and side work for all of them, Bette Midler, Chaka, Earth, Wind & Fire, Quincy Jones, which led to Micheal Jackson and Human Nature on Thriller, thrilling! There was James Newton Howard, playing and scoring for film and TV… Justified. Leaving Toto, rejoining Toto with new appreciation. Drugs, alcohol, and loss took their toll, solo work, Someday/Somehow, collaborations, Allee Willis, writing with his daughters, The Covid Kid, doing what he loves, where he loves. A life well being lived and art continuously created. 

I really really like this man, and his music. Grateful for this opportunity to get to know.

Steve Porcaro Live on Game Changers with Vicki Abelson
Wednesday, October 11, 5 PM PT, 8 PM ET 
Streamed Live on my Facebook
Reply here:
https://bit.ly/3ZUQBxu

Steve Porcaro Live On Game Changers With Vicki Abelson

Steve Lukather  Live on Game Changers With Vicki Abelson

Hold the Line!  Steve Lukather may be a bonafide rock star,  but he’s also down-to-earth, self-effacing, self-aware, open-minded, hearted, reflective, enthusiastic, passionate, thoughtful, generous, and perhaps sweetest of all, a fanboy like us of his heroes. From the 6-year-old boy blown away by The Beatles on Ed Sullivan, George’s guitar specifically, to the grown man who came to play and friend not only George, but Paul, and closer than close with Ringo, his “boss” for the past decade.  Fab stories of all three, not to mention much about Steve and then Jeff Porcaro, David Paich, with whom he began being a serious musician whilst still in high school. Stories about Steely Dan and their various incarnations, one which almost included him, Boz Scaggs, his first major gig, the formation of Toto, sessions, sessions, and more sessions, Dean Parks, Ray Parker, Jim Keltner, Larry Carlton, touring, alcohol, drugs, wild times, Michael Jackson, Thriller, Eddie Van Halen, Elton John, solo albums, his latest - Bridges  https://bit.ly/40I9PH2 which is in heavy rotation in my kitchen, and his memoir, The Gospel According to Luke   https://bit.ly/3QFLPPZ an unputdownable, crazy fun read. Just like Luke himself. The time flew. I feel like I’ve known him forever. And, like all great things, left me wanting more. 

Steve Lukather Live on Game Changers with Vicki Abelson
Wednesday, November 15, 5 PM PT, 8 PM ET 
Streamed Live on my Facebook
Replay here:
https://bit.ly/47eCXbf

Steve Lukather Live On Game Changers With Vicki Abelson

Will Lee Live on Game Changers With Vicki Abelson

Head to head with the DNC, two news junkies didn’t walk into a bar but did get lost in conversation and fun. It’s easy when one of them is Grammy Winner, crazy talented, lovely, humble human, Will Lee.

It’s been a few years and a world of changes since last we spoke, this time focusing on the road to sobriety, many moons ago, what led there, the price of using, meeting Paul Schaffer, a relationship that changed his life, the two of them holding the distinction of being on Late Show With David Letterman from day one with The World’s Most Dangerous Band, until the final days with the CBS Orchestra, also giving Will the world’s record for the longest-running bassist on late-night television.  Will talked about the original band of 4, Hiram Bullock, Steve Jordan, how and why it morphed, some standout moments… Warren Zevon’s last show, Will’s MacArthur Park with Jimmy Webb… his hero, Ringo, making an appearance… Beatlemania, period. Where it all started for Will, The Ed Sullivan  Show, the Fab Four, all of whom Will would come to play with, even John in unique fashion. An incredible story about Paul, a Hofner, and a call from “P,” and how his Fab Faux came to be. Will’s account of how he conquered Revolution #9 and playing The White Album, heretofore never heard by Beatles sound engineer and producer, Geoff Emerick. Crazily, I was there that night- the story has a bittersweet postscript. We talked about Will’s new single, It’s All Too Much, and his new video, Hey Shorty, and how that came to be, why he’s off to Japan tomorrow and the fame he found there.

I’ve known Will for decades… with each that passes, I adore him more. He’s a rare success, who’s gotten to play with just about everyone, all of his heroes, night, after night, year after year, for 33 of them, and everyone it seems, without exception, loves and respects him. It’s a life well-lived filled with gratitude and appreciation, which makes it all the sweeter.

He closed with The Beatles, I Will…how damn fitting, Will! 

For all things Will www.willlee.com 

Will Lee Live on Game Changers With Vicki Abelson
Wednesday, 8/21/24, 5 pm PT, 8 pm ET
Streamed Live on my Facebook
Replay here:
https://bit.ly/3SUv19Z

Will Lee Live On Game Changers With Vicki Abelson

Laurence Juber Live on Game Changers With Vicki Abelson 

How life-affirming to be back Live with 2x Grammy Winner Laurence Juber. Laurence got us started with his Cobalt Blue. Loved it! What an extraordinary finger-playing guitarist. Gorgeous. 

We talked the LA fires, the Juber evacuation plan, fortunately not taken to fruition. Animals before guitars, his one-of-a-kind custom shop signature Martin, and a Les Paul were the two that made the cut. Laurence is doing what he can to help, performing at a series of gigs that will donate their proceeds, including Tuesday’s big fundraiser at The Canyon Club. 

Laurence talked with great pride about his two daughters, both achieving big things in the biz. He also spoke with great love and reverence of his wife, Hope, to whom he’s been married and a true partner in life and oft in art, for 42 years. It’s clear that it’s family first and creating for the Jubers. There’s no sitting around eating bonbons and watching the tube for this high-functioning family. 

We talked about Laurence’s early days and influences, clarinet his first instrument, finding guitar, and learning to read music in a day. He claims. everyone was doing it. His dream was to be a session player, and he quickly realized it in Abby Road Studios with the likes of George Martin. He gigged around with innumerable bands, quite happy to be doing so, until Denny Laine made that fateful connection. Auditioning with drummer Steve Holley, their lives both changed that day when Paul McCartney asked what they’d be doing for the next few years. A childhood fantasy realized, until a pot bust in Japan. 

Laurence spoke of his solo work, lots more session work,  segueing to TV, which led him to some work with a guy named Snuffy, and ultimately to scoring and composing… writing two musicals with Hope, one, the ever popular, Gilligan’s Island: The Musical.

There was a Grammy with Sir Paul for Rockestra, the first instrumental Grammy, and his solo arrangement of The Pink Panther Theme earned him a second Grammy.

Laurence has played on innumerable hits, some he’s found out about years later reading about them. He’s an amazing man with incredible talents. This was a much-needed soul-filling reminder of all that’s good and right with the world during troubled and turbulent times. He took us out with guitar perfection. 

Click here for all that’s Laurence Juber laurencejuber.com including info on where to purchase his own coffee blend, and download his latest, A Day in My Life. Or grab the vinyl! 

Laurence Juber Live on Game Changers With Vicki Abelson 
Wednesday, 1/22/25, 5 PM PT, 8 PM ET
Streamed Live on my Facebook
Replay here:
https://bit.ly/42oDeZq

Laurence Juber Live On Game Changers With Vicki Abelson

Tony Braunagel, Terry Wilson & Snuffy Walden Live on Game Changers With Vicki Abelson 

What do you get when you Zoom with three amigos from Texas who go back over 50 years? A whole lot of fun, rock stories galore, and a ton of love. The Grammy, Emmy, BMI, and Blues Award Winning trio of Snuffy Walden, Tony Braunagel, and Terry Wilson took us back to the 60s in Houston, playing at the Cellar, a strip club in Houston, Tony and Terry off with Johnny Nash and Snuffy off with Stray Dog to open for Emerson, Lake and Palmer. They all ended up in London, there was Rabbit, Paul Kossoff, Free, Back Street Crawler, Pete Townshend, and Eric Burdon for all of them, at least twice. Some great war stories along the way… there was Michael Ruff, some crashed cars and trashed hotel rooms. 

Tony took us through his time with Rickie Lee Jones, Bonnie Raitt, and The Blues Brothers backup band, leading to be an actor and musician on According to Jim. Snuffy getting Chaka Khan, Donna Summers and then segueing to TV, Thirty Something and The Wonder Years, his first foray in––both Emmy-winning shows that year, leading to the West Wing and his own Emmy. Terry partnering with Teresa James in music and in life, their Grammy nod, his song-writing, producing through his latest for Back Street Crawler’s Terry Slesser which reunited him with Tony and Terry. 

They’ve shared many stages and sessions over the years, but it’s their rock-solid friendship borne in decades-long history that sweetens their song. What a joy to be in their joy. A great time was had by all. Lucky me and you to be a fly on that wall. 

Tony Braunagel, Terry Wilson & Snuffy Walden Live on Game Changers With Vicki Abelson 
Wednesday, 3/19/25, 5 PM PT, 8 PM ET
Streaming Live on my YouTube & my Facebook 
Replay YouTube here:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_ArHgeUrToc&t=194s
Replay FB here:
https://bit.ly/4bNq8b2

Tony Braunagel, Terry Wilson & Snuffy Walden Live on Game Changers With Vicki Abelson

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

New tracks tagged #GrammyWinner,