Snuffy Walden Live on Game Changers With Vicki Abelson

There are no accidents. House stand-in as he so aptly named hisslef, Emmy-Winning Composer, Snuffy Walden, was just what the doctor ordered. Live from the dining room, with Rufus for the most part chillin’ between us, Snuffy got down, got real, letting us in as he seamlessly weaved through music, alcoholism, geographics, hitting big, breaking bad, highs, lows, getting sober, switching gears, success beyond his imaginings, the pandemic abyss, to slowly stepping back out amidst life’s challenges. 

From piano to trombone, finding guitar, playing with BJ Thomas at 14 and strip clubs at 17, DJing, to living in a park with a roadie, Aphrodite in Denver to fronting Stray Dog, rocking like hell, and opening for Emerson, Lake & Palmer around the world, a near-miss with me in ’74, drinking and debauchery, recording Songs in The Key of Life with Stevie Wonder, earning a platinum record, being in the passenger seat when Stevie drove––oh yes, he did; playing with Dave Mason at the peak, Chaka Khan when she was breaking I Feel For You, touring with Eric Burdon and having an epiphany, thanks to longtime friend and bandmate, Michael Ruff, which would change, and save, his life. 

With all his success before, a few years later, without experience or training, he scored Thirty Something, then The Wonder Years, both Emmy nominees their first year, then meeting Sorkin and doing Sports Night, and then The West Wing, where he won that Emmy with his iconic main title, and then a dozen other Emmy nominations and 51 BMI  Awards, representing over a hundred other shows… then the pandemic slowdown to almost shut down, and a recent rebirth doing what he loves and loving what he’s doing, committed to turning up the joy in the monitors, because of and in spite of recent news. 


Snuffy’s humility, humanity, and heart soar in his words and music. His dedication to being of service, hIs talent, and his sweetness, are ongoing inspirations to me and countless others. 

I neglected to say Happy Passover. Historically I’ve been a second-nighter, and this year is no exception. Tomorrow, Snuffy will be attending his first Seder. Hide the Manischewitz. From both of us.

Snuffy Walden Live on Game Changers With Vicki Abelson
Wed, April 5th, 5 pm PT, 8 pm ET
Streamed Live on The Facebook
Replay here: https://bit.ly/3mbZT8I

Snuffy Walden Live On Game Changers With Vicki Abelson

Friends who used to be 30 Something, Wingnuts, and Field of Dreamers, lend me your ear (s), and your eyeballs. Emmy-winner Timothy Busfield is a scream! His Burt Lancaster alone is worth the watch. Hysterical, and right on point. 

Tim’s amazing bride, Melissa Gilbert joined us for a sec, she’ll be back! But she was a big part of the conversation––how they met, and where––great story. I love how he loves her, and her, him. Their togetherness is epic. We talked how they do it, handle challenges, and resolve them, so quickly. Merging their families - both married for the thrice time… co-parenting and grandparenting, building a home, and a life. Ain’t love grand. 

We talked Tim’s early years in Michigan, his mother, her challenges, his father, and his. Tim getting the bug after seeing Burt Lancaster on the big screen, and going full circle co-starring with him in Field of Dreams so many years later––the challenges of that film. First, theatre out the wazoo… Actors Theater of Louisville to Circle Rep… being Matthew Broderick’s understudy on Broadway in Brighton Beach Memoirs and never getting on - Trapper John, getting an actors education, Nerds, Stripes, thirtysomething, his first gig with a guy named Snuffy, turns out there are 10 so far, 12 with Melissa’s… starring on Broadway for Sorkin, Sports Night, The West Wing, Studio 60 on The Sunset Strip, his two theatre companies intended to serve the young - the guppies did he call them? Being of service a major theme throughout. Turning down hosting SNL, thrice, auditioning for it without knowing, giving up the drink two weeks ago, how and why… his latest, The Cleaning Lady, and more importantly, his next binge with Melissa and their morning flight to Florida. 

We talked for almost two hours, from LA to Michigan to Upstate NY and the UWS…. and I could have talked all night. Ridiculous fun. Down to earth, open, warm, thoughtful, helpful, funny, loving, fun, fun, fun. Do they come more likable than Tim? You’ll have to prove it. 

Timothy Busfield Live on Game Changers With Vicki Abelson
Wed, May 17th, 5 pm PT, 8 pm ET
Streamed Live on The Facebook
Replay here:
https://bit.ly/3IjV5WJ

Timothy Busfield Live On Game Changers With Vicki Abelson

Snuffy Walden Live on Game Changers With Vicki Abelson

Lemonade! That’s what you get when you take a brilliantly talented, supportive beau, and the greatest, most fun-loving, and devoted co-commiserators on the planet and mix them together on what could have been a rough one.  My gratitude is boundless. What fun this was! 

It helps when said Beau is Emmy Award-Winning Composer, Snuffy Walden, even though we didn’t really go there. From piano to trombone, finding guitar, playing strip clubs, to living in a park with his roadie, Aphrodite in Denver to fronting Stray Dog, opening for Emerson, Lake & Palmer around the world, a near-miss with me in ’74, drinking and debauchery, recording Songs in The Key of Life with Stevie Wonder, earning a platinum record, being in the passenger seat when Stevie drove––oh yes, he did; playing with Dave Mason, Donna Summer, Chaka Khan when she was breaking I Feel For You, touring with Eric Burdon, two times, and having an epiphany, thanks to longtime friend and bandmate, Michael Ruff, which would change, and save, his life. 

We focused on Snuffy’s playing, rock years… check out this Stray Dog front and center  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7sbEdHgb2Oo

Thirty Something, The Wonder Years, The West Wing, an Emmy Award, a dozen other Emmy nominations, 51 BMI Awards, representing over 100 TV shows followed. It’s all in the great Mark Maxey doc, Up to Snuff. 
https://www.amazon.com/Up-Snuff-W-G-Snuffy-Walden/dp/B09T2BN8W4

Thanks for the thoughtful understanding, enthusiastic encouragement, sweet words, and unyielding support y’all showered us with. Special thanks to the sweetness that is Snuffy. How blessed am I? 

Snuffy Walden Live on Game Changers With Vicki Abelson
***TUESDAY, JULY 9th, 5 pm PT, 8 pm ET***
Streaming Live on my Facebook
Replay here:
https://bit.ly/3LeoZwG

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

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

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

New tracks tagged #TheWestWing,