Episode 003 — Born by the River, Built for the Stage with Evelyn Champagne King
FRIENDS AND LEGENDS WITH SKIP MARTINShow Notes
A conversation with Evelyn Champagne King — from singing Sam Cooke in a hallway at Sigma Sound Studios at 14 years old and getting discovered on the spot, to the losses that would have broken anyone else, to why she's still here, still bubbly, still entirely herself. Host: Skip Martin Summary: Evelyn Champagne King has one of the most powerful voices in the history of R&B — and one of the most powerful stories behind it. In this early morning conversation with her old friend Skip Martin, Evelyn traces it all back to a family amateur hour in a Bronx basement, a cleaning job she took for her sick sister, and a tall dark stranger who walked into a hallway while she was vacuuming and singing Sam Cooke. She also opens up about loss — a child, two brothers, her sister, her parents — and what it means to keep going anyway. A conversation about resilience, uniqueness, and what it really means to always be yourself. Main Topics: ● The King family amateur hour — how music started in a Bronx basement with drums, cungas, timbales, bass, and a family that performed for the neighbourhood ● How Evelyn got discovered at 14 at Sigma Sound Studios in Philadelphia — vacuuming, singing Sam Cooke, not knowing anyone was listening ● What producer T-Life said to her in that hallway — and why she didn't believe him ● The losses she has carried — a child in 1989, brothers in 1974 and 1997, her sister Wanda in 2015, both parents ● Her definition of music — and the moment Skip shared his ● The secret duet with Skip on Someone Like You — and what's coming for the world ● Her legacy message: always be yourself, know where you come from, and stay bubbly Intriguing Quotes: "I was born by the river, you know, just singing. And a tall, dark and handsome man showed up." "I know one day I'm gonna make you a star. I'm like, yeah, right. And I just kept on vacuuming." "I go in my little corner and Freddie will tell you. He'll know something's going on right there." "They remember us as being strong and doing what we love — and knowing that they paved the way for me to keep going." "My definition of music is something that'll keep your soul in a good place." "I want them to know that I've always been lovable, caring. And I always gonna be me." Key Moments: ● [02:00] The King family amateur hour — Skip hears how it all started. A Bronx basement. Six brothers, a sister, drums, cungas, timbales, a trumpet, and a family that put on a show for the whole neighbourhood. That's where Evelyn Champagne King was born. ● [04:30] Evelyn is 14, filling in for her sick sister on a cleaning shift at Sigma Sound Studios. She can't help singing. A tall stranger walks in, hears her doing Sam Cooke, and tells her he's going to make her a star. She keeps vacuuming. ● [07:30] Evelyn talks about what she's lost — a brother in 1974, her parents and another brother in 1997, her daughter in 1989, her sister Wanda in 2015. And what keeps her going anyway. ● [11:00] Skip asks the question he asks every guest. Evelyn says no one has ever asked her that before. Her answer is worth the whole episode. ● [14:00] Skip reveals the secret duet — Someone Like You — and Evelyn performs a piece of it live. She says it sounded exactly like her from the moment she heard it. Notable Resources: ● Recorded: virtual conversation Connect with Evelyn Champagne King: ● Search Evelyn Champagne King on socials and streaming platforms Connect with Skip Martin: ● Website: https://www.skipmartinmusic.com/ ● Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/skipmartinmusic ● Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/skipmartinmusic/ ● Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/skipmartinmusic ● YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/skipmartinmusic Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
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Friends & Legends with Skip Martin Host: Skip Martin Summary: Skip Martin sits down with his old friend Denella Ri'chard, the award winning host and executive producer of the nationally syndicated series Traveling with Denella Ri'chard. She grew up in Baton Rouge, caught the travel bug following her mum's bowling tournaments, and found her calling studying abroad in Harare, Zimbabwe in 1994, the year Nelson Mandela became president. A career at Hilton and then as a cruise industry executive ended on 13 March 2020, when she laid off her team of more than 40 and then lost her own job. What started as a one year lockdown project is now filming its ninth season. She takes Skip from a hot air balloon over the Serengeti to a Maasai classroom with no electricity and no running water, Skip shares what he saw in Kenya, and he closes with his C words for success and the goat in the well. Main Topics: Growing up in Baton Rouge and travelling with her bowler mum Studying abroad in Harare, Zimbabwe in 1994 A school project on Nelson Mandela, Steve Biko and apartheid Hilton, the Hampton launch and the cruise industry Inviting Oprah Winfrey aboard as a ship's godmother March 2020: laying off 40 people, then losing her own job Why 9-11 taught her travel always comes back A lockdown prime time slot and the birth of the show From poolside pina coladas to sharks, stingrays and monkeys A hot air balloon over the Serengeti The Maasai children who would match any US kindergarten Skip in Kenya: the water truck comes Thursday Skip's C words for success Intriguing Quotes: "I realized I was sipping more than I was painting." - Denella Ri'chard "When borders open, we're going to travel the world again." - Denella Ri'chard "I would put them against any kindergarten class in the United States." - Denella Ri'chard "Where are the kids? Take me to the kids." - Denella Ri'chard "The water truck will be here Thursday." - Skip Martin "One completed idea is more valuable than a thousand dreams." - Skip Martin "Success is a double-edged sword." - Skip Martin "Just shake it off." - Skip Martin Key Moments: [00:00] Skip welcomes Denella Ri'chard [01:22] Baton Rouge and a mum who bowled tournaments [02:28] Southern University and a semester in Zimbabwe [03:45] 1994, the year Mandela became president [05:03] Hilton, Beverly Hills and the cruise industry [06:07] 13 March 2020 and the ships shut down [07:18] A friend offers a prime time TV slot [08:08] What 9-11 taught her about travel [09:14] Naming Traveling with Denella [10:11] Monkeys, sharks and stingrays [10:52] One year becomes season nine [11:21] Ballooning over the Serengeti [12:37] Take me to the kids [14:58] Skip in Kenya and the water truck [16:45] Soccer on a garbage dump and the Xbox lesson [19:48] Skip's C words for success [22:43] The goat in the well [24:10] Where to watch Denella's show Notable Resources: Traveling with Denella Ri'chard, streaming on YouTube, Tubi and Apple TV+, and on local broadcast TV Connect with Denella Ri'chard: Website: https://www.travelingwithdenella.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/travelingwithdenella/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/travelingwithdenellarichard YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@travelingwithdenella LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/denella/ Connect with Skip Martin: Website: https://www.skipmartinmusic.com/ Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/skipmartinmusic Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/skipmartinmusic/ Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/skipmartinmusic YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/skipmartinmusic
Friends & Legends with Skip Martin Host: Skip Martin Summary: Part 2 of Skip Martin's conversation with Pro Football Hall of Fame quarterback Warren Moon turns to the part nobody puts on a highlight reel: what a career on the road costs a family. Warren talks about meeting his wife in high school in Los Angeles, marrying at twenty three, raising four kids, and a marriage of twenty seven years that ended without either of them falling out of love. They are still good friends, eleven grandkids later, and still together at Christmas, birthdays and graduations. He is honest about the games and the dance recitals he missed, and Skip matches it with eight months a year on the road and the alienation that can follow a father home. It finishes on Warren's message to young people about phones, noise and keeping your circle small, and Skip's story about a goat in a well. Main Topics: Meeting his wife at Hamilton High and marrying at twenty three Twenty seven years, four kids and eleven grandkids Why a marriage can end without either person falling out of love Staying friends, and still showing up at Christmas Skip on eight months a year with the Dazz Band and Kool and the Gang The appearances, the TV show, the radio show and the foundation The games and the dance recitals Warren missed The alienation of daddy, and only one side of the story getting told Taking his two daughters to the Kentucky Derby for the first time All four kids going to Canton for his twentieth Hall of Fame anniversary Fifty years of the Dazz Band and a street dedication in Cleveland What Warren would tell young people about social media Intriguing Quotes: "We never stopped loving each other. We just kinda outgrew each other." - Warren Moon "It's a tremendous sacrifice." - Warren Moon "I missed some of their games and I missed some of their dance recitals." - Warren Moon "That is the alienation of daddy." - Skip Martin "You never get to tell your side of the story." - Skip Martin "Make that group that you have very small around you." - Warren Moon "Set your goals high, dream big and believe in yourself." - Warren Moon "The goat would just shake it off." - Skip Martin "Use that phone for what it was supposed to be for." - Warren Moon Key Moments: [00:00] Skip welcomes Warren Moon back for part two [02:07] High school sweethearts, San Jose State and the University of Washington [02:35] Twenty seven years, four kids, and why they parted [03:11] Still good friends, still together at Christmas [04:56] Skip on the grind, and what it does to a partner [05:34] Daddy's home, guess where we're going [06:09] Warren on the tremendous sacrifice [07:03] The games and dance recitals he missed [07:31] Skip on the alienation of daddy [08:35] Two daughters at the Kentucky Derby [08:59] Taking all four kids to Canton [12:14] A hundred and thirty legends back in Canton every year [13:12] Fifty years of the Dazz Band in Cleveland [16:16] Warren's message on social media and bullying [17:25] Keep your circle small and set your goals high [18:31] The goat in the well, and how to shake it off [20:40] Skip closes out, don't play no games Notable Resources: Pro Football Hall of Fame, Canton, Ohio, where Warren Moon is enshrined Connect with Warren Moon: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/warrenmoon1/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/HWarrenMoon1/ X: https://x.com/WMoon1 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/warrenmoon1/ Connect with Skip Martin: Website: https://www.skipmartinmusic.com/ Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/skipmartinmusic Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/skipmartinmusic/ Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/skipmartinmusic YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/skipmartinmusic