Jay King to host Special Radio Show – Honoring Music Legend Dick Griffey
Jay King to Tribute Dick Griffey With Special Radio Show,”Honoring Mr. Griffey as a Living Legend”
Industry
veteran, radio personality and music producer Jay King had the distinct
honor of holding court with music mogul Dick Griffey days before he
passed away on September 24, 2010. Not realizing his role model was
living his last days, King had initially planned to pay homage to
Griffey on his BlogTalkRadio show, “The Way I See It” with a show
entitled “Honoring Mr. Griffey as a Living Legend.” That show will air
this Sunday, October 3 from 2:00 – 4:00 pm pst on
www.blogtalkradio.com/jay-king and the title of the show will remain the
same. Explains King, “We believe Mr. Griffey is still alive through his
music and many contributions to the community.”
Being in the
titan’s company during his last days has further inspired King to plan a
full series entitled “Honoring the Pioneers of Music.” “When I sat with
Dick Griffey, I had no idea that he would not be here as I planned his
show. I am overwhelmed by the loss. But now more that ever, it is clear
to me that I have a duty to honor the soldiers and warriors in the music
business, those gone and those still among us.”
“So many have
paved the way for us and their accomplishments are often overlooked,
like radio pioneer, Jack “The Rapper” Gibson; Sidney Miller, founder of
BRE Magazine, the first Black music industry trade; the Urban Network’s
Miller London who was the first Black record salesman in the music
business; Lee Bailey whose “Radioscope” was the first Black syndicated
music magazine radio show catering to the urban community and Al Bell of
Bellmark Records who helped to create and develop the southern soul
sound of Stax Records and a host of others, ” continues King. Jay King,
his co-host Robert Redwine and their producer, Mari Torres are dedicated
to devoting the next several shows to honoring these individuals and
others whose legacy has impacted the musical landscape of our times.
In
1977 Dick Griffey created SOLAR Records and began his assent to the
number one position on the urban music scene, crossing into the
mainstream pop music market with such acts as The Whispers, Shalamar,
Midnight Star, Klymaxx and Lakeside to name a few. Griffey was also
instrumental in the 1984 Presidential Bid of Jessie Jackson, took Stevie
Wonder on his first tour to Japan and coined the phrase ‘African
American.’ Dick Griffey, ever the visionary, was also was instrumental
in the forming of Death Row Records, helping Suge Knight to realize the
dream of owning and controlling his own label and his masters.
“Mr.
Griffey was the reason I believed I could own a label, ” recalls King.
“I am humbled to have been gifted the opportunity to sit with him in his
last days and I am lucky, fortunate and blessed that I was able to tell
him how much I loved, appreciated and respected his struggle for me and
all of us who continue to thrive in the business called music.”
Guests
for Sunday’s tribute show include Howard Hewett (Shalamar), Reggie and
Vincent Calloway (Midnight Star), Bernadette Cooper and Lorena Stewart
(Klymaxx), and Walter Scott (The Whispers) along with Dick Griffey’s
daughter, Carolyn Griffey.
“It is important for all musicians,
producers, writers, managers, business people in the music business and
the general public to acknowledge the heroes among us. We can no longer
march through our lives without the pride, fight and dedication of those
who came before us, ” concludes King.
Listen to Jay King’s “The
Way I See It” every Sunday from 2:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. PST on
www.blogtalkradio.com/jay-king or call in to listen or have your voice
be heard at 347-205-9366. To find out more about Jay King log on
www.jayking.ning.com.