It's Not the Beat, It's the Groove

Join Kelly and Dave as we put the It's The Groove spin on Madonna's True Blue album, celebrating its 40th anniversary! Go behind the scenes to uncover the talent she surrounded herself with, and how this album melds so many different styles and grooves.

Join Kelly and Dave as we celebrate the 40th Anniversary of one of the 80's top albums, Back In The High Life by Steve Winwood. We uncover the magic behind the songs, including some unforgettable guest performances.

Join Kelly and Dave as we look back over the last two years and relive some of the most fun and most surprising moments of It's The Groove. And of course, we give thanks to those of you who have listened, supported and participated in the show. Don't miss our 2nd anniversary party!

Join Kelly and Dave as we celebrate the 40th Anniversary of Wham!'s Music From the Edge of Heaven. This album was simultaneously the end of one of the 80's most unforgettable bands AND the beginning of an amazing solo career for George Michael. We unpack the magic of this album and dig deep into the swan song for the electrifying duo of Andrew and George.

Join Kelly and Dave for a special edition of It's The Groove, where we talk with singer/songwriter Bill Champlin, who has penned songs like After The Love Has Gone, and Turn Your Love Around. A Grammy-winning artist, Bill has sang with Chicago on some of their highest charting songs, and has a long career of solo and ensemble work as well. Stay tuned for some terrific stories, as well as insig...

It's The Groove Podcast is celebrating the 40th anniversary of Peter Gabriel's So album. We are celebrating 80s music history of one of the most influential albums of all time with special guest Faith Pennick. We explore the stories behind the songs, the groundbreaking music videos, and the cultural impact that still resonates today.

Join Kelly & Dave as we dive into Steely Dan's The Royal Scam album. Go behind the scenes and discover the stories behind the songs. We help uncover a few of the musicians who helped Donald Fagen and Walter Becker craft this album. And we discuss how the process of recording The Royal Scam built the bridge to Steely Dan's next albums.

Join Kelly and Dave as we unpack The Brothers Johnson hit "Strawberry Letter 23." Learn about the genesis of the song, as well as the musicians who played it. Join Kelly as she discovers something new about the song even after nearly 50 years. And learn about why she feels this song is special to her.

Join Kelly and Dave as we unpack Anita Baker's amazing album Rapture, celebrating its 40th anniversary this month. Go back and time and relive the songs, the stories and the memories of that era. And we discuss some of the musicians who helped Anita make this album timeless.

Join Kelly and Dave for Part II of our conversation with legendary drummer Tris Imboden. In this episode, Tris shares how he found his way behind the drum kit for Chicago—and why that seat became home for the next 28 years. He takes us inside life on the road, the energy of those unforgettable live performances, and the musicianship that kept the band’s engine running night after night. Stick arou...

Join Kelly and Dave as we are visited by Rob Mounsey, the relatively unheralded genius behinds such hits as Against All Odds (Take a Look at Me Now), Crazy for You, and You Can Call Me Al, as well as countless others. Hear the stories behind those iconic Steely Dan sessions, and learn how Rob made arrangements for some of the most famous songs of the 80s.

Join your co-hosts Kelly and Dave as they uncover the "secret" behind Janet Jackson's Control album: an album that simultaneously launched Janet into stardom and also changed the sound of Funk/R & B. The artists responsible? Producers Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis, who would go on to produce so much great music in the decades to follow.

Join Kelly, Dave and Special Guest Roy to uncover the "hidden connection" between so many great songs! Keyboardist Greg Phillinganes, who worked with Stevie Wonder, Quincy Jones, Michael Jackson and more to create the amazing songs we all love. Who else played on Songs in the Key of Life, Thriller, and Anita Baker's Rapture? And hear the amazing story of Roy's connection with Gre...

Join Kelly and Dave as we journey back to the days of MTV, Ferris Bueller, Top Gun, and Pretty in Pink. Hard to believe that 1986 was 40 years ago! The It's The Groove team is all over celebrating our top songs from that incredible year in popular music. Which songs made the cut? Join us as we uncover the songs that dominated our playlists back then, and are STILL on heavy rotation today!

Join Kelly and Dave and special guest Shari B Ellis to discuss Duran Duran's Big Thing album. Learn why this album is really a soundtrack album, as we go track by track to uncover the hidden wonders. And stay tuned to hear Duranies Kelly and Shari tell their stories about their Close Encounters of the Duran kind! You won't want to miss this episode.

Join Kelly, Dave and Special Guest Phil Wood to uncover the magic behind the grooves of Jeff Porcaro. What made him such an incredible drummer? Why was he so universally loved? We look back at his catalog and cover 10 of our favorite songs on which he played. You will recognize every song, although you might not know Jeff was behind the kit. Jeff Porcaro, one of the most beloved and accomplished d...

Kelly and Dave have loved Bobby Caldwell's "What You Won't Do For Love" for a very long time. Imagine our delight at being able to chat with Bobby's wife Mary, and his stepdaughter Katie to hear the stories behind the songs! Listen as they tell us wonderful stories about his legacy, the music, and the artists that he worked with. This is a wonderful and touching tribute to on...

Join Kelly and Dave as we have a fun conversation with Tris Imboden, legendary drummer on so many tracks you love. Follow his career as he auditioned for Kenny Loggins, and played on some of those magical tracks. Then, he moved to work with artists like Al Jarreau, Chaka Khan and Anita Baker. This is Part One of a two-part series on his 50 years behind the kit for so many amazing songs.

Kelly and Dave are joined by Tris Imboden, drummer for Kenny Loggins, Al Jarreau, Chaka Khan, Anita Baker and Chicago. In Part One of our conversation, hear Tris talk about joining Kenny Loggins' band, his experience playing at Live Aid, and an astonishing week at the Montreux Jazz Festival.

Join Kelly and Dave for a fascinating interview with drum legend Tris Imboden. Hear his stories about playing on mega-hits like Footloose with Kenny Loggins, including being on stage for the Live Aid concert in 1985. Tris talks about playing with Al Jarreau, Chaka Khan and Anita Baker. And he gives us great insight into the magic behind the music. Stay tuned for Part II which will cover his nearly...

Join Kelly and Dave for an exciting conversation with the drummer behind so many of our favorite songs: Tris Imboden. During Part One, hear about Tris' early work, including his tenure with Kenny Loggins. You've heard him on Footloose, now hear the stories behind the recordings. Hear about his work with Al Jarreau, Chaka Khan and Anita Baker.

Join Kelly, Dave and special guest author Faith Pennick to discuss the music of Steely Dan. With it's slick production, mixture of jazz and rock, and full of A-list studio musicians, the music of Donald Fagen and Walter Becker certainly hits some of the criteria for being classified as Yacht Rock. But is it? We'll debate this and stay tuned for some of our favorite tracks.

Join Kelly and Dave as they get "Physical" and discuss the landmark album by Olivia Newton John. From upbeat dancefloor songs to the soft ballads, this album had it all and launched ONJ into the stratosphere of pop stars. We uncover the hidden connections that helped make this album a major hit.

Hall & Oates fans, this one’s for you! 🎶 In this episode of It’s the Groove, Dave and Kelly take a deep dive into the music, magic, and impact of one of the most iconic duos of all time. From their Philly roots to chart-topping classics like “It’s a Laugh,” “Private Eyes,” and “Maneater,” we’re breaking down the songs that made Hall & Oates legends.💿 We’ll explore their evolution in soun...

Join Kelly and Dave as we unpack the amazing career and incredible catalog of Brenda Russell. From backing Elton John to writing for Rufus and Chaka Khan, to winning a Grammy for writing the score for the Broadway adaptation of The Color Purple, Brenda has continually created magic. We go deep into her catalog for some hidden gems as well as her more popular hits.