Támar Talks About Edutainment and More...It's a Music Business 4 a Reason!

Although I met Sarah two weeks ago at this years' SXSW in Austin, I started working with Sarah on the film "Trap Jazz" (HULU) two years ago. Sarah Iseley is a Post-Production professional and somatic storyteller who dutifully studied film, as well as Theatre and Psychology, at the University of Wilmington in North Carolina. Though she did not take any Post-Production classes, Sarah,...

"Women benefit from Colorism and Colorism is gendered." ~ Aja Witt Aja Witt, a former honors student at Iowa University, wrote her dissertation on topics relevant to the black community and often rarely discussed. Under the direction of Professor Michael Hill, Aja created a powerful dissertation titled: "Colorism in the Music Industry and the Women It Privileges." In Aja's ...

Gretchen, though she works on some of the biggest shows, still misses the Broadway world. Learn firsthand the differences between the verticals and how she utilizes her gift in all arenas.

Ashley Támar met Gretchen while performing the Broadway classic "Motown the Musical." Enjoy this long-awaited conversation (they haven't spoken since 2017) between the ladies about solving problems and finding your niché by being the 1st to curate a path while following your passion. Gretchen has been working as a wig maker since 2005.  While attending school at the University of Cincinnati, Colle...

Zakiya Larry redefines the power of pivoting while loving what she does in telling stories through journaling. As a Strategic Journalist, Zakiya uses story-telling in a poignant way while helping others tell their narrative. Listen and learn how these women explore topics such as how to take care of your mental while following your passion to knowing when to take care of you, by removing yourself...

It's March and you know what that means? It's "Women's History Month." We are honored to kick off this month with a flashback Town Hall Meeting featuring Grammy-Nominated Artist Ashley Támar, Broadway Actress Patrice Covington, Music Executive Carolyn Owens and Council for Paramount Global, Maya Day. In this gathering, the ladies explore topics from upward mobility to how the...

Sean Thomas shares an inside nugget about working as a Prop Master on some of your favorite television and film projects. And he's on 35 years young!

I met Daniel Meyer while performing with the Stewart Copeland Orchestra in Erie, PA. From the very first song, his energy gave me chills. To watch a conductor use every morsel of his body into a new body of work, is quite jaw-dropping. As soon as I asked Daniel to be a guest on my podcast, he immediately said yes. And what's crazy? I've always wanted to know how a conductor secures such a...

R & B will never be dead if Kenyon Dixon's pen game and vocals have anything associated with it. Besides writing hits for Justin Timerberlake and Tyrese, Mr. Kenyon's faith is un-matched and un-wavering. He walks in a musical freedom that has a tempo of its own. Discover how he got his start and how he remains level-headed in a commercially-driven industry while staying true to his mus...

🎙️ On this weeks Tamar Talks Podcast (Season 5, Episode #3), we get gritty about Elijah's journey, how we met, discuss what it takes to perform 8 shows a week and solutions to todays inequalities as a performer in various shows.  We also shoutout and give accolades to important creatives who have inspired him to keep going.  If you're desiring to perform, whether in your local theatre or t...

My mentor is EPIC. If you desire to be in the Film and Television business, you will have a front row seat listening to Dawn Solers' journey. Previously at ABC Signature, Dawn was responsible for all music at ABC Signature overseeing the music content for shows in the "-ish" family series: "black-ish," "grown-ish" and "mixed-ish." Her helming of the musi...

Thanks to my Sorority Sister Benita, I had the pleasure of meeting Monique Greenwood while living in New York for a short stint.  Mrs. Greenwood is an award winning entrepreneur, native Washingtonian who built her business one bed and breakfast at a time. A dear mentor, friend and big sister to me, Mrs. Greenwood is the owner and chief enjoyment officer of Akwaaba Bed and Breakfast Inns. She...

I sing opera because of David Brewer. But growing up, I hated going to voice lessons. I never understood why, if I had a natural God-given gift, my parents were excited to take me to a black male opera coach. But @dlbopera changed my life so much, that I knew I could one day pursue a career in it. Of course over time, black women weren’t often encouraged to pursue that genre. And through the journ...

It was because of Arkansas native Morris Hayes, by way of my cousin, that I stepped and recorded in the halls of Paisley Park Studios. A talented musician, producer, band leader and keyboardist, Hayes has worked with superstars such as Prince, George Clinton, Elton John, Whitney Houston, and Stevie Wonder. He was one of the 2013 inductees into the Arkansas Black Hall of Fame. But what's the most s...

It's not often that you befriend another black woman in the Entertainment business and history is made in an instance. That's what happened between Nikki Grier and myself. I was filming a pilot and she and I were seated next to each other. Somehow, she got my number, I auditioned for her and her team, unbeknownst to me, for the Sunday Service Collective spearheaded by Kanye West. Her story is powe...

COVID is here and we don't know when it will go away! But one thing's for sure, change is inevitable. Enjoy this motivating conversation with Ashley Támar and Andre Robinson as they solve how to engage in cooperative economics.  Andre Robinson is a community and cultural organizer, activist and consultant with a background as a director, producer, writer, and creative-place maker. He works in comm...

The Music Industry has seen its constant woes about ownership of Masters. From Sam Cooke to Michael Jackson to Prince to Ray Charles to Taylor Swift, artists have not been silent about the lack of ownership of Masters. As of this week, Mr. Kanye West has taken the conversation global, in a more vigilant way. Not only is he sounding the alarm for other artists to come to the table and talk, but som...

Barry Benson, President of Stratus Digital Marketing, is breaking records by the numbers. Especially since streaming has breathed life into a flagging entertainment industry where music has become the latest landscape for the tech world, Barry is a silent catalyst in remaking streamings' image and proves there are opportunities in these unprecedented times. From producing one of the first rap show...

We've all been affected by this pandemic: the Coronavirus. Whether it has affected us mentally, physically, emotionally, or financially, we are all, at the same time, to some degree, perplexed. What's next? Where's the help? Where's our faith and where's can be find peace? In this podcast, I desire to share my reflections on what's happening (from a spiritual perspective) and how we are coping wit...

Garry George "Jellybean" Johnson is one of the most humble living legends I know. A true musician who is known as a drummer, guitarist, songwriter, and producer, Jellybean is a Minneapolis funkster who was an original member of the band The Time. In 1990, Jellybean co-produced Janet Jackson's Heavy Metal/Rock inspired #1 smash hit "Black Cat." Jellybean then wrote and produced for other artists in...

There's a word that is not often used in the Entertainment Business: Loyalty. However, I can honestly say that Shep Crawford, a Grammy-Award winning musician, father, songwriter and record producer exudes loyalty. A dear friend and big brother, I was excited at Shep agreeing to share his story on my podcast. He is best known for writing mega, classic hits such as Whitney Houston's Same Script, Dif...

Liv Warfield may be from the small town of Peoria, Illinois, but her powerhouse vocals have cultivated a faith-walk journey, landing her the spotlight with legends such as Prince and the praises of David Letterman. After touring with Prince and releasing their co-produced project, "The Unexpected," Mrs. Warfield could be seen showcasing her dynamic gift on "The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon" and...

Noted for his ability to move through musical genres flawlessly, Mike Burton, a native of Jackson, Mississippi has created a path as a well-versed musician and producer. Mr. Burton received his Bachelors and Masters degrees in Jazz Studies under the renown Musician and Professor David Baker at Indiana University’s Jacobs School of Music. Trained in music at an early age, his mother is a founding m...

July is Fibroid Awareness Month but not all states recognize it as such. And not all women are aware of this rising and often debilitating health issue. While these noncancerous growths can exist without symptoms, for some women they can cause heavy irregular bleeding, anemia, painful intercourse, and infertility. With over 600,000 hysterectomies performed annually in the US alone, approximately 7...