TOP TALENT with Richie Phillips

This lady is EXACTLY what this podcast was created for.. to expose people to Top Talent..and SANGAH NOONA is IT!  Originally from South Korea, and now living in the Washington D.C. area, Sangah shows us how she has mastered the’88’s on YouTube and Facebook each week as well as in hotels in D.C. , and has a massive fan base to show for it.  (and she can now add ine more to that!) I stumbled upon he...

Write this name down, cuz you're going to see a lot of her in the very near future.  That's my prediction (and hope) for Carmen Lookshire - a very, very talented Capital Region singer/songwritert and actress as well!   She was recently seen as Toby Ragg in “Sweeney Todd” with Two of Us Productions and as Nina Rosario in Schenectady Light Opera Company’s production of “In the Heights”. Carmen has a...

Multi-talented newscaster, actor, singer, and all around pro - the Capital Region's Benita Zahn- is my guest on this episode.  We explore her background, how she balances her work with personal life, and examine the multitude of prestigious awards she has garnered over the years (despite her reluctance to pat herself on the back...) We talk theatre, health, her husband and much more!  She also has...

You don't necessarily have to live in the Capital Region to appreciate Al Bruno, but if you do, I'm sure you've either have heard him, seen him, or hired him -but always enjoyed him.  He is one of the musical "Road Warriors" who is out there singing his heart out in clubs and at private events in the Albany area AND BEYOND.  He is even in the process of recording a song in Nashville- produced and...

This is a little bit of extra content.. a ditty I wrote about the ridiculous law enacted in New York that would prohibit courts in NY from requiring bail money. I saw people getting riled up on Facebook and Twitter and thought I would try to put it to song !   It’s a rhyming editorial! Please feel free to share this and I invite you to subscribe to the podcast in general!    

  This podcast is truly a labor of love. It has personal meeting to me because every year since 1988 I have written a year end wrap-up song – and always a parody of the same tune- “WHEN JOHNNY COMES MARCHING HOME”.  No one’s really asked me to do it – and I’m not sure anyone cares if I do or not to be honest – but it’s just something that I thought would almost end up being a musical diary of what...

This was an honor and a privilege to be able to highlight student talent in Albany's Capital Region, specifically Mohonasen High School in Rotterdam.  Dylan Smith and Laura Rickard are both talented musicians who have taken it upon themselves to write and record an original composition entitled  "Seconds" (Disclaimer here- this is a demo of their final production- I forgot to mention this in the i...

It took awhile to make this happen, with many bumps along the way technically (apologies for the sketchy audio here -and you should have heard it BEFORE I fixed it!), but here it is- my EXCLUSIVE interview with the Capital Region's very own-- WEATHERMAN G!  It began as a hobby and he has fast become a local and regional phenomenon with thousands of facebook followers -eagerly waiting for his next...

It's Top Talent :Radio Legends -Series 1: Fun interview with old friend and former colleague from radio station WGNA in Albany NY, "Dick Stark After Dark".  There are fun anecdotes from our time on the air, we discuss the changes in the radio biz, famous folks we ment, plus there's a clip of a song he cowrote with his brother David - recorded in Nashville- PLUS special surprise guests, including s...

Interview with Cohoes, New York,  Albany area and Capital Region resident: Season 17 finalist from American Idol, Madison Vandenburg.  Almost all questions in this episode come from Facebook fans.  Thanks for your contributions! I also play "This is Your Life" with her to see if she can identify "the mystery voice" from her past! Order her new song "What I'm Looking For", her merch and catch up on...

Meet Emily who is part of a much needed new generation of police officers coming forward to serve their communities.  We dive into her background and her very touching story of what motivated her to join the “Men and Women in Blue”   Interested in music for your next event. Check out my website at www.rhyminrichie.com  

We go very local this time – if you live in the Capital Region of New York State, you’ll know of this town.  It has exploded in growth over the years, so I thought I would TAKE IT TO THE TOP and find out how it all happened and who was at least partly responsible.. Some say they deserve credit, others say they should be blamed for transforming a quiet little town into a shopping mecca. Former coun...

Hey -we all procrastinate in one way or another, don't we?  Apologies in advance! This one is a tad late, I will admit.   As I will explain in the podcast, every single year since 1988 I have written a song rhyming the top issues of the year. I did it in conjunction with my function (which rhymes) as a singing morning show cohost on WGNA in Albany, NY. Well, had an inquiry on Facebook from long ti...

Even if you think you HAVEN'T heard him - you actually HAVE - many many times. (You'll have to listen to find out why and how!)  John Dicrosta is a phenomenal comic, voiceover artist, actor and all around great podcast guest.   If you like what you hear, you can buy his album - "MULTIPLE CHARACTER DISORDER" - available on iTunes, Amazon.com,  in Walmart stores  and other fine retailers...  Shoot h...

He's published 45 books - (not a typo) on top musical talent- mostly in the rock and hip hop genres, but this time music biographer Jake Brown turns his attention to what he feels is an underappreciated group - the songwriters behind COUNTRY music's biggest hits.   His book ( the second of a series) is called: and you will be THOROUGHLY entertained by his incredible in-depth research into country...

Are you planning a big ANNUAL MEETING?,  WEDDING? CLAS REUNION?    Can't decide where (Especially if you live "downstate" in New York?  Well, I took it to THE TOP to try to find out the reasons why Saratoga Springs, NY is considered one of the best with President of DISCOVER SARATOGA, Darryl Leggieri.   Oh, and hey New Yorkers,  Would you rather live upstate, or downstate? And where exactly is the...

Take a tip and listen to this episode!  This one discusses the very controversial move by NY Gov. Andrew Cuomo to end the "tip credit" - the ability for restaurants to pay less of a "minimum wage" than others  to servers being that they accept tips.    We open with a RHYME-A-TORIAL from yours truly, and then we will speak to noted Albany restauranteur Dominic Purnomo - co-owner of the iconic YONO'...

Time to celebrate LOCAL musicians - the folks who go out and beat the bushes day after day (correction: nite after nite)- playing and singing their hearts out - carrying the torch for the musical genre they love.  In this case, we are talking about country music.   This gentleman is an old friend, and I totally respect his dedication to country music -especially the classic variety.   In an odd wa...

His debut hit "Cold Dead Hands" was  number one on the country charts.  Not bad for an independent artist! I had a great discussion with him about his controversial new song and his upcoming album "It's Been Awhile".     It's definitely "been awhile" since we spoke last (Actually we've NEVER spoken before!).  Check out this in depth "audio bio".   More info about him at www. DustinCollinsmusic.com...

This one was a special thrill. I DEFINITELY took it to THE TOP of the country music business with this guy!     He came on our morning radio show in Albany NY years ago (he looks alot younger, and I had hair).   A few years after that, we had a country music festival in Saratoga, NY, and he invited me to go onstage and accompany him while HE sang!  How surreal was THAT?    I never forgot how frien...

Adam Rutledge is a dynamic country newcomer managed by superstar songwriter/performer Phil Vassar.  I was lucky to get a quick chat with him.  (Apologies in advance for the slightly irritating hiccups, pops and clicks due to a less than optimum phone connection.  If I had my way, I would have called him and done it again, but didn't want to push my luck.  I was happy to have the chance to talk to...

On this episode - Let's call it TOP GRIPE - Very upset over the closing in our area of my favorite chain store, SEARS.  Hard to believe it's gone.  And of course that got the mind wandering to the days of my parents' "mom and pop" store on Eastern Long Island in the town of Mattituck.  That one closed YEARS ago....  so I have a few anecdotes about that.     My song, "Goodbye Sears" is also a video...

On this episode I have written a Song for Saratoga based on information given to me by fellow Facebook folk. Thanks for playing along!   Also, guest Stuart Armstrong has studied the famed Saratoga Lakehouses of the 1920s-50's.  These were old nigh tclubs that featured some famous entertainers like Bing Crosby, Desi Arnaz and the like.  Interesting history of these places that pursued gambling and...

This podcast features "Top Tech" - how it can be incredibly helpful (especially to people with special circumstances) but also we touch on the problems it causes - especially in my case.  So much so that I wrote a song about my attempt to rig up a "smart home".     "NOT SO SMART HOME" SONG - words and music ©2018 Richie Phillips   All Rights Reserved                                      EVENTS MEN...

A fun. Many times emotional interview with veteran chief meteorologist Steve Caporizzo from News 10 ABC in Albany, NY.  (The emotional part comes when he talks about his passion for pets and the abuse he has witnessed).  He also gives a fantastic explanation for the flukey weather we have experienced in the northeast this past winter.  You “science geeks” will love it! A fantastic guy on and off c...