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Submitted by Douglas Newsom on 19 April 2021

Headlined Guests

Guest Occupation: Political Activist to represent the people of Maryland's first congressional district.
Guest Biography:

About Allison Galbraith:

Maryland Native. Single Mom. Small Business Owner. People First. DC is broken. Our government of the people isn’t working for the people. We can do better. We deserve better. Our representative's job is to listen to us, and to advocate on our behalf. Better government can start right here in MD's First District.  No more "out-of-touch" reps. No more special interests. No more excuses. Just common sense and common values.

Who is Allison Galbriath?

I am a native of Maryland’s First Congressional District, raised in historic Bel Air. Because of my professional experience, I know how the federal government works. I know where the problems are. Because of my educational experience, I know how to save the federal government money and make it run better. Because of my personal experience, I know what happens when it doesn’t work for us. I will fight to make the government work better, for all of us. 

I am a small business owner specializing in federal contracting and acquisition streamlining. I have extensive experience working in the day-to-day operation of the federal government. I’ve navigated the complex regulations and processes, developed new and tailored approaches for research and development programs, introduced process improvements, and helped programs to operate on reduced budgets and deliver products faster. 

I’ve worked with many different federal programs and portfolios—information systems, military medical products, multi-billion dollar rapid development programs, and more. These efforts spanned all stages of development, from basic research through advanced development and sustainment. I’ve served at multiple organizational levels, from the lowest of the unionized positions at the Aberdeen Test Center to the staff of one and two star General Officers and the Senior Executive Service. I’ve worked in many areas—Chemical and Biological Defense, Intelligence and Electronic Warfare, Defense Health, Veterans Benefits, and more. I’ve seen the challenges of running government programs first hand.

I help small businesses on the industry side as well, writing proposals to bid on state and federal contracts. My clients are primarily Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Businesses bidding on Department of Defense, Veterans Affairs, and Health and Human Services contracts. I know how complicated and burdensome it is to write and manage proposals and grants, how this makes it difficult to do business with the government, and how this deters companies from bidding, increases costs, and hinders innovation. 

I am also a daughter of two college professors, and a graduate of a public high school and university. I’m a working single mom. I was married to an Army Veteran for more than a decade. We are now amicably separated, living in the same school district, and working together to raise our son, Ben.

I depend on the essential benefits of the Affordable Care Act to obtain the private health insurance that allows me to own my business. I know what it was like to not be able to afford private insurance, and why the high risk pool didn’t work then and won’t work now. 

I have fought to obtain special education services and relied on the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act to obtain an Individual Education Plan for my stepson. I know the frustration of having to hire an advocate to obtain services that are plainly required. 

I understand the struggles of our Service-members, our veterans, and their families. I have raised kids alone, while working full time, because my spouse’s military training as a helicopter mechanic wasn’t recognized in commercial industry and he took work out of state because he couldn’t find local work in his field. I was the breadwinner while he used the GI Bill to complete his Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering. I was there when he exhausted it, and we could not afford for him to complete his degree without taking on student debt.

I’ve lived paycheck to paycheck, I’ve faced job uncertainty, I’ve been laid off. I’ve experienced sexual assault—I’ve also sued, and won. I’ve been treated differently in the office because I’m a woman, and know many suffer much worse every day. I’m a homeowner. I purchased my current home using an FHA-backed loan, and the previous one using a VA-backed loan. 

I’ve watched loved ones become addicted to painkillers, and lost friends to the opioid epidemic. I’ve been a part of caretaking decisions for my disabled mother, know how sickening it is to debate what is and is not covered by Medicare or insurance companies while making critical healthcare decisions, and participated in difficult end-of-life decisions. 

I know how government programs benefit us, how they could be made better, and how critical it is that the government work for us, not against us. I have the perspective of the people, the perspective that we need in Congress, and the skills to fight to make the government work for working families, rather than against us. 

Summary:

The daughter of two college professors and a graduate of a public high school and university, Allison Galbraith was raised in historic Bel Air, Maryland. Galbraith was married to an Army Veteran for more than a decade. They are now amicably separated, living in the same school district and working together to raise their son, Ben. Allison is now a working single mom. A small business owner specializing in federal contracting and acquisition streamlining, she has extensive experience working in the day-to-day operation of the federal government. Allison helps small businesses on the industry side write proposals to bid on state and federal contracts. She depends on the essential benefits of the Affordable Care Act to obtain private health insurance. Allison is also a homeowner. She’s been a caretaker for her disabled mother and participated in difficult end-of-life decisions. Most recently, first-time candidate Allison Galbraith ran in the Democratic Primary Election on June 26, 2018, in Maryland’s First Congressional District and finished second.

Guest Category: History, Kids & Family, News, Politics & Government, Self Help, Society and Culture, Variety
Guest Occupation: Singer-songwriter, guitarist, painter and television producer
Guest Biography:

B   O   B   B   Y

G   O   L   D   S   B   O   R   O

LEGENDARY SINGER-SONGWRITER-GUITARIST

SPECIAL GUEST ON THE RAY SHASHO SHOW

Bobby Goldsboro's career has been a remarkable evolution. This multi-talented performer started out in the early sixties as a guitarist with the legendary Roy Orbison. During his three years with Orbison he traveled all over the world and even toured with The Beatles.
In 1964 Bobby started his solo career by recording the first of a string of sixteen top-forty hits, "See the Funny Little Clown." He hit the Billboard charts with 29 consecutive singles. One of his first concert bookings had him opening for the Rolling Stones on their first U.S. tour! In fact, Keith Richards credits Bobby with showing him a guitar technique that he later used. Bobby then opened for The Four Seasons on one of his first tours. Bobby also toured and opened for The Beach Boys!

More million-selling hits followed, setting the stage for 1968 and the classic, "Honey," which became the largest-selling record in the world, selling over 5 million copies! "Watching Scotty Grow" was 1971's No. 1 Soft Rock and Adult Contemporary hit and his recordings of "Little Green Apples" and "With Pen in Hand" have also become classics.

1973 brought Bobby his own nationally syndicated television show, which ran for three successful seasons and became the highest rated variety show in syndication in the '70's. His quick wit made him a much sought-after "regular" on the tv talk show circuit as well. Bobby then formed House of Gold Music, which became one of the most successful music publishing companies in Nashville, publishing such songs as "Wind Beneath My Wings" and "Behind Closed Doors."

Bobby Goldsboro, the songwriter has received twenty-seven B.M.I. awards and his compositions have been recorded by such diverse artists as Aretha Franklin, John Denver, Paul Anka, Dolly Parton, Johnny Cash, Dr. John, Conway Twitty and Bette Midler. His compositions, "With Pen in Hand" and "Autumn of My Life" are members of B.M.I.'s exclusive "Million-airs Club," which contains only those songs which have been played on the air over one million times! Bobby's classic composition, "Summer, the First Time" was recently voted the greatest summer song ever in England!

In 1999, Bobby was inducted into the Alabama Music Hall of Fame. He joined fellow inductees Wilson Pickett and The Temptations for a memorable evening of hits!

Bobby has quickly gained a reputation as a world-class artist. The Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum in Tucson now houses one of Bobby's hummingbird paintings. He is being featured in one-man art shows at galleries around the country. His paintings are being purchased by fans and art lovers alike and Bobby and his wife, Dianne regularly donate paintings and giclee prints to charities for fund-raisers. A recent charity auction in Naples, Florida brought $25,000 for one of Bobby's paintings.

Bobby is still an in-demand and popular concert performer and he still enjoys entertaining his many fans. From opera houses in Italy and France to Carnegie Hall in New York City, Bobby has played them all. In a business notorious for chewing up its greatest heroes, Bobby Goldsboro has come through unscathed, as healthy and wholesome as the clean-cut country boy he was in the halcyon days of rock and roll. Like fine wine, Bobby has improved with age. And, the best of Bobby Goldsboro may be yet to come!

Guest Category: Arts, Entertainment, Music, TV & Film
Guest Occupation: Singer and Songwriter
Guest Biography:

BILL ROTELLA

Singer-songwriter- Bill Rotella is a solo artist and also a member of the “folk n’ soul” duo Amber & Smoke. Bill has recorded 9 albums, both as a soloist and with his bands Dakota, Baywoodand most recently with Amber & Smoke. The Amber & Smokedebut album, “Riverbound”, was released in January 2018.

Bill’s songs have appeared in films, documentaries and in music videos. Bill comes from a family of songwriters. Bill’s father, Johnny Rotella, was an L.A studio musician and songwriter. His songs have been recorded by many icons in the 60’s and 70’s including Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, Tony Bennett and Doris Day. Bill’s father performed and recorded with Benny Goodman, Tommy Dorsey, Steely Dan, Frank Zappa, Neil Diamond and the Turtles, to name a few. Bill’s uncle was big band arranger Jerry Gray. His list of musical arrangements for Tommy Dorsey and Glenn Miller include String of Pearls and Pennsylvania 6-5000.

Guest Category: Performing Arts, Entertainment, Music
Guest Occupation: Singer and performer
Guest Biography:

AMBER OLIVE

Graduating from New Mexico State University, Amber Olive was nominated for her athletic ability in softball and her outreach to the Las Cruces, New Mexico community for NCAA Woman of the Year in 2013. Since then, Olive has spent time singing around the LA music scene, doubling for actress Kylie Bunbury in the FOX TV series, PITCH, and was featured in the Adidas “See My Creativity” commercial campaign promoting women in sports.

​Amber Olive has a soulful and captivating voice and an electric stage presence. Bill Rotella sings and plays a variety of guitars, harmonica, and ukulele. Together Amber and Bill have a unique sound. In addition to their 2 albums of original music, they perform many retro “folk n’ soul” classics.

“I’m a performer and I love being on stage. I grew up on the classics which has heavily influenced my style. I’ve sang a variety of different genres from Motown’s finest, rock and roll’s legends, country classics, to today’s top charts, all packed with the soulful, smoky, vintage voice God blessed me with. I fell in love with the electricity and emotions in skillfully thought out lyrics intertwined with captivating rhythm and beats that speak to your soul.

​Being able to have the opportunity to play on several stages, work with a multitude of talented musicians and industry professionals, and the love for the music has really shaped who I am as an artist. Music is an incredible journey, singing is the vehicle I chose, and the road before me is ever reaching.”

Guest Category: Performing Arts, Entertainment, Music
Guest Occupation: Award-winning author and founder of Conscious Stories, LLC
Guest Biography:

ANDREW NEWMAN

Andrew Newman is the award-winning author and founder of Conscious Stories, LLC, a growing series of 12 bedtime stories purpose-built to support conscious parenting and parent-child bonding. His professional background includes deep training in therapeutic healing work and mindfulness. He brings a calm yet playful energy to events and workshops where he is a speaker, inviting and encouraging the creativity of his audiences. Andrew has extensive experience engaging with children K-5, parents, and teachers alike.

He has been opening an speaker for Deepak Chopra, a Tedx presenter in Findhorn, Scotland and author-in-residence at the Bixby School in Boulder, Colorado. Andrew is a graduate of Barbara Brennan School of Healing and counsels parents to find their center so they can be more deeply present to their kids.

A Little Bit of Love

“Andrew’s ability to connect deeply with our children, to engage in their ideas, and create amazing stories inspired all of us. As a talented author, Andrew’s stories get to their heart of humanity in language that children understand. I can’t recommend Andrew highly enough!” — Beth Suitor, Head of School, Bixby School

“We bring speakers into our preschool every other month, and Andrew was such a favorite that we’ve invited him back multiple times. Citing recent neuroscience and developmental psychology, Andrew provided us with suggestions for evening rituals involving mindfulness practices that are both achievable and meaningful for children. Andrew will be one of the most uniquely engaging speakers your school will provide to your families.” Little Lyceum Montessori, Denver

Guest Category: Arts, Literature, Health & Lifestyle, Kids & Family, Philosophy, Psychology, Self Help, Motivational
Guest Occupation: Singer and Songwriter
Guest Biography:

RON DADON

Ron Dadon is an up and coming singer and songwriter in the LA scene. Heavily influenced by Art Pop legends such as Fiona Apple and Alanis Morrisette, her music seeks to move you, getting to the deepest corners of your heart using her captivating storytelling and warm croons. Ron’s first single “In My Head”, produced by Keaton Stromberg, was released in April of 2018. She is currently working on a full-length album and will continue to release singles throughout the upcoming year, and with her penchant for creating music that everyone can find something to like about, you’ll want to listen.

Guest Category: Performing Arts, Entertainment, Music
Guest Occupation: Animal communicator, pet intuitive, pet behavior specialist and obedience trainer
Guest Biography:

DENISE MANGE

After a decade working at some of the most prestigious advertising agencies in New York City, Denise left the glitz and glamor of Madison Avenue to pursue a true sense of fulfillment and soul’s purpose, which she found working with dogs. Upon certification through traditional dog obedience training programs, she realized there had to be more that could be done to honor the connection between pups and their humans.

Looking for ways to foster those deeper connections, Denise studied with some of the top animal communicators and intuitives in the field, and eventually developed a unique brand of mindful dog training to help pet parents forge a loving partnership with their pups through the lens of mind, body, and energetic connection.

Denise’s proprietary process Translating Beyond Behavior(SM) provides a roadmap to how your pet’s behaviors can give you specific insight into the healing that is ready to take place, including limiting beliefs to process and which chakras they affect. Denise’s integrative approach helps foster true partnerships and heart-centered connections that deepen the compassion and understanding of the lessons your animal companions are here to share with you, using methods such as chakra work, animal communication, and pet numerology in conjunction with the fundamentals of traditional obedience training. Think of it as self-help, for Pet’s sake!

Denise believes that energy connects us all, and whether in the context of traditional dog obedience training or communicating with your animal companion, energy matters. The most basic and primal way to communicate with each other, and especially with our pets, is energetically, but somewhere along the way it seems to have been forgotten as a basic building block of dog obedience training and living a more connected life with your animal companion. Denise is here to change that, and forge a new path forward in pet guardianship.

Guest Category: Plant & Animals, Health & Lifestyle, Kids & Family, Pets and Animals, Self Help, Spiritual, Numerology, Psychic & Intuitive
Guest Occupation: Photographer, filmmaker, graphic designer and science consultant for multiple paranormal research organizations
Guest Biography:
Justin Brown is a photographer, filmmaker, graphic designer and science consultant for multiple paranormal research organizations. 
 
Titles that concern the paranormal include:
Founder/Lead Investigator of Interface Death Paranormal research 
 
Movie Producer at Shadowforge Studios
 
Photographer at Justin Brown Photography
 
Radio Host at Necromancer Live Show
 
Concept/Graphic Designer at Deadlite LLC
 
BIO: After experiencing profound paranormal experiences in his youth and dealing with the untimely death of his father in 2011, Justin Brown has been conducting paranormal field research since March 2013 from a small town in southern Ohio called Hillsboro. He specializes in EVP, ITC, DVP and psychokinetic phenomena. The goal of this research project is to explain paranormal phenomena by using scientific principals and theory. The acquisition of data is at the forefront of this field research, but helping the community with consultation, investigation and education is also a priority.
 
Justin visits known haunted locations and responds to house calls and owners of properties and businesses with reported paranormal phenomena to do his work. He produces documentaries covering his paranormal research at these locations and videos that educate the community on methodology and how to apply science to paranormal field research. He hosts a weekly paranormal podcast that interviews other paranormal researchers in the effort to unite the paranormal community.
Guest Category: Arts, Design, Visual Arts, Education, Entertainment, Paranormal, Ghosts, Science, TV & Film
Guest Occupation: Radio Host/Author/Divorce and Custody Activist
Guest Biography:

About Kelly Jones

As seen in Rolling Stone, Newsweek, Inside Edition and more, Kelly Jones is an outspoken Family Court Justice activist.

Despite winning a Jury verdict in 2017, her ex-husband, Alex Jones’ ceaseless Abuse of Process and Vexatious Litigation continues to infringe on Kelly’s family’s Human and Civil Rights.

In June 2018, Newsweek covered Kelly Jones’ legal outreach for representation in her $130 million personal injury lawsuit against her ex, Alex Jones, including requests to Michael Avenatti and Gloria Allred. Citing Defamation, Intentional Infliction of Emotional Distress and Interference with Custody, Kelly is asking she be awarded Infowars.com as part of her General Damages.

When awarded Infowars.com, Kelly Jones pledges to sell it of to pay reparations to Alex Jones’ defamation victims and to fund lobbying and legal efforts to forever alter the landscape of America’s broken Family Court System.

Kelly draws a parallel between the story of Dumbo the Elephant’s Mom, who was thrown into a cage and called a Mad Elephant for trying to defend her baby from bullies, and good mothers who are routinely gaslit by corrupt experts in Family Court.

Kelly lost her children for years off the lies of corrupt experts who have admitted perjury and destroyed their files. They didn’t care about Alex Jones, who has a Narcissistic Personality Disorder, but sought to stress Kelly out and traumatize her into a reaction, by taking her children.

Kelly is devoted to extinguishing the Victorian Family Court gaslight to bring America’s Family Court system into the 21st Century.  It is a national crisis that cannot continue in the era of the #metoo movement.

Kelly has been forced into to four concurrent lawsuits by her ex, Alex Jones, including both a State and Federal Appeal, her Personal Injury Tort and a new Custody Modification Alex recently filed.  She fully expects to prevail in all four suits.

CustodyWars.com is dedicated to providing non-legal client-based support, to help those dealing with emotional abuse or divorcing a narcissist, and to advocacy and activism about Family Court injustice.

Media and interested attorneys, please contact media@custodywars.com or call Kelly at 512-572-9440

You can donate to Kelly here.  Alex Jones has eight lawyers, including a former Supreme Court Justice and Randy and Alison Wilhite, who are representing him against the Sandy Hook parents.

Randy Wilhite charges over $600/hr.  Alex Jones is collectively paying eight attorneys thousands of dollars a day on a daily basis.  He has used infowars.com fundraisers/donations/funds to litigate cruelly against Kelly Jones for years.

Kelly spent all her liquid assets and was financially devastated in the Jury trial that culminated with her victory.  Kelly Jones is Pro Se (or self-represented) in her Federal Appeal and Tort case.  If 100,000 people donated $5 dollars, Kelly would be able to fully fund her injury lawsuit and #unpluginfowars when she prevails.

Guest Category: News, Politics & Government, Society and Culture
Guest Occupation: Author religion expert
Guest Biography:

Margaret Starbird holds BA and MA degrees from the University of Maryland where she concentrated in comparative literature, medieval studies, and German language, studies she pursued on a Fulbright Student Grant at the Christian Albrechts Universitat in Kiel, Germany. She taught German language classes at the University of Maryland for four years (1964-68) and for one year at North Carolina State University(1969-70). She later studied theology at Vanderbilt Divinity School in Nashville, TN (1988-89). 

Margaret Starbird has lived and traveled widely  in Europe including pilgrimages to Black Madonna and Mary Magdalene shrines and Cathar citadels in Provençe. Starbird and her husband of 48 years currently reside in the Pacific Northwest. They have five grown children and nine grandchildren. Starbird presents frequent lectures nationwide as well as international seminars and retreats honoring the Divine Feminine and the Sacred Marriage at the core of the Christian story. Her interviews appear on various TV channels and some are available on-line. She is the author of 7 books:

The Woman with the Alabaster Jar (1993)

The Goddess in the Gospels (1998)

The Tarot Trumps and the Holy Grail (2000)

Magdalene’s Lost Legacy (2002)

The Feminine Face of Christianity (2002)

Mary Magdalene, Bride in Exile (2005)

14 Steps to Awaken the Sacred Feminine (2008, co-authored with Joan Norton, a Jungian therapist).

Guest Category: Literature, Education, Entertainment, History, Religion, Christianity, Meditation
Guest Occupation: Author, Public Speaker, Effective Communcations Consultant, Head of Behavioural Profling for the FBI's CounterIntelligence Unit
Guest Biography:

About Robin:

Although Robin always had aspired to become a great leader, he realized from his time at the United States Naval Academy and in the United States Marine Corps that leadership was much more than just telling people what to do: a great leader uses interpersonal skills to influence, rather than command, others. As a commander in charge of over 200 recruits and 16 drill instructors at Parris Island, South Carolina, Robin learned the fundamentals of leadership and influence. Upon entering service in the FBI in 1997, Robin began his journey as a behaviorist in the agency's efforts to thwart the effort of our country's adversaries. Throughout his life, Robin has received advanced training and experience in the area of social psychology and the practical application of the science behind relationship development. Robin's remarkable journey began as a 1992 graduate of the United States Naval Academy and former U. S. Marine Corps Officer. He has studied interpersonal relations for the past 30 years of his government service. Through observations of nonverbal behavior, use of the Personal Discernment Inventory, the Myers Briggs Type Indicator, and his own unique techniques, Robin has built highly effective tools for all aspects and stages of interpersonal communication. Robin has combined all these tools and techniques and created a one-of-a-kind formula for success with people. Today, Robin is a recognized expert, author, and gifted lecturer in the art of interpersonal communication. These skills are used every day in leadership, sales, human resources, and all relationships, both business and personal.

Guest Category: Business, Education, Philosophy, Politics & Government, Psychology, Science, Self Help, Society and Culture, Spiritual
Guest Occupation: Guitarist, vocalist, and songwriter
Guest Biography:

S T E P H E N    B I S H O P

CELEBRATING OVER FOUR DECADES

OF

LIVE PERFORMANCE,SONG CRAFTSMANSHIP, RECORDING,AND ENTERTAINMENT

 

Stephen Bishop is a world-class guitarist, vocalist, and songwriter with a celebrated career of over four decades of live performance, song craftsmanship, recording, and entertainment.  A San Diego native, Stephen Bishop’s introduction to the music industry was after seeing the Beatles perform on “The Ed Sullivan Show,” at 13 years old. Shortly after seeing their performance, his brother Denny bought him an electric guitar. He began creating his own unique chords, melodies and writing original songs. The first song he ever wrote was called, “Surf’s Turf,” an instrumental. Less than a year after picking up the guitar, Stephen formed a band called, “The Weeds.” Soon after, they began performing at local venues, playing a mixture of original songs and popular hits on the radio at the time. As a band, the Weeds placed second at the Claremont Battle of the Bands in 1966. 

After the Weeds disbanded, Stephen ventured to Los Angeles in the hopes of landing a songwriting contract. Stephen walked the streets of LA in the early 1970’s with nothing more than a $12 guitar. He began playing songs for different publishers in the area and landed a deal with Edwin H. Morris Publishing in Hollywood. Stephen was paid $50 per week. During his first few years at the publishing company, only one of his songs was recorded. At one point, Stephen considered leaving Los Angeles to work for his father's insurance company in San Diego. However, his friend Leah Kunkel connected him with Art Garfunkel. Art recorded two of Stephen's songs on his album, “Breakaway.”

Shortly thereafter, Stephen was signed to ABC Records. He released his first album, “Careless,” which had two popular hits, “On and On,” and “Save It For a Rainy Day.” It became gold certified, as well as his second album, “Bish.” Stephen Bishop has released 17 albums and has played his songs personally for Barbra Streisand, Diana Ross, Bette Midler, Melissa Manchester, and Katy Perry. His newest album, "Blueprint" was released in 2016. In Eric Clapton's autobiography, he mentions Stephen Bishop as one of his favorite songwriters.

Accomplishments

Stephen Bishop’s hit song, “It Might Be You,” was the theme to the film “Tootsie.” Stephen has written the themes to several films, including “Animal House,” "The Money Pit," and “White Nights.” His songs have been performed by Phil Collins, Eric Clapton, Barbra Streisand, Art Garfunkel, Steve Perry, Stephanie Mills, Kenny Loggins, Johnny Mathis, Phoebe Snow, David Crosby, The Four Tops, Aswad, Beyonce, and Pavarotti. Stephen was nominated for two Grammy's and awarded an Oscar nomination for his song, “Separate Lives.”

Fun Fact

Stephen appeared as the “Charming Guitar Player,” in Animal House. In the toga party scene, John Belushi slams Stephen's guitar to smithereens. 

Recent News

On March 16th, 2018, Netflix released the film, "Benji." The main theme song for this movie, "Almost Home," was written by Stephen Bishop and Curt Sobel.

For more information about Stephen Bishop visit ...

https://www.stephenbishop.com/

https://www.facebook.com/stephenbishopofficial

Guest Category: Entertainment, Music, TV & Film
Guest Occupation: Guitarist and Singer
Guest Biography:

J O H N   M C N A L L Y

GUITARIST-SINGER-FOUNDER

OF

BRITAIN'S LEGENDARY ROCK GROUP

'THE SEARCHERS'

Do you remember....

"Sweets for My Sweet"; "Needles and Pins" "When You Walk in the Room"; "Sugar and Spice";  "Don't Throw Your Love Away"' "Love Potion No. 9" to name just a few …  the Searchers tied for the second group from Liverpool, after the Beatles, to have a hit in the US when their "Needles and Pins" and the Swinging Blue Jeans' "Hippy Hippy Shake" both reached the Hot 100 on 7 March 1964.
It’s little wonder then that most observers considered The Searchers to be the most successful and important Group, after the Beatles, in that quite wonderful period of Pop Music.

Originally founded as a skiffle group in Liverpool in 1959 by John McNally and Mike Pender (Mike Prendergast), the band took their name from the classic 1956 John Wayne western The Searchers.

The band grew out of an earlier skiffle group formed by McNally, with his friends Brian Dolan (guitar) and Tony West (bass). When the other two members lost interest, McNally was joined by his guitarist neighbor Mike Prendergast. They soon recruited Tony Jackson with his home-made bass guitar and amplifier and styled themselves Tony and the Searchers with Joe Kelly on drums. Kelly soon left to be replaced by Norman McGarry and it is this line-up—McNally, Pender (as he soon became known), Jackson and McGarry—that is usually cited as the original foursome.

McGarry did not stay long, however, and in 1960 his place was taken by Chris Crummey (who later changed his name to Curtis). Later that year Big Ron had a successful audition with Mecca and became a ballroom singer. He was replaced by Billy Beck, who changed his name to Johnny Sandon. The band had regular bookings at Liverpool's Iron Door Club as Johnny Sandon and the Searchers.

Sandon left the band in late 1961 to join The Remo Four in February 1962. The group settled into a quartet sharing the vocal lead and billed simply as The Searchers. They continued to play at the Iron Door, The Cavern, and other Liverpool clubs. Like many similar acts they would do as many as three shows at different venues in one night. They negotiated a contract with the Star-Club in the St. Pauli district Hamburg for 128 days, with three one-hour performances a night, starting in July 1962.

The band returned to a residence, at the Iron Door Club and it was there that they tape recorded the sessions that led to a recording contract with Pye Records with Tony Hatch as producer.

Hatch played piano on some recordings and wrote "Sugar and Spice"—the band’s second number one record—under the pseudonym Fred Nightingale; a secret he kept from the band at the time.

After scoring their monumental hit "Needles and Pins", bassist Tony Jackson went solo and was replaced by Hamburg pal Frank Allen of Cliff Bennett and the Rebel Rousers.

Chris Curtis left the band in 1966 and was replaced by the Needles and Pins-influenced John Blunt, who in turn was replaced by Billy Adamson in 1970.

As musical styles evolved, the Searchers could not keep up and as a result, the hits ran out and while they continued to record for Liberty Records and RCA Records, ended up on the British "Chicken in a Basket" circuit although they did score a minor US hit in 1971 with "Desdemona".

The group continued to tour through the 1970s and were rewarded in 1979 when Sire Records signed the band to a multi-record deal. Two albums were released by them, The Searchers and Play for Today (retitled Love's Melodies outside the UK). Both records garnered great critical acclaim but did not break into the charts. They did however revitalize the group's career. According to John McNally, the band were ready to head into the studio to record a third album for Sire when they were informed that due to label reorganization, their contract had been dropped.

In 1981, the band signed to PRT Records (formerly Pye, their original label) and began recording an album but only one single, "I Don't Want To Be The One" backed with "Hollywood", saw the light of day at that time. The rest of the tracks would be released as part of 2004's 40th Anniversary collection.

In 1985 Mike Pender left The Searchers to form his own group. His aim was, and still is to this day, to faithfully recreate the sound and feel of those Hit Recordings and at the same time introduce other material that compliments Mike's unique voice and guitar style.

In 1988, Coconut Records signed The Searchers and the album Hungry Hearts was the result. A very contemporary sounding release, it featured modern sounding remakes of "Needles and Pins" and "Sweets For My Sweets". While the album was not a major hit, it did keep the group in the public eye.

The Searchers are still going strong today and hold a significant fanbase worldwide.

The band members are:

John McNally - original member and founder, 6string/12 string guitarist and vocals

Frank Allen - bass guitarist, vocals and front man

Spencer James - guitar synth and lead vocals

Scott Ottaway – on drums.

For more information about John McNally and The Searchers visit ...

http://www.the-searchers.co.uk/

https://www.facebook.com/groups/2267201297/

Guest Category: Entertainment, Music
Guest Occupation: physician, author, lecturer
Guest Biography:

My guest this week is Iván Figueroa Otero M.D. FACS, FAAMA/  After graduating from the School of Medicine of the University of PR in 1970, Dr. Figueroa Otero trains as General Surgeon at the University Hospital of the UPR School of Medicine, integrating a one-year fellowship in the study of cancer, and one year in experimental research. Post-graduate studies in Pediatric Surgery, then follow at Miami Children’s Hospital and the San Juan Municipal Hospital.

Looking for non-surgical or less invasive options for pediatric conditions, Dr. Figueroa Otero explores Eastern philosophies that emphasize a holistic concept of disease. He was one of the first physicians to become certified in medical acupuncture in Puerto Rico, training in traditional Chinese medicine and acupuncture with professors from the University of Seville. Eventually he was certified in medical acupuncture nationally.

In 2009, he became certified in anti- aging medicine and in December of that year he retired from the practice of pediatric surgery, focusing instead on a holistic medical practice and emphasizing disease prevention and modification of life styles. In 2011 he was invited to become a Trustee of the American Board of Medical Acupuncture, which is the national body organization responsible for certifying physicians in the field of acupuncture through national exams. In that same year he was recognized by Natural Awakenings magazine as Holistic Physician of the Year.

Dr. Figueroa Otero is currently engaged in his private practice and continues in his role as an educator, trying to achieve full integration of traditional Chinese acupuncture courses in the curriculum of medical schools, promoting that physicians to be certified both locally and nationally, and to establish clinical research protocols on the use of acupuncture in known conditions compared to the methodology established by modern medicine. Another immediate priority is to incorporate meditation techniques and their role in preventive and therapeutic medicine. He has authored multiple books including Spirituality 103: The forgiveness Code.

Guest Category: Education, Health & Lifestyle, Medicine, Science, Self Help, Spiritual
Guest Occupation: Chris Gillings, CEO of Ticket Weirdo
Guest Biography:

Chris Gillings is the CEO of TICKET WEIRDO, the ONLY online ticket site in the world that offers you a membership to get discounts and cash-back rewards on your purchases!! It’s easy to use! And we never sneak up on you with any of those hidden service fees at the end!

Being a member of TICKET WEIRDO is pretty sweet! You get hooked up with your own personalized promo code for unlimited discounts, you get event updates, concierge service, and killer apparel! Plus, earn cash-back rewards!!

TICKET WEIRDO is hooking up 1,000's of people with $1,000s of savings every year!

When you become a member, you do more than just put money back in your pocket. You get to invite more friends, buy more at the actual event, go out afterwards, and live with the peace of mind that you didn’t get ripped off!

Plus, TICKET WEIRDO will also donate a portion of your membership and ticket purchases to charity!

Now you can save money, have fun, be cool all over again, and give back at the same time!!

Guest Category: Games & Hobbies, Kids & Family, Sports & Recreation, Variety
Guest Occupation: peaker, Author, Educator, Youth Sports Consultant
Guest Biography:

My name is Jason L. Parker and I am a Speaker, Author, Educator and Youth Sports Consultant. I firmly believe in rediscovering character within our youth sports today. I also speak to youth/parent groups, coaches and school administrators. My platform is 'Engaged Athletics' and our mission is to use sport as a catalyst to change students lives from the inside out. I am a former Division I and Pro athlete who only realized the power of athletics in my life when I was just a few days away from flunking out of law school. This epiphany helped me to complete my law degree, but I quickly transition to becoming a school Athletic Director so that I could share the value of my realization ​​with students, parents and coaches on a daily basis.

I have recently completed my first book Engaged Athletics: How to Leverage the Power of Youth and High School Sports to Impact Overall Student Success (June 1 release date) and speak on several topics (listed below) that may be of interest to your audience. If so, feel free to contact me at jlpengages@gmail.com to learn more about the movement.  I'd love to connect with you!

  •  Messaging for Coaches

    • Importance of your Platform

      • Mastering your Craft
      • Protecting Professionalism
      • Creating Engagement
  • Messaging for Parents
    • Helping Youth Develop Identify
    • Let What They Love Lead
    • How 3Cs (Character, Commitment, College) of Sport Changes Things
    • Book Trailer: 

My new book 'Engaged Athletics' is designed to equip parents, coaches, and school administrators with the tools to help students get the most out of sports participation. While many students are playing sports, few are leveraging the power of athletics to change their lives both on and off the court. Find clarity on your sports philosophy, learn goal setting, and develop the proper outlook to help kids unlock a character, commitment, and enhanced levels of sports skills.

Guest Category: Games & Hobbies, Health & Lifestyle, Kids & Family, Self Help, Sports & Recreation, Variety
Guest Occupation: Integrative Psychologist, Radio Host, Wellness Educator and Award-Winning Author
Guest Biography:

Dr. Theresa Nicassio is an integrative psychologist in private practice, as well as a radio host, wellness educator and award-winning author of YUM: Plant-Based Recipes for a Gluten-Free Diet. 

An agent of change who is fiercely committed to empowerment, Theresa offers simple solutions to everyday problems about health, relationships, & our ailing planet. Her radio show (The Dr. Theresa Nicassio Show) reaches over 1/3 million monthly listeners and her website, TheresaNicassio.com, are her way of offering the wisdom she’s learned on her personal and professional journey to as many people as possible. 

As a health, environmental and disability advocate, Theresa is doing all she can to bring to life her dream for everyone to have access to cutting-edge information that can equip them to join the revolution to make the world be a kinder, healthier and more sustainable place.

Her website is: https://www.theresanicassio.com/

Guest Category: Earth & Space, Entertainment, Health & Lifestyle, Kids & Family, Psychology, Self Help, Society and Culture, Variety
Guest Occupation: Owner/Director of Sports Performance
Guest Biography:

J.R. has multiple sports performance related certifications, including ACE, USA Track & Field, and Athletic Republic’s Exercise Science certification. He is also a member of the National Strength & Conditioning Association. J.R. has been training athletes for the past 8 years, and has studied extensively with Westside Barbell’s “conjugate training”, Russian block periodization, and USA Track & Field. J.R. started training with Acceleration at the end of his 8th grade and continued with the Acceleration program for 15 years until he eventually became the Director of Acceleration Naperville.

Professional: While others were training at professional combine training facilities in preparation for the NFL Draft, J.R. trained himself in Macomb Illinois and posted amazing numbers. At 6’3”, 245 pounds, J.R. ran a 4.48 40 Yard Dash, 3.92 Pro Agility, 6.57 L-Cone, a 10’8” broad jump, a 42” Vertical Jump, and repped out 225 pounds 28 times in the bench press (Western Illinois and Ohio State‘s Pro Days).

In 2002, J.R. signed a free agent contract with the Seattle Seahawks practice squad. During week 3, the St. Louis Rams picked J.R. up to the active roster due to the retirement of Heisman Trophy Winner, Eric Crouch. J.R. spent the rest of the season on active roster for the Rams and was called the “NFL’s Fastest Fullback” by then St Louis Rams coach Mike Martz. J.R. continued to play 6 years in the NFL as a reserve fullback and special teams player also with the Oakland Raiders, Kansas City Chiefs, and Cleveland Browns.

J.R. also played in NFL Europe where he won a NFL World Bowl Championship, scoring the game’s last touchdown to cap off the victory. During last season, he was a lead blocker for Roger Robinson who owns the NFLE record for rushing yards in a season. J.R.’s NFLE Reebok jersey is currently the highest selling NFLE jersey of all time.

Throughout his career, he has trained and played with NFL Hall Of Fame members Jerry Rice, Rod Woodson, and John Randall, and future NFL Hall Of Fame members Randy Moss, Tony Gonzalez, and Marshall Faulk.

College: J.R. originally signed onto The Ohio State University to play football and run track. As a freshman, J.R. ran a personal best 20.9 200 meter dash. After his freshman year, he transferred to Western Illinois University to focus entirely on football. As a Leatherneck, J.R. was a 3 time All-American, leading the nations tight ends in multiple categories, multiple years. J.R. was recently named to the All-Time Missouri Valley Team, joining Kurt Warner, Rodney Harrison, and Naperville Central Alum, current New Orleans Saints Coach Sean Payton.

High School: J.R. was a 4 sport athlete in high school playing football, indoor track, outdoor track, and baseball. He earned All-State and All-American honors his senior year in high school for football and track and was a national standout 400 and 200 meter dash sprinter, placing second in the nation in the 4×400 relay, and boasting one of the fastest 200 meter dash times in the nation.

Guest Category: Games & Hobbies, Health & Lifestyle, Kids & Family, Self Help, Sports & Recreation, Variety
Guest Occupation: Adult & Child Psychiatrist
Guest Biography:

Dr. Denise McDermott, M.D. has been in private practice since 2001. She completed her Adult Psychiatry residency at Emory University in Atlanta, Georgia and her Child Psychiatry fellowship at UCLA. As a medical doctor with board certifications in both Adult and Child Psychiatry, she treats children, adolescents and adults. Her goal is to empower you, your child, and your family to live the best life possible. Her approach is to encourage people to believe in wellness, not illness, and to lead a balanced healthy lifestyle.

“When you are going through a crisis in your life, remind yourself that on the other side of that is stabilization and then a place of thriving,” she tells her patients everyday.

Dr. Denise includes a multi-disciplinary approach to medicine, where she integrates many holistic modalities such as Eastern medicine, healers, nutritionists and many more. She has collegial relationships and collaborates with other physicians, psychologists, marriage and family therapists and educational therapists. She believes in prescribing the least amount of medication possible and creates an integrative wellness plan that resonates for each patient.

She is a sought after medical doctor for second opinions, specific diagnostic assessments, medication management, and psychotherapy.

Website: http://www.drdenisemd.com/

Guest Category: Health & Lifestyle, Kids & Family, Medicine, Psychology, Self Help, Variety
Guest Occupation: NATASHE CHE is a PhD-economist-turned tech entrepreneur and personal growth coach.
Guest Biography:

Natasha Che is a tech entrepreneur and a premier expert on podcast conversion. She is the founder of Soundwise, a mobile-centric audio publishing platform to sell on-demand audios. Natasha is a contributor to Huffington Post and Entrepreneur, and author of the book Podcast Conversion Secrets: The Ultimate Guide for Turning Your Podcast Listeners into Paying Customers. A frequent speaker at industry conferences, Natasha is known for combining personal growth wisdom with no-nonsense business advices. Natasha holds a PhD in Economics from Georgetown University and lives in Washington DC.

Guest Category: Arts, Business, Education, Entertainment, Games & Hobbies, Health & Lifestyle, News, Society and Culture, Technology