Rock & Roll High School With Pete Ganbarg

A celebrated and prolific songwriter, Jimmy’s works have been recorded by world-renowned artists, such as Glen Campbell, Richard Harris, Frank Sinatra, Barbra Streisand, Nina Simone, Donna Summer, and Tony Bennett, just to name a few. Some of his best known songs include “Up, Up and Away,” “By the Time I Get to Phoenix,” “Worst That Could Happen,” “Galveston,”  “Highwayman,” “MacArthur Park” and “Wichita Lineman,” which Bob Dylan has called the greatest song ever written.  In 1986, Jimmy became the youngest person ever inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame, and he later received the organization’s most prestigious honor, the Johnny Mercer Award. Jimmy is also the recipient of the Ivor Novello Special International Award, the National Academy of Songwriters Lifetime Achievement Award, and the ASCAP Voice of Music Award. He is also the only Grammy winner to have won for music, lyrics, and orchestration.  An artist in his own right, Jimmy has released several solo albums, as well as collaborations with Linda Ronstadt, Art Garfunkel, The 5th Dimension, Richard Harris, The Supremes, and more. In 2017, he published his riveting autobiography, The Cake and the Rain: A Memoir. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

As creators of the "Philly Sound" and their own Philadelphia International Records label, Kenny Gamble & Leon Huff have written and produced over 175 gold and platinum records, including all-time classics by The O'Jays, Billy Paul, Harold Melvin & The Blue Notes, MFSB, The Three Degrees, Lou Rawls, Teddy Pendergrass, and The Jacksons. Their hits include iconic classics like “Love Train” by The O’Jays and “Me And Mrs. Jones” by Billy Paul.  In 1995, they were inducted into the Songwriters Hall Of Fame and in 2008, the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Debbie Gibson, a trailblazing pop artist, gained fame at just 16 by writing and producing her own Billboard No. 1 hits, marking her as a pop icon. She shares insights on balancing fame with high school life and the joy of crafting her second album, 'Electric Youth.' Reflecting on her musical journey, Debbie discusses mentorship's importance, the evolution of her brand, and the emotional connection she has with her fans. With anecdotes about early songwriting struggles and the challenges of a male-dominated industry, Debbie’s story is both inspiring and relatable.

Tony Visconti is a 3-time Grammy winner and one of the most acclaimed producers in the history of Rock & Roll.  Among his seminal productions are "Get It On (Bang A Gong)," from one of 10 albums he produced for T. Rex, as well as legendary albums for Badfinger, Iggy Pop, Thin Lizzy, the Boomtown Rats, The Moody Blues, and Morrissey.  Most notably, though, Tony produced 14 albums for David Bowie, with whom he worked for over 45 years.  Those albums, including The Man Who Sold The World, Young Americans, Low, “Heroes”, Lodger and Blackstar have helped to define the course of contemporary music. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

The Temptations are one of the greatest singing groups of all-time, with 14 No. 1 R&B singles, including all-time classic hits like “My Girl," "Ain't Too Proud To Beg," “The Way You Do The Things You Do,” and “Just My Imagination (Running Away With Me)." The group is one of the most influential of Motown Records' golden era and their success has transcended to current times with non-stop touring as well as the 2018 11x Tony-nominated Broadway smash musical based on their lives, Ain't Too Proud. Their songs have been covered by a who's who of the greatest artists of all time: Al Green, The Rolling Stones, Bette Midler, Peter Tosh, and Dolly Parton, to name a few. They’ve not only received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, but been inducted into the Grammy, Rock & Roll, and Vocal Group Halls of Fame. This episode was recorded live before an audience at Warner Music in Los Angeles in October 2019, a day before Otis Williams’ birthday.  2021 marks The Temptations’ 60th Anniversary. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Kathy Valentine has been a working musician and songwriter for over 40 years, ever since she started her first band at age 16 in her hometown of Austin, Texas. After moving to Los Angeles, Kathy joined a band that would go on to make music history: The Go-Go’s. In the group, Kathy wrote or co-wrote some of the bands most renowned tunes, including the hits “Vacation” and “Head Over Heels.” The music of Kathy and The Go-Go’s has inspired a generation of musicians and continues to be part of the cultural fabric of our times. In 2018, The Go-Go’s music was featured as the soundtrack for the Broadway jukebox musical Head Over Heels, and in 2020, Allison Ellwood’s documentary, The Go-Go’s, explored the band’s significance, encouraging the members to reunite and record their first song together in 19 years, “Club Zero.” 2020 also marked the release of Kathy’s memoir, “All I Ever Wanted.” In October of 2021, The Go-Go's will be inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Among music legends, Nile Rodgers is truly exceptional. He amplifies his legacy as a multiple GRAMMY-winning composer, producer, arranger and guitarist by constantly traversing new musical terrain and successfully expanding the boundaries of popular music. As the co-founder of CHIC , Nile helped to pioneer a musical language that generated chart-topping hits like "Le Freak," (the biggest selling single in the history of Atlantic Records), and sparked the advent of hip-hop with "Good Times". As a writer, producer and musician, Nile has worked with artists as diverse as Diana Ross, David Bowie, Duran Duran, Madonna, Jeff Beck, Mick Jagger, Lady Gaga, Daft Punk, and Sister Sledge, whose “We Are Family,” written by Nile and Bernard Edwards, also lends its name to his We Are Family Foundation, an organization which raises funds and awareness in the fight against systemic racism, inequality, inequity, and injustice.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

One of Atlantic Records’ most iconic artists, Graham Nash started his career by co-founding the English pop/rock group The Hollies. In the late 60's, he partnered with David Crosby and Stephen Stills to form Crosby, Stills & Nash, which later also included Neil Young. The recordings released by Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young remain some of the best-loved of all time, including songs written solely by Graham: "Our House," "Teach Your Children," "Just A Song Before I Go," and "Wasted On The Way." Graham is also an internationally renowned photographer and digital imaging pioneer. He is a two-time inductee of both the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Songwriters Hall Of Fame. This episode was recorded in front of a live audience at Atlantic Records in 2018.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Rock and Roll High School is an interview series that spotlights some of the most important figures in the history of contemporary music. Interviews by Pete Ganbarg, President of A&R at Atlantic Records.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Rock and Roll High School is an interview series that spotlights some of the most important figures in the history of contemporary music. Interviews by Pete Ganbarg, President of A&R at Atlantic Records.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.