In case you need your Natalie Cole fix, here is a beautiful live medley of Natalie performing at Universal Studios Orlando's Christmas Celebration Concert during the holidays. Totally feelin' the arrangement on "Fever" and who doesn't love Natalie singing "L-O-V-E"?
Via Rev. Kevin Taylor's Facebook, watch AFTER THE JUMP ...
Excellent news. Natalie Cole is "resting comfortably" at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles after undergoing a life-saving kidney transplant operation on Monday, according to friends of the family and the singer's web site.
The Grammy Award-winning jazz, pop and R&B legend emotional search for a new kidney was publicized around the world and included an appearance on CNN's Larry King Live on March 31. Dozens of viewers offered to donate their kidneys and the search ended this week when an anonymous fan with a compatible organ died and their family asked that it be given to the singer, CNN reports.
In July 2008 the singer was diagnosed with Hepatitis C and believes she contracted the liver disease from drug use more than 25 years ago. Cole is now sober but unfortunately the condition lead to renal kidney failure. The singer says she was "on very a long" organ donation list due to incompatibility with relatives.
"Natalie is resting comfortably at the hospital and may leave as soon as next week," says producer, author and pastor Kevin E. Taylor, the longtime friend to Natalie Cole who write the discography of her autobiography Angel On My Shoulder. "Doctors advised her to postpone her summer tour as she recuperates for the next three to four months."
AFTER THE JUMP, watch Natalie on LKL explain how kidney failure and dialysis changed her life. And please: Send her good thoughts.
Continue reading "Natalie Cole Resting "Comfortably" After Life-Saving Kidney Transplant" »
Last night's Larry King Live featured an emotional hour with Natalie Cole, the Grammy Award-winning jazz, pop and R&B legend. In July 2008 the singer was diagnosed with Hepatitis C and believes she contracted the liver disease from drug use more than 25 years ago. Unfortunately the condition has lead to renal kidney failure. Natalie says she is "on a long list" seeking a kidney transplant because unfortunately neither her son nor sister were matches.
Larry King surprised Cole and announced "dozens" of viewers were calling and emailing on the spot ... to offer to be tested as organ donors. Natalie was almost tearful. From the transcript:
KING: You can go out and sing?
COLE: Absolutely.
KING: You can tour?
COLE: Absolutely.
KING: All right. But let's say you're touring, you're opening in Detroit. There's a center there where they can hook you up?
COLE: Yes. All the facilities are the same. ... I have a wonderful team of people at my facility here in Los Angeles that I tell them where I'm going and they make phone calls and make appointments. And it's really quite amazing. I have been on dialysis in Istanbul, Milan, Indonesia, Manila, London. It's amazing. It's really fascinating.
KING: And we're amazed ourselves. I'm going give this to you. We'll check with it later. We have to ask the question. These are all e-mails from dozens—dozens of people offering to be tested to see if they can match who want to give you a kidney.
COLE: That's amazing. That is really amazing.
KING: What do you make of that?
COLE: I don't know. I always felt that it was just so—so strange, you know, to solicit to strangers, you know, for a kidney. But people—people are really great. There are some great human beings out there. That's all I can say.
AFTER THE JUMP watch Natalie explain how kidney failure and dialysis has changed her life.
Continue reading "Natalie Cole Needs a Kidney and "Larry King" Viewers Offer Theirs" »
Grammy-winning singer and Natalie Cole has been diagnosed with Hepatitis C and says she probably contracted the liver disease from drug use more than 30 years ago.
The disease was revealed during a routine examination. Cole, 58, the daughter of the legendary singer Nat King Cole, is said to be responding well to treatment but suffering "significant side effects" such as fatigue, muscle aches and dehydration.
The famed singer, whose father died of lung cancer when she was only 15, chronicled her addiction to cocaine, heroin and alcohol in her 2000 autobiography "Angel On My Shoulder", which was later adapted for television. Cole overcame her addictions after a lengthy stint in rehab in the early 1980s.
Cole says, "I've been so fortunate to have learned so much from my past experiences," said Cole. "I am embraced by the love and support of my family and friends; I am committed to my belief in myself and in my abiding faith to meet this challenge with a heartfelt optimism and determination. This is how I intend to deal with this current challenge in my life."
Producer, author and pastor Kevin E. Taylor is a longtime friend to Natalie Cole and write the discography of "Angel On My Shoulder." I am just really prayerful about Natalie's health," RevKev tells Rod 2.0. "She's doing really well and just trusting that God and her faith will keep her healthy. "
Throughout a 30-year career singing jazz, pop and R&B, Natalie Cole has won eight Grammys and released hit albums such as "Everlasting" and "Unforgettable ... With Love," which featured her singing a duet with her late father via electronic technology. A follow-up album, "Still Unforgettable," is scheduled to be released in September.
Natalie Cole Says She Has Hepatitis C [AP]
Natalie Cole diagnosed with Hep C [UPI]
You May Enjoy ...
First Look: Natalie Cole's "Leavin' " [R20]
Natalie Cole on "SVU" [R20]
Conversation with Kevin E. Taylor [R20]
Kevin E. Taylor is very much the man of the moment.
The activist-author-pastor-and-television producer was just named to the New Jersey Civil Union Review Commission. He has an article in the brand new UneQ, formerly known as Ballroom Rockstar, and, was just interviewed by After Elton, The Advocate and Out for upcoming features. And, Keith Boykin, Pink Mafia Radio and The Seven Magazine recently profiled the renaissance man.
Much of the buzz is around Jaded, Rev. Kevin E. Taylor's new novel. This is his second book—Uncluttered, his popular self-help title is one of the premium sponsors of this site—and Kevin's first foray into fiction. The two central characters of the novel—Joshua and Elijah—seem more real than imagined. Both are hotties and New York City industry types. Joshua has given up on love and become the "jaded" black gay men often encountered in the big cities. Elijah is still holding out for the real thing.
Rev Kev shared a few thoughts on love, life and relationships ...
On becoming "jaded" ...
It started in men's groups. I've led so many groups and workshops for black gay men—like at POCC in Brooklyn, GMAD in Manhattan, groups in New Jersey and Washington DC, and, at conferences. After a while, I started to realize that we were always talking about the same thing, a la "Where is my man?" But much of this was during the "down time"—when people just hung out—and I understood that so many guys couldn't be open to the "man" they wanted because they were still bruised and broken by the last man they were with. And this part is very important: Still hurt from old relationships.
On the writing process ...
I started to think about what it would be like to be through with love and then "he" shows up. Something real and intimate. It all happened very quickly one day riding the bus from NYC to NJ—I think you and I had been on the phone not long before—and the words started coming to me. By the time I got home, the first 3 chapters just poured out. First, much of the writing centered around Joshua's character, then came Elijah. The entirety of the story just washed over me and I finished the novel in a matter of weeks. Jaded was born.
On Joshua and Elijah ...
Joshua is cerebral and tight, thoughtful to a fault. He's a handsome ad exec who has poured his soul into his work to avoid love. He's tall, bald and has a warm smile but something in his eyes is what really catches you. Elijah is taller—maybe six foot three—dread locked, has a smile that is unnerving and speaks with a bit of a Southern accent. He's a producer and songwriter who still believes in morals, values and good Southern cooking—every man's fantasy, but is tired of being treated like that. He wants something real and isn't finding it in NYC. Elijah still believes, still trusts and still expects good for love.
On black gay men ...
Honestly, I think it happens so often because we really invest our hearts and souls into the search for love. And, we also want what we want—when we want it—so we want real love but we want it in the version of a man that we wanted in high school or from our old neighborhood. Or, some fantasy rapper/actor/model guy that we think will complete us and make us whole. So we run after those guys, no matter at what emotional cost and when it doesn't work—because the Tiffany Box was empty—we get pissed.
On the response so far ...
The feedback has been tremendous. Everyone is saying "I couldn't put it down" and that's just so overwhelming beautiful. For instance, I received a letter from a man who lived in a small Georgia town. His letter was SO powerful because he almost made me think he had heard me preach. He talked about the spirit of God speaking to him through the book and how it affected his soul. Now, I was reading this at 5:34AM and it brought me to tears. This story has my soul all over it and it's nice to know that people still believe in love!
On Saturday, March 10, Jaded will be the featured selection at the Derrick L. Briggs Book Club Brunch in Harlem. More information HERE.
Jaded (Official Site and MySpace)
Kevin E. Taylor (Official Site and MySpace)
Rev. Kev's Cure for the BGM Blues (Keith Boykin)
Interview with Kevin E. Taylor (7 Magazine)
Interview with Rev. Kevin E. Taylor (Podcast @ PMR)
Some Background ...
First Look: Natalie Cole's "Leavin'" (Rod 2.0) Natalie Cole on "SVU" (Rod 2.0) Civil Unions Begin in New Jersey (Rod 2.0) NJ Supremes Favor Gay Marriage (Rod 2.0) Conversation with Kevin E. Taylor (Rod 2.0) Conversation with Keith Boykin (Rod 2.0) Dennis Hopson in "Muscle & Fitness" (Rod 2.0) "Old Stigmas Don't Apply to Kids Who Walk Balls Today" (Rod 2.0) Gays and Black Church (Rod 2.0) Kirk Franklin on Gays (Rod 2.0) More in the Kevin E. Taylor Index
Who: Clay Cane, Derrick L. Briggs, Nathan Seven Scott, Nathan H. Williams, Raymonde C. Green, and Jared Shuler.
What: Cocktail hour and discussion
Where: The Center, 208 W. 13th
When: Friday 11/10 @ 6PM
How Much: $10
Why: Tonight's topic: Are Black Gay Men Capable of Having Healthy Relationships?
Who: Natalie Cole
What: Live in concert
Where: Apollo Theatre, 253 W. 125th
When: Friday 11/10 @ 8 PM
How Much: TBA
Why: Dahling. It's Natalie.
A preview of the new cover art for Leavin', the new Natalie Cole album that will drop in late September. Needless to say, Natalie is absolutely brilliant in the photo. The resolution increases from a surrealistic, black and white to a crisp, pastel palette.
"Natalie said that she wanted something that was nostalgic yet up-to-date," explains Kevin E. Taylor, the veteran television and music producer, black gay activist and pastor (whew!) who is a longtime consultant to Ms. Cole. "The warm colors and the black and white perfectly capture her look and the concept of the new album."
Leavin' will be Natalie's first album in four years. On the 12-track disc, Cole will cover pop, R &B and rock classics, from artists such as Aretha Franklin, Fiona Apple and Etta James. This is her 20th studio album and will be released on September 26—same day Janet Jackson releases 20 Y.O.
Previously:
Natalie Cole on "SVU" (Rod 2.0) First Look: Pharrell for Louis Vuitton (Rod 2.0)
Last night's epsiode of Law & Order: SVU was interesting from two—no, make that three—perspectives.
First: Natalie Cole guest starred as a defense attorney. We're lovin' the fact that lately the Grammy Award-winning singer is all over the map. Not long ago, in March, Natalie guested on Grey's Anatomy. Second: Anthony Anderson also guested on the SVU episode as an over-aggressive detective. It was a welcome change to see him in a dramatic role as opposed to his usual hyper-comedy. He wasn't bad. Finally: Last night was extremely topical. The episode was entitled "Fat" and concerned teenage obesity and out-of-control bullying. Just today, the nation's top soft drink companies agreed to halt almost all soda sales in elementary and middle schools. (Thanks Kevin!)
Coca-Cola, Pepsi Ban Soda in Schools in Clinton Deal (Bloomberg)
Natalie Cole & Anthony Anderson To Appear on 'Law & Order: SVU' (Star Pulse)
We share some similarities with Kevin E. Taylor, seen above with Stephanie Mills (l) and Anita Baker (r). We're both black, gay and television producers. We're both tall and obviouskly Type-A personalities. While most of our work has been behind the scenes in news and some entertainment shows, almost all of Kev's career has been in entertainment and the music industry. If you've seen almost anything on BET in the past dozen or so years, he probably had a hand in it. Watched an awards show? He may have been on the red carpet. You like 106th and Park? He helped create the show. But the event that catapulted him from the control room to your living room was on August 25, 2001.
Kevin was the lead producer on the crew that accompanied Aaliyah to the Bahamas. "Divine inspiration" made him decide at the last minute not to accompany the singer and his crewmates on their ill-fated flight. His fortune was their misfortune; Kevin has wrestled with the past and moved on. He's has published a most revealing memoir about the faith that brought him into the entertainment world, saved his life, and ultimately brought him from the control room ... onto the pulpit.
