Norman Brown Interview Page 4

Smitty:  It’s cool. Norman, I think you have made an emphatic statement to your fans to stay with you and I think they will hear you loud and clear because this is a great voice of music to your fans.

NB:  I’m so glad to hear that.  It really is.  I mean, man, you can’t say it enough to me and to you the fans, thank you guys out there so much for the love over this career and I hope this is one that you can add to your collection of special ones.

Smitty:  Yes, man, and speaking of that, you’ve got a nice little tour lined up for the year so far.

NB:  Absolutely.  We’re doing the Norman Brown Summer Storm.  This is the third year, 2007.  This year we’re starring Peabo Bryson, Jeff Lorber and Marion Meadows.

Smitty:  Wow.  That’s a storm.

NB:  Awesome show.

Smitty:  Yeah, man, looks like a talent show.  Whoo!  (Both laugh.)  Wow.

NB:  Thank you.

Smitty:  So your fans can look forward to you coming out because I think, looking at your tour schedule, you are going to cover the country.  This is not just one region, this is the country.

NB:  Yeah, we’re trying to get everywhere we can so, you guys, come out and party with us.  It’s really a great time.  I think we’re coming your way.

Smitty:  Yeah, man, you’re coming my way.

NB:  That’s right.

Smitty:  Yeah, I’m looking forward to that.  We gotta do a hang, man.

NB:  Oh, man, you know what?  I sure hope I get in town the night or the day before or something so we can do that.

Smitty:  Yeah, that’ll be cool.  Well, speaking of hangin, man, we had a great time on the Brian Culbertson cruise.  That was a nice hang.

NB:  That was a lotta fun, I know!

Smitty:  Yeah, man.  So much fun, you’re coming back, huh?

NB:  I am.  I’ll be back next year for that one.

Smitty:  That’s great.  Those cruises are so much fun because there’s where you can really just kinda kick it with the fans, with your peers. It’s like a reunion, you know?

NB:  No, it really is and it’s a real plus for us and the fans because we don’t normally get that type of time together.

Smitty:  Yeah, absolutely, so it’s a beautiful thing.  Well, Norman, once again, man, I wanna congratulate you on this great new record and the nice tour and everything you’ve done in your career. It’s a beautiful thing what you’re doing.

Smitty:  Before you go, talk to me about the weekly radio show you’re doing.

NB:  Yes, I am hosting a weekly radio show. It’s for the Smooth Jazz Network, Broadcast Architecture.  It’s a syndicated show and I’m in 10 markets so far and doing really good.

Smitty:  What time are you on the air?

NB: It’s from two to seven on Saturday and Sundays.

Smitty:  All right.  Talk about what that’s like for you, you know, getting behind the mike and doing your thing.

NB:  I started doing it in January and it’s really grown for me.  At first it was a bit stiff.  You know, I’m reading a script and I didn’t have my person there live, I didn’t see who I was talking to, so it took me a minute to learn how to just get all of that energy through just my voice. That was the big challenge for me.  Now I’m much more comfortable and I feel more like myself doing it, so I’m enjoying it, I’m having a great time.

Smitty:  Cool.  Now you know what I go through.  (Laughs.)

NB:  Oh my goodness.  You guys are bad.  (Both laugh.)

Smitty:  Oh, man, well, that is cool, man.  Congratulations! Now you’re just really into the music, you know?

NB:  I am so musical, man, I can’t get away from it.  Anything I can get.  I was like this in high school.  I made sports teams and stuff but I didn’t have time because I took every music class and was in every type of band I could be in.  (Laughs.)

Smitty:  Well, that’s very cool, man.  Now, is there a Web site for the radio show?

NB:  Well, no, just my Web site and I’m gonna put a link up.  Some of the stations have links on their sites where you can log on and listen through their station live, so I’m gonna throw that up on my Web site so people can go and listen to it from wherever they are.

Smitty:  Okay, cool, and your site is www.normanbrown.com.

NB:  www.normanbrown.com, that’s right.

Smitty:  All right. We want everybody there to feel the Norman Brown groove on the radio now, man.

NB:  Gotta keep it going.

Smitty:  All right, my friend.  We’ve been talking with Peak Records recording artists the extraordinary Mr. Norman Brown, his mind-blowin’ new record is called Stay With Me. It’s in stores June 19 and it is his best album to date. Norman, thanks again, man, keep your flavor strong, brotha, and best of everything in 2007.

NB:  Thank you so much for the love, brotha, and thank you to your fans for all their wonderful love. I love you guys, I look forward to seeing you when I get close to ya.

Baldwin “Smitty” Smith

For More Information Visit www.normanbrown.com and www.peakrecords.com