THE HISTORYMAKERS PRESENTS: AN EVENING WITH...
The HistoryMakers is a national non-profit research and educational institution committed to preserving and making widely accessible the untold personal stories of both well-known and unsung African Americans. The HistoryMakers enlightens, entertains and educates the public, helping to refashion a more inclusive record of American history.
1. An Evening With Quincy Jones (00:55:27)
An Evening With Quincy Jones provides an inside look into the life and career of the music impresario and those whose careers he influenced. Gwen Ifill hosts and and the master of ceremonies is noted jazz musician Herbie Hancock. Live performances by vocalists whose careers Quincy Jones helped to make: James Ingram, Bebe Winans, and Lesley Gore.
2. An Evening With Dionne Warwick (00:55:59)
An Evening With Dionne Warwick provides a rare look into the life and times of the artist who bridged the gap, Dionne Warwick. One of the most celebrated vocal artists of the past forty years with more than fifty hit singles and twenty albums, Warwick has combined her exceptional talents as a singer with a deep personal commitment to social activism.
3. An Evening With B.B. King (00:56:41)
An Evening With B.B. King provides a rare look into the life of the “King of the Blues”. Taped in Chicago in front of a live audience, King was interviewed by producer and songwriter Isaac Hayes. Born Riley B. King in Itta Bena, Mississippi on September 16, 1925 to sharecropper parents, his guitar-playing reverend first introduced him to gospel music as a child.
4. An Evening With Harry Belafonte (00:55:44)
An Evening With Harry Belafonte is a one-on-one interview lead by Danny Glover, providing a rare look into the life and times of the legendary singer and humanitarian. Danny Glover leads Belafonte in a reflective discussion of his adult life and career, including his humanitarian causes, marching with Martin Luther King and more.
5. An Evening With Valerie Simpson, In Honor of Nick Ashford (00:55:11)
An Evening With Valerie Simpson In Honor Of Nick Ashford provides an inside look into the life and career of singer/songwriters Ashford and Simpson featuring veteran journalist Gwen Ifill as the host. The program features musical tributes from Grammy Award-winning artist Patti Austin and Kindred the Family Soul.
6. An Evening With Smokey Robinson (00:55:05)
An Evening With Smokey Robinson features veteran journalist Gwen Ifill as the host and former Motown executive and film producer Suzanne de Passe as Mistress of Ceremonies. The program features musical tributes from Grammy Award nominated artists Teena Marie, Howard Hewett and Musiq Soulchild.
7. An Evening With Berry Gordy (00:55:07)
While working on an assembly line at Ford Motor Company, Berry Gordy borrowed $800 from his father to form Motown Records. In 1960, Motown released the song “Shop Around” written by Gordy’s longtime friend Smokey Robinson. The song sold more than a million copies and helped to launch the most influential era in the history of popular music.