Ken Lovern Interview | The Blind Boone Project, Kansas City Jazz & a Remarkable American Story

Welcome to a new edition of the Neon Jazz interview series with Kansas City-based Jazz Organist Ken Lovern as we explore the remarkable 2026 Blind Boone Project.

This ambitious project brings together music, history, a comic book, and a live on-stage production to tell the extraordinary story of John William “Blind” Boone, one of the first African American concert performers to achieve international recognition.

Born in a Union Army camp near the end of the Civil War, Boone faced enormous barriers in a country defined by segregation, discrimination, and racism. Yet his extraordinary musical gifts — and the determination of the people who believed in him — helped him build a remarkable career as a concert pianist.

A former Confederate general and town elder in Warrensburg, Missouri, helped arrange for Boone to receive an education at a school for the blind. Later, with the assistance of his loyal and savvy African American business manager John Lange Jr., Boone pursued an elite concert career that lasted from 1880 through 1927.

His story is one of music, perseverance, entrepreneurship, racial barriers, friendship, education, and triumph, making Blind Boone an important — and sometimes overlooked — figure in American music history.

Ken Lovern has brought together an impressive group of musicians and Kansas City-connected artists to help bring this history to life, including vocalist Madisen Ward, known as part of the acclaimed folk duo Madisen Ward and the Momma Bear.

In this conversation, we explore the Blind Boone musical, the history behind the project, Kansas City connections, Blind Boone's incredible career, John Lange Jr., race and American music history, the comic book, live theatre, and the power of storytelling through music.

This is much more than a jazz project. It's an effort to bring an extraordinary American story back into the spotlight.

We get into the whole project. Enjoy this interview.

All Things Blind Boone
Blind Boone: The Musical — Official Website 

For More Neon Jazz: Shows via MixCloud: https://www.mixcloud.com/neonjazzkc/
Subscribe via Youtube - https://www.youtube.com/user/neonjazzkc
Subscribe via iTunes/Apple - https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/famous-interviews-joe-dimino/id546432639?mt=2

The Home of Neon Jazz: http://theneonjazz.blogspot.com/

Contribute to Neon Jazz via PayPal:                     https://www.paypal.com/donate?hosted_button_id=ER 

Dr. Eric Woodard on Career Success, Leadership & Getting Hired Fast

Welcome to a new edition of the Famous Interviews with Joe Dimino series. On this episode, we talk with Founder of Win At Work, Leadership & Career Coach, and author Dr. Eric Woodard.

Dr. Woodard helps professionals get hired fast, grow their careers, succeed in leadership, and thrive in the workplace through practical strategies for job searching, career development, communication, productivity and personal growth.

His remarkable career has taken him around the world, working and traveling in more than 70 countries while spending more than 25 years serving at the White House, Capitol Hill, the U.S. State Department and the Smithsonian.

Today, his coaching draws on deep experience in culture, learning, organizational change, resilience and leadership to help professionals navigate complex work environments and reach their goals.

In this conversation, we explore career development, leadership, workplace success, resilience, productivity, communication, personal growth, getting hired, advancing your career and the fascinating stories and experiences Dr. Woodard has collected throughout his journey.

It's an insightful conversation packed with practical wisdom, memorable stories and lessons about how to Win At Work.

More Dr. Eric Woodard: https://winatwork.io/

For More Famous Interviews: Subscribe via Youtube - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCgi6GpDDDrc_PgOzaERGbLQ Subscribe via iTunes/Apple - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/famous-interviews-with-joe-dimino/id1660256991
Subscribe via Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/7j92QDS13LXgajPt80X2dh

The Home of Famous Interviews: http://famousinterviewswithjoedimino.blogspot.com/

Contribute to Famous Interviews via PayPal:                    https://www.paypal.com/donate?hosted_b

Bill Derrick on Business, Resilience & Finding Strength Through Life’s Storms

Welcome to a new edition of the Famous Interviews with Joe Dimino series. On this episode, we talk with Business Leader, Author & Public Speaker Bill Derrick, a family business leader with more than 50 years of experience in the construction industry.

Bill helped lead his company through the challenges of the Great Recession, navigating some of the most difficult periods in the construction and real estate industries. His experiences in business, leadership, family, adversity and personal loss have shaped a powerful message about resilience and finding meaning during difficult times.

Bill is also the author of Restored by the Storm – Navigating Through Life's Unexpected Challenges, an inspirational book for anyone facing unexpected changes, significant losses or challenging seasons of life. His message reminds us that even after life's storms, there is still much to accomplish, experience and cherish.

In this wide-ranging conversation, Joe and Bill discuss business leadership, family business, overcoming adversity, the Great Recession, his book, resilience, personal growth, epic stories from his career and the lessons learned along the way.

If you've ever faced a difficult season and wondered what comes next, Bill's story offers perspective, inspiration and hope.

Enjoy this interview!

More Bill Derrick: https://www.billderrick.com/

For More Famous Interviews: Subscribe via Youtube - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCgi6GpDDDrc_PgOzaERGbLQ Subscribe via iTunes/Apple - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/famous-interviews-with-joe-dimino/id1660256991
Subscribe via Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/7j92QDS13LXgajPt80X2dh

The Home of Famous Interviews: http://famousinterviewswithjoedimino.blogspot.com/

Contribute to Famous Interviews via PayPal:                    https://www.paypal.com/donate?hosted_b

Grammy Winner Dom Morley: 30 Years of Music Production, Mixing & Creativity

Welcome to a new edition of the Famous Interviews with Joe Dimino series. On this episode, we talk with Grammy-winning record producer, mix engineer, author, and former Professor of Music Production Dom Morley.

Over 30 years at the top of the music industry, Dom Morley has built an extraordinary career working across genres, artists, and creative environments — while accomplishing some of the biggest dreams of a professional music producer.

Dom learned his craft at London's legendary Metropolis Studios, working alongside influential producers including Tony Visconti, Phil Spector, and Mark Ronson.

He later engineered Amy Winehouse's iconic album Back to Black, a landmark recording that earned the Grammy Award for Record of the Year. 

Dom's career, however, extends far beyond Back to Black. He has worked with artists including Adele, Sting, Underworld, and Jeff Beck, embracing an unusually broad musical perspective. His deliberate approach as a creative generalist ultimately became the seed for his writing and thinking about creativity.

A former Professor of Music Production at Leeds Conservatoire, Dom also founded The Mix Consultancy and the music collaboration platform Multiband.

He writes a widely read and refreshingly skeptical newsletter for music producers, recording engineers, and creative professionals, sharing insights from decades spent inside the music industry.

In this wide-ranging conversation, we explore music production, mixing, recording, engineering, creativity, collaboration, working with major artists, music education, studio culture, and the lessons Dom has learned across three decades in the business.

We also get into his work on Back to Black and what it was like to be part of one of the most influential albums of the 21st century.

🌐 Dom Morley Official Website:
https://www.dommorley.com/

For More Famous Interviews: Subscribe via Youtube - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCgi6GpDDDrc_PgOzaERGbLQ Subscribe via iTunes/Apple - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/famous-interviews-with-joe-dimino/id1660256991
Subscribe via Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/7j92QDS13LXgajPt80X2dh

The Home of Famous Interviews: http://famousinterviewswithjoedimino.blogspot.com/

Contribute to Famous Interviews via PayPal:                    https://www.paypal.com/donate?hosted_b

Roy Mor Interview | Abate Berihun & The Addis Ken Project, New Day & Ethiopian Jazz

Welcome to a new edition of the Neon Jazz interview series with International Pianist, Composer & Arranger Roy Mor on Abate Berihun & The Addis Ken Project's new album, New Day.

We get into a deeply evocative musical journey where jazz becomes both vessel and invocation, bringing together Ethiopian Jewish liturgical traditions, pan-African rhythms, and modern improvisational language.

New Day creates a fascinating meeting point between ancient memory and contemporary jazz, weaving cultural history, spirituality, rhythm, melody, and improvisation into music that feels both deeply rooted and timeless.

Roy Mor's playing has been described as both melodic and energetic, reflecting an artistic journey that has taken some remarkable turns. Before dedicating his life to music, Roy studied acting, served as a military paratrooper, earned a university degree in Philosophy with honors, and worked as a software engineer at Microsoft.

Eventually, he left that career behind, moved to New York City, and followed his true passion: music.

In this conversation, we explore New Day, Ethiopian Jewish music, Ethiopian jazz, African rhythms, Jewish musical traditions, improvisation, spirituality, cultural memory, piano, composition, arranging, and Roy's extraordinary journey from technology and philosophy to a life in music.

It's a story about following your calling, connecting ancient traditions with modern expression, and discovering how music can carry history across generations.

We cover the whole story. Enjoy this interview.

Get the Album & More
Origin Arts — Roy Mor / *New Day* 

For More Neon Jazz: Shows via MixCloud: https://www.mixcloud.com/neonjazzkc/
Subscribe via Youtube - https://www.youtube.com/user/neonjazzkc
Subscribe via iTunes/Apple - https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/famous-interviews-joe-dimino/id546432639?mt=2

The Home of Neon Jazz: http://theneonjazz.blogspot.com/

Contribute to Neon Jazz via PayPal:                     https://www.paypal.com/donate?hosted_button_id=ER 

Jessica L. Morris Interview | Sonbathing, Poetry, Faith, Prayer & the Word of God

Welcome to a new edition of the Famous Interviews with Joe Dimino series! On this episode, we reconnect with Poet, Spiritual Director, Speaker & Author Jessica L. Morris to talk about her remarkable journey, her poetry, spirituality, and her powerful new 2026 book, Sonbathing: Basking in the Word of God.

It’s been a few years since we last interviewed Jessica, and a lot has happened. Along with getting the green light for a new volume of poetry, she has created a deeply personal and interactive book designed to help readers engage with the Word of God in a more meaningful, reflective, and personal way.

Do you love Jesus but sometimes struggle to understand His message and the language of the Bible? Do you find yourself forgetting the spiritual wisdom from your morning readings by the time the day gets rolling? Are you looking for a way to bring your own practices of prayer, meditation, reflection, and writing together with what you read and learn from Scripture?

That is where Sonbathing: Basking in the Word of God comes in. The book is an interactive and meditative collection of 100 sayings, offering readers an opportunity to slow down, reflect, write, pray, and engage with spiritual wisdom in a personal way.

In this conversation, Jessica L. Morris and Joe Dimino cover quite a bit of ground — from poetry and spiritual direction to Christian faith, meditation, prayer, writing, Scripture, personal reflection, and the creative process behind her new book.

If you're interested in Christian spirituality, poetry, spiritual growth, Bible reflection, prayer, meditation, inspirational books, and the intersection of faith and creativity, this is a conversation worth spending some time with.

Get Sonbathing: Basking in the Word of God and learn more about Jessica:

Get Sonbathing: Basking in the Word of God on Amazon

Jessica L. Morris Official Website 

For More Famous Interviews: Subscribe via Youtube - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCgi6GpDDDrc_PgOzaERGbLQ Subscribe via iTunes/Apple - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/famous-interviews-with-joe-dimino/id1660256991
Subscribe via Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/7j92QDS13LXgajPt80X2dh

The Home of Famous Interviews: http://famousinterviewswithjoedimino.blogspot.com/

Contribute to Famous Interviews via PayPal:                    https://www.paypal.com/donate?hosted_b

Dr. Heléna Kate Interview | Human Coherence, Applied Psychology, Purpose & Spiritual Growth

Welcome to a new edition of the Famous Interviews with Joe Dimino series! On this episode, we talk with Applied Psychologist, Architect of Human Coherence & Founder of Sacred Lights Dr. Heléna Kate for a fascinating conversation about psychology, purpose, spirituality, human potential, and what it means to create a truly coherent life.

For more than 30 years, Dr. Heléna Kate has helped leaders, high-performers, and seekers integrate psychology, purpose, and spiritual growth into a deeply coherent way of living and leading. Her work focuses on helping people move toward greater clarity, resilience, integrity, self-awareness, and authentic human potential.

Dr. Kate's approach brings together practical psychology and deeper questions about meaning, relationships, conscious leadership, spiritual development, and personal transformation. Whether she's helping someone understand themselves more deeply, navigate relationships, become a more conscious leader, or explore their spiritual path, her philosophy centers on bringing the different parts of ourselves into greater human coherence.

In this conversation with Joe Dimino, we explore the intersection of applied psychology and spirituality, the importance of living with purpose, conscious leadership, personal growth, resilience, relationships, and how greater internal coherence can transform the way we live and lead.

It’s a great story and a thought-provoking conversation about becoming more fully aligned with who you are.

Tune in, listen, and enjoy this edition of Famous Interviews with Joe Dimino!

More Dr. Heléna Kate: helenakate.com

For More Famous Interviews: Subscribe via Youtube - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCgi6GpDDDrc_PgOzaERGbLQ Subscribe via iTunes/Apple - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/famous-interviews-with-joe-dimino/id1660256991
Subscribe via Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/7j92QDS13LXgajPt80X2dh

The Home of Famous Interviews: http://famousinterviewswithjoedimino.blogspot.com/

Contribute to Famous Interviews via PayPal:                    https://www.paypal.com/donate?hosted_b