originally published in The Chattanooga Times Free Press.
Can we bring diverse folks together in these crazy times? It seems like an impossible dream, one that requires an incredible amount of research, work, time and energy. Yes, I did create a neuroscience-based process years ago called the Matrix Model Management System. And it’s a been a great success for team building. But something simpler and faster is needed these days. What might that be?
I discovered an amazing answer to that question when grocery shopping. I was standing by the candy section, not far from two salesmen whom I’d seen there often. They were discussing sales issues when I realized that I was in front of the KitKat section. I turned to them and asked if they knew the song to the Kit Kat commercial. They grinned like twins although one was African American, the other was country-style White. Together they started to sing and dance to the “Gimme a Break” music from the 1986 KitKat ad. And I joined in.
Continue reading ‘Gimme a Break’ and get along with Music – by Deborah Levine
John DeNicola is an Academy & Golden Globe Award winning singer/songwriter co-wrote the 2 iconic songs “(I’ve Had) The Time Of My Life” + “Hungry Eyes”. In the last few years John has released 2 solo albums. He also discovered MAROON 5, a pop rock band whose lead vocalist is Adam Levine.
is also an Academy & Golden Globe Award winning singer/songwriter who co-wrote the 2 iconic songs “(I’ve Had) The Time Of My Life” and “Hungry Eyes”. Franke also had hits with Franke & The Knockouts …and co-wrote songs with Cyndi Lauper, Fleetwood Mac & many others who are well known in the music industry.
Stacy Widelitz is a multi-platinum songwriter and photographer who co-wrote “She’s Like The Wind” with his late friend Patrick Swayze, the star of Dirty Dancing. The award-winning song has played on US radio 4 million times. Stacy has also scored features, made-for-TV movies, written the end-title song for Disney’s Pocahontas II, and was nominated for an Emmy for ABC’s World of Discovery.
Pianist Jacqueline Schwab spins musical stories out of the myriad strands in the American quilt and with community music making at their heart. Her signature playing features in over a dozen of 
Tiffany R. Warren
Mirette Seireg is the founder and owner of Mpath LLC, the first woman-owned library of its kind to achieve gender parity. Changing the music world for females and other underrepresented composers, Mirette has scouted talent world-wide from nearly every continent on earth.