Songwriter, Producer, and Guitarist Michael J. Calhoun of The Grammy-Winning Dazz Band Continues Making Music History With His Latest #1 Single, "Til Forevermore," as a Chart-Topping Solo Artist. 

INTERVIEW BY: GINA SEDMAN, WRITER/JOURNALIST & HEAD EDITOR   

Over the span of 30 years, Michael J.Calhoun  Calhoun has undeniably made his mark as a trailblazer in the music industry, notably as a founding member of the Grammy Award-winning Dazz Band. Hailing from Cleveland, Ohio, Michael's musical journey was heavily influenced by rock guitar icons such as Jimi Hendrix, Carlos Santana, Jeff Beck, Eric Clapton, Phil Keaggy, and Joe Walsh. This formidable array of influences, combined with the contributions of Isaac & Michael Wiley and Bobby Harris, played a pivotal role in shaping the distinctive sound of the Dazz Band. Not content with past achievements alone, Michael J.Calhoun 's latest single, "Til Forevermore," has soared to the top, claiming the #1 position on the “Teerex Hump Chart.” My conversation with this incredible talent shed light on his captivating music career. Here's a glimpse into our discussion. 

Hi Michael, how are you doing? I'm fine, thank you! 

It's my pleasure! First, I'd like to establish the groundwork for all the young people who might not know about our music. Let's start by asking where you are from and where you currently reside. I was born on the Eastside, here in Cleveland, Ohio. It's the home of rock'n'roll and the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.  

They're coming here to do the ceremony in August of this month. All these super big stars will come here and induct all the rock'n'roll legends through the Hall of Fame. I was in the "All-Star Band," and I'm associated with the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. I helped them open it up when they were building the building.  

In 1994, we had a thing called the topping-off ceremony, and I was up there with the greats, like Jerry Lee Lewis and Bobby Womack. 

We shared the stage and opened up the "Rock Hall" together. I performed there several times, once as part of the "Kinsman Dazz Band," and we did well.   

I attended Collinwood High School and started painting at the Collinwood Arts Center. I was a painter and artist before the music, and I taught kids art.  

One day, when I heard a rock band in the basement, I quit teaching art. But as an artist, I won all kinds of contests. The Mayor of Cleveland gave me a first-place award for painting.  

Nevertheless, I stopped painting once I heard the rock band and turned into a roadie for the rock band. I carried their equipment and went to get McDonald's for them.  

I was just blown away by that, and a friend introduced me to a Jimi Hendrix album. After I heard "Band of Gypsies" live at the Fillmore East, my life was never the same. 

Awesome! How old were you at that time? At that time, I was about 16 or 17 years old.  

Thank you, Michael, for that brief history of your background. When did you first know you fell in love with music and that it was your calling? My uncle played the organ at Antioch Baptist Church, and I had music around the house, but my sister taught me how to dance when I was about 5. She taught me how to do the James Brown, the Alligator, the Camel Walk, the Hitchhike, and everything else. She also took me to adult parties on the weekends, where I would clear the floor! They would just let me dance! One of the songs I would dance to was "The Way You Do The Things You Do" by The Temptations! That was the song that turned me on to R&B music.  

My mother used to listen to a local AM radio station that mainly played pop songs. I heard two of them that stuck with me: one by The Statler Brothers called "Flowers on The Wall," a folk song, and the other was "Lady Madonna" by The Beatles. When I heard that song, it blew my mind! I was like, what is this? 

When The Beatles first came out, I lived on a street where we were the only black family. One day, I was watching TV and suddenly heard a commotion. My friend across the street knocked on the door and said, "Come on over!" So, I went to his house, and around 20 people were crowded in the living room. They were all crowded around the TV. I crawled underneath everybody to see what was happening on the black-and-white TV. Then Ed Sullivan said, "Ladies and gentlemen, The Beatles!" They sang, "I Want to Hold Your Hand." That was it for me! After that, I just wanted to be a musician. That's what I wanted to do. 

Awesome! And were you also influenced by B.B. King as well? Yes, B.B. King and Jeff Beck were among my favorites—most of the guys from the British invasion. If there were 200 bands from the British invasion, I could name you 150.  

The British invasion became huge in the UK, and the American artists became big in the US.  

Yes, one of my favorite British artists is Sade. I enjoy listening to many of her songs. Speaking of that, can you tell me about any memorable experiences or lessons you've learned from your early mentor, Lou Ragland, and how they impacted your career? Well, Lou let us open up a little band we had called Electric Earth, and we didn't know how to play very well. At the time, I only played on three strings. (Laughs) But when we played, people booed us and requested Lou Ragland on stage. But overall, we got to play in front of some people, so we were happy. That was the first show I ever did. Lou Ragland took me under his wing and showed me the ins and outs of the music business. 

What was the name of the first band you joined after art school? Later, after Collinwood Art Center., I joined the Wiley Brothers. They were two brothers, and the group was called Ebony Sweat. That's what we called ourselves.  

We were just an electric earth band learning how to play. We were not novices; we were learning how to tune up the guitar. But we wanted to play so badly that we just went out there and played. We did what we could, but it wasn't professional. (laughs)  

Thank you, Michael, for taking me down the great days of your becoming a musician. Keeping on that subject matter, how did you get to the point where you settled into playing guitar as your primary instrument of choice? That's a good question. The guitar was the only instrument I was interested in. I played drums a bit, and for the past 20 years, I've been producing records by playing keyboards but writing and producing with them, not playing. They call it step writing.  

But I'm a guitar player, and I play bass, too. I bought a fretless bass that's violin-shaped like the Hofner, but Jaco Pastorius turned me onto it.  

Thank you, Michael. As a founding member of the Kinsman Dazz Band, you were part of a transformative era of music. What was it like transitioning from Kinsman Dazz to the Grammy award-winning Dazz Band? We were with 20th Century Fox for the two albums we did as Kinsman Dazz, and then we signed up with Motown Records and changed our name to "The Dazz Band." So, I did four albums with the Dazz Band. 

The transition was easy because we were the same band—we just changed our name. Kinsman Dazz had heavy horns, but with The Dazz Band, it was basically just the rhythm section and the emphasis on the singing. 

The horn players turned into the front four, like "The Temptations," singing and dancing.  

Awesome! Thank you, Michael! May I ask where the name "Kinsman Dazz" came from? Kinsman is a street in Cleveland. The name comes from a German/Dutch word meaning kinfolk.  

A few years before we came out, the band Brick had a song called "Dazz (Disco Jazz)," and we liked the name. However, I didn't like the disco part, so I suggested we call it danceable jazz. Brick's song was out about two years before we got our record deal. But we used the word "Dazz" and borrowed that name from Brick's song.  

How insightful! Thank you, Michael, for sharing the history of the name Kinsman Dazz and The Dazz Band. You've worked with iconic figures such as Marvin Gaye and Philip Bailey. How did these collaborations influence your musical direction and personal growth? Well, it just let me know that I had arrived, and it was do or die because I would be working with the best of all time. So, I knew I better get with it, so I practiced and stayed in the shed. 

I almost lost the job of playing the rhythm guitar parts on the artist's first album because Philip wasn't happy with my playing technique. At that time, I was heavily influenced by avant-garde jazz and played music by artists like Al Di Meola, Return To Forever, and Allan Holdsworth. These musicians were extraordinary, and playing fast was very popular during the jazz fusion era in the mid and early 70s. Some well-known artists associated with jazz fusion during that time were Miles Davis, Herbie Hancock, and Stanley Clarke.   

I played so much fusion that I had to slow down. I called Al McKay, and he encouraged me to keep going. I started practicing more, and Al suggested I needed to practice even more. Philip recommended that I go to the hotel, practice for about 3-4 days, and then come back and play the rhythm parts. I followed his advice and stayed in the hotel for about 3-to four days, and when I returned, I could play it perfectly because I had practiced as if it was a banjo. The work was similar to playing a banjo, so when it was done, I could do it. So, I did the album, pulled it off, and it came out really well. It's considered a classic now, that album. 

You're talking about the nervousness of working with Earth, Wind & Fire. About a year and a half before that, we played EWF songs. That's when we were called "Bell Telefunk," and we would mimic their songs. A year and a half later, we were in the studio with EWF.  

I wrote a few songs that helped us secure our record deals. With the one with 20th Century Fox, I wrote a song called "Making Music." Then, with the Motown deal, I wrote a song called "Invitation to Love." These songs were written for Kinsman Dazz and The Dazz Band and played a significant role in securing our record deal so that we could be produced by Earth, Wind & Fire, mainly Philip Bailey, Ralph Johnson, and Tommy Vicari, who was Prince's producer on his first album. 

How would you say the creative process evolved from when you were with the Dazz Band to when you ventured into your solo work? Well, I moved away from my jazz influences and got more into old-school sounds like Thom Bell, Gamble and Huff, Berry Gordy, and Holland-Dozier-Holland. I studied the greats so that I could write songs in that vein, aiming for three-minute hits. My earlier songs would be around seven minutes, complete with solos and everything, but this shift turned me into a more commercial songwriter.  

And a fantastic songwriter, you are indeed! The quality of your work speaks to your genius and is a testament to your discipline as a musician. Can you tell me more about the inspiration behind your critically acclaimed album, "Stay With Me," and how it reflects your growth as an artist? Wow. That's the Cosette Morgan album. I was introduced to her, and she sang gospel. She gave me a demo of the song by Aretha Franklin, "Who's Zoomin' Who?"  

She played it, and I asked her why she was playing Aretha Franklin for me. Then she told me that the person singing was her. Gina, she sounded so much like Aretha Franklin that I thought that's who I was listening to. 

She was a cross between Aretha and Randy Crawford. She had a very distinct voice. So, I connected her with a wealthy record executive who had started his own label. She was so good that he dropped the five acts he had before her. We focused entirely on her and created this album. 

I wrote about 95% of the songs. The other two songs on the album were covers: "Think" by Aretha Franklin and "Break Up to Make Up" by The Stylistics.  

Then, this guy named “Bingo” wrote a song for her. He's the guy who wrote "Written All Over Your Face" for the Rude Boys. Rest in peace, Bingo (Larry Marcus is his real name). But other than that, I wrote seven of the ten songs on the album. They loved them, and it's critically acclaimed. 

Yes, may he rest in peace. Thank you, Michael, for sharing that touching memory with me.  Two of the Dazz Band's most notable songs were "Let It Whip" and "Joystick." Michael, did you have any part in writing or producing those songs? I co-wrote the B-side of "Let It Whip." With the song "Joystick," I played on it, but I didn't write it. However, I did help produce it. That was on the fourth album. I left after the "Let The Music Play" album and returned for the "Joystick" album. I also did the album for MCA. 

It's natural for people to move around in life. Bandmates often go their separate ways, but I have a unique perspective on life and movement. I firmly believe that even in tough times, God is working behind the scenes. I am sure that God has a purpose and a plan for everyone, and sometimes, He needs to shake things up to lead you where you belong. I view it as a positive way for God to gently steer you toward your next life chapter. We all have our own journey and seasons, and sometimes it's just time to move on to where you're meant to be. Exactly. That's great philosophy. 

Absolutely. It provides a chance to connect with new individuals and all the experiences that come along with it. Staying in our comfort zone is tempting, but sometimes God pushes us out of it to explore new opportunities and meet different people. Stepping out of that familiar space can lead to unexpected doors opening and incredible encounters. It's all about embracing change and seeing the positive side of things. Yeah, that's how I look at it. There was a gentleman named Kermit Henderson. He owned the music store on Kinsman Street. When we did our first album, Kinsman Dazz, we had our first in-store event there. Fans came in, and we signed pictures and autographs. Later on, Kermit became a record distributor and promoter. He took me under his wing after the Dazz Band fell apart. 

He helped me a lot over the past six years, making me the only artist with six top 40 hits on the VR TM Billboard in six different genres. 

Congratulations, and praise God! Thank you. Initially, I was denied my Grammy for writing the flip side and two songs on the album. But, in the end, I got my gold record and Grammy for "Keep-Alive" with "Let It Whip." Kermit, a prominent person in the music industry, fought for me and helped retrieve them. In the end, God blessed me in my later years.  

In the Bible, Joel 2:25-27 says: "The LORD says, 'I will give you back what you lost to the swarming locusts, the hopping locusts, the stripping locusts, and the cutting locusts. It was I who sent this great destroying army against you."  

Prayer works, and God is faithful in all things. Kermit still works with me as my manager. We work together, and he's a great guy. He discovered the group Bone Thugs In Harmony. 

Yes, I remember them. Awesome! Thank you for sharing how God's faithfulness continues to flow in our lives. I'm so happy for all your successes! To God be all the glory, Michael! While we are praising God, your song "Saved" is a tribute to your spiritual roots and a promise to your mother. Can you tell me a little about that? Well, my mother was a devout Christian, and my grandmother and my entire family are Christians. My mother emphasized the importance of prayer, living right, reading the Bible, and following the right path. In other words, you have to walk the walk to talk the talk. We should all want to be saved. 

Absolutely. So that's where I come from. We may be tainted because we're all born sinners, but through Christ and His sacrifice, we can all be saved if we believe. 

Yes! Preach! I see we are having church here, my brother! Please don't get me preaching! (laughs) Yes, Hallelujah! (laughs) 

You know what, Michael, I love the Lord! Jesus Christ is my Lord and Savior too. You can talk about your relationship in The Indie Post Magazine. This is not the type of media that censors you when discussing the Lord. So, testify! I'm with you, my brother! Oh, man! The world can have anything they want, but for me, give me Christ! That's who I've been praying to all my life, and it has turned out well! 

Right! Everyone else is coming out saying who they are, so we Christians need to come out and testify to who we serve. Many Christians today are afraid to say they love the Lord because they fear losing opportunities. This Hollywood industry is not generally moral-friendly. So, whenever I interview anyone, I tell them this is a safe place to talk about Christ. If you love Jesus, say it! Don't be afraid to stand up for Christ. Right. Don't be afraid. 

Amen. Now that we've established that, with over 40 years in the music industry, what is your most significant achievement? And how do you envision your legacy? I wrote a song called "Soul Jam." It did really well on the charts, including Billboard. I wrote, sang, and produced it. God willing, it's going to be re-released. Kermit wants to make it go platinum. 

During the pandemic, I came out as Blue Dazz for about three or four years. After that, I laid low and then re-released some songs under Kinsman Dazz.  

"Soul Jam" is a song about a soul picnic. It embodies what I experience when I go to soul picnics and backyard parties at your auntie's house for the 4th of July and similar events. That's where it came from. 

Yeah, definitely. So, what are you working on now? What's happening now, and what do you have coming up for 2025? What can we expect to hear from you? Well, my song "Till Forevermore" was written by Duncan Crooks. He's a classically trained pianist and jazz player. He gave me some chord changes and melodies to work with, and I put the words to them.  

It turned out to be a beautiful song. Everyone seems to love it. I'm singing on it with a gentleman named Eddie B. Sands. He was a gospel singer and sang on the "Black Nativity" soundtrack. He sang with me on a song called "Ghetto Preacher," which is doing very well in the UK under the Creative Soul label. They released it on vinyl, and it's selling like hotcakes. 

But to this day, "Soul Jam" is my highest achievement because I sang lead, wrote, produced, arranged, and performed on it. It went #1 for two weeks.  

Awesome. That is amazing. Can you give up-and-coming artists some advice? Can you share some lessons you've learned that will help them? It sounds cliché, but you can never, ever, ever give up. I don't care if you end up being 80 years old. Just be an 80-year-old with a #1 record. You can't stop. You can't quit. Many people and things may discourage you but hold your head up. Practice hard, be early to work, early to rise, work hard, and advertise. That's basically what I can give you. 

Michael, it has been a true pleasure to speak with you today. Thank you for giving me a slice of your life and discussing what has meant so much to you. You are an incredibly talented musician, and it is an honor to speak with you. I pray that God will continue to bless the works of your hands according to His will for your life. I pray that the Lord will keep you safe on your travels, keep your family safe, and send good, well-meaning people into your life who look out for your best interests, encourage you, and support you in your endeavors. I'm proud of every achievement you've made and rooting for your success. Thank you again. God bless you, Gina, and thank you. Before I exist this interview, I would also like to thank my beautiful wife, Diane Yettke and Joe Bendo ( executive producers) ,Chris Cuda, and John McLaughlin. And thank you to my production team, and Eddie B Sands Pete  Tokar , Chris Cuda, Byron Clayton and Wayne Preston. They have all been very instrumental in my life.  

Thank you for that Michael, and I’m sure they love you the same.   

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End of Interview