“Don’t Stop The Music” R&B Legends, Yarbrough and Peoples, Talk, Music, Marriage, & Future Projects!

 Interview by: Gina Sedman

Cavin Yarbrough and Alisa Yarbrough, also formally known as Alisa Peoples, invented smooth wave music and had the world dancing to their Billboard Chart-topping single "Don't Stop The Music," along with their hit bangers, Lie To Me, Guilty, among others. Their incredible talents have been showcased worldwide as the power couple tours the world. Besides being kind, gracious, and fun, The Yarbrough's showed their love for each other by valuing one another's talents and abilities. They shared many stories about their musical journeys during our conversation. The following is what they disclosed.

Good day to you Cavin and Alisa, how are you today? AY: We are great. How are you?

I'm awesome! Thank you! It's so lovely to meet you both. AY: It's so lovely to meet you as well. 

CY: Yes. 

Thank you for allowing me this honor to interview you. Also, I enjoy your music, so this is great! AY: Thank you.

CY: Thank you.  

 You're welcome.  How is the weather where you are? AY: It's beautiful out here. It's in the '60s. 

CY: It's the beginning of spring, so it's nice out here.  

Awesome! As for me, I am desperately trying to stay warm here in cold England. (laughs) AY: I love England. 

CY: I love it over there.

AY: I enjoy “Shepard's Pie.” 

CY: And “Yorkshire Pudding.” 

AY: The villagers always invite us over and prepare meals whenever we visit. 

Awe, that's so sweet. AY: One thing I will say is that they wore us out with couscous. I don't like it. I lose weight whenever I go there because I only eat fish, chips, and salad.

 I agree with both of your statements. I don't care for couscous and prefer fish, chips, and Indian food above all other choices. Speaking of weather, where are you guys, where are you guys currently residing? CY: We're in Dallas, TX. That's home for us.

AY: A little suburb right outside of Dallas.  

Awesome! Can you tell me a little about the music scene in Texas? AY: The talent in Texas is abundant. Many artists here can sing a wide variety of musical genres. They are not confined to a single style. Jazz, R&B, Country, or whatever, we have it all.

I am delighted to hear that. What does your day-to-day routine look like? AY: We wake up every morning first, giving thanks to God. That's how we start our day. Then, Cavin completes his task, and I finish mine. Midday, we have lunch and discuss the day and anything else we need to accomplish.

CY: Having been married for 36 years, our day-to-day lives differ from many others. We work, live, stay and play together. Our daily lives include combined involvement in our careers.  

AY: most of our days are spent writing and making music. Additionally, where the music ministers at the church that we attend. Two of the seven days of the week are spent putting music together for the rehearsals and Sunday services.  

You spoke of writing; can you elaborate on that? CY: Yes, we're currently in the process of writing a book. It's a story about our career and our life in general. "We can't explain it; it's a God thing." 

I'm excited about that, and I'm sure your book with bless many people. I look forward to hearing more about that book's release soon. I have a fun question: Who is the better cook?  CY: My wife is the better cook, but I'm great at barbecuing and grilling. She’s a great cook!

AY: Gina, he loves my cornbread! He also loves my special chicken breast recipe. 

Tell me about that. AY: I take a piece of chicken breast, beat it flat, bread it, cook it and pair it with Mashed potato gravy and cream corn. It's delicious.  

Is there a particular dessert that you enjoy making for your husband? Pineapple, lemon, and chocolate refrigerator pies are occasional treats I prepare. Homemade recipes are something I enjoy making.

CY: All of them are outstanding! She puts love into her cooking!

That's beautiful, Cavin! Can you tell me about your musical journey? When were you first exposed to music, and what made you fall in love with it? 

AY: My earliest recollection of music came from my mom and dad. I'm the youngest girl, so they were already in a rhythm when I was born. In my youth, I witnessed my sisters and brothers gathering around the piano to watch my mom or dad sing and play. That was my home life and my first experience being exposed to music. My earliest recollection of singing in front of people came from singing in church. 

 CY: Both of our families were musical. Everyone sang and played instruments in our family, including my mother, father, and sisters. My wife and I met while taking piano lessons. 

 AY: I was five years old at the time. 

 Wow! That's awesome. I love it! CY: I played with Leon Russell and Joe Cocker and had the opportunity to play a bit of that rock'n'roll. However, my love for R&B had my heart. 

We grew together. Initially, Alisa's life was "gospel," but I pulled her into "R&B." Once she started singing, she enjoyed it.

AY: I started off wanting to be a master musician. I didn't want to say, "Hey, my name is Alisa Peoples, and I'm a gospel musician or singer. Even in the Bible, I never saw anybody put a genre to music. I read where it says, "make a joyful noise." It wasn't about fitting yourself into a genre.  

You know, genres were created to separate the races regarding music, ensuring that white people didn't buy black people music. It was formally referred to as race music. Later, the focus became money. The plan was to separate music into genres to allow one group to excel over another. In other words, one group makes more, and the others make less, and we picked up on it.

CY: We did multiple styles of music, including country.  

AY: our goal was to become musicians and understand how to play all types of music.  

As multi-instrumental artists, which instruments do each one of you play? AY: I play Percussion, piano organ, and keyboard. 

CY: I play drums and keyboard and whatever I pick up except for the guitar neither of us plays.  

AY: we can pick the notes.  

CY: Yes, we can pick the notes, but we don't play guitar. 

That's awesome! So, tell me, what do you both appreciate the most about one another? AY: Cavin was very protective of me when I was young. He was kind to me. I was then, and I am now a very sensitive person, and because of that, I pick up feelings and emotions quickly. One of the things I appreciated about Cavin is that he didn't walk over those emotions.  

CY: I'm just a nice guy.  

AY: What I appreciate about him now is his strength and his consistency. Also, he likes me a lot. 

CY: A little bit, sometimes. (laughs)  

AY: Cavin is steady. If he says he will do something, he does it to the best of his ability and knows how to do many things.  

CY: Thank you. 

AY: He's handy. 

CY: Jack of all trades and a master of none. 

AY: Now you're supposed to say the same thing about me. (laughs)  

CY: My wife is rounded. We wouldn't work if she weren't that way. She's easily adaptable. Regardless of how old we get and how many years we've been married, we're still growing together, and I'm in this marriage for life.

What strength would you say each of you has that you benefit from professionally and personally? CY: My wife is spiritually stronger than me. Therefore, she encourages and strengthens me in that area. Where there are things I don't understand about the Bible, my wife fills in the blanks. She knows more than I do regarding Spiritual matters. I rely on her for that type of guidance.  

AY: My dad was the strongest man I knew. I saw him go through many trials and endure so much. And I remember feeling like nothing bad would happen to me when he was around. Now that person is Cavin; he's the strongest man I know. 

Awe, how sweet. Tell me, what challenges do you run into being a musical duo and married couple, and what have you found most inspiring about it? AP: One of the hardest things for me is ensuring we can separate the business from the relationship. Sometimes we get so caught up in the music and the business of it that we forget to be married. We fail to keep dating, so we must be careful to cover all the bases. We must ensure that we're not just doing business all the time but also respecting marriage and the relationship.

CY: That's a good word, "Respect." Because we respect each other's abilities and gifts, we are a strong tower.

Awesome. Thank you for those beautiful words. Before you became the singing duo,” Yarbrough and Peoples, what were you doing, and what were you in pursuit of? AY: As a young lady coming out of college, I majored in business. Therefore, I pursued a career in the business industry and started taking jobs that would put me in the business atmosphere. Although I was involved in music, it was not the focal point of my life. My goal was to expound on what I learned in school.  

After pursuing a business career, the opportunity arose for me to pursue a professional music career, move to California and sign record deals.

Cavin, what was in your heart before music? CY: I wanted to be a teacher, but my professional career began very early. In my heart, I wanted to be a teacher, but in my head, I always knew that I would become a musician and entertainer.

How old were you when you began your professional music career, Cavin? CY: My career began when I was 15 years old. Whenever an opportunity arose, I was on the road singing and playing in bands. That's the life that my wife and I had when we came together. We were both pursuing our paths. She knew music was something that I wanted to do, and I knew what she was. One thing I will say about my wife is that she is a prodigy. 

AY: Thank you. 

That's awesome. When did the duo "Yarbrough and Peoples" come into being? At that time, were you married or dating? AY: Neither. At that time, we were very good friends only. 

CY: We still are.  

AY: The relationship blossomed from us spending a lot of time together. It was just the two of us. Hence our first album, "The Two of Us." It was just the two of us when we went to California. We had nobody else to depend on but us. We had nobody to have our backs but us. That's how our relationship blossomed. So, now, the Lord has blessed us to go full circle. 

In 1981, we made a big record entitled "Don't Stop The Music."

We even went from California to Utah to work with Donny and Marie Osmond at the Children's Miracle Network. 

 While we were there, my father passed away, which made us have to come back home so we could take care of his parents and my mom. We began to lean on God even more during that time and became more involved in the church. Since being back here in Dallas, we've come full circle. We've succeeded in the record business and being on stage with Blind Lemon Blues. We've traveled the world and even picked up acting skills. 

CY: Yes, we did three movies in two years. This is what we wanted and prayed for. 

 AY: We hadn't done this before, so God opened the door and blessed us to do that.  

 Awesome! I would love to see you both in those films. As a Christian, I know it can be challenging to be an artist in an industry not geared toward honoring biblical principles or a lifestyle that glorifies God. Can you tell me about your experience being Christian in the industry? How did you manage your faith in God and the entertainment industry's demands? CY: We have grown through the witness of what God has done in our lives. We realize that what we have is a God-given gift, so there's no challenge to us when we come across people who believe, study, or think differently than us. We stand on our ground, and it's no wavering here. 

AY: The bible says in Proverbs 22:6 King James Version, "Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it." That scripture is true. The stuff that you learn as a child you hide in your heart. As you encounter different situations, those scriptures come to you and remind you what's right and wrong. None of us are perfect, and as we grow, we make mistakes. Even we did things that we were not proud of. We did that because we had to learn to grow up, but as the bible also says in 1 Corinthians 13:11 King James Version, "When I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child: but when I became a man, I put away childish things."  

Now, when we're around those who don't believe, rather than try to convince or change them, we allow the spirit of God to change the hearts and minds of people. We had to mature into that level of understanding. We don't stand in judgment of anybody's life because we're not being judged for their life. They're only being judged for their own life. So, all we can do is pray for that person, love them, and be as helpful as possible.

Well said. I want to talk about some of your music. I used to skate to your Billboard chart-topper, "Don't Stop the Music." In addition to the song, I loved your outfits. Who designed them? CY: We styled ourselves. The funny thing is that I spoke with someone the other day about this topic. They were talking about us wearing their clothes. I told him that I was wearing warm-up suits back then. (laughs)  

AY: At that time, we hadn't made the record company substantial money, so they gave us little money. Therefore, the outfits you saw us wearing in that video came from closets.

You came to the label with style! That’s awesome! AY: Yes. We did. I even started wearing hats and scarves. That later became my signature look back then. 

Now, in your video “Guilty,” what was going on? There were so many things happening in that video. Hilarious! Tell me about the making of that video. Did it also make you laugh while filming it? AY: Yes, it was funny. Frankie Crocker, the guy who played the car dealer in the video, was the DJ and program director who broke "Don't Stop The Music." He was a DJ from New York on KBLX. He played, Don't Stop The Music only for 24 hours straight. 

CY: Not only did he break that song, but he also broke McFadden and Whitehead's song, "Ain't No Stoppin' Us Now," utilizing the same method he used with our song.  

AY: From there, it's spread across the United States. You would think it would have broken here at home in Texas, but it didn't start here. It began in New York. Then the fire picked up from There.

Wow, thanks for sharing that piece of history with our readers. That is awesome! Another song I loved was, “I Wouldn't Lie.” AY: Oh yeah.

I love your music! I grew up listening to your music, and you both are phenomenal! AY: Thank you! 

My pleasure!

CY: We had a producer who was instrumental in creating the sound of it. All the songs had that same familiar beat. As a matter of fact, the song we are putting out is called “This Beat.” It has the same type of beat that gives you that same feeling. 

AY: We hear our beat all over the place. It’s in the commercials, and people also use our beat in their songs. 

CY: What! We've had about 25 to 30 rappers, including Puff Daddy, Alicia Keys, Shaquille O'Neal, and many other well-known artists who have all sampled our music.

AY: It’s been sampled quite a few times. I think it’s fantastic!

It is amazing! In my opinion, this proves that there is nothing like the good music of our generation. We had a unique and original sound. As a bonus, it must be noted that the singers and musicians had an extremely high level of skill and talent. There was no autotune or faking it to make it work. A person had to have the talent that would set them apart from the rest of society. Today's music industry has lost much of the art that used to exist. But I'm happy you're receiving respect from the younger artists, which is excellent. What is your favorite song that you enjoy performing the most? AY: "Don't Stop The Music" is fun to perform on stage because people love the song. When you perform to an audience, and they respond positively, it does something to you. (laughs)

Sometimes when performing, I'll sit at the piano, and Cavin sits down and sings, "What A Wonderful World." That's one of my favorite songs to hear him perform. "That boy can sing that song!” 

There is no doubt in my mind that he can do it! I want to hear it right now! I want to ask you all a question, what was the most embarrassing moment you encountered while performing on stage? AY: I'll tell you one! (laughs) 

Ok then, Let's have it. (laughs) AY: We were on the road with The Gap Band, Kool, and The Gang, and Lonnie brought me a jumpsuit. The Gap Band were wearing fringes on their outfit. So, he brought me this jumpsuit that had long fringes on it. So, when I sat down at the piano to play, they brought the microphone, and when I got ready to get up, the fringe from my costume somehow wrapped around that microphone, and I couldn't stand up because they were wrapped around the microphone. (laughs) That's my most embarrassing moment. 

CY: My most embarrassing experience happened at Radio City. I was warned not to cross this line. The line distance wasn't judged correctly, and I almost fell off the stage. 

Oh no!

CY: Another one was when I ran backstage, and Little Richard was backstage behind the curtain in a wheelchair. He had foot surgery, and I accidentally kicked him on his foot.

AY: It was dark backstage. (laugh)

CY: After I kicked him, he screamed in agony! 

Oh no! (laughs) That’s hilarious! I can hear him in my head! AY: He was loud too! (laugh) That was embarrassing! (laughs)  

He was hilarious! Unique. So, you left your label and started your own production company. What made you decide it was time to move on and go independent? AY: Once we realized we would never make any money while we were there, it was time to leave “The Total Experience.” We had to go. We left empty-handed. We weren't even given our wardrobe. As soon as we left, we told each other we wouldn't let the music go away. Besides, we were still writing, and the music was still coming. 

Also, we realized that we could only put it out on our own, so that's exactly what we did. We continued to write and release our music independently.  

You have a gospel music release that I love! Tell us about that. AY: Yes, we do. It's called, I'm In... I'm All The Way In." We did everything on it, and we self-funded that entire project.  

When people see you doing something good, sometimes they want to help and be a part of what you're doing. So, people came and helped us, and we put that out, and it was amazing! 

What are you working on now? AY: We are working on a new album and releasing a book about personal and professional lives. They are intended to be a collective project. 

OK, let's talk about that. Let's talk about your new music, and let's talk about the book. AY: This music is a collection of music that has been with us for most of our lives. Our priority was to keep the young people around us, making it modern without sacrificing the old-school flavor. You can still feel the old-school pump and funk in it. The sentiment is heartfelt, and it touches the soul. Up-tempo, mid-tempo, and ballads are included in the album. We'll take you on a ride.

The book goes into greater depth. The things we discuss may be known to some people, while others may not know what happened to us and how they may have shaped our lives.

That's awesome! What's the name of the book? AY: "When The Music Stops." It's about the time in our lives when the music stopped. It wasn't necessarily the music; it was the music of our lives. We speak about the things that keep us going daily. The stamina and all of that. We discussed where it all stopped and brought it back to life. 

How exciting! What is the release date of this project? CY: We hope to have the project completed by this summer. It will be an album with live musicians. Now, we can't disclose everyone that's going to be on the album, but "Doug E. Fresh" is one of the artists that will be included.

In addition to having a phenomenal music career, you have been in three films. Can you tell me a little about that? CY: We've been in a few short films like "Flesh and Bones," and another movie called "The Rings That Bind Us." We just wrapped our third film called "A Miracle Christmas." 

AY: All of them can be streamed online.  

 One last question, can you say something that would inspire independent artists to come up under you? CY: They probably heard it repeatedly, but they got to believe in what you do and believe that it's your destiny and the truth. That's what gives you longevity, and it stands firm. 

Today you have artists that come out and disappear in six months. After six months, they're no longer visible, and that's due to not standing on what they do. We stand on what we do. 

AY: You cannot sit back waiting for God to do something. It's stepping out and believing that God will not let you fall. You've got to know that now unto Him who can keep you from falling is real. Speaking in faith is very important. This is what my husband and I do. Faith without works is dead.  

CY: Once again, you have to believe.  

AY: Yes, and you'll step out on it if you believe God is with you. 

That is beautiful. I humbly and graciously thank you for your time. You could have been doing many things, but you gave me a bit of your time and a slice of your life. Therefore, I thank God for this beautiful exchange. I pray that God will continue to bless you and bless the works of your hands. Be it done according to his will. I pray that God will bless and keep your family safe. Y&P: Thank you so much, Gina.

 My pleasure.

Buy the Indie Post Magazine | Yarbrough & Peoples Edition on Amazon

THE INDIE POST | YARBROUGH & PEOPLES | APRIL 15, 2023 ISSUE VOL 2: Sedman, Gina: 9798391314929: Amazon.com: Books

END OF INTERVIEW