A Day In "The Life Of Riley"

WELCOME to "The Life of Riley" which will include periodic chronicles of pop culture and possibilities that flow out of Patrick L. Riley's day. That's me!!! Through blogging (and soon some other technological features on which I'll keep you posted as they launch), I will pull experiences from my busy life to entertain and inspire all of you. Through this site, I will share my observations and insights.

Some features to look forward to:

1.) "PATRICK'S POP UP(DATES)" will feature stories from pop culture, music, theater, fashion, and the entertainment industry at large.

2.) "The Life of Riley" will also introduce a "take-a-look-at-your-life" section (READ: sort of an advice column), where I will help readers come up with their own questions and answers around what "ways of being" are working (or not working) to have them acheive their respective goals and live their best lives. This section is called "WHO YOU BE?".

3.) Additonally, there will be a free-flowing, organic section called "TESTIFY" from which I will pull from my own life's journey to share and hopefully inspire. Some of the fare may be new musings and experiences. Other times, I may pull from my journals and past sharings to shed light on some uncomfortable truths that I've experienced and that may perhaps play a role in healing someone else's wounds as the real-life experience did for me. From my experience of covering 9/11 as a freelance journalist to courageously coming out (as gay) to my family, "TESTIFY" promises to move those who choose to read it.

4.) And a section titled "PR" (like my initials, but also like "public relations") will include press clips from any coverage I get.

5.) And anytime pictures or video can support an entry (in the blog, and perhaps in the subsequent podcasts, my space, and website), those visuals will keep things aesthetically enrolling. That section will be called "MY TUBE".

PLAYING TO THE POP IN POSSIBILITIES!

Patrick L. Riley

Entries in Curtis King (1)

tbaal riverfront jazz festival 2017

Hi folks - especially my DALLAS PEEPS!

Ant and I truly enjoyed our time in DALLAS at Riverfront Jazz Festival! I told you how excited I was to attend: http://thelifeofriley.squarespace.com/rilys-blog/2017/8/17/one-booking-at-a-time.html.

Well, we really did have a BLAST!

Jonathan Butler, Melanie Fiona,

Jon Secada,

and Rachelle Farrell

join

Rahsaan Patterson,

Original SUPREME Mary Wilson,

Band of Gold's Freda Payne,

and Oleta Adams as some of the star performers who SLAYED! BRILLIANT TALENT back-to-back-to-back made for a WONDERFUL HOLIDAY WEEKEND!

And so good to see dear friends and local hosts: Kevin....

Nanette Lee,

NABJ brother friends Terry Allen

and CBS Dallas' Steve Pickett,

my beloved Ed Roebuck, the uber-talented and inspirational Darren Henson,

and more. The TBAAL and VISITDALLAS teams have been too hospitable in this awesome city -

starting with Pecan Lodge welcome meal of BBQ and more....

for Ant, my NABJ besties Greg Dunmore (in town for Pulsebeat) and Jill Tracey

(covering for Hot 105.1 Miami).

Plus, we got the benefit of connecting to a number of wonderful, new Dallas friends.

The weekend's kickoff concert was given by none other than Dallas' own homegirl from outer space, THE Erykah Badu who did just about everything except for maybe Bag Lady.

She plucked "Believe in Yourself" from The Wiz - and her TBAAL past with Godfather Curtis King - as a tribute to our Houston, TX family as they find their way back to life.

BRILLIANT SHOW! BADU BROUGHT IT!

Others on the stellar line-up include:

Will Downing, Najee, Yarbrough and Peoples featuring Benita Arterberry, Martha Wash, Pieces of A Dream, Ruben Studdard, Alex Bugonon, Kim Waters, Phil Perry, Eloise Laws,