On this week's Plus episode, Jay looks to his favorite moments in conversation with his guests about parenthood. For sponsor-free episodes, weekly bonus content, and more, subscribe to The Limits Plus at /thelimits. In her book, Smith crafts a love letter to Black women in pop, capturing the intimate details of who they were, their influence on her, and how their music changed pop forever. As a previous editor-in-chief for both Billboard and Vibe magazines, host of the Black Girl Songbook podcast, and longtime music reporter, she uses her expertise to spotlight the stories of pop powerhouses like Gladys Knight, Mahalia Jackson, Whitney Houston, and more. In dazzling prose, she casts a spotlight on the creative genius of Black women musicians including Mahalia Jackson, Dionne Warwick, Aretha Franklin, Gladys Knight, Mariah Carey, Marilyn McCoo and. In this episode, guest host Juana Summers talks with Danyel Smith about her new memoir, Shine Bright: A Personal History of Black Women in Pop. Novelist, journalist, editor and television producer Danyel Smith’s Shine Bright: A Very Personal History of Black Women in Pop radiates brilliance. She’s the creator and host the Spotify-exclusive Black Girl Songbook, a music and talk show that centers black women. Its part memoir, part musical history of the often invisible, always culturally significant Black women who made pop. Danyel Smith is an author, award-winning journalist, and producer. Smith interweaves heartfelt stories of her own life as she provides evidence of the continual erasure of Black women’s contributions to the evolving music industry, even as they upended all cultural norms and created unprecedented sounds.Author Danyel Smith On Black Women in Pop History : The Limits with Jay Williams This week, we're letting our friends at It's Been a Minute take over our feed. Shine Bright is an overdue paean to musical masters whose true stories and genius have been hidden in plain sightand the book Danyel Smith was born to write. Smith draws from interviews that she conducted (some previously published) for insight into the complicated lives of Whitney Houston (they bonded over broken marriages), Mariah Carey, and Janet Jackson (who grappled with guilt over her success).

She examines Cissy Houston’s backup performances for Elvis and Van Morrison Diana Ross’s portrayal of Billie Holiday in Lady Sings the Blues Gladys Knight’s manager Margherite Wendell Mays Jamaican singer-songwriter Millie Small and the much-imitated gospel stylings of Sister Rosetta Tharpe. Smith explores famous musicians as well as those who may have been forgotten. Danyel Smith, Mariecar Mendoza From formerly enslaved poet Phyllis Wheatley to Mahalia Jackson to Tina Turner, brilliant Black women have been instrumentalindeed, foundationalin creating America’s pop music. This book is the culmination of years of interviews, research, and personal appreciation for the music that shaped the author’s own life. Music journalist and host of the podcast Black Girl Songbook Smith ( More Like Wrestling) has made it her life’s work to uplift Black women artists and give them the credit they are due.

Shine bright by danyel smith