- TONIGHT SHOWCASE WITH BARBARA KELLAR, JAZZ SINGER AND ENTREPRENEUR KATHY WADE.

STAY TUNED.

SHOWCASE START RIGHT NOW.

(MUSIC) KELLAR: HI, I'M BARBARA KELLAR, AND THIS IS REALLY FUN, BECAUSE TODAY I HAVE AS MY GUEST MY LONG, LONG, LONG TIME FRIEND, WE'RE HAVING A REUNION HERE, KATHY WADE.

WHO IS KNOWN TO MOST OF YOU.

A SINGER, ENTREPRENEUR, PHILANTHROPIST.

AND WE'RE GOING TO GET CAUGHT UP AND FIND OUT WHAT SHE'S UP TO THESE DAYS BECAUSE WE'VE ALL BEEN INCARCERATED HERE FOR A LONG TIME.

SO WE'RE ALL SPRINGING OUT AND KATHY IS HERE TO TALK ABOUT HER LIFE AND WHAT SHE'S BEEN DOING.

SO WELCOME TO SHOWCASE.

WADE: THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME.

THIS IS SO GOOD TO BE OUT AND TO SEE YOU.

KELLAR: I KNOW.

WADE: I SAW YOU PASSING AT LUNCH AND NOW HERE WE ARE NOW.

THIS IS GREAT.

KELLAR: I KNOW THIS IS GREAT, SO TELL US WHAT YOU'RE UP TO.

WADE: YOU KNOW, IT HAS BEEN A VERY, VERY BUSY YEAR.

YOU KNOW, YOU WOULD THINK THAT COVID WOULD SLOW YOU DOWN.

AND FOR US, WHEN I SAY US, I'M TALKING ABOUT LEARNING THROUGH ART, INC, OUR NONPROFIT, WE TURN 30 YEARS OLD NEXT YEAR.

KELLAR: WAS YOUR FIRST PHILANTHROPY THIRTY YEARS?

WADE: NO -- YEAH, WELL, ALMOST.

TWENTY SIX BECAUSE WE'D BEEN IN BUSINESS A FEW YEARS BEFORE WE DID THE FIRST ONE AND YOU WERE OUR FIRST HONOREE.

KELLAR: YEAH.

WADE: YOU AND YVONNE ROBERTSON.

KELLAR: YES, RIGHT.

MY CLOSEST FRIEND.

I LOVED HER.

WADE: YEAH.

WELL, SO YOU KNOW, WE'LL BE 30 NEXT YEAR.

AND IT WAS INTERESTING WHEN COVID HIT BECAUSE ONE OF OUR LARGER PROGRAMS IS BOOKS ALIVE FOR KIDS WHERE WE MAKE BOOKS COME ALIVE THROUGH SIGHT, SOUND AND TOUCH.

READ THE BOOK, MAKE A CRAFT, AND THERE'S A SHOW, JUST TRYING TO GET KIDS TO READ, BE ENGAGED AND READING.

AND THEN NOW IT'S EXTENDED TO ENGAGING FAMILIES AND COMMUNITIES TO READ.

AT ANY RATE, THE IMPORTANT PART -- PIECE TO THIS IS THE LIVE PERFORMANCE, BECAUSE YOU USE THESE VARIOUS MODALITIES TO INTEREST KIDS IN READING, READING THE BOOK, MAKING A CRAFT BASED ON THE BOOK, AND THEN HAVING A PERFORMANCE.

SO THAT PERFORMANCE WAS VERY INTEGRAL TO THE PROJECT AND THE PROGRAM.

I LOOKED UP AND I THOUGHT, "WELL, WHAT ARE WE GOING TO DO?

SCHOOLS ARE CLOSED.

WE CAN'T TAKE THE SHOW IN.

I GOT ALL THE SCHOOLS LINED UP."

LONG STORY SHORT, I THOUGHT 10 YEARS AGO WE DID OUR FIRST TWO SPECIALS, MAKING TELEVISION SPECIALS FOR BOOKS ALIVE FOR KIDS BOOKS.

AND I THOUGHT, "WELL, WE COULD TRY AND GO BACK TO THAT."

AND WE TRIED IT ON OUR OWN.

AND THEN I CALLED MY GOOD FRIEND ZO WESSON AND SAID, "SO WE'RE IN THIS CONUNDRUM WITH COVID AND I'M THINKING ABOUT GOING TO PRODUCE THESE SHOWS.

WE CAN DO A VERY CLOSED SET, VERY, YOU KNOW, ALIGNING TO PROTOCOL.

WOULD YOU BE INTERESTED?

CAN YOU HELP ME?

BY THE WAY, WE DON'T HAVE ANY MONEY."

HE SAID, "I'M GOING TO HELP YOU OUT."

KELLAR: WHO WAS THIS?

WADE: ZO WESSON.

KELLAR: OH, OKAY.

WADE: HE IS A 29 TIME REGIONAL EMMY WINNER.

KELLAR: OH, MY GOSH.

IS HE A DIRECTOR?

WADE: YES, HE'S A DIRECTOR.

HE'S VERY GOOD, INTERNATIONALLY, NATIONALLY, AND OF COURSE, HERE IN CINCINNATI WITH A TON OF WORK HE'S DONE HERE.

BUT ANYWAY, HE'S IN CHICAGO, AND I SAID, "YOU KNOW, CAN WE WORK ALL THIS OUT?"

WE SAT DOWN, WE FIGURED IT OUT.

AND LO AND BEHOLD, WE ENDED UP DOING EPISODES.

WE PRODUCED ABOUT FOUR SO FAR.

WE ALREADY HAD TWO IN THE CAN.

SO NOW WE HAVE AN ENTIRE ONLINE PLATFORM FOR BOOKS ALIVE FOR KIDS, AND THAT PLATFORM GOES WITH THE EPISODES THAT WE DO.

SO YOU GET THE ENTIRE PROJECT AT ONE TIME.

AND WE MADE THE ONLINE PLATFORM FREE TO ABOUT SEVEN DIFFERENT SCHOOL DISTRICTS ONCE WE SET IT UP, AND LOOKING TO CONTINUE TO EXPAND THAT.

BUT IT GAVE US AN OPPORTUNITY TO PRODUCE THESE EPISODES, AND ZO SAID TO ME AS WE STARTED, "WE'RE GOING TO GET AN EMMY FOR THIS."

AND I'M LIKE, "OKAY, YOU KNOW, WHATEVER.

LET'S JUST DO THE SHOW RIGHT NOW.

WE'VE BEEN DOWN THE NOMINATION -- KELLAR: DON'T COUNT YOUR EMMYS BEFORE THEY HATCH.

WADE: EXACTLY.

I SAID, "YOU KNOW, WE'VE ALREADY HAD FOUR NOMINATIONS.

I'VE ALWAYS HAD STELLAR SHOES TO WEAR AND FABULOUS OUTFITS.

I'M NOT GOING TO GET EXCITED.

SO LET'S JUST DO THIS.

LET'S JUST PRODUCE SOME GREAT EPISODES FOR KIDS."

WE DID.

WE WERE NOMINATED FOR BEST WRITER AND BEST ACTOR/NARRATOR, WHICH JUST HAPPENED TO BE MY BROTHER, BRUCE.

ZO WAS NOMINATED FOR BEST PUBLIC SERVICE, AND THEN THE SHOW ITSELF WAS NOMINATED FOR LONG FORM CHILDREN'S PROGRAMING.

KELLAR: YEAH.

WADE: AND WE WON, SO WHICH WAS VERY, VERY -- IT WAS LIKE, OH MY GOD, THIS IS KIND OF COOL, YOU KNOW?

KELLAR: YEAH.

WADE: SO FOUR NOMINATIONS THIS TIME, IT GIVES US A TOTAL OF EIGHT AND ONE WIN IS GREAT.

WE'RE LOOKING FORWARD TO -- YOU KNOW, YOU NEVER -- I SAY TO HIM ALL THE TIME, I'M LIKE, "YOU'RE NOT PRODUCING FOR THAT REASON, BUT IF IT HAPPENS."

KELLAR: IT'S GREAT IF IT HAPPENS.

WADE: IT'S GREAT IF IT HAPPENS.

SO WE'RE BONING UP AGAIN TO START PRODUCTION UP AGAIN.

SO OUR FIRST PRODUCTION WILL BE PART OF ANOTHER PROJECT THAT I'VE BEEN DOING STORY QUILTS, WHICH I PUT TOGETHER AFTER RECEIVING A GRANT FROM ARTS WAVE.

THEY HAD TRUTH AND RECONCILIATION GRANTS, AND I WAS SELECTED AS A MASTER ARTIST AND COMMISSIONED TO PUT A PROGRAM TOGETHER.

AND I PUT TOGETHER STORY QUILTS, WHICH IS UTILIZING THE PATCHWORK OF OUR LIVES TO TELL THE STORIES OF TRUTH AND RECONCILIATION AROUND RACISM, SYSTEMIC RACISM, SOCIAL INJUSTICE, THOSE ARE THE TOPICS.

AND I WANTED TO BE ABLE TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO TAKE ART TO HAVE THAT CONVERSATION BECAUSE WE KNOW THAT RACISM IS VERY TRAUMATIC.

IT AFFECTS EVERYBODY, NO MATTER WHAT COLOR YOU ARE, IT'S GOING TO HAVE AN EFFECT ON YOU.

IT'S IN THE SYSTEM AND THEREFORE THE SYSTEM HAS AN EFFECT ON ALL OF US.

SO I CALLED MY DEAR FRIEND, DR. CAROLYN L. MAZLOOMI, WHO IS A MASTER QUILTER AND FABRIC ARTIST AND HISTORIAN.

AND I KNEW THAT SHE HAD DONE THIS FANTASTIC SHOW IN MINNEAPOLIS AFTER THE DEATH OF GEORGE FLOYD ENTITLED WE ARE THE STORY: A VISUAL LOOK AT RACE RACISM IN AMERICA.

I KNEW IT WAS COMING DOWN, AND I DIDN'T KNOW WHERE SHE WAS GOING TO TAKE IT NEXT, BUT I SAID, "LISTEN, I'M DOING THE STORY QUILT PROJECT, AND I WOULD LOVE TO ANCHOR IT WITH THIS EXHIBITION BECAUSE THIS EXHIBITION WILL HOPEFULLY GET PEOPLE TO COME, GET THEM TO WANT TO TALK, AND THAT WILL TAKE US INTO THE STORY QUILT COMMUNITY CONVERSATIONS.

SO YOU SEE THE SHOW, YOU COME TO A CONVERSATION, AND THEN YOU REALLY GET TO TALK ABOUT TRUTH AND RECONCILIATION AROUND THIS REALLY TOUGH TOPIC, RIGHT?

KELLAR: MM-HMM.

WADE: BUT TO GET YOU INTO THAT CONVERSATION, WE ASK YOU TO MAKE A STORY QUILT AND WE TAKE ALL THE FINISHED QUILT SQUARES THAT EVERYBODY DOES.

AND THAT QUILT SQUARES SHOULD DEPICT WHATEVER IT IS THAT YOU'RE FEELING, THAT YOU'RE SAYING, HOW YOU WANT TO RECONCILE AROUND THIS TOUGH ISSUE OF RACISM AND SYSTEMIC RACISM.

WE TAKE THOSE QUILT SQUARES, WE MAKE A QUILT, AND WE DONATE IT BACK TO THE HOST ORGANIZATION SO THAT THEY HAVE A PIECE OF ART THAT'S HANGING THAT WILL CONTINUE TO HOPEFULLY INFLUENCE PEOPLE TO KEEP TALKING BECAUSE THIS IS NOT A ONE TIME CONVERSATION.

SO THAT WAS THE SECOND PIECE TO STORY QUILTS.

THE THIRD PIECE WAS A LIVE PERFORMANCE THAT WE WERE DOING BLACK ANTHOLOGY OF MUSIC, THE RESILIENCE OF JAZZ, WHICH IS BASED ON A SHOW I'VE BEEN DOING FOR 40 YEARS NOW.

KELLAR: YOU'RE A JAZZ SINGER.

WADE: I AM.

KELLAR: YES.

ONCE A JAZZ SINGER, ALWAYS A JAZZ SINGER?

WADE: OH, YES.

AND SO IT'S ABOUT THE HISTORY OF JAZZ, AND WE WANTED TO TAKE THAT HISTORY AND HOW IT PARALLELS WITH THE FRAMING OF AMERICA AND SHOW THAT IF JAZZ CAN BE RESILIENT AS WE LOOK AT THE SYSTEMS IN AMERICA, SO CAN YOU.

RIGHT?

UNFORTUNATELY, WE ENDED UP POSTPONING IT AND GOING VIRTUAL.

SO THAT WILL BE OUR VERY FIRST PRODUCTION WHEN WE GO BACK TO PRODUCING SHOWS FOR BOOKS ALIVE FOR KIDS PLATFORM.

THAT WILL BE THE SHOW.

KELLAR: THE QUILT, DO GIVE PEOPLE A SQUARE?

WADE: WE GIVE THEM A QUILT SQUARE.

KELLAR: AND HOW -- WHAT IF THEY DON'T KNOW HOW TO QUILT?

WADE: THEY DON'T HAVE TO QUILT.

THE WHOLE IDEA IS WE GIVE YOU THAT, WE GIVE YOU BEADS, WE GIVE YOU FOAMING, WE GIVE YOU JEWELS, WE GIVE YOU BUTTONS, AND A SEWING KIT.

THERE'S FABRIC GLUE.

THERE'S FELT.

AND WHAT WE WANT YOU TO DO IS FOR YOU TO TELL YOUR STORY, AS YOU SPEAK THAT STORY, CREATE A QUILT SQUARE THAT DEPICTS WHAT IT IS THAT YOU'RE SAYING, HOWEVER YOU WANT TO DO IT.

SO YOU DON'T HAVE TO QUILT.

IT'S JUST YOU DESIGNING.

KELLAR: I THOUGHT YOU HAD LOST ME THERE WITH -- WADE: YEAH, NO, WE ACTUALLY HAVE QUILTERS WHO ARE GOING TO ACTUALLY TAKE THE SQUARES AND CREATE QUILTS FROM THEM.

KELLAR: OH, I LOVE QUILTS.

WADE: I DO TOO.

I DO TOO, ESPECIALLY STORY QUILTS.

KELLAR: YEAH, AND THEY'RE SO COMFORTING.

WADE: YES.

YES.

KELLAR: YEAH.

WADE: WHICH EVEN MADE THIS PROJECT EVEN MORE INTERESTING BECAUSE, AS DR. MAZLOOMI SAID AT THE OPENING OF THE EXHIBITION, "CLOTH IS THE ONE THING THAT WE KNOW FROM THE MOMENT THAT WE'RE BORN BECAUSE WE'RE WRAPPED IN CLOTH TO THE MOMENT THAT WE DIE, WHEN WE'RE WRAPPED IN CLOTH AS WE ARE BURIED."

KELLAR: YEAH.

WADE: SO, IT HAS THAT ABILITY FOR US TO BE ABLE TO SHARE STORIES.

SO IT WAS A WONDERFUL PIECE TO ANCHOR A PROJECT AND IT'S BEEN A LOT OF FUN AND I'M LOOKING FORWARD.

WHAT WE'RE FINDING NOW IS THAT WE HAVE MORE REQUESTS FOR STORYQUILT COMMUNITY CONVERSATIONS.

PEOPLE STILL WANT TO TALK.

AND WE ULTIMATELY ENDED UP TAKING THOSE CONVERSATIONS TO A VIRTUAL PLATFORM.

SO NOW THAT WE HAVE THAT DEVELOPED, WE'LL BE ABLE TO OFFER BOTH WHEN IT'S SAFE TO BE OUT OUT AGAIN, WE WILL.

BUT FOR NOW, WE'RE DOING VIRTUALLY AND ANYBODY CAN JOIN.

AND WE ARE LITERALLY MAKING THE QUILT SQUARE KITS AVAILABLE AROUND TOWN.

SO IF PEOPLE JUST GO TO OUR WEBSITE STORYQUILTS2021.COM, THEY'LL BE ABLE TO FIND ALL THE INFORMATION AND WHEN TO JOIN US VIRTUALLY AND HOW TO GET YOUR YOUR KIT TO MAKE YOUR QUILT SQUARE.

AND WE'RE SAYING TO PEOPLE IN THIS PARTICULAR CASE, TAKE A PICTURE OF IT, SEND US THE PHOTO.

AND THEN WE'RE GOING TO MAKE WHAT WE CONSIDER VISUAL QUILTS SO THAT PEOPLE CAN COME TO THE SITE AND BE ABLE TO PICK THE SQUARES THAT THEY WANT, CREATE THEIR OWN QUILT, TAKE A PICTURE OF IT AND FRAME IT.

KELLAR: YEAH.

SO DID YOU DO SOME OF IT IN PERSON INITIALLY?

WADE: YES, WE DID.

KELLAR: THEN WHERE DO YOU DO THAT?

NOT AT YOUR HOUSE?

WADE: SO, NO, NO, NO.

WE ACTUALLY WENT OUT AND ASKED FOR PARTNERS IN THE COMMUNITY.

SO OUR VERY FIRST COMMUNITY CONVERSATION WAS HELD AT THE WYOMING FINE ARTS CENTER.

THEY CALLED US.

KELLAR: OKAY.

PEOPLE STARTED HEARING THAT WE GOING TO DO THIS PROJECT, AND THEY STARTED CALLING US.

YEAH.

WADE: SO WE'VE BEEN THERE.

WE'VE BEEN TO THE FENTON CENTER.

WE'VE BEEN TO THE BOOKER T. WASHINGTON CENTER UP IN HAMILTON AS WELL, SO WE'VE DONE -- KELLAR: FENTON, AS IN DAYTON?

WADE: IN HAMILTON.

KELLAR: HAMILTON.

WADE: HAMILTON, YEAH, WE'VE DONE TWO IN HAMILTON.

AND THEN WE'VE DONE ONE, WE WERE AT DOUGLAS FREDERICK DOUGLASS ELEMENTARY BEFORE WE WENT TO THE VIRTUAL PLATFORM.

AND I'M MISSING ANOTHER LOCATION IN MY HEAD.

BUT IT'S BEEN AMAZING TO SEE THE TURNOUT, TO HEAR THE STORIES, TO HEAR PEOPLE, TO SEE WHAT HAPPENS WHEN PEOPLE INTERACT AND HAVE THIS CONVERSATION.

IT HAS REALLY BEEN -- IT'S BEEN -- IT'S BEEN VERY ENCOURAGING AND INSPIRING, BUT IT'S ALSO BEEN VERY ENLIGHTENING IN THAT PEOPLE WILL TALK, IF YOU JUST GET THEM TO.

KELLAR: YEP, GIVE THEM A REASON.

WADE: GIVE THEM A REASON TO, YEAH, AND THEY HAVE THINGS TO SAY.

AND IT DOESN'T MATTER, WE ALWAYS START THE SESSIONS OFF BY SETTING UP GROUND RULES SO THAT WE ALL KNOW WHAT THE PARAMETERS ARE SO NOBODY'S FEELING SHUT DOWN OR SHUT OUT OR CLOSED OUT BECAUSE THIS IS A CONVERSATION, FOR EVERYBODY TO PARTICIPATE IN.

KELLAR: YEAH.

WADE: SO IT'S BEEN VERY REWARDING, VERY REWARDING.

KELLAR: WELL, IT SOUNDS GREAT.

YOU HAVE SO MANY INCREDIBLE THINGS GOING, AND THEY'RE ALSO CREATIVE.

YOU KNOW?

YOU DO THINGS THAT NOBODY ELSE THINKS ABOUT.

WADE: THANK YOU.

KELLAR: YEAH, I MEAN, THAT'S JUST YOU, YOU KNOW HOW TO GET PEOPLE THINKING AND DOING.

AND TELL US ABOUT YOUR SINGING.

HAVE YOU BEEN?

WADE: SO I HAVE, IT'S BEEN INTERESTING.

COVID KEPT ME OFF OF A STAGE FOR 18 MONTHS.

KELLAR: YEAH.

WADE: BECAUSE I WAS JUST A LITTLE NERVOUS ABOUT GOING OUT TO PERFORM AND EVERYTHING WAS SHUT DOWN ON TOP OF THAT.

AND THEN GETTING BACK INTO IT TOOK A TOOK A SLIGHT MINUTE.

KELLAR: YEAH.

WADE: BUT MY FIRST BIG I SHOULD SAY OUTDOOR GIG WAS ACTUALLY IN BURNET WOODS AS PART OF THE, YEAH, THE CLIFTON CULTURAL CENTER HAS A JAZZ SERIES THAT THEY DO DURING THE SUMMER.

AND THEY HAD BOOKED ME WAY BEFORE, YOU KNOW, WE WERE SHUTTING DOWN AND I KEPT WATCHING THE CALENDAR, AND LISTENING TO THE NEWS AND SEEING IF THIS WAS GOING TO HAPPEN.

CICADA CAME AND I THOUGHT, "OH, I DON'T KNOW IF I CAN DO THIS."

SO I WENT OUT AND BOUGHT A CICADA HAT.

KELLAR: YOU CAN BUY THAT?

WADE: WELL, I BOUGHT THE BEE HAT, YOU KNOW?

KELLAR: OH, YEAH, OKAY.

WADE: RIGHT?

AND IN A WONDERFUL COLOR, NAVY BLUE TO MATCH MY OUTFIT, OF COURSE.

AND I THOUGHT, IN CASE THE CICADA IS STILL AROUND.

AS IT TURNED OUT, THEY WERE GONE BY THE TIME I DID THE GIG IN BURNET WOODS.

BUT IT WAS WONDERFUL TO BE BACK OUT LIVE AND I JUST -- KELLAR: OH, YEAH.

WADE: I JUST ENJOYED IT, AND I THINK -- I KNOW IT WAS A HUGE CROWD.

I KNOW THAT EVERYBODY ELSE ENJOYED IT AS WELL.

BUT IT, YOU KNOW, FOR ME, MY SOUL NEEDS TO GET UP AND SING, YOU KNOW?

KELLAR: YEAH.

WADE: JUST LIKE PEOPLE NEED TO GET OUT AND EXPERIENCE THE ARTS.

SOMEBODY WAS JUST SAYING TO ME THE OTHER DAY THAT IT'S -- ANOTHER MUSICIAN WAS SAYING, "YOU KNOW, YOU CAN DO VIRTUAL PERFORMANCES, YOU CAN WATCH IT, BUT THAT LIVE EXPERIENCE -- KELLAR: YEAH, THERE'S NOTHING LIKE IT.

WADE: IT IS.

THERE ISN'T.

SO I STARTED THEN AND THEN I DID A GIG AT CAFE VIVACITY OVER IN WALNUT HILLS, WHICH IS SUCH A WONDERFUL, INTIMATE SPACE.

SO TO GO FROM, YOU KNOW, A LARGER SPACE TO A SMALLER SPACE JUST TO BE ABLE TO HAVE THAT AUDIENCE REACTION WHEN YOU'RE DOING WHAT YOU'RE DOING.

KELLAR: OH, YEAH.

WADE: IT'S JUST REJUVENATING, SO I'M GLAD TO BE BACK OUT.

I AM CAUTIOUS.

I'M VERY CAUTIOUS.

KELLAR: WELL, WE ALL HAVE TO BE.

WADE: YEAH, BUT I'M BACK OUT AND THRILLED, THRILLED.

KELLAR: YEAH, THERE'S NO, YOU KNOW, THE SYMPHONY, FOR INSTANCE, YOU CAN DO ALL THE VIRTUAL, BLAH, WHATEVER.

BUT THE REASON WE GO IS BECAUSE WE WANT TO HEAR IT IN PERSON.

AND IF I JUST CAN PLAY A RECORD, IT'S THE SAME THING.

WADE: YES, WE WERE FORTUNATE ENOUGH BECAUSE WE DECIDED TO -- EVERYTHING THAT WE DO OUTSIDE, AS YOU KNOW, IN THE SUMMER, WE DO CROWN JEWELS OF JAZZ SERIES, WHICH IS NOW IN FRONT OF THE BUILDING WHERE LEARNING THROUGH ART IS LOCATED AT ST. ALOYSIUS IN BOND HILL.

THIS WOULD HAVE BEEN OUR THIRD YEAR.

LAST YEAR WOULD HAVE BEEN OUR THIRD YEAR, BUT WE'VE CANCELED THE ENTIRE SEASON.

AND THEN WE CAME BACK WITH TWO PERFORMANCES SO WE DID ONE WITH THE LADIES OF SOUL POCKETS.

AND THEN THE SECOND ONE, WE HAD INVITED AND ASKED THE SYMPHONY POPS TO COME AND JOIN US IN BOND HILL, AND THEY HAD DECIDED TO START THEIR COMMUNITY CONCERTS AGAIN.

AND OF COURSE, LAST YEAR IT WAS CANCELED.

BUT THIS YEAR THEY DECIDED TO COME AND WE WERE THEIR VERY FIRST OUTDOOR CONCERT IN BOND HILL ON THE LAWN AT ST. AL'S.

AND THEY ASKED ME TO SING WITH THEM.

SO I JUST DID MY VERY FIRST DEBUT WITH THE CSO WITH JOHN MORRIS RUSSELL.

SO IT WAS ABSOLUTELY -- I TELL EVERYBODY NOW, "I MUST HAVE MY STRINGS WHEN I'M SINGING."

KELLAR: YES, I NEED -- I NEED MY STRINGS.

I NEED A 42 PIECE HORN SECTION BACKING ME UP.

WADE: EXACTLY.

IT WAS AMAZING.

KELLAR: ONCE YOU'VE HAD THAT.

WADE: IT'S HARD TO GO BACK.

IT'S NOTHING ABOUT MY WONDERFUL MUSICIANS AND THE TRIOS THAT I WORK WITH, YOU KNOW, IN THE MORE INTIMATE SETTINGS, BUT I'M HERE TO TELL YOU, THERE IS ABSOLUTELY NOTHING LIKE THE FORCE OF AN ORCHESTRA BEHIND YOU.

KELLAR: OH, GOSH, NO, NO.

WADE: AND THE STRINGS.

AND IT WAS REALLY GREAT BECAUSE JOHN MORRIS RUSSELL SAID TO ME WHEN HE CALLED TO GO OVER THE SONG LIST, HE SAID, "I'M GOING TO PULL TWO SONGS OUT OF THE ELLA FITZGERALD SONGBOOK."

AND I THOUGHT, "OH, THIS IS GOING TO BE SO DELICIOUS.

I CAN'T WAIT."

KELLAR: OH, YEAH.

WADE: SO I ENDED UP DOING SOMEONE TO WATCH OVER ME, AND THIS TIME, THE DREAM'S ON ME.

KELLAR: OH, SOMEONE TO WATCH OVER ME, I'VE SUNG THAT TO LARRY.

WADE: I CAN UNDERSTAND THAT.

IT WAS JUST, IT WAS A GREAT SHOW.

BUT MORE IMPORTANTLY, IT WAS WONDERFUL TO HAVE THEM AND BOND HILL, WHICH WE WERE REALLY, REALLY HAPPY ABOUT.

BUT TO SEE THE INTERACTION BETWEEN THE SYMPHONY AND THE AUDIENCE, I THINK THEY DID -- HE PUT TOGETHER A STELLAR LINEUP FOR THAT NIGHT, AND IT INCLUDED EVERYTHING FROM THE ISLEY BROTHERS TO JAMES BROWN.

OH, MY LORD, TO SEE ALL THE DANCING IN THE AUDIENCE.

IT WAS JUST AMAZING.

SO WE THOROUGHLY ENJOYED IT.

A FEW OF THE MUSICIANS TURNED TO MY PRODUCING PARTNER, LAURA GENTRY, AND SAID, "SO ARE WE COMING BACK NEXT SUMMER?"

KELLAR: OH, YEAH.

WADE: "DON'T KNOW, BUT I'll ASK."

KELLAR: YEAH, SOUNDS GOOD TO ME.

WADE: WE'LL PUT THE REQUEST OUT THERE AND SEE WHAT HAPPENS.

BUT IT WAS JUST -- I ENJOYED IT, AND I DO BELIEVE I'M SUPPOSED TO HAVE STRINGS ALL THE TIME.

KELLAR: I THINK SO, I THINK YOU DEFINITELY NEED THEM.

YOU KNOW, WE HAVE A WONDERFUL STORY WE'VE TOLD US SO MANY PEOPLE ABOUT THE FIRST YEAR OF YOUR -- I THINK IT WAS THE FIRST YEAR.

ANYWAY, YOU HAD A -- TIFFANY HAD A COCKTAIL PREVIEW.

WADE: YES, COCKTAILS WITH TIFFANY.

KELLAR: YEAH, COCKTAILS AT TIFFANY'S AND YOUR STARS -- YOU USED TO HAVE STARS.

WADE: I DID, THE FIRST YEAR I DID IT, THIS WAS THE FIRST TIME WE DID IT OUT OF THE BOX.

BUT WHEN WE DECIDED TO EXPAND IT AND STARTED BRINGING IN CROWN JEWELS, AND THAT'S THE CROWN JEWELS.

THIS IS HOW CROWN JEWELS OF JAZZ GOT STARTED, IT WAS OUR SIGNATURE FUNDRAISER.

KELLAR: YEAH.

WADE: AND THE SECOND TIME WE DID IT, WE DECIDED TO GO TO THE PLAYHOUSE AND WE INVITED DIANE SCHUUR, JAZZ VOCALIST AND PIANIST.

AND I OPENED THE SHOW AND IT WAS AMAZING.

AND THEN THE THIRD YEAR WAS THE FIRST YEAR WE WENT DOWN TO MUSIC HALL BALLROOM, WHICH HAD JUST BEEN RENOVATED.

KELLAR: YES.

WADE: AND OUR FIRST CROWN JEWEL THERE WAS NANCY WILSON, AND THAT WAS JUST AMAZING.

KELLAR: YEAH.

WADE: SHE ENDED UP COMING TWICE.

AND THEN WE HAD DIONNE WARRICK CAME ONE YEAR.

KELLAR: THAT'S THE ONE I WAS GOING TO TELL HER ABOUT.

WE WERE AT TIFFANY'S AND DIONNE WARWICK WAS THERE.

AND SHE WAS HARD TO RECOGNIZE BECAUSE SHE DIDN'T HAVE MAKEUP OR HAIR, NOTHING.

SHE WAS JUST HERSELF.

WADE: EXACTLY.

KELLAR: AND OSCAR AND YVONNE ROBERTSON WERE THERE.

AND YOU INTRODUCED DIONNE.

AND SHE SAID, "I'M SO THRILLED TO BE HERE AND MEET OSCAR ROBERTSON."

WADE: SHE DID.

KELLAR: AND HE WAS -- THE LOOK ON HIS FACE WAS JUST SO PRICELESS.

YOU KNEW HE LOVED IT.

WADE: RIGHT.

KELLAR: YEAH.

BUT LARRY HAS TOLD PEOPLE THAT STORY SO MANY TIMES.

IT WAS JUST FABULOUS.

WADE: IT WAS VERY GOOD, YEAH.

YOU KNOW, IT'S BEEN -- IT WAS AN INTERESTING 13 YEARS AND WE RAN THAT.

IN ADDITION -- KELLAR: AND ROSEMARY CLOONEY.

ROSEMARY CLOONEY, WHO WAS ACTUALLY OUR VERY FIRST -- SHE WAS OUR FIRST CROWN JEWEL IN AULT PARK.

WE DID A FREE CONCERT FOR THE PUBLIC AND THEN WE HAD THIS PICNIC BASKET FOR PATRONS.

IT WAS REALLY VERY COOL.

AND THEN AFTERWARDS, GRAETER'S DONATED AND SPONSORED AN ICE CREAM SOCIAL BECAUSE SHE LOVED GRAETER'S ICE CREAM.

SO RICHARD GRAETER AGREED TO DO IT.

IT WAS SO COOL.

KELLAR: YEAH, IT REALLY WAS.

IT WAS A REALLY GREAT.

YEAH, YOU LEARN HOW NICE SOME OF THOSE PEOPLE CAN BE.

WADE: YOU DO.

YOU KNOW, IT WAS INTERESTING BECAUSE EVERY YEAR IT BECAME MORE OF A -- NOT A CHALLENGE NECESSARILY.

BUT FOR ME, BEING A JAZZ SINGER, I KNEW THAT -- PEOPLE ALWAYS ASK ME, "WHAT MADE YOU DO THAT?"

SELFISH REASON: I'M A JAZZ SINGER, AND THERE WERE JAZZ ARTISTS THAT I JUST REALLY WANTED TO MEET, LEARN, AND HEAR FROM.

KELLAR: YEAH.

WADE: AND THAT'S HOW IT GOT STARTED.

SO WE ENDED UP WITH NANCY WILSON TWICE.

CLEO LAINE AND JOHN DANKWORTH CAME OVER FROM LONDON ONE YEAR.

IT GOT TO THE POINT WHERE WE WERE JUST TICKLED ABOUT PEOPLE ACCEPTING OUR INVITATIONS.

BUT I THINK WHAT HAPPENED IS THAT THE WORD WOULD GET OUT.

KELLAR: SURE, THAT THIS IS A GREAT EVENT.

WADE: IF WE'D CALL, "YOU NEED TO GO SEE HER."

WHICH IS ACTUALLY HOW WE ENDED UP GETTING EARTHA KITT.

KELLAR: MM HMM.

WADE: AND THERE'S ONE OTHER ARTIST, THE PIANIST, SHIRLEY HORN.

GETTING SHIRLEY HORN WAS -- GETTING SHIRLEY HORN LED US TO GETTING EARTHA KITT, WHICH WAS AMAZING.

KELLAR: YOU'VE GOT TO KNOW KNOW PEOPLE ALONG THE LINE.

WADE: IT WAS REALLY INTERESTING BECAUSE BY THE TIME WE GET TO THE EARTHA KITT ASK, WE HAD HAD ALL THESE OTHER FOLKS, YOU KNOW?

AND IT WAS JUST LIKE, "OKAY, WE NEED TO CHECK THESE FOLKS OUT."

AND THEY DID AND SHE CAME, AND THAT WAS OUR VERY LAST CROWN JEWELS AT THE BALLROOM, BUT IT WAS ONE -- IT WAS A WONDERFUL WAY TO END IT.

SHE WAS AMAZING THAT NIGHT.

JUST AMAZING.

KELLAR: YEAH, THEY ALL WERE.

WADE: THEY WERE.

KELLAR: AND IMAGINE SITTING IN ALT PARK WITH ROSEMARY CLOONEY.

WADE: AND THE BLUE WISP BIG BAND, THAT'S WHO THE REQUEST.

KELLAR: SHE DOESN'T SING WITH A COUPLE PEOPLE.

SHE HAS A BIG BAND.

WADE: RIGHT.

WHEN WE CALLED, THAT WAS THE ONLY REQUEST THAT WE GET THE BLUE WISP BIG BAND TO BACK HER UP.

AND I SAID, "SURE, I CAN DO THAT."

KELLAR: OF COURSE.

YEAH.

WADE: BUT IT WAS GREAT.

KELLAR: YEAH.

WELL, WHAT ARE YOU DOING WITH YOUR FREE TIME?

WADE: YES.

YOU KNOW, IT'S FUNNY BECAUSE FREE TIME FOR ME SEEMS TO MORPH INTO WHAT IT IS WE'RE ALREADY DOING.

BUT WHEN I GET A MOMENT, LAST YEAR WAS FORTUNATE.

WELL, ACTUALLY TWO YEARS NOW BECAUSE LAST YEAR WE WERE IN LOCKDOWN.

TWO YEARS AGO, I WAS PART OF THE FIRST JAZZ AMBASSADORS GROUP GOING TO NANCY, FRANCE, OUR SISTER CITY.

KELLAR: REALLY?

WADE: YES.

SO I HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO PERFORM, TO DO A MASTERCLASS.

I DID IT ON THE BUSINESS OF THE BUSINESS OF THE ARTS AND ENTERTAINMENT.

KELLAR: MM-HMM.

WADE: WITH A WONDERFUL, WONDERFUL SINGER AND PERFORMER IN NANCY, WHO HAS ACTUALLY BEEN HERE TO PERFORM IN CINCINNATI AND IS PLANNING TO COME BACK.

BUT IT WAS A WONDERFUL EXPERIENCE AND IT TOLD ME A COUPLE OF THINGS: I MISS TRAVELING.

KELLAR: YEAH, NO KIDDING.

WADE: SPARE TIME COMING UP, THAT'S WHAT I'M HOPING THAT WE WILL EVENTUALLY BE ABLE TO DO BECAUSE I'M REALLY LOOKING FORWARD TO, YOU KNOW, REALLY TRAVELING AGAIN.

JUST TO GET OUT AND SEE THE COUNTRY AND THE WORLD.

KELLAR: AND SEE THE WORLD.

WADE: AND I'M GOOD JUST SEEING THE COUNTRY RIGHT NOW.

I WOULD KILL FOR SOME BEACH.

KELLAR: YEAH.

WADE: A LITTLE BEACH TIME, AND IT'S COMING.

IT'S COMING.

SO TRAVELING.

KELLAR: YEAH.

WADE: AND THEN BEING ABLE TO CONTINUOUSLY BE AROUND PEOPLE WHO JUST FEEL THE FIRE WITHIN ME TO NOT SAY, YOU KNOW, IT'S NEVER OVER UNTIL YOU DECIDE IT'S OVER.

KELLAR: RIGHT.

WADE: SO WHEN YOU DECIDE IT'S OVER, THEN REST AND RETIRE.

BUT FOR ME, IT'S JUST THE WORLD IS STILL EVOLVING AND SO INTERESTING.

AND IF YOU HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO, YOU KNOW, FOR ME, I'VE BEEN AT THIS FOR SO LONG, I'VE HAD STUDENTS WHO HAVE BEEN IN OUR PROGRAMS IN SCHOOLS WHO WILL COME UP AND TELL ME STORIES.

THIS JUST HAPPENED TO ME THE OTHER DAY.

THERE'S A GENTLEMAN RUNNING FOR CITY COUNCIL AND HIS WIFE WAS WITH HIM AND HE CAME UP AND HE SAID, "HELLO, MISS WADE.

HOW ARE YOU?"

AND THE WIFE SAID, "I CAN'T TELL YOU HOW MANY TIMES I'VE HEARD THE STORY WHERE HE SAW YOU AT SCHOOL WHEN HE WAS GOING TO THE MILFORD MIDDLE SCHOOL AND HOW YOU CAME AND SANG, AND HOW IT CHANGED HIS ENTIRE LIFE."

KELLAR: OH, MY GOSH.

WADE: "MS. WADE, I HEAR THE STORY.

WE'VE BEEN TOGETHER SO MANY YEARS AND I HEAR IT AT LEAST ONCE EVERY YEAR, AND IT'S SO NICE TO FINALLY MEET YOU."

I'M LIKE, "WELL, THIS IS GOOD ON MANY POINTS."

KELLAR: YEAH.

WADE: RIGHT?

BUT IT'S JUST GOOD TO HEAR THOSE KINDS OF THINGS BECAUSE IT, FOR ME, IT JUST KEEPS US, KEEPS ME ENGAGED IN KNOWING THAT WHAT WE'VE DONE THROUGHOUT THE YEARS HAS HOPEFULLY MADE SOME IMPRESSION AND SHIFTED SOMEBODY'S VIEW JUST A LITTLE BIT, NO MATTER IF IT'S A TOUGH TOPIC OR NOT TOUGH TOPIC IN UNDERSTANDING THAT, FOR US, IT IS CELEBRATING THIS BEAUTIFUL MOSAIC THAT WE LIVE IN.

BECAUSE I THINK PEOPLE SOMETIMES MISS IT FOR ALL KINDS OF WRONG REASONS.

AND YOU CAN'T MISS THIS MOSAIC, THE BEAUTIFUL.

IT IS LITERALLY A BEAUTIFUL REGION, WORLD, AND COUNTRY.

IT JUST IS, SO YOU HAVE TO APPRECIATE IT AND CELEBRATE AND INCLUDE EVERYONE BECAUSE THAT IS OUR AUDIENCE TODAY, TOMORROW, AND GOING FORWARD.

KELLAR: RIGHT, HOPEFULLY, HOPEFULLY EVERYBODY.

WADE: ABSOLUTELY.

KELLAR: YEAH.

I LOVE YOUR QUOTE FROM YOURSELF, "IT'S OVER WHEN YOU SAY IT'S OVER."

WADE: IT IS.

KELLAR: IF YOU DON'T SAY IT'S OVER, THEN IT'S NOT.

IT'S UP TO YOU.

WADE: IT'S UP TO YOU.

KELLAR: YOU CAN SAY WHEN IT'S OVER.

WADE: EXACTLY.

KELLAR: I HAVE -- I HAVE TO TELL THE AUDIENCE, KATHY WADE HAS A FRIEND.

WADE: YES.

KELLAR: CAN I TELL THIS?

WADE: SURE, GO AHEAD.

KELLAR: SHE JUST TOLD ME THAT -- WADE: LORD, I CAN'T BELIEVE I'M DOING THIS.

KELLAR: THINK OF AN OPENING LINE WITH A GUY WHO WANTS TO MEET A GIRL.

AND THERE'S ALL SORTS OF OPENING LINES THAT ARE VERY UNFORTUNATE.

VERY FEW VERY EFFECTIVE.

BUT TELL OUR AUDIENCE WHAT YOUR FRIEND SAID TO YOU.

WADE: I'VE HAD A CRUSH ON YOU FOR 42 YEARS.

I SAW YOU WALKING THROUGH THE HALL AT CCM AND I THOUGHT, "I NEED TO MEET HER."

IT TOOK 42 YEARS TO DO IT.

KELLAR: OH, MY GOD, "I'VE HAD A CRUSH ON YOU FOR --" NOW, WHO WOULD NOT RESPOND TO THAT?

WADE: EXACTLY.

IT GOT ME OUT IN THE MIDDLE OF COVID FOR BREAKFAST.

KELLAR: YEAH.

WADE: IT GOT ME OUT THE DOOR.

KELLAR: "I'VE BEEN -- I'VE BEEN IN LOVE WITH YOU FOR 42 YEARS."

I LOVE IT.

I -- I -- I -- IT'S -- IT HAD TO HAVE BEEN SINCERE BECAUSE NOBODY COULD THINK UP SOMETHING THAT GOOD.

WADE: NOT THAT GOOD, NO, NOT THAT GOOD.

AND IT'S BEEN INTERESTING, YOU KNOW, I'VE BEEN, AS YOU KNOW, SINGLE FOR QUITE A WHILE, 21 YEARS.

KELLAR: YEAH, KATHY, 21 YEARS.

YEAH, DAN WAS A FANTASTIC GUY.

IT'S HARD -- IT WOULD BE HARD TO REPLACE HIM.

NO ONE CAN.

WADE: EXACTLY.

KELLAR: BUT I THINK THAT START OFF OF IS GOING TO DO IT.

WADE: I THINK PART OF IT PROBABLY HAD A LOT TO DO, SOMEWHAT TO DO WITH DAN AND HOW WE ACTUALLY MET BECAUSE WHEN I MET HIM, WE DISCOVERED THAT WE HAD BEEN INTRODUCED SEVEN YEARS PRIOR TO OUR MEETING.

WE WERE INTRODUCED AT MY DEBUT AT A JAZZ CLUB IN WASHINGTON, DC, AND I DIDN'T REMEMBER HIM EITHER.

WELL, THAT'S SO -- THE BEGINNING OF THE STORY IS JUST AS IMPORTANT EASILY.

KATHY, THIS HAS BEEN GREAT.

THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR COMING.

WADE: THANK YOU.

KELLAR: EVERYBODY SHOULD LOOK FOR ALL YOUR STUFF THAT YOU'RE DOING.

WADE: PLEASE DO.

KELLAR: BECAUSE YOU'RE DOING GREAT THINGS AND HAVE BEEN AND WILL BE.

SO THANK YOU VERY, VERY MUCH FOR COMING.

WE LOVE YOU.

WADE: THANK YOU.

- JOIN US NEXT WEEK FOR ANOTHER EPISODE OF SHOWCASE WITH BARBARA KELLAR RIGHT HERE ON CET.