Before social media platforms, radio was 100% king. It’s still up there in the realms of media royalty but there are other avenues to create a music career.
TC Thompkins was instrumental before social media in launching and/or sustaining the careers of artists from The O’Jays to Tavares, Isaac Hayes to Minnie Ripperton, Teena Marie to Phyllis Hyman, Alicia Keys to Teddy Riley, Luther Vandross to Michael Jackson. His book When Radio Was King is doing the rounds in the States and because I had either worked with or had played a number of the artists in the book, talking to him was a must.
His role in the industry has naturally changed over the years, but he has some stellar stories of artists that have shaped our ears for the last three, four possibly five decades.
The two huge stories for me when talking to TC were the work he did with Boy George and Culture Club and launching Sade’s Diamond Life album.
Have a listen to our talk here. When Radio Was King is available now from Amazon.
