Ep 83 Part 1

Come along with Donna and Dr Adam and experience the famous ancient village of Alberobello in Southern Italy with its well-preserved Trulli houses in this special video episode!

From Donna: "In 1967, I found myself in a Warner Bros recording studio in Rome, Italy. I was asked to sing a theme to a movie called "Once Before I Die", starring Ursula Andress. To promote the song Warner Bros. sent me down the coast of the Adriatic to a tiny mountain town called Alberobello. This was an ancient village, well preserved with the unique Trulli style houses made of lime and slate. A video was made of me standing on old Roman ruins singing the song. My collaborator and producer, Dr. Adam Gerace, recently traveled to Italy and visited Alberobello which has given me an opportunity to share this very rare unreleased recording along with photos taken by my dad, Morey, during our 1960's stay. Never dreamed this would become a reality and I sincerely hope you enjoy it!" Note: Ep 83 Part 2 (Audio) - A Travel Diary from Alberobello to Milan This companion Audio Podcast is available on YouTube, Apple, Spotify, Amazon, iHeart or wherever you get your podcasts.

Ep 83 Part 2

Ciao, Love’s A Secret Weapon community! Fancy a summer vacation in Italy? Back in June and July, Dr Adam was travelling around Europe – and Donna and Dr Adam thought you might like to come along! They caught up twice: once in Alberobello in Southern Italy, and this one in Milan before he headed home. In these two travel diaries, Adam shares his experiences in real-time of the iconic Alberobello, with its famous Trulli buildings, and then picturesque Milan, while Donna recalls her own visit to Alberobello in the ‘60s! “L'amore è un'arma segreta!” – in whatever language you say it, remember – Love’s A Secret Weapon! Also Watch: Ep 83 Part 1 (Video) - A Visit to Alberobello with Donna and Dr Adam

Celebrate Shindig’s 60th Birthday (Sept 16, 1964-2024) on “Love’s a Secret Weapon” Podcast❤️ with a replay of Chapter 7 part 3 of Donna's Memoir: "Tales of Shindig!" But wait! There’s more❣️ If this perks your curiosity, Chapter 7, Parts 1-4 reveal my entire Shindig! Experience

❤️Go Donna and Dr Adam🎊🎉

Onstage and backstage, Donna relishes her role on Shindig being surrounded by the likes of The Righteous Brothers, The Rolling Stones, Glen Campbell, Marvin Gaye, Tina Turner and Bobby Sherman.

JUST THE 2 OF US: After 20-years there's still so much more to learn about each other. Relationships are incredibly valuable and Dr Adam and Donna have a strong bond they share in the name of Donna's favorite 4 letter word: LOVE In this rare intimate time together, Donna and Dr Adam share what they’ve been up to over the past couple of months, including the arrival of new family members, being awed by the recent eclipse and even encounters with scorpions! They also talk about watching the new series “Ripley”, and how its romantic setting of a 1960s Italy spoke to them about bigger issues of deception and the human condition. Let's Talk It Over!

In this episode, Donna and Dr Adam Gerace are joined by musician and author Jim Wilson to talk about his new book “Tuned In: Memoirs of a Piano Man”!

Jim has had distinct, but complementary careers as both a musician and performer alongside his work as an expert piano tuner-technician to music royalty, including Paul McCartney, Elton John, Burt Bacharach, and Carole King.

In conversation with Donna and Dr Adam, Jim shares his journey from being a young boy in Amarillo, Texas to his work in California as the go-to-person transforming the Steinways of legends with a revolutionary MIDI-adaptor for acoustic piano. Along the way, tragedy drove his desire to face his fears and follow his dreams of stepping into the limelight as an award-winning and charting musician with four recordings on the Billboard Top-20 and two PBS specials. Beyond his wonderful showbiz stories, including sharing one of his compositions with a Beatle, Jim’s conversation with Donna and Dr Adam reflects the importance of listening to one’s inner voice and how the power of one thought, one decision or gesture can forever change our lives and the lives of those around us.

In this episode, Donna and Dr Adam are joined by longtime radio DJ Leslie Stevens! Leslie has 45 years’ experience as a DJ, including hosting his own long-running syndicated show “Route 66 Oldies Show”, which brings back the sounds and memories of the ‘50s and ‘60s.

In their conversation, Leslie shares his journey from a small radio station in the LA mountains to hosting, producing, and reporting for radio and TV stations in California and Arizona. Remember KHJ Boss Radio in Los Angeles? Or perhaps you had your own favourite radio station in your city growing up. We’ll revisit those memories and more in the latest episode of Love’s A Secret Weapon Podcast!

In this special episode, Donna and Dr. Adam are joined by musician Maurice Gainen! Maurice, who is a woodwind musician, producer, composer, and engineer, first worked with Donna to rejuvenate her signature song “It Only Hurts When I Cry” in 2009. He then engineered Donna’s first album in decades, “Love It Away” in 2010, and he provides the distinctive saxophone sounds on her modern holiday classic, “Merry Christmas Baby”!

In conversation with Donna and Dr Adam, Maurice invites us into his Silverlake recording studio, and tells us about his long and diverse music career, which includes his own recordings, live performances, production work for major labels, and his mastering of 187 CDs for Starbucks. Maurice shares how he is committed to a global music movement and how he brings together collaborators from all over the world to create a unique global jazz sound.

You’ll also hear about how his career started on Bob Barker’s “Truth or Consequences”, how by chance he ended up with his unique silver saxophone, and what Joni Mitchell said about his mastering of her recordings!

Billboard Magazine said “Maurice is a man to hear”, and Donna and Dr Adam are delighted that you can hear him on Season Six of "Love’s A Secret Weapon Podcast".

This conversation is available as an audio episode and will also be available as a video with Donna, Dr. Adam, and Maurice!

Maurice's new album "Hope Thru Music" was released 2 April, 2024.

Welcome back to Season 6 of Love’s a Season Weapon Podcast!

In this episode, you’re invited to a dinner party! Join Donna, Dr Adam, and special guests Sheryl Farber and Steven Stanley, who recorded this episode while Donna, Sheryl, and Steve were out to dinner in Topanga, CA. Sheryl Farber and Steve Stanley are music producers, musicians, archivists, and historians, who have produced and worked on hundreds of music compilations and re-releases that showcase or rediscover fabulous artists, sounds and productions. Sheryl is a Grammy-nominated producer for the compilations “Wild Tales of the Ramones” and “One Kiss Can Lead to Another: Girl Group Sounds Lost & Found” and Steve is the founder of Now Sounds Records & Radio, with over 50 releases focusing on the sounds of the ‘60s West Coast music scene including Donna's "These Are the Good Times: The Complete Capitol Recordings" (2014 Gold Bonus Disc Award Winner). In their conversation against the background of clinking glasses and happy diners, Sheryl and Steve take you behind the scenes of their work. They share how they produce music compilations and box sets that breathe new life into well-known songs, and shed light on forgotten, obscure, or never-heard-before music. So, join the dinner party! You’ll feel like you’re in the vault at Capitol!