LM25-18. ELLIS HALL is “The Ambassador of Soul,”

May 5, 2025May 4, 2025Self Discovery Wisdom Podcast

“for the LOVE of Music” with Sara Troy and her guest Ellis Hall, on air from May 6th

ELLIS HALL: A LIFE IN FULL COLOUR, SOUND, AND SOUL

When word got out that a blind kid could play anything, doors opened wide. At 17, Milt Jackson of the Modern Jazz Quartet invited me to tour—Mama said no, but let me sit in when he played Boston. So I went to school by day, played clubs by night, jammed for 5,000 at Franklin Park, and soon formed The Ellis Hall Group. No label, just soul. We packed venues with “Ellisized” covers, caught J. Geils’ attention, and opened for legends like The Cars, Earth, Wind & Fire, Taj Mahal, The Temptations, and The Spinners—who once had me sub on bass mid-show.

In 1976, opening for Tower of Power changed my life. Seven shows later, Emilio Castillo asked me to join. While still in Boston, I scored film soundtracks—including a sex ed film shown in schools—and played with fellow blind musicians in Project Insight, collaborating with Tom Scott, Rob Mounsey, and The Brecker Brothers.

In ’84, I moved to L.A. to break into commercials, and just as I was boasting about the sunshine, TOP called. Two weeks later, I was onstage freezing in Minnesota. I did 300 shows a year with them, sang, played keys and guitar on the Power album (1987), and earned a Grammy nomination for “Some Days Were Meant for Rain,” which I later revived with George Whitty for our new WHAT!!!! project.

That run led to Kenny G’s Duotones—I was brought in to sing “What Does It Take” in Jr. Walker’s key. The album went 5x platinum and helped launch smooth jazz. Other milestones followed: working with the Muppets, scoring Chicken Run, writing a Michelob jingle sung by pre-fame Luther Vandross, and even performing at a Clinton inaugural ball.

Then came a moment I’ll never forget—Christmas 2001. After performing at Stevie Wonder’s benefit, Ray Charles saw me play and offered to sign me to his Crossover label. “Where the F have you been?” he said. We recorded 15 tracks together before he passed. They’ve never been released, but the experience was priceless.

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Covers have always spoken to me. George Whitty and I close our new album with “I Thank You,” honoring my roots. Even David Bowie heard my version of “Let’s Dance” and loved it.

Since then, I’ve written over 4,000 soul, gospel, blues, and pop songs. I’ve worked with Patti LaBelle, James Taylor, Toby Keith, Stevie Wonder, Herbie Hancock, George Benson, Maurice White, George Duke, John Klemmer—you name it. I’ve sung on dozens of film soundtracks, including The Lion King 2, Shrek 2, Invincible, Bruce Almighty, and even sang Louis Armstrong’s voice in Spielberg’s Catch Me If You Can.

I also created and toured two symphony shows: Ellis Hall Presents Ray, Motown and Beyond and Ellis Hall Soul Unlimited. George Whitty, a longtime fan, finally connected with me through my project manager Alec Berfeld. George sent me a tribute song for Ukraine called “Hug Me,” and I immediately heard the potential to lift it into something epic. That was the birth of WHAT!!!!.

But beyond all the gigs and glory, what fills me most is watching my four children grow and thrive, inspired by my journey. I am a vessel for the music, a soul ambassador, and after all this time, I’m still just getting started.

FIND THE LAST SHOW ELLIS DID WITH SARA HERE

www.ellishall.com

www.whittyHall.com

https://www.instagram.com/whittyhallartistteam

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https://www.facebook.com/GeorgeWhittyMusic

@whittyhallartistteam

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All of our shows/interviews are done by donation; if you enjoyed this show, please support us here with either a one-time donation or subscribe and support. Thank you. Please support Our Forgotten Seniors anthology and help to bring this book to awareness.

C25.18. Michaela Gaffen Stone. Your Human Design

May 5, 2025May 4, 2025Self Discovery Wisdom Podcast

Choose Positive Living with Sara Troy and her guest Michaela Gaffin Stone, on air from May 6th

Discover the freedom of living as your truest self—aligned, empowered, and unapologetically you.

Aligned & Unapologetic: The Human Design Guidebook is your clear, compassionate, and transformative introduction to the Human Design system. Whether you’re brand new to this powerful modality or seeking a deeper understanding of your Bodygraph, this guidebook will walk you through the core principles with heart, clarity, and purpose.

Blending ancient wisdom with modern science, Human Design reveals how your energy is uniquely wired to navigate life, relationships, and decision-making. This guide breaks it all down—energy types, strategies, authority, profiles, and more—so you can begin living your design instead of chasing someone else’s.

Inside, you’ll find:

Clear explanations of the 5 energy types and how they’re meant to operate
An introduction to the Bodygraph: centers, gates, channels, and profiles
Practical tools for using your strategy and inner authority
Gentle reminders that you were never meant to fit someone else’s mold
Encouragement to trust yourself, your rhythm, and your natural gifts

Whether you’re a Generator, Manifestor, Projector, Manifesting Generator, or Reflector, this book gives you permission—and the tools—to live boldly in alignment with your authentic self.

You are not broken. You are designed.
And it’s time to come home to who you were always meant to be.

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Born in England, I am a lifelong learner and nomad. Having lived in eight countries to date, I consider myself to be a Global citizen – where I come from is a story, not a place. Home is wherever I am, right now.
I took my expertise in tropical diseases nursing from London, UK, to Bangladesh to volunteer in an orphanage, later single-handedly running a High Commission’s medical clinic and caring for upwards of 300 people.
I became a Montessori assistant teacher in Belgium so I could work in the same system my kids were in.
I studied Buddhism and mindfulness with monks in Singapore. My quest for more took me from Bhutan, India, Ladakh, and Sikkim, to Nepal, Thailand, Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia.
I took my love for learning to college in the USA, becoming a Board-Certified Behavior Analyst. The science of behavior change ignited in me a deeper understanding of human potential. Diving into Doctoral studies fueled my desire to share my extensive knowledge of human behavior with people open to receiving all that I have to offer.
Throughout my travels, raising my two sons to be responsible global citizens was a priority and sharing what I learn though experience and study is what I am here for.

AMAZON

MIKKI ALSO CO-AUTHORED OUR BOOK. “OUR FORGOTTEN CHILDREN”, YOU CAN FIND MORE SHOWS WITH MIKKI AND HER BOOKS SEEN HERE.

www.gaffenstone.com

https://linktr.ee/michaelags
*mikki@gaffenstone.com

facebook.com/michaela.stone.

linkedin.com/in/mikki-gaffen-stone

inspiredchoicesnetwork.com/podcast

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C25-17. Ivana Chubbuck. “Power of the Actor”.

April 28, 2025April 28, 2025Self Discovery Wisdom Podcast

Choose Positive Living with Sara Troy and her guest Ivana Chubbuck, on air from April 29th

Renowned acting teacher and bestselling author Ivana Chubbuck. The updated edition of her book, THE POWER OF THE ACTOR(Avery/Penguin Random House), was published on April 29th. Ivana speaks to anyone who is serious about overcoming hurdles, hardships, and inner demons to achieve their goals. Ivana will share with your listeners tools and exercises to turn conflicts, traumas, insecurities, fears and shame into positive forces to fuel achievement, with a focus on winning.

What do Halle Berry, Beyoncé, Gal Gadot, Charlize Theron, Brad Pitt, Sylvester Stallone, Eva Mendes and Shia LaBeouf have in common besides fame and fortune? They can all credit a significant part of their skills to acting teacher Ivana Chubbuck.

THE POWER OF THE ACTOR is a revolutionary guide that unlocks the secrets of her transformative Chubbuck Technique. In addition to star-studded stories, The Power of the Actor offers a panoramic map for anyone serious about professional transformation. Her dynamic 12-step approach shows, actors, writers and directors how to unlock emotional depth and create performances that ring with authenticity. It’s also for anyone who is serious about overcoming hurdles, hardships, and inner demons to achieve their goals.

Drawing on psychology, behavioural science, cultural anthropology and examples of real-life heroes, Ivana takes the search for rich inner emotional information to the next level by focusing on winning. Ivana teaches people how to access their emotions to not just feel them, but also use them with dimension and power.

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IVANA CHUBBUCK is the creator of the widely adopted Chubbuck Technique, an acting method taught in universities and in accredited studios all over the world. Her students — Halle Berry, Brad Pitt, Charlize Theron, Gal Gadot, Sylvester Stallone, Eva Mendes and Shia LaBeouf, among thousands, have gone on to win major awards, including Oscars, Emmys and Tonys. She lives in Los Angeles, where she runs the Ivana Chubbuck Studio. Her daughter, Claire Chubbuck, an award-winning filmmaker and Chubbuck teacher, is the legacy for furthering Ivana’s mission of empowerment through the arts.

AMAZON

https://www.ivanachubbuck.com

https://www.youtube.com/c/IvanaChubbuckOfficial

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C25-17. Nick Marshall “Try Again”

April 28, 2025April 28, 2025Self Discovery Wisdom Podcast

Choose Positive Living with Sara Troy and her guest Nick Marshall, on air from April 29th

Nick Marshall, New York City-based writer, actor, director, producer and author of the new book, Try Again: An Ex-Con’s Path from Prison to Prosperity. This is about the struggle, hope (both loss of and holding on to), grit and perseverance. It’s a story about working hard and trying again, even when we feel the odds are stacked against us — and about the desire to be a person of humility and integrity.

Nick’s journey back into society has been anything but easy. With a criminal record shadowing his every step, finding steady work and forming new relationships meant constantly confronting and disclosing his past. Despite these barriers, he poured himself into the hospitality industry, relentlessly climbing the ranks until he found himself at the center of New York City’s elite nightlife, working at iconic clubs like Avenue, The Darby, 1OAK, and Up&Down. But the path from suburban New Jersey kid to state prison inmate sentenced for armed robbery taught him hard, humbling lessons. Immersed in the glitz of A-list celebrity culture, Nick eventually lost himself in the illusion, costing him not only his career but his mental health and sense of stability. Through it all, his grounding force has always been storytelling, reading, and writing became his anchors, offering clarity amid chaos. Now pursuing his lifelong dream of being an artist, actor, director, and writer, Nick channels his pain into purpose. He co-founded The Collective NY, a not-for-profit theatre and film company dedicated to the authentic creative expression. His directorial debut, A Long Road, currently in pre-production, reflects his journey, a testament to the resilience, redemption, and the long path to healing. Nick continues to face challenges tied to PTSD, anxiety, OCD, and addiction, but through art, he finds strength, meaning, and a connection.

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Nick Marshall’s story is one of grit, reinvention, and the price of chasing dreams. At just 21, he walked out of prison after serving three years for armed robbery, carrying the weight of his past and the uncertainty of a future as an ex-con. Though he had a steady job, a roof over his head, and the basics for survival, something deeper called to him, his need to create, to express, to be more than his record.

Willing to risk stability for purpose, Nick started at the bottom of the hospitality industry, eventually climbing his way into New York City’s high-end nightlife. From bartending to brand ambassador, he moved through the velvet ropes of celebrity-studded clubs like Avenue, The Darby, 1OAK, and Up&Down. Surrounded by fame, luxury, and endless access, Nick looked like he had made it. But beneath the surface, the fast life took its toll on his mental health, his identity, and the very dream that started it all.

Try Again: An Ex-Con’s Path from Prison to Prosperity is Nick’s raw, inspiring account of rebuilding a life against the odds. It’s about losing everything, more than once, and still choosing to rise. Today, he’s a writer, actor, director, and co-founder of The Collective NY, a not-for-profit theater and film company where he brings stories to life—his own and others’. His journey isn’t just for those who’ve been incarcerated, it’s for anyone who’s ever had to start over, question their worth, or fight to become who they were always meant to be. He is currently in pre-production for his first directorial feature, A Long Road, based on his experience as an ex-convict trying to reintegrate into society, and a scripted series based on his experience in a New Jersey state prison. Try Again is his first book.

AMAZON

ALSO BUY HERE

https://www.linkedin.com/in/nick-marshall

https://www.instagram.com/thenickmarshall

https://vivaeditions.com/book

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Mikki Gaffen Stone.

April 28, 2025April 20, 2025Self Discovery Wisdom Podcast

MIkki Gaffen Stone Became A Montessori Assistant Teacher In Belgium To Connect With Her Children’s Education. She Later Pursued Studies In The USA, Becoming A Board-Certified Behavior Analyst. This Ignited A Profound Understanding Of Human Potential, Leading Her To Doctoral Studies. With A Passion For Sharing Knowledge And Raising Her Two Sons As Global Citizens, She’s Dedicated To Sharing Her Insights From Both Life And Academics.

I have been a child advocate since I was a child myself, living in uncertain and frequently unsafe circumstances. I learned early on to gauge people’s moods and anticipate their behaviors in order to know when to hide and when to run to keep myself safe. As I grew older, my sense of justice and a need to protect others became quite fierce. Then I had children. We traveled the world encountering different cultures, learning the norms, rules and restrictions placed on the child and dictating the role of the parent. I intentionally parented my own children differently from my peers and have since made it my mission to help other parents learn ways to do better with their children than they received from their own parents. This is not about blaming anyone for what they cannot help, it’s about cycle breaking.