The Legendary Melba Moore

         By Sandi Morais

     “If you don’t touch people’s hearts, it doesn’t mean anything.”  Those were the words of wisdom Melba Moore’s mother impressed upon her.  Decades later Melba’s work and music has touched the hearts of millions of people all over the world.

     Growing up in a musical family, Melba could not escape her destiny.  Her mother and stepfather supported her musical talent and gave her all the necessary tools such as, dance, voice and piano lessons to help foster her love for the arts.  When Melba graduated from college she decided to become a music teacher.  Although her teaching experience was rewarding and fulfilling, she still had a desire to entertain people with her music.  Finally, in 1967 she followed her heart and decided to give the entertainment business a try.   As destiny would have it, she was cast in the original Broadway rock musical “Hair.” Later on Melba replaced Diane Keaton in the lead role as Shelia and made history as the first African-American to replace a white actress in a lead role.  She made Broadway history again when she won the Tony Award for best supporting actress with her show-stopping vocal performance as Lutiebelle Gussiemae Jenkins in the Broadway musical “Purlie” written by Ossie Davis.

     After winning the Tony Award Melba’s career skyrocketed.  In 1972 she starred in her own variety series titled The Melba Moore/Clifton Davis hour.  Five years later she appeared in the movie version of “Hair.”  Her success was followed by many more movie and television appearances.

      Melba was also successful in her music career.  Several of her music releases made the top ten charts.  In 1982 her dance/club track “Love’s Comin’ at Ya” took the number five spot on the Billboard R&B charts.  In 1986 her duet with Freddie Jackson titled “A Little Bit More” took the number one spot.  That same year her next release “Falling” took the number one spot as well.  Her 1990 recording of "Lift Every Voice and Sing," was instrumental in having the song entered into the Congressional Record as the official African-American National Anthem.

       In 2003, I had the opportunity to see the phenomenal Melba Moore perform live in the Jackie Wilson Story at the Apollo Theater in New York City.  Her voice was incredible.   I also saw her one-woman show in 2005 while I was in New York City, and she was magnificent.  Melba took her mother’s words to heart.  Her God given ability to live through every note that she sings takes her listening audience through time and imagination.  The audience finds themselves soaring like an eagle on the keyboard of time while listening to her five-octave range.

     Today, the multi-talented Melba continues to spellbound audiences in the Gospel arena with her latest CD release titled “Nobody But Jesus.”   As a former teacher, her heart still goes out to the children.  She has become an advocate for children’s rights, and has established the “Melba Moore Foundation for Abused and Neglected Children.”  With over forty years in the entertainment industry, Melba Moore has earned her title as a Legend.

     For more information visit: www.melbamore.com

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Miami Herald: Instructor's mix of dance, fun makes for
'Golden Workout'

BY CAROLINA BOLADO
Herald Writer

LaVerne Guillen used to hate exercising.

She tried different aerobics classes, but they were usually too strenuous -- and never any fun

Then, about nine years ago, she found Sandi Morais.

Since then, she has been exercising regularly with Morais, and says she feels much healthier.

``I have such a good time, and when you have fun, you don't hesitate to keep coming back,'' Guillen said. Click Here to Read Full Story

Aging With Style, Fall 2001 Issue

(Click on photo for story)

Dance Your Way to Health with the
Golden Workout

Featuring Sandi Morais and Philip Michael Thomas

It begins "My, my, my Miami." The melodious, infectious music and words of this endearing song were penned and sung by Philip Michael Thomas, the international star of the acclaimed television series Miami Vice. It is now the introduction to a new creative video, "The Golden Workout", which he co-produced with aerobics instructor and personal trainer, Sandi Morais. "I love Miami. They call me Mr. Miami, but now they call me Mr. Golden Workout," Thomas said. Click Here to Read Full Story >

Spotlight - Fort Lauderdale Children's Theatre, Spring 2001 Issue

(Click on photo for story)

"Sacha and the Magic Cookie Maker"

Featuring Sandi Morais and Philip Michael Thomas

Fort Lauderdale Children's Theatre was honored when Philip Michael Thomas, star of stage and screen, contacted us to produce his original children's musical, written in collaboration with local artist, Sandi Morais. This imaginative tale with its beautiful music and touching story came to life on our stage in January, and played to sold out houses for its 3 week run. Click Here to Read Full Story >

Rejuvenate your health with Natural Living

 By Sandi Morais

      Internationally renowned holistic health expert, author and health activist Queen Afua has been on a health crusade trying to teach African-Americans how to rejuvenate their health with natural living.  Queen Afua knows first hand what it feels like to live with health problems.  She was a victim of a destructive lifestyle.  She consumed junk food, over cooked and processed food that put her on the road to an unhealthy life.  At the age of seventeen she suffered chronic asthma and allergies.  Some doctors told her that there was no cure for her.  However, one summer she was invited to a health retreat by a friend where she met Dr. John Moore, a Master Herbalist for over fifty years who introduce her to a more natural way of eating.  After she made the transition to a healthier way of eating her health improved tremendously, and she decided to study more on holistic health.

     For twenty years Queen Afua studied all aspects of holistic health, and in

1991 she published her first book titled Heal Thyself for Health and Longevity with information about her journey to health through detoxification, live foods, meditation and prayer.  Later on she published her second book Sacred Woman, a guide to healing the feminine body, mind, and spirit.

      Concerned about the statistics by the Center for Disease Control and Prevention that   Obesity in adults has increased by 60% within the past twenty years, and obesity in children has tripled in the past thirty years putting most people at risk for major health problems such as, diabetes, high blood pressure and heart disease, she was inspired to open Queen Afua’s Institute of Wellness in Brooklyn, New York.  Queen Afua believes that making lifestyle changes to eat healthier and exercise can help to reduce the risk of many diseases. Thousands of people that have attended her center were able to reclaim their health through her natural living program.  Stevie Wonder, Ben Vereen and Erykah Badu were some of the celebrities that benefited from her program.

      Dr. Bernadette Sherridon along with a team of nurses tested twenty-one clients with various health problems for a period of twelve weeks with Queen Afua’s natural living program, and at the end of the session some of the clients were able to lose weight and others came off their blood pressure medication.  Queen Afua has traveled throughout the United States speaking at different organizations about the importance of natural living.  In 2008 she published her third book titled The City of Wellness, restoring your health through the seven kitchens of consciousness.  In the book she gives tips on how to prepare healthy vegetarian meals and recipes for juicing.   She is very optimistic that with education many more people will begin to wake up and take control of their health, one person at a time.

                                     Tune-up your Mind, Body and Spirit

                                                By Sandi Morais

New Year means new beginnings.  Start your New Year’s resolution with a new attitude and change your lifestyle by charting your course for SUCCESS with the simple steps that I have outlined below:

• Set a weight loss goal for yourself and establish the day and month that you would like to accomplish your goal.
• Use a journal and write down your current weight and the steps you plan to put into action to help you track your progress on a daily basis.
• Check off the list of things that you have accomplished each week in your journal such as, how many inches you have loss, and how much weight you have loss.
• Consistency with your program will be your master key to success.  You have to commit to your program thirty minutes a day at least three to five days per week in order to accomplish your goal.
• Eat more fresh fruit and vegetables on a daily basis to give your body the proper nourishment of vitamins and minerals.  Also drink more water on a daily basis.  It is recommended to drink at least eight to ten glasses of water each day.
• See yourself at the perfect size and visualize the perfect weight you would like to be.  Put a photograph of yourself on your refrigerator to remind you of your desired goal.
• Study about nutrition and learn how to read the food labels.  Check for the saturated fat, sugar and sodium content to help you make healthier food choices.  Knowledge is power, but only if you use it.

 “You will never change your life until you change something you do daily.  The secret of your success is found in your daily routine.” – John Maxwell.

                Alternative Medicine helps Dick Gregory Triumph over Cancer

                                                By Sandi Morais

     Born October 12, 1932 in St. Louis, Missouri Dick Gregory made a name for himself as a comedian, civil rights activist, athlete, author and nutritionist.  He is rated number 81 on Comedy Central’s 100 greatest comedians of all time.  As an activist Gregory played a major role in the civil rights movement with Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., fighting for equality and justice for minorities.  It was because of his commitment and dedication to nonviolence in the late 60’s that he became a vegetarian.  However, before he became a vegetarian he had ballooned up to 350 pounds.  He use to smoked four packs of cigarettes and drank a fifth of Scotch everyday.  It was after he adapted the vegetarian lifestyle and gave up his unhealthy habits that he noticed his lifelong battle with ulcers and his sinus congestion had improved.  As a result of his discovery he began to further research the vegetarian lifestyle.  He was so impressed with the health benefits that he decided to become a spokesperson for vegetarianism.  He spoke extensively on the health benefits of a vegetarian lifestyle at churches, schools and universities.

       In 1984 he founded Health Enterprise Inc., a company that distributed weight loss products.  The company was established out of a deep concern that he had for the lack of health food stores in the African American community.  Two years later he introduced the Slim-Safe Bahamian Diet, a powder diet mix to the health food market.  The Slim-Safe Bahamian Diet became a favorite with the general public.

       Gregory spent his life fighting for civil rights, but in 2001 he faced the biggest fight of his life when he was diagnosed with lymphoma the worst form of cancer.  His doctor told him that the cancer was incurable.  Because he was always a fighter, the champion in him would not accept the diagnosis as his fate.  Being a man of continuous prayer he knew he had to step up his game and pray for more wisdom, knowledge and understanding.  He also knew as a nutritionist that he had to do more research in the area of nutrition.

        After his extensive research Gregory decided to take the holistic approach to fight his cancer.   In his biography it states. “He refused traditional medical treatment – chemotherapy – and with the assistance of some of the finest minds in alternative medicine, put together a regimen of a variety of diet, vitamins, exercise, and modern devices not even know to the public.” His decision paid off.  In 2005 Gregory triumphed over cancer.  Over the years he has become a warrior for the fight against cancer by lecturing on the importance of a healthy diet and regular exercise.  Gregory has helped millions of his fans around the world to understand that cancer is curable.  At the young age of seventy-five he is still vibrant and full of life.  It was such an honor to interview a man who is a true humanitarian and a giant in the health industry.  In closing my interview I asked him what was his prayer for the world, and he said, “Peace.

For more information on Dick Gregory and his health books visit:

www.dickgregory.com

(Printed in Wow magazine 8/2008)

Marilyn McCoo and Billy Davis Jr. Celebrate Thirty-Nine Years of Marriage

                                       By Sandi Morais

Wow! It was such an honor to interview Marilyn McCoo and Billy Davis Jr. lead singers of the legendary group the 5th Dimension. This iconic group of the late 60's and 70's gave us some of the most beautiful and memorable music in the world.' Their hits continue to live on in the hearts of people today.' Hit songs such as; 'Aquarius/Let The Sunshine In,''Up, Up and Away,''' 'Wedding Bells Blues,' 'Stone Soul Picnic,' Never My Love,'' 'Last Night I Didn't Get To Sleep At All,

and "One Less Bell To Answer, has left an indelible mark in the history of music as some of the greatest songs that came out of that era.

Marilyn and Billy spent an entire decade with the 5th Dimension enjoying tremendous success singing to sold-out concerts all over the world. They have received seven Grammy Awards and earned fifteen gold and three platinum records. After they left the 5th Dimension they went on to establish a successful career as a duo. They released their first single You Don't Have To Be A Star (To Be In My Show). The song immediately went to number one on the charts and won them a Grammy Award for Best R&B Vocal Performance by a Duo or Group. In addition to their success as a duo they also had solo careers. Marilyn co-hosted the 1980ís television music series Solid Gold for five years and Billy fulfilled his lifelong dream and recorded a religious album with Rev. James Cleveland. Billy also starred in the regional production of Dreamgirls in the role of James Thunder Early, and Marilyn had her chance to star in the 90's Broadway revival of the musical Show Boat in the role of Julie.

Today they celebrate thirty-nine years of marriage, which is certainly quite an incredible achievement for a high profile successful Hollywood couple. However, the road to success has not been easy for this iconic couple. They faced many trials and tribulations along the way. At times they even thought about calling it quits. Success, fame and fortune were not the key elements that kept their marriage together. The two main elements that created alchemy in their marriage is their everlasting friendship, and Jesus Christ became the Super Star in their lives. We went into this marriage like everyone else we loved each other, we were friends, we fought, and we had emotional problems. But our commitment to each other was so strong that we just didnít want to do it without each other. Plus we have the Lord in our lives, and that's an important part of our relationship. Billy said.

The reason why I decided to do this article on Marilyn and Billy is because we often get bombarded from the media with the latest Hollywood divorces but we never hear about the successful Hollywood marriages. I wanted to share this beautiful love story with the readers of Wow magazine to shine the light on a successful Hollywood marriage. Despite the fact that Marilyn and Billy had many rivers to cross and hurdles to jump over they were willing to stick together because they believed in the commitment they made to each other and they did not let their success and fame get in the way of their love and friendship.† In 2004 they wrote a book titled Up, Up And Away how we Found Love, Faith and Lasting Marriage in the Entertainment World, a story about their love, tragedy, triumphs and their spiritual journey. I read the book and went on the emotional journey with Marilyn and Billy. They wrote so honestly about their challenges and their success. The book speaks to the heart by showing the true meaning of love. Marilyn and Billy's story would make a fantastic motion picture. It is truly an inspiration and a must read for anyone who would like to take their relationship on a higher level.

They have weathered many storms and their love is stronger as a result of it. They found true happiness because of their faith. Nothing is slowing down this phenomenal couple together they perform a touring show that they created titled It Takes Two featuring many of their love songs. In April 2008 they released a music CD titled The Faces of Love. The CD features songs to help encourage people not to give up when things are difficult, but to try and work things out together as a team. As they reflect on their lives being in the entertainment business for over forty years they are thankful every day for their many blessings. They are very humble and grateful that their music has touched the lives of so many people all over the world. I asked the dynamic couple what was their prayer for the world and they said, "Our prayer is for peace and understanding, and that the world will become more spiritual."

For more information about Marilyn and Billyís book and CD visit their website at www.mccoodavis.com

 (Printed in Wow magazine July 08 issue.)

                             A Successful Weight Loss Story

                                     By Sandi Morais

      According to Down to Earth Natural Food and Lifestyle, fast-food restaurants have become mainstream in the past thirty years and practically all of America takes advantage of the cheap, quick services and tasty meals.  Convenient as they may be these meals contain practically no nutrients.  They are comprised mainly of saturated fat, and highly refined carbohydrates and are loaded with sodium and sugar.

      Fifty-two year old Carol Thomas-Canole is one of the many Americans who took advantage of the cheap, quick services of fast-food restaurants.  Over the years of enjoying the meals loaded with saturated fat, refined carbohydrates and sugar, she packed on a whopping 420 pounds on her 5’8” frame.  Her enormous weight gain took a toll on the quality of her life.  She was no longer able to sit in the seat of a movie theater, or walk up the stairs without having to stop because she was out of breath.  As an airline employee she was not able to take advantage of her flying privileges because she could not sit in the seat of the airplane.  The fact that Canole-Thomas was so morbidly obese she could not even cross her leg.

      In April 2008 she began experiencing blurry vision, and her ankles would get so swollen that sometimes it was difficult for her to walk.  She went to her doctor for a check-up, and was diagnosed with type-2 diabetes. He immediately put her on mediation.  After receiving the diagnosis she did some research on the Internet and found out that diabetes could put her at risk for a stroke, or a heart attack, and she could even go blind.  This was a wake-up call for Thomas-Canole.  She had to make an immediate lifestyle change in order to restore her health.

     The first thing she did was to cut out junk food and start eating more fresh fruit and vegetables The next step she took was to learn how to read the food labels and check for the sodium, saturated fat, and sugar content, so that she could make healthier food choices. In addition to changing her eating habits, she began to walk on a regular basis by the park located near her house.  She also included water aerobics as another form of physical activity.

     It took Thomas-Canole one year and six months of consistency and dedication to lose a total of 180 pounds.  She went from 420 pounds to 240 pounds.  Her weight loss made a remarkable difference with her health.  She got her diabetes under control, and was able to stop taking the medication.  She felt more vibrant and energetic.  Her self-esteem improved when her dress size went from 40 to 18.  However, her biggest thrill came when she was able to sit in a movie theater and cross her leg.  By changing her lifestyle she saved her life. 

      Thomas-Canole story is a true testament of someone who by passed surgery and diet pills, and was able to lose weight with healthy eating habits and exercise.   She has been an inspiration for many people on her Myspace page who have been tracking her progress since 2008.  She is truly a positive role model for her children and grandchildren to follow in her footsteps.