By Ron Wynn NASHVILLE, TN — Few musicians have ever combined artistry and advocacy more effectively than the great jazz drummer Max Roach. His instrumental brilliance as well as his outspoken political views are fully showcased in the new documentary “Max Roach: The Drum Also Waltzes,” which makes its debut Friday night on PBS as the latest entry in their ongoing American Masters series. Roach expressed his social justice views throughout his lifetime. In a short piece of archival footage that opens the film an interviewer asks Roach if he uses his music as a weapon. “Sometimes the music is…
Author: Ron Wynn
It’s been nearly a decade since Vanderbilt lost its most successful head football coach. After leading Vanderbilt to three straight bowl games, James Franklin departed for Penn State. Franklin had made history when he arrived at Vandy in 2011. He was the school’s first Black head coach of any sport. Franklin got the Commodores into the Top 25 in 2012 with a 9-4 record. In 2013 they once again had a nine win season, were ranked again, and won the BBVA Compass Bowl. It angered many Commodore fans the way Franklin left, and the ugly scandal with rape allegations against…
By Ron Wynn NASHVILLE, TN — Sometimes blowout losses can be disregarded, but the Titans 27-3 wipeout in Cleveland by the Browns Sunday raises troubling questions for the remainder of the schedule. Can the offensive line problems be solved is the first question. Aside from being unable to block wrecking ball Myles Garrett, who had 3 1/2 sacks, five QB hits and a forced fumble, the line also couldn’t open holes for Derrick Henry or Tjaye Spears. Henry was held to 20 yards rushing, his lowest total since 2017, and Spears four yards rushing and four receiving. Second, while the…
By Ron Wynn NASHVILLE, TN — Ronnie Milsap has enjoyed a remarkable career spanning five decades. He’s also been the epitome of musical excellence across multiple idioms. A Country Music Hall of Famer, he’s had 40 number one country hits, and been a Country Music Association Entertainer of the Year as well as three-time CMA Male Vocalist of the Year. In addition to winning six Grammys and four Album of the Year awards, Milsap has also enjoyed R&B, soul and pop hits, and wrote the classic tune “I Can’t Make You Love Me” for Bonnie Raitt. Now 80, Milsap will…
By Ron Wynn NASHVILLE, TN — Filmmaker Raoul Peck has profiled the great author James Baldwin and also explored other issues and personalities, but his latest focuses on a major economic issue that many across the nation are now examining: Black land ownership. That’s the focus of Peck’s upcoming documentary “Silver Dollar Road.” The trailer is now available online, and it shows the problems being encountered by the Reels, a Black family in North Carolina. They’ve owned their land along the state’s Silver Dollar Road since emancipation. But now they’ve learned a developer was trying to claim the rights to…
Three decades ago Charlie Ward led Florida State to the national title. He became the school’s first Heisman Trophy winner and also won every possible award given at that time to an offensive football player. Ward would go on to a 10-year professional career. But it wasn’t in his favorite sport, football. Instead, he became a pro basketball player after no team in the NFL deemed him good enough to play quarterback for them. Flash forward to this season and there are 14 Blacks starting at QB for NFL teams (although one got hurt Sunday and may be out a…
By Ron Wynn NASHVILLE, TN — Byron Allen remains determined to expand his already sizable media empire. Last week it was confirmed in multiple places that Allen has made a bid to acquire the ABC TV Network and other stations. The bid was listed at $10 billion. The offer comes amid continual rumors and stories that Disney wants to shed some “non-core assets and focus on streaming.” Other properties that would be included in this bid would the cable channels FX and National Geographic , as well as eight ABC owned and operated stations. But thus far ESPN has not…
By Ron Wynn NASHVILLE, TN — Television history was made this past Sunday when journalist Kristen Welker became the new moderator of “Meet The Press.” She began with an explosive segment, an interview with former President Donald Trump. “Meet The Press” is the oldest and longest running program on television. It began in 1947. Welker becomes the 13th moderator, second woman, and first Black journalist to serve in that role. She succeeds Chuck Todd, who was moderator for nine years. Welker has been with NBC News since 2010. She has covered the White House since 2011, and most recently has…
The US Open is the last and frequently most surprising of the Grand Slam tournaments. Coming at the end of the long tennis season, it usually attracts all the great players from around the globe, anxious to make one last splash. But this year’s event proved a coming out party for Americans, most of whom were Black. For the first time since professional tennis became open with both amateurs and professionals competing against each other (1968), four African Americans reached the quarterfinals. Three reached the semifinals and one prevailed as a new champion. For 19-year-old Coco Gauff, winning the Women’s…
By Ron Wynn NASHVILLE, TN — Filmmaker Ava DuVernay’s latest film will soon make history. Her latest is titled “Origin,” and the trailer can now be seen online at various locations, among them the website Shadow and Act. Neon announced over the weekend that it has acquired the film. It had its world premiere this week at the Venice Film Festival. After Venice, “Origin” will have a gala screening at the Toronto International Film Festival. The film will later come to theaters across the country. DuVernay’s showing at the Venice Film Festival made her the first Black American woman director…