Tag: Mariah Carey

Whitney Houston? Does She Even Have an Album?

Published on by MattLeave a comment

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The night was November 17, 1998 and the event was Whitney Houston’s FIRST studio album in eight years being released. I have a few iconic stories (handsome man dancing across the room checking me out to name one) but this night was pure magic….almost.  Whitney had an amazing decade.  It has been 10 years since her second album Whitney was released and broke records.  She released I’m Your Baby Tonight (an underrated album I might add), starred in The Bodyguard and released the soundtrack album that shattered records and remains the best selling soundtrack album in music history.  She starred in Waiting to Exhale and released “Exhale (Shoop Shoop)” (sadly the last #1 song of her career.  The iconic Christmas classic The Preacher’s Wife (what, it’s not an iconic Christmas classic?) was released.  But now, 1998 was here and it was time for Whitney to get back to her roots with a studio album.  Thirteen new songs.  An entire album of new Whitney material.  I was beside myself excited.

Across from campus at Michigan State used to be a huge Tower Records store.  Kids these days just do not get the magnificent beauty of a record store.  I used to stop on my way home from class or divert over while headed to the library.  Any chance I could I would go listen to music at Tower Records.  Back then, Tuesday was the huge release day for all albums each week.  The duet between Whitney and Mariah had been promoted big time.  Both of them were all over television and radio with their duet, “When You Believe”.  They were putting aside all of the rumors of a diva feud between them.  You might remember this VMA appearance, “Try it on me!”

So with the non-diva feud set aside, it was time to release the albums.  Whitney had My Love Is Your Love and Mariah had her first greatest hits collection #1s.  That same night Garth Brooks was releasing a live concert album, Jewel had a Christmas album and some big rapper of the era was releasing an album too.  My wonderful friend Cary was a huge Mariah fan and me being a huge Whitney fan, we had to go together and wait in line for the release.  Another thing the kids these days don’t understand is that albums were released at midnight on Tuesdays, called Super Tuesday, so we would wait in line until midnight for the release.  This night, in particular, had a lot of star power so the line outside Tower Records wrapped around the block.  Cary and I were so excited!  After quite awhile, the line started moving.  Once we were in the store the line wrapped in and out of each aisle.  We were getting closer.

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There were promotional posters and signs all over for Garth and Mariah and Jewel, but I didn’t see one for Whitney.  What?  How could this be?  Such disrespect!  We finally made it up to the front of the line.  Behind the counter they had several carts full of cds.  When you got up to the counter you just told the sales rep the cd you wanted, easy, done.  Many people were there for Garth, that was obvious.  There were several for the rapper too.  My friend Cary was first.  He proudly strode up to the counter, “I’ll take a Mariah and a Jewel.”  The representative got him his cds and began ringing him up.  Now it was my turn at the counter two places down from him.  I walked up to the counter.  “Whitney Houston.”  The representative, “Who?”  Me, quieter, “Whitney Houston.”  The agent, loudly, “Whitney Houston!  Does she even have an album?”  I’m dying!  He’s looking on the racks behind him.  “I don’t see anything.  Hey Mike, does Whitney Houston have an album out?”  He cannot find anything on the cart that probably has 100 cds on it.  Then he starts looking under the counter and finds a box with about 20 Whitney Houston cds in it.  At this point I’m dead.  I’m so embarrassed.  Cary is dying laughing at me.  I just wanted my cd and wanted to get back to my house and listen to it.  Cary and I leave and he is beside himself laughing.

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Needless to say, this night is one that we still talk about and laugh about to this day.  After 20 years, Cary and I are still wonderful friends with so many memories.  We actually have many performances of “When You Believe” under our belts, most notably while singing it in a gazebo up in Glen Arbor, Michigan.  Friendship is a beautiful thing, especially after more than 20 years.

Happy 20th Anniversary to Whitney’s My Love Is Your Love album.  Where were you 20 years ago on November 17, 1998?

That’s What I Chose

Published on by Matt1 Comment

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Life is all about the choices we make and where those choices lead us. I’m going to start a new blog series about my life’s choices, both good and bad, and where they have taken me. I’m calling it “That’s What I Chose.” I was just listening to an interview with Barefoot Contessa on Katie Couric’s podcast and she was asked about never having children.  Barefoot (Ina Garten) simply said, “That’s what I chose.”  I loved it and along with some other current things it made me want to reflect on the choices I’ve made in life.

My soon to be nephew is going through the college decision process as are the senior class of 2017 at my high school.  I have told all of them, “Go with your gut. Go where you feel you can most grow in confidence and in who you are as a person.” Today’s high school students have much different admissions experiences and choices than I did back in 1995. I’ve recently been thinking about that time in my life.

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It was the summer of 1994 and I was getting ready to be a senior in high school. There certainly were brief conversations about my next steps with my parents, but we were on two different pages, hence the brief discussions. My parents wanted me to attend our local community college and I ONLY would consider applying to Michigan State. You see, growing up I struggled in school, a lot, so my parents had good reason to be a bit concerned sending me off to a school of 35,000 students. I didn’t learn to read until I was in 2nd grade. I took Ritalin for ADD. My summers were spent in tutoring trying to make up for lost time with reading skills. By 6th grade I was spending three, sometimes four hours a night with my mom doing homework. In 9th grade I was diagnosed with dyslexia. So….I can see why my parents wanted me to start college slowly.  But what they didn’t factor into this entire experience was, as Macho Man Randy Savage would call it, my “intestinal fortitude.”  I wanted college so badly. I wanted to leave home and meet new people and experience new things so badly that I was going to make it work.

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However, looking back at my high school class ring, I’m pretty sure I did not always think I’d make it to MSU. I definitely remember insisting to my parents that I wanted a class ring. My dad had one from college and I thought it was so cool, but I did not know if I would go to college. Considering the struggles I had, was college for me? Our school colors were blue and gold so everyone got fake blue gem stones in their class ring. I chose a fake emerald green gem because, what if I never got to be a Spartan? But I persisted and insisted that I was only applying to Michigan State and that is what I did. I had to get away.

In late August I sent my paper application in the mail to MSU. September 22, 1994 I received a letter in the mail congratulating me on being accepted into the class of 1999. I was going to be a SPARTAN!!! Before this happened, my parents would say, “We’ll buy you a car if you stay home for two years and go to KVCC.”  Or, as worried and sensible parents would say, “What if you don’t get in?” My response to that, “I’ll figure that out later.” Luckily for me, I didn’t have to worry because I would be a Spartan!

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Sophomore year at Michigan State I moved to a new dorm. Early in the semester I saw a guy carrying his Entertainment Weekly Magazine into the bathroom. I thought, “I get Entertainment Weekly too. There is someone LIKE ME here.” Cary and I quickly became friends and after 21 years he’s still one of my best. I knew that going away to college would be life changing and it was. Cary and I would make mixed tapes and endlessly talk about his love of Mariah and my love of Whitney and who was better (Whitney). 🙂 I met so many other people too at MSU who have shaped who I am as a person and who have supported me all through this wonderful life.

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I had to go against my best advisors, my parents, and make a choice for myself. We all can look back now and realize the magnitude of my choice and its importance. I wouldn’t be the person I am today had I stayed at home. For so many personal reasons, leaving and getting out on my own shaped me and allowed me the space to mature and grow and meet people who would help me become the man I am today. I left home with so many hopes and maybe a few fears, but my desire to grow out weighed it all. It’s ok to not listen to our parents always, at least for me, one of my most defining choices was counter to my parents’ wishes. They’re ok with it now–whew it all worked out! Oh and they bought me a car anyway, so there’s that too. Thanks Mom and Dad. I love you!

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So there you have it, a new blog series “That’s What I Chose”.  I look forward to some of these topics: That One Last Drink, Wilmette, the high school swim team, study abroad in Australia, relationships, and much much more.

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