Free Download • Live Love • Alex Kassel Ft. Adam Joseph

When Adam Joseph announced he had worked on a new single, and it was available for free, I know you didn't have to tell me twice. I jumped at the chance to check out "Live Love", a song by handsome Alex Kassel and featuring the vocals of the talented Mr. Joseph, and I am glad I did. It is a sparkling tribute to love, and a perfect song to take on your summer vacation. "Love Love" is a single off Kassel's album 'Along The Way', and if it is any indication of the quality there, I'd say that is one to look for. Adam, who is still teasing us all with reports that he is working on the follow-up to his amazing first album, 'How I Seem To Be'. I loved that album, and think he sounds even better now, something I didn't think possible. But first, check out one of my summer jams, "Live Love".

To get your FREE DOWNLOAD of "Live Love", click HERE. Just hit the button that says "Download", and the song is yours! You can also purchase the album 'Along The Way' on iTunes and Amazon. To learn more about Alex Kassel, check him out on Facebook and Twitter.

Dark Monday • Raúl Esparza

I decided I wanted a little bit of Sondheim for this post, and started checking out his shows. I opted for 'Company' and was exploring for more inspiration, and then it hit me, like a ton of bricks. How have I managed to go this long and not feature the very talented and sexy Raúl Esparza? I mean, come on. Look at that picture up there! And he was born in my home state, in Wilmington, Delaware! And his voice is really kind of amazing. And he come out in an interview in the New York Times as a bisexual, meaning I stand a chance. Well, I'll come back to that thought later, much later. He has starred in several Broadway shows, both musical and dramatic. In the 2006 Broadway Revival of the Sondheim classic 'Company', Esparza took on the role of Bobby, and did so with élan. Here is a clip of Raúl singing "Being Alive", one of the several iconic songs from the show. He is performing at the 2007 Tony Awards telecast, where he as nominated for a Tony Award, but inexplicably lost out to David Hyde Pierce. Enjoy.

While checking things out, I also came across this performance by Esparza when he was a guest of Seth Rudestky's show. It seems Raúl had sung a particular song written by Stephen Schwartz in some performances he had, even though he had not sung the song as part of the stage musical. Well, it would not be likely that he would be cast as Elphaba, so he would not have the chance to sing "Defying Gravity" from 'Wicked' on Broadway, or any touring company, any time soon. Thankfully, we have this video in place of the cast album.

For more about Raúl Esparza, visit his official website. You can also "like" him on Facebook, and "follow" him on Twitter. And to the best of my knowledge, Esparza has no album of his own, although he can be heard on original Broadway Cast albums, including the wonderful 2006 'Company' Revival release that includes "Being Alive". That Original Cast album is available from iTunes and Amazon.

Here's To The Ladies Who Carry The Torch

Clockwise from top: Margaret Whiting, Dinah Shore, Ella Fitzgerald and Rosemary Clooney.

I thought I would come back to this sweet sound with yet another group of talented ladies. It is a collection of classic voices, some with household names, others with a bit of a cult following. The first would fall more into the latter, as Margaret Whiting might not have the cache of some of the ladies who follow, but certainly had a long career, having been raised in the business, as father Richard Whiting was a songwriter, having written classics like "Hooray For Hollywood". After having her heyday in the 40s and 50s, she continued to sing in clubs on both coasts. In 1994, she married gay adult star Jack Wrangler, and they stayed together until his passing in 2009. Margaret passed in January of 2011. In 1945, She had a hit singing "It Might As Well Be Spring" with Paul Weston and his Orchestra.

While she couldn't seem to get a job with a big band the way every other girl singer was doing in the late 30s, she became the first woman singer to take her talent solo, and certainly made a name for herself in the 40s and 50s. Dinah Shore couldn't get the job with Benny Goodman or either Tommy or Jimmy Dorsey, so she followed her own path to fame. In 1944, she appeared in 'Belle of the Yukon', and sung the beautiful song by Jimmy van Heusen, "Like Someone In Love". She later went on to host her own talk show. Despite several marriages and high-profile relationships, Dinah's support of Women's Golf somehow translated into constant rumors of her being a lesbian, which is not really supported by any fact.

Our next singer needs no introduction, especially for me. Ella Fitzgerald is a brilliant singer, with a career spanning seven decades, from the 30s to the 90s. she just had so much talent, be it her ability to scat, to groove on some jazz, or just flat out sing a song. This video is of her singing Cole Porter's great song, "Ev'ry Time We Say Goodbye". This clip is from 1965, but she originally recorded the song in 1956.

I can't tell you how much I loved the voice of our final singer tonight. My mother played her music, and she was certainly in some of my favorite films I remember watching, including 'White Christmas'. Rosemary Clooney's voice was so lovely, with a depth of tone that could bring you to tears as easily as it could get you dancing. Enjoy her singing her 1954 hit, "Hey There", written by Richard Adler and Jerry Ross for their Broadway musical, 'The Pajama Game'.

Have a great time with what remains of your weekend!

Long John Baldry • Make It Easy On Yourself

In keeping with the last weekend of Gay Pride Month, I thought I would bring out a favorite artist singing a great song. Long John Baldry is a favorite of mine, from his early Pop recordings to his later blues music, it all just makes me happy. I learned he was a gay man, and was out while he was getting his career started in England in the 1960s, which couldn't have been easy. In fact, he left England for Canada in 1978, where the laws and people were more accepting of his sexuality. In 1966, Baldry released the album 'Looking at Long John', and it included the cover of a few classic songs, including the great Bacharach/David song, "Make It Easy On Yourself".

His voice is just something special for me. And it just kept getting better. I still cannot get enough of Long John Baldry! Have a great weekend!

Pride Celebration • Five Decades of Great Dance Music

Clockwise: Sylvester, Musical notes, Jimmy Somerville, Jason Walker, Sir Ari Gold, and Soft Cell.

As we are coming into the final weekend of Gay Pride Month, I thought I would go out with a mini-celebration or retrospective, how ever you'd like to look at it. I am looking to a few out and proud gay artists who managed to make music that was amazing and exhilarating. These are artists that were an inspiration then, and still inspire me whenever I hear their music. I will start with the brilliant and amazing Sylvester. At a time when America was not as accepting of gays and lesbians, this wonderful black man with a big voice started performing, often taking on an androgynous appearance, and using his strong falsetto to deliver songs like "You Make Me Feel (Mighty Real)", and make them a hit. That particular song made it to the Top 40 in 1978, and became Sylvester's second #1 Dance Hit. Celebrate the season with the great Sylvester singing "You Make Me Feel (Mighty Real)".

Now Sylvester might have owned the 1970s, but the 1980s were really the property of several acts from the UK, many part of the New Wave invasion that brought together parts of Punk, Rock, and Pop, and a great freedom to carve out your own style. Bands like Bronski Beat, Erasure and Culture Club never shied away from standing out, not willing to fall into the preconceived sexual roles. Another of those bands was Soft Cell. The duo were David Ball and Marc Almond, who rich voice gave such depth to every song he sang. They are perhaps best known for their 1981 hit, "Tainted Love". The song was written by Ed Cobb and first recorded by American singer Gloria Jones in 1965. The record didn't chart, but became popular a decade later in British clubs. Soft Cell eventually decided to record it themselves, only to put a new spin on the production. Well, they certainly did, and it became a world-wide hit for them. Check out the music video for Soft Cell's cover of "Tainted Love".

In the early 1980s, he was with the Bronski Beat. Later, he became a part of The Communards, another band who never shied away from their sexuality, and at times poked fun of the conventional thoughts of it. By the time the 1990s rolled around, Jimmy Somerville had launched a solo career, using his distinctive voice and style to make music I found irresistible. I still listen to whatever he puts out, and love it. But in 1995, he released the beautiful album 'Dare To Love', the second in his solo career. It included the song "Heartbeat", co-written by the Glaswegian himself. I loved it then, and still love it today. Enjoy "Heartbeat".

The new millennium saw even more LGBT artists making music that was perfect for the clubs. There was a new movement with Dance/Pop artists tarting to release their own music, allowing the different cities to have their own wonderful sound. New York had several really talented artists in the forefront, with SIRPAUL making some great music, as well as Jason Walker, who was working with renown DJ Junior Vasquez. The time also saw the rise of a talented New Yorker by the name of Ari Gold, writing and producing his own brand of ElectroPop that often seemed ready to the clubs. In 2004, he released his second album, the wonderful 'Space Under Sun'. It wasn't long before "Love Will Take Over" was playing everywhere, from radio to the clubs. The music proved a great follow-up to his self-titled debut, and the great song "Wave of You", the song that first stole my heart. And I continue to love his music, proving some artists remain relevant, and can, in fact, get better with age. Check out the music video for "Love Will Take Over".

And, finally, I want to pick something very current, showing that LGBT artists are still going strong. Of course, I have to admit that other than the late Sylvester, all these artists are still making music. SIRPAUL is making great music, and I featured two singles just this morning. But I decided to feature C-Rod featuring Jason Walker and the single "Beat Don't Stop", a song that continues to be near the top of the Dance charts, months after it was released. The song is infectious, and after listening, stays in my head and keeps me smiling. So have fun watching the music video for "Beat Don't Stop", the song by C-Rod and featuring Jason Walker.

All this music is available where ever music is sold, including iTunes and Amazon. The songs are great reminders of the time, but they are also just fantastic performances that I still like listening to now. So over the last few days of Gay Pride Month, enjoy these gay artists, and think about supporting them and others, to ensure their music continues to be made.

Armand Deluxe • One Love featuring SIRPAUL

Could there be a better song for this week, with Gay Pride celebrations all over, and the momentous decisions handed down by the Supreme Court, dismantling the bigoted 'Defense of Marriage Act', and tossing out the Proposition 8 case, returning the lower court decision to toss it out, making way for California to be the 13th state and the District of Columbia to have marriage quality? Well, I don't think you can ever go wrong with SIRPAUL singing on a song with his own words and music by Armand Deluxe. "One Love" is a global celebration of the one thing that unites us all, a desire and drive to find love, and make a family unit so that love can flourish. The song looks to celebrate love, something we should all spend more time doing. Hear the song (and watch a colorful picture) for Armand Deluxe's "One Love", featuring SIRPAUL, a great song for this summer!

If you are in the mood to hit the dance floor, or need some serious music for your workout, or just want a perfect song for an afternoon on the beach, look no further than another collaboration of these talented men. Not too long ago, the released "Touch Me", a song that drives a hard beat, with a sexy sound and flirty lyrics. Before you hit play, I should warn you, you might not be able to keep still. My hips don't lie (still) while this song is playing...

To learn more about Armand Deluxe, visit his official website. You can also find Armand Deluxe on Twitter and Facebook. You can learn more about SIRPAUL on his official website. You can also find him on Facebook and Twitter. "One Love" is available on iTunes and Amazon. "Touch Me" is available on iTunes and Amazon.

Darren Ockert • You Don't Know Me

Miami-based Indie-ElectroPop artist Darren Ockert has a new single and music video out, and now seems like the right time to share it with you all. The song is brand new, so I am hoping that means a new album might be coming soon. But before that, we certain have this song, with a catchy hook and a music video that is charming and funny, much like what I think Darren might be like should I ever have the opportunity to meet him. I hope you enjoy the music video for "You Don't Know Me" as much as I do.

Wasn't that fun? And weren't you singing along with the chorus by then end? Well, I was! For more about Darren Ockert, visit his official website. You can also 'like' him on Facebook, or 'follow' him on Twitter. You can purchase the single "You Don't Know Me" from iTunes and Amazon.