Whoa. There I was, sitting on the piano bench as he played the hits he was involved in. "I know that song. And that one. I played that one on the radio when I was a DJ!" 

Because if it was a hit, there's a good chance Clarence McDonald had a couple hands in  it - on the keyboard or as producer. James Taylor's "How Sweet It Is," Seals & Crofts' "Summer Breeze," Hall & Oates' "Sara Smile," Bill Withers' "Lovely Day," The Emotions' "Best of My Love." Plus Ray Charles, Nancy Wilson, Erykah Badu, The Jackson 5, Barbra Streisand, Aretha ... just read the liner notes and you'll find his name all over the place.

Clarence, who passed away last year at the age of 76, was an early guest on Off-Ramp, and I caught him at exactly the right time. He'd had a lung cancer scare, had met the love of his life Susan, and was feeling like he oughta get out of his shell and share some of his knowledge ... gained from luminaries like legendary LA music teacher Alma Hightower and Eubie Blake. I was honored he trusted me with his story. 

These two interviews debuted in 2009, and there are more to come.

Support for this podcast is made possible by Gordon and Dona Crawford, who believe that quality journalism makes Los Angeles a better place to live; and bythe Corporation for Public Broadcasting, a private corporation funded by the American people.

Off-Ramp theme music by Fesliyan Studios.

When I interviewed Norman Lear for Veterans Day in 2019, I asked for dibs on his 100th birthday interview. He immediately agreed, looked skyward, and said, "Hear that God? I've got a commitment!" 

Then Covid-19 happened. So as Lear turns 100 (on July 27), we'll have to make do with a rerun ... but if anybody should be okay with a rerun, it's Norman Lear, creator of so many groundbreaking TV shows - like "All in the Family," "The Jeffersons," and "Maude" -- that helped America confront its demons.

But mostly, in this interview done for KPCC's Take Two show, we talked about America, the Constitution, the Declaration of Independence and its promise of "the pursuit of happiness," and his service on a B-17 bomber in World War 2.

Support for this podcast is made possible by Gordon and Dona Crawford, who believe that quality journalism makes Los Angeles a better place to live; and bythe Corporation for Public Broadcasting, a private corporation funded by the American people.

Off-Ramp theme music by Fesliyan Studios.

Take THAT, Ira! RH Greene's Off-Ramp doc "Vampira and Me" is now a movie. Plus, the man who pitched a foetus, Crenshaw kids' summer plans, and Jerry's junk.

A man who built his own bronze foundry, a new documentary about a Tijuana crime reporter, steve mARTin, and something about the Kings and Father's Day.

Merry Lepper, first US woman to run a marathon, did it in Culver City, 1963; Langers' anniversary; how one woman learned to face death and helped others do the same.

We'll take you to The Other Side for one more round & one more song, visit two performances you'll want to catch, & ask why Molly is live Tweeting the War of 1812.

For Memorial Day: Who was Oskar Schindler, really? What happened the night the U.S.S. Indianapolis sunk? What difference can a photo make for a military family?

Typing on Andy Rooney's typewriter, Pasadena's newest wine store, Really Old Jews Tell Jokes, and the logistics of bringing in the space shuttle.

Peter Mac as Judy Garland celebrates the arrival of Mother's Day, Middle School Students act out real life drama, Pogues's expat tells all.

Rob Schmitz on China and Apple, Richard Chamberlain in The Heiress at the Pasadena Playhouse; Bookman David Kipen on Expo Line; Merv Griffin's historic TV archive