The Musical DNA of Gregg Diggs
How a Club DJ Found Success in Radio, Music Videos, & the Music Industry
by
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During my eight years at WKYS-FM radio, I had the opportunity to meet a lot of celebrities but the star power at BET was on a completely different level. As the Director of Music Video Programming, not only did I get the chance to meet the stars, I also got the chance to hang out with them at their homes and at special intimate gatherings. One of my most memorable encounters was with Motown legend, Diana Ross. I met her briefly during a taping of Video Soul but I was very surprised when I received an invitation from her to a special listening party at her summer home in Fort Myers, Florida. Lydia and several of my other BET colleagues were also invited but they cancelled their reservations when they heard about a hurricane that was forecasted to hit Florida that week. My family, friends, and BET coworkers warned me not to go but I refused to live my life in fear, so on August 1, 1995, I flew to Fort Myers Florida to hang out with Diana Ross. When I arrived in Florida, the sun was shining and it was an absolutely beautiful day. The weather forecasters were wrong and the hurricane passed by the Fort Myers area. Diana Ross’ summer home was amazing and it sat right on the beach. When I rang the doorbell, I was shocked to see Diana open the door. She greeted me, gave me a warm hug, and invited me inside and introduced me to her family. All of her children were there, including her daughter Tracee Ellis Ross, who would eventually become a major star in her own right. They all were very polite and surprisingly very warm and friendly. For a moment, I thought I was the only guest there but then Diana grab my hand and escorted me to the patio area. There I saw several other guests dining on shrimp cocktails and other assorted culinary delicacies. We all introduced ourselves and engaged in some basic conversations. Then Diana came over and said “Hey, who wants to go swimming with me?” Then she proceeded to take off her yellow slacks to reveal a black one-piece bathing suit. Since I did not bring any swimming trunks, I didn’t get in the water but Diana was joined by her daughters and several other guests. You better believe that she made sure that her long flowing mane did not get wet. As I sat there on the patio, I couldn’t believe that I was actually at Diana Ross’ house watching her playing in the ocean with her daughters. My mind flashed back to that moment in my childhood when I saw The Supremes on the “Ed Sullivan Show” for the first time. It was such an exciting and monumental event in my life because it was extremely rare to see black faces on television at that time. Who would have guessed that the little boy who was enamored by the Motown stars on his TV, would one day be chillin’ with “The Queen of Motown”, Diana Ross at her beach house? Unbelievable!
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About the Book
The Musical DNA of Gregg Diggs is a true story about a club DJ’s rise to prominence in several areas of the music industry. It chronicles his initial success on the club scene during the height of the disco era, which eventually leads to a triumphant guest DJ appearance at the legendary Studio 54 nightclub. The story continues with a revealing look at his unorthodox transition to radio and how he is discovered and mentored by radio legend Donnie Simpson. After major success as a radio music programmer, he rises to higher heights in the music industry and lands the coveted and extremely powerful position of director of music video programming at Black Entertainment Television. At BET, he supervises the airplay of the music videos that air on the network and ultimately contributes to the success of many of today’s music superstars. He also books the celebrity interviews and performances for BET, which allows him to meet and to rub elbows with the stars. This book reveals his behind-the-scenes stories about the inner workings of BET and also about his unbelievable encounters with Janet Jackson, L. A. Reid, Diana Ross, Prince, Puff Daddy, Madonna, and many more. As the story continues to unfold, you will learn how this former club DJ eventually becomes one of the first music programmers in satellite radio history as he blazes a trail of innovation at WorldSpace Satellite Radio and Sirius XM Satellite Radio. This is a story about music and how it shaped, molded, and impacted the career of a very influential, successful, and highly respected music industry insider. This is a story about the musical DNA of Gregg Diggs.
About the Author
Music industry insider Gregg Diggs got his start in the music business as a club DJ in Washington, DC. He went on to find success as the music director at WKYS-FM Radio, music video programmer at BET, satellite radio pioneer at Sirius XM, songwriter, and music producer. He was a member of an elite group of DJs who played at the iconic Studio 54 nightclub, and he also played a major role in contributing to the success of music superstars like Beyoncé, Jay-Z, Usher, Toni Braxton, and many more.