The Hang with Gregory Porter

Confidence and shyness, masculinity and tenderness are all up for discussion as Rory Graham, aka Rag’n’Bone Man, hangs out with Gregory. Recorded in March 2021, they find common ground in how they both learnt to get across a message in a song as Rory digs into his musical foundations of folk, hip-hop, rock and Blues, or the rubble that he says formed his sound. Nothing is off limits from tattoos to the chance to collaborate musically in the future, in the finale to series 2 of The Hang with Gregory Porter. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Pianist/producer Robert Glasper turns his talents towards hip-hop, jazz, R’n’B, or any other music genre he wants to experience, considering it all about adding more rooms to his House of Black Music. Recorded in Los Angeles the day after the Grammys 2021, Gregory and Robert joined forces and laughed a lot, teased a lot and shared a lot in common. There was even a domestic interruption and an in-studio one, adding to the energy in the room ahead of their upcoming collaboration for Robert's Black Radio 3.   Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Moby and Gregory go in deep on Moby’s cultural caution around the samples he finds and repurposes as the pair dissect the legacy and importance of the Blues. If pushed to label the music he creates, Moby explains how it’s folk music that fits him best, while Gregory recalls the moment when he truly felt the power of EDM. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Cultural curiosity has always driven actor, activist and author Priyanka Chopra Jonas, as she delves into why representation matters being a brown-skinned woman on screen in Hollywood. Discussing her memoir Unfinished, Priyanka tells Gregory that she also has unfinished business with music, as she reflects on her pop career. Plus, they take a look self-confidence, which can be a tricky beast, and why it’s important to ignore the haters and keep moving forward. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

From Talking Heads to filmmaking with Spike Lee, there’s a lot of creative joy to be had bringing people together in what Gregory dubs, the Holy Ghost of David Byrne. They reach back to the days when borrowing vinyl from the public library held more influence than the internet, and discuss how a simple bike ride can change the way we look out for each other, whatever our differences. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Not every musician would turn down a record deal, twice, early on in their career, but Imelda May held out until she got the deal that let her record the songs she needed to sing. From early performances in a blues club in Dublin, to hosting her own music TV show, Imelda reveals and sings through the touch stones of her artistic life. Recorded in the final weeks of Trump’s presidency in January 2021, Gregory and Imelda share their hopes for kinder leadership, as well as the shared luck of meeting fellow musician Jools Holland at just the right time. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Protest songs may appear to come naturally to Hozier, but there’s much reasoning behind why he chooses the issues he spotlights. Sitting down with Gregory, face to face pre-pandemic, they dig deep into the influence of the church on both their lives, and why challenge and curiosity are such useful skills to wield. Recorded at the Trafalgar St. James hotel, a few paces away from what was then the hustle and bustle of London’s Trafalgar Square, they talk about the music that’s informed their lives and why the words you use can carry such a heavy weight. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Elvis Costello is working on his 7th stage musical; none of his previous 6 got made yet he still sees their value, remaining optimistic and enthusiastic. Elvis connected remotely with Gregory in September 2020, bringing tales of Liverpool, London and family life from British Columbia. He traces the origins of his sound, absorbing music from all around, whether it was Dusty Springfield or Curtis Mayfield, unravelling how they helped create the singer-songwriter he is today. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Thrust into music from the get-go, Rufus Wainwright delves into the larger than life characters that influence him, from Joni Mitchell, to Randy Newman and of course, his own parents. Recorded in October 2020 from their respective homes in California, Gregory and Rufus share a collective sorrow of President Trump’s legacy of hatred towards certain communities yet remain optimistic about America healing. Along the way they talk about sharing beloved childhood films with their own kids and the joy that comes when the love is shared. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Growing up in a music-rich family, stepped in the multiculturism of London’s Camden community, has inspired multi-instrumentalist Nubya Garcia to create her own brand of music. She tells Gregory how, as a child, experiencing carnival in Trinidad was a game-changer and why she likes to immerse herself in the culture of other countries for weeks at a time, travel-permitting. Hard work and perseverance was instilled in Nubya from a young age and she’s proof why your parents nagging you to practise that musical instrument, is most likely going to be worth it. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Singer-songwriter-actor Paloma Faith explains how her mum raised her as an ‘unconventional only child’ which only goes part-way to explain her creatively diverse life. Paloma and Gregory met face-to-face, pre-pandemic, at Universal Music’s HQ to share tales of complicated relationships with their fathers, career insecurities and the joy of discovering jazz and theatre. It was here that the seeds of a future collaboration were planted, as Paloma makes good on her plan to duet with Gregory in 2020, resulting in their recent track Christmas Prayer. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Childlike curiosity is at the heart of Jacob Collier’s music as the Grammy winning multi-instrumentalist explains the importance of keeping that sense of wonder and fearlessness. Jacob believes that’s key to connecting emotionally in music but, like many of us, has struggled with some of those connections over zoom in 2020. There’s talk of the joy and the surreal of Grammy ceremonies as well as what it’s like when the legendary Quincy Jones enters your creative life. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Earth, Wind & Fire singer-songwriter Philip Bailey digs deep into his past to uncover the roots of his creativity. Raised by women, Philip recalls being inspired by female singers such as Dionne Warwick, whose influence can be heard in his distinctive falsetto. Recorded in the summer of 2020, moments of raw grief are exposed as Gregory confronts the recent death of his brother to Covid-19, and they muse on the healing powers of music. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Determination, hard work and talent have created much success for Gary Barlow, but for years he kept moving, without stopping to properly enjoy it. Gary tells Gregory about how it was only a few years ago that he woke up to that, changed his outlook, and what he’s learnt in doing so. They share tales of touring, songwriting and family and why it’s so important to appreciate life, even the jagged edges. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Love, loss and living are on the agenda as John Legend unpicks his roots and the experiences that have shaped his life so far. John and Gregory catch up from their respective homes in California days after Joe Biden has been declared the President-elect of the United States; they reflect on a divided country and the need to defend democracy. Plus, they share tales of music, family, hope and the strength to overcome grief in a year that’s brought sorrow for so many. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Brittany Howard opens up about why she’s always felt as if she were an outsider. Speaking to Gregory from Nashville, they share tales of loss and discrimination and what you do when it seems as if you simply don’t fit in. A musical trailblazer, Brittany shakes off any preconceptions about who others think she should be, and instead, tells them who she is. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hoooooold! Gregory kicks off S2 with his friend and collaborator Howard Lawrence of Disclosure. They unravel the mystery of where tunes originate, needing to walk barefoot in nature and hanging out with Sam Smith. Brotherly love runs deep for both Gregory and Howard; they discuss holding on to that sibling relationship, as Gregory shares the pain of recently losing his brother to Covid-19. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

You’re all invited as Gregory Porter hangs out with famous friends, old and new, to pull on the musical and creative threads that join us all together. From sharing the love of those songs that get right to your soul, to the joy and pain of parenthood and family, or facing down discrimination and channelling that energy into something good. Recorded on the road, or remotely from his home in Bakersfield, California, crossing time zones and continents, these are conversations to inspire. Join Gregory for The Hang. Bring it in!  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Season 1 finale! Aretha Franklin and Diana Ross come up early in the conversation between Gregory and singer Celeste, as they meet on the Sunset Strip in Los Angeles. Influences of the greats loom large as the pair also share the influence of their parents and grandparents on the voices they now share with the world through music. Navigating the tricky waters of putting relationships into a song come up for discussion, as does the joy (or not) of that oh-so-British roast dinner favourite, Yorkshire pudding. Yum.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Global DJ and broadcaster Gilles Peterson has been sharing his passion for music ever since that fateful day when he threw out his train set in the shed, and installed turntables instead. Over a cup of tea in Cheltenham, he and Gregory swap stories of soul and jazz, from joyful moments of 12-hour DJ sets in Japan, to preserving mental health on tour. Their common ground is the search for a sound to dance to, and how the perfect combination of songs can elevate all those listening.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.