Alan Leeds: I owe a debt to God or somebody.

Cecy speaks to music industry giant Alan Leeds about being the first in his family to pursue a career in the Black entertainment scene during a historic time in music history. Together, they discuss Alan’s illustrious career surrounded by legends, racial tensions across decades, marrying outside his race, and the social and cultural ramifications of being a white man in black spaces. Leeds became Soul Brother #1’s tour director in 1970. His illustrious roster of artists with whom he has worked includes Kool and the Gang, Bootsy’s Rubber Band, Teddy Pendergrass, Kiss, Cameo, Prince, Sheila E, Barry White, Maxwell, Raphael Saadiq, Chris Rock, and D’Angelo. Leeds’ memoir of his James Brown years, "There was a Time: James Brown, The Chitlin' Circuit and Me" was released to rave reviews in March 2020. He is currently working on a new book about the evolution of soul music of the 1960s into the neo-soul of the 2000s. Alan is currently one of the co-producers of a two-night, four-part documentary series about James Brown for A&E, which premieres February 19, 2024. Follow First in the Family on IG: @firstinthefam