The Breakfast Club - INTERVIEW: David Porter Talks New Book ‘The Soul Man’, Stax Records, Evolution Of Songwriting, Maurice White + More

Episode Date: July 28, 2026

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@BreakfastClubPower1051FMSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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Morning everybody is DJ Envy. Just hilarious. Salameen Nagar. We are the Breakfast Club. Lawn La Roses here as well. We got a special guest in the building. Yes, indeed. We have David Porter.

He has a new book, The Soul Man, Life of a Songwriter, David Porter. The legend. How are you feeling, brother? I feel amazing being with such amazing people. You look amazing too. Look at me. Yeah, that jacket's fly, brother.

Yes. You got to talk about David Porter, man. David Porter was inducted into the songwriter's Hall of Fame back in 2005. Yep. He's got a catalog that has exceeded over 400 million units in sales. Rolling Stone listed you as one of the 100 greatest songwriters of all times. What? Tell us some of the songs you don't wrote, Dave Porter.

Well, actually, let me first give a shout out to my dear partner, who's no longer with us, Isaac Hayes. We were fortunate enough to write some great songs independent of me, and some with me, but soul men. Hold on, I'm coming. You don't know like I know. Your real good things about to end, Lou Rawls. Just the emotions, so I can love your best part of a love affair.

Johnny Taylor, I had a dream, Little Bluebird. Albert King, personal manager. It's just been Otis Redding, some amazing writing with Otis as well. I sang on a record with him as well. That's me singing homie. I feel like so many of them songs you name, them songs you hear on all the commercials, You know what I'm saying?

Them of the songs you hear Whenever you're just walking into like retail stores But not only that It's the ones that get sampled Like who shot you Sample Yeah

Dream lover Dream lover Getting jiggy with it La nah nah About the rim Uh He goes Rump shaker

Man let me hold some Yeah Let me hold up Yeah Those is real stones On that jacky You guys are A great reflection

Of what this country Is in the day's world And I feel so honored to be in your present. And that's no hype, that's fact. Thank you, my pleasure. For me, to have been at a time for me to have had the career that I've had,

I feel so fortunate because it came, it came at a testing time and to see where the world is today and see what's going on with great talents such as you is this makes me be a lumbled, to say the least. Was the business right back then for you to make sure,

because we talk about all these songs that you wrote and everybody sampling your music, was the business right so that you get your full payment for all of the stuff that we discussed? Well, let me say this. I wouldn't have this jacket on if I didn't get my money.

I cannot speak for everyone. But one thing I learned at a very, very young age, I come from a very, very humble and full beginning. And what I learned was I wanted to have a life better than the outdoor toilet that I had to deal with. And so I wanted to learn about processes that would enable me to be prepared for that. And so with that in mind,

I start learning some of the steps that I need to take to protect my interests. And as I would write the songs and discover a concept of writing, songs. We didn't just write a song about how we feel. People don't care about how you feel. They care about how you make them feel. So I have to learn principles of that. And so, but also learning how to cover myself later on. I don't know what that meant. So I have to live a life to understand and develop that. But how did you understand that? Because, you know, there was no blueprint. You were

the blueprint for most people. So before that blueprint was laid, how did you figure out, well, I need to make sure I get this percentage and I get my splits and I get this and I get that? Because I'm sure they did everything in their power to make sure that you didn't get that. I learned from the examples that were said before me for people that didn't get it. And I learned to look for for steps that could protect my interest in that regard. Part of that was reading. And if you go back to those times, it was not convenient for us to be educated. They all said we look alike. And it was radio station WDIA that in 1948 that became the example of letting us see at that particular time that the individuality of us as a people were so much stronger than the representation

that they're trying to make us believe. And so with that in mind, I learned some other things. How do I get to protect those kinds of things that can enable me to be better prepared? And I learned that you got to get some knocks upside to hedge. You got to get some people lying to you. You got to get it beyond what the books they present to you. So you got to find tricks and trade ways to do that. And I start pushing myself to look for all of those kinds of things. I made mistakes along the way.

But I also gathered a lot along the way as well. How come how come Stacks records doesn't get the kind of, I guess, reverence or recognition that like a Motown did? Well, you know, Motown set the template for convincing America to look at us a little bit different. Stacks set the template for making people understand the individuality of the black presentation was something that was so magnetic that it could find an emotional connect with people all of the world who didn't actually like you. So we took our church humbleness that create the foundation of that, and we found a way to incorporate that in the musicality of what we were doing. and we took the fact that we put underground message in in the writing of the songs. Every one of the songs that we wrote

had an underground message to it. Because we only thought it would be played on Black Radio. And so inside of the underground messaging, we had a surface message that made people and have fun. And that we had no idea that it would resonate or engage people on the other side of the table to have an appreciation for it. And when it started that, it took on a life of its own.

But it started with us recognizing and the individuality of us as a people, and then understand that we don't need to run from that, we need to run to that. And that's what we were doing at Stacks. And so it's kind of hard to come to the realization that we're some bad us. We're the stuff.

And so it's a little bit difficult to give that homage and that Adelauson just write out. But the truth of that resonates. We have songs that have played all over the world every day. We have a current merchant that has done all over the world every day. That speaks to that. But like what Shalomey said, Stacks records did so much for people,

but you don't really hear much about Stax, unless you're an industry insider or a music buff. And Stax was first. They were before more time. So talk about some of the artists that you had on Stax that people would know. You don't hear much about the history of us as people. I mean, are we going to be real?

You know, nobody's going to willfully come up and give that. We have music that resonates and impacts all over the world, healing people, encouraging people, motivating people, and teaching people. Well,

that's a lot of power to give to people that certainly look a certain kind of way. Did you understand that power from day one? Because weren't you the first staffed writer for Stacks? I was the first staff. It was a country label when I came. It was satellite records. And I was a kid who was just getting ready to graduate from high school, working across the street at a grocery store.

And I used to go over and try to convince them to give me an audition. And when they did, I was fortunate enough to bring some talented cats with me, Booker T. Jones, who became Bookerty and the MGs, played Barretton Horn on it. William Bell, who had a James Austin. They sang background on the demo. Andrew Love, I got him to play Saxes. He became a part of the Memphis Horn. So I was able to buy that example and failing the audition to convince them to look closer at what black music could do.

And then they decided to record an artist by the name of Rufus Thomas, Rufus and Kala. I got Bougar T before I was hired to play Baratone Horn on that record. So that's a little of the background history that's not necessarily put. out there on Front Street. Booker talks about it in his book. But that's why I wanted to write the book and bring a little bit more of that to the forefront. You talked about how you...

What was it like revisiting your history? A lot of it, right? Like, were there memories in writing this book that bought up that you didn't even think about for a long time? Yes, it's really odd. I consider myself a kind of cat that can hold it together. But during the course of three years

of putting this together, I cried some, I heard some, I rejoiced some, but I didn't get caught up in the rejoicing part of it because I had to deal with the next step of challenges in the course of the life that I've lived. And so it was, it was, it's getting through some stuff. Yeah. Yeah, but I feel it was worth it

because I was able to be in the instance as real as I could possibly be. You talked about how you had to, I guess, hide the messages in the music, right? Was that for survival during the civil rights movement? The way you consider it was 1940. I was born in 1941.

My buddy Maurice White was born the next month. That's why we're the best of friends, as I talk about in the book. The ability is to think that we would have music that would resonate in a meaningful way with everybody was not a real thought process. There was no technology like it is today. So we were of the opinion that Isaac and I were the,

that it was only going to be played on Black Radio. And with that in mind, we wanted to be sure that we were doing something constructive in a meaningful way for people that look like us. Motown was doing their thing and it was resonating every kind of way imaginable. But we just felt our audience because we were taking it all the way to the flow, all the way on the reel, all the way in the church kind of vibe. We felt that that was going to be our audience. And we wanted to have a concept that would be sure that we were magnifying some of those positive spirits that they would need. We also were understanding that it was a music kind of thing that we were hopeful one day the records would be played.

So on the top surface of that, we want to have the fun aspect, but when you dig into what's being said in it and what's being music as a language and itself what's being created through the emotional connectivity of music, the church is all through all of that. And that was stacks records. Now you mentioned what most. Because, you know, today's artists,

people want them to speak on every social issue, right? Like should artists be activists or just making the music Enough. Well, you've got to find a way to be smooth with it. You know, you have to find a way to be smooth with it. That's why I said, I said underground. Why not put it all the way on the floor, on the surface? Well, you know, we wanted to have a life.

You know, you're making $24 a week, and you've got to think about how can you make 25? So you had to think about what was ahead. And even at that time, you didn't know what was ahead. There was, like I said, no technology, no world that we all have today. So you have to think about so many varied things if you want to have a career doing this. I mean, there are no new emotions. You've got to find a fresh way to talk about common emotions, every record, because every record is talking about the same thing. You have to come up with concepts and those kinds of things.

So all of that played a role in developing a thought about how to go about this. Now, you mentioned Maurice White, you know, rest of peace. We just had Earthwind and Fire. He was the founder of Earth Wind and Fire. What were those early conversations like with you of Maurice? Well, Maurice was raised four doors up across the street from me. And in his book, he talks about this. And in my book, I talk about it.

We went to Rose Hill Baptist Church. at the top of a dead end street. We went to LaRose Elementary School. We both graduated in 1961 for Bookerty, Washington High School. He ran the name, Earth Went and Fire Down to me. I flew to California when he played his last gig with Ramsey. And I was in his book, he says, and I said it in mind. I was the person that he tested the title, Earth, Went and Fire Down to.

So we started as kids having inspiration and motivation from the contribution that would be made by faces that look like us on WDIA radio station. And we started using that as a motivator to think that maybe there could be something possibly, we didn't know, but possibly for us. He became passionate about beating on drums. Maurice was very, very shy. People don't know that when they see, we used to see him on stage and how magnetic he was. Maurice is a very, very shy guy. But he learned how to go into the art of the artist. And that was the whole thing. So that's the conversations about concepts and those kind of things, we develop an understanding

about that. Maurice and I, before when the fire exploded, before Isaac and I exploded, we talked about developing a concept to do. We learned words. We went to Boogartee Washington High School. We learned words that ultimately ended up helping us, and we got that inspiration from people much older than us sharing

insights with us in the most challenging times for them. And I love to, that's how I know you from the country like me. You said he lived four doors down from it. Yeah. Four doors down. No, Maurice Lee, four doors up from me. I was at the... At the day and end of the street

against coal manufacturing company with an outdoor toilet. Yeah. And Stax Records was one of the... I got five in my house now. Okay. That's right. Indoor.

Indoor. Indoor. Stax was one of the best examples of like black and white people creating together, right? During like segregation. Why do you think that environment worked? Because the white people

that were working with us trusted our instincts for the path that they needed to go to be exceptional in what they were doing, but also be beneficial to what we were doing. So they were able, Steve Kropp and Doug Don were able to work in a unified way. If you produced the record, if Isaac Hayes and David Porter produced the record, or if Don Davis or whoever, Homer Banks, whoever produced the record, they followed the lead of that talent developing their concept for that artist.

And if an artist worked on a record, they develop and magnified their individuality of them, And then you gravitated to that path for them. So these guys were able to adapt to that kind of environment in a meaningful way. And it worked quite well for them. But it was, you know, like a full piece rhythm. You had to find an individuality on every rhythm. And A-flass, A-flat, regardless how many times you play it. So what do you do?

So you have to find some way to create the distinctness for that. And the gift that you guys have, the gift that we have as an individual can magnify personality that it benefits us in meaningful ways. So what Isaac and I did, they were able to follow the path, what Johnny Taylor or whoever was working on, they were able to follow the path. And that's just a learning experience that we've used to perfect what we were doing,

but also served the template for others to follow years later. Well, what can America learn from that? Shaanay, you are doing such an amazing job on the platform that you have to talk about things that are needed in these times. and America can learn to listen to more people like you who are given a platform to say things constructive as you have fun with it. You're not crazy.

You know how to do, but you also know how to give them the 4-1-1. And so America can learn to pay more attention to people that may have a different perspective than them, that may have gone through more to get that perspective than them, than may have something meaningful to say to them. When did the shift happen, right? When the shift happened for putting on a shift for putting on that perspective, a lot of meaningful things in music, where people were learning,

understanding coming together. When did this shift happen? When did you see that shift starting to change? Well, it was starting all across America at the time that we were coming up. You go back to the 60s, and we had already started learning about how to have pride and dignity about who we were.

I give WDI a shout out for that, because we started learning the power of individuality, and we all had it. Before that, we were not given that. But the examples of those who came before set the template for us to understand it, they have to be another path. And so we just started developing that path around that time. It was starting in Chicago.

And Curtis and those cats were doing it. It was starting all over the country. And then the unified concentration of that, without all the bells and horses of today's world, came because people began to understand, do you want to keep living like this? or do you want to make a difference? So I say it started during our period.

It started in the 50s and the 60s became magnified. And by the time Isaac and I started hitting, we were conscious that we could play a role in that subtly as well. Curtis was doing, Curtis Mayfield was doing that in Chicago, on the floor as well. And so our period, I don't want to say that we were the stuff. But I tend to think our period started a level of understanding of what the potential.

of us could be, and we start learning to use the tools that we had to do that in the most meaningful way we could. And ours was music. And that's, but there were others. I mean, we don't have to go down the list. I mean, you go to Dr. King and all. Everybody was developing that during that period of time.

But it happened with the suffering and the steps that had gone from people before us. Yeah, because art reflects life. But you kind of had no choice. You have no choice. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah.

Now, they need to digest what you just said, the public do. You said, how can they benefit? Yeah. Understand when you guys are saying some jewels, I understand it. Not everything is everything. Now, with all this history, right, was there anything that you initially wanted to leave out the book,

but ultimately later decided that it needed to be told? Yes, you know, I left a lot out of that book on purpose. We don't ever tell everything is everything. But certainly, I wanted to give the true essence of who I was and why I was, where I was in that book. And I wanted to do that in a real, real, concentrated and serious way. And I tried to do that. Yeah. Are you ever disappointed?

Like, listening to your story and reading, like, in the book and here in person, so much intention in what you guys did, even though you were just doing the art that you love. Are you ever disappointed when, like, there are celebrities that have these platforms that choose not to speak out of certain things or have intention in what they do because of what you had to go through? Lauren, you shouldn't ask me that question because I can't lie. To some extent, I am disappointed

because when we do get the opportunity to be the example that could be motivating for others, we have to be aware that we're giving a gift that you can magnify in positive ways. I try to be at this stage of life 85 this year, the example that can motivate people that look like me to understand that I'm just a

fraction of what they can be because they have a better opportunity than I had. And if I can come from this to this, they can go from this to that. And I just try to do that. And some of these people who have the platform who don't do that, yeah, it's just, there are some that do. I give credit to those that do.

There are some great examples inside of that that do. But your question was, what about those that don't? And yes, the answer is, yeah, I am disappointed. Have you ever said no to like certain sample requests because the art didn't reflect that? Yes, I have. Yeah, I can't go out there and put them on Front Street, but yes, I have.

I've had almost 600 samples of stuff. I mean, if I start going down the line, Megan had one last year. I just... Do you listen to all of them? Do you listen to everyone that comes in? Or do you have your family listen to it the artist want me to say I've listened

but I'm not good at lines so I'd say I like what you did and hope they don't ask me what did you listen so when you did Biggie who shot you? What was your mind? I know you heard that one I'm sure. Yeah. What was your mind from when you heard that? And what did you think of the sample during?

Well you know my mindset on all of those is how could these talented people take the template that you said and make the messaging of what they're doing be so powerful in the context that they've done it at the time that they're doing it. And when it connects like that, it's like, whoa. Then you start recognizing the true power

of their individuality for that time. I mean, Rumshak was another kind of example of that. I mean, it's just, but with Biggie, I was such a huge fan of this young kid. And then when they started using records that I sang on. The masquerade is over is a perfect example of that. There's so many samples from that song on my

album. I mean, just I was marveling it. They had the success that I didn't have with the record. I had some play in sales, but not like they've had. And it makes me really, really, truly respectful of the talent

in their time and they're taking advantage of it. So I don't show any disrespect to it. I understand it's your winning now. What you're going to do in it before it slams on you? I walk around the streets every day and people don't know that I've sold millions and millions of music. They don't know that. Everybody goes through their periods.

So what are you going to do when you're one of the opens? And that's where I look at that. What's the difference between having talent and having purpose? Because I feel like y'all had a lot of purpose. Hardship. People don't realize because on the surface it seems like you got everything going. You have hardship

that if you're not individually dealing with, you need to recognize that there are those that you care about. They're dealing with it, and what do you feel about them? And so that, that I think is something that more of the people who are in a position to do meaningful and constructive things should think about. We try to do it in songs, and we try to do it, as you mentioned, in purpose and life going forward. Maurice was another amazing example of that.

Absolutely. I mean, just amazing. Every, we wrote the songs with the ultimate goal of saying something, of substance that can magnify itself inside of you when you're through listening to it. And I just, it's just, I get wrapped up in it. You know, of course it makes me get the motion, so I lose my train of thought with it. But yeah, it's something. Do you think music still heals people today, or is it just something folks consume?

Sure. Music has healing power. Anytime you can make a note, talk of language, that's, that's power and music is a language and the message of music incorporated with the melody becomes another language and so it's just yes music heals you stay rooted in Memphis your whole career right why was it important to build there instead of chasing industry elsewhere yes that's a good question because it was that shotgun church at the top of that hill for maurice white and David Porter, that those people start clapping for us and making us feel that we were good.

We thought we were eight, nine years old. We thought we were good, and they were worshiping. We didn't realize that. So when we thought they were promoting us and encouraging us, it made me want to be sure that I stayed in Memphis to contribute and give something back. And I tried to do that. I live a couple other places, but Memphis is always going to be home to me, and I stay there, and I try to do something meaningful there. I have a nonprofit called the Consortium MMT that develops young talent with attributes for songwriting, producing, recording.

I have 130 plus videos of everybody from Stevie to Jimmy Jam to Barry Simpson to Bobby Womack to Eddie Lever talking about their steps that they use for their careers. And it's free to young talents. It's almost 15 years old in Memphis, Tennessee. Amazing. They go to a six-week program with that. Hmm. Yeah. What was it about the song Soul Man that made you want to name the book?

this old man? Because most people who get involved with really celebrating that song not say most people, some people, don't understand the underlined message. When I say subliminal, the underlined message of that

is really talking about for the time, this is 1967, 67, 68 that we came up in. Soul Man was a tool to motivate folk that look like me that you can come on, from I'm a beginning.

There are things that you need to do and attributes that you need to work to develop that can help magnify you as a person. Get an education. I said, I was educated at Woodstock. There was no Woodstock festival in 1967. There was nothing to even remotely talk about. That's a rural high school in the county of Shelby County. They're talking about hard work.

They're talking about determination. They're talking about the totality of you as a person being something much stronger than you will imagine. want to psych yourself, I would have lied. But if you grab hold to it, that you are that, then you are all of that. And the soul man represent, I am a real man. And underground, going from segment to segment. That's where they're very segments of it. It talks about those different specific things that could be a motivating thing. So the book represents me trying to give a testimony to life that's been well lived, but also an experience that was not

So it quite easy for me. But if I can do that, anybody can do it. It depends on what you think of you. Fall in love. And that fall in love with yourself first. So you know what it really is. What are your thoughts on the list, right? Because, of course, your Rolling Stones 100 greatest songwriters.

Does that matter to you? Or does the fact that you have when your coach is matters more? Okay. See, that's why you, E.J., you know that matters to me. It matters to me that I want people to understand. that I want to do a purpose bigger than the song that I've written, and I applaud someone trying to drive somebody to pay a little attention to me so I can give them the spirit that I'm trying to give as we talk today.

So, yeah, I know that I've had an amazing life, but I've had an amazing life because of people supporting me. And what am I going to do with that? Am I going to give anything back, or I'm going to ride in the sunset of it? I choose to try. I don't know how much I succeed in some instances, but some instances I feel good about it to give something. So it matters to me that I'm making a difference.

By example, through my songs, by the platform that is given me, can carry someone who possibly looks like me, that they could be better than me. I really wonder, man, like in this world where everything's so digital and everybody's always trying to go viral, like, do you think we've lost our soul? Are you able to find soul in that?

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Mariano Rivera. Oh, my God. And many, many more. Open your free High Heart Radio app. Search Delivering Happiness with Nick Totoro. And listen now. We've lost our son. We need to realize that there is soulfulness, potential, in each and every one of us.

We have to first learn that that value is real in us, and then we got to fall in love with self, and what we want to do for self because we are all of that in a bag of chips. And we have lost vision that we are a gifted person, and then you can become a gift for the people, but you are a gifted person because you have the breath of life, but the breath of life gives you an opportunity to find things to figure out.

And you won't learn it all, but you can look for things to figure out. So I think that. When was the first time for you where you looked up and you were like, the soul was leaving the artistry? Well, I was respectful of the success that was being had because the spread of what the credibility of the music

was going all over, premiering all over the world. And you got to recognize that. And that's a value to that. But I also was aware that through some of that success, there's some of those success platforms being used to magnify a thing that really isn't real. Our ladies or not, my mama wasn't no,

that you try to send her something words about. Bitch. I mean, yeah. Hore. Yeah, right. Fine shit. My brother wasn't, because he used to bring the refused food

for a family of 12 back to the house, that shotgun house, cut the, the rotten stuff off of it, and cook. that's all I had. So no, no.

So when you go that far out there left to get what you think is bread on the table, it's molded bread that you're eating when that's your path. And I just think that we need to be a little bit more cognizant of that. When you made, I read one of the stories about the $20,000 that you got from Jim Stewart, one of the co-owners of Sack record, because you bet him. A soul man. Yeah, you bet him that soul man would be successful, right? So in those moments where, you know, it's white, black people,

working together. Did you feel like it was more about teaching the other people that aren't us that we were able to do what you guys did or was it more about empowering your people? Or did you find the middle point there? It was more about being sure that I could resonate and Isaac and I could resonate with the audience that we felt would pay the attention to us and we felt it was going to be us. We did not realize yeah I can talk about it now years and years later and act like it's it was right there. It wasn't right there. I don't. was trying to be sure, and Isaac and I were trying to be sure that our messaging would have the power of impact potential of people that look like us. And when it starts spreading beyond that,

we start crystallizing our thought processes for the concept of what we were doing to make it even more powerful. And then we're being sure that we're not, we're not lose that. So that, you know, that was really all it was. It's easy for me to sit back and just take credit. I saw this, no, I saw that I wanted to get up out of where I was and how could I use who I am to help me to do that. Did the success ever cost you peace? And if it did, how did you find your way back to yourself? Success has cost me peace with family matters and all of those things, not being able to give to children that were part of me and having to go forward with all of that, finding out that I had to find a value in the path that I was going that would separate me from people that may

misperceive what my intentions are based on how they saw me interacting with them and they wanted me to do it more meaningful and I had to focus on to get in the next session ready to the next song so yeah it it played a role and and and and and having some ups and downs with it how do you find your way back to yourself I fell in love every day getting up that the only way I'm going to be better for me is being better to me and so I had to go about that and that's a daily sure. Some days you feel like it and some days you feel like that. You know, but, but it's, it's a daily sure. I think everybody who has any level of success, if they, if they tell everybody every

day that they feel amazing, they're lying. So, yeah, I've gone through, you know, even with all this success, I've got a great life. I've gone, I've gone through that. Because some things you feel you can do more and some things you feel you should have done less, you know. You know, with some of the songwriters today, what do you think is lacking? If you, you are listening in. Out of the younger songwriters right now, are there any that you like? I am a huge, huge fan

and have been for several years of NRA. Hmm. I know I've heard about the country, some stuff. I am a huge fan. Why? What does she do that make you? Because she finds,

as I say inside of my nonprofit program, there are no new emotion. you have to find a fresh way to talk about calm and emotions. That's real. And she works in a magnified way to do that in her creative processes. And I think she does it magically.

When she talk about brown skin. Yeah. When you have this perception that you've been trying to be ingrained in you about what that is, and she talks about it's in such a way that you want to lay with brown skin. I mean, no,

It's like, you know, there are a few. I admire the writing in the contribution of those who are contributing with Kendrick as well. I learned some of the work, I love some of the work that I saw in Jay-Z and some of the storytelling and those kinds of things. What do you think people are lacking when it comes to the storytelling and the writing? What are they lacking? I know you talk about it's the same emotion, but figuring new ways to talk about it. What do you think that they're lacking when it comes to songwriting, if any? Well, anything I would say in today's world, to today's telling, in that regard, they would say,

you don't know. I mean, what are you talking about? You old man, you know, and that's why I simply say there are no new emotions. And I say to people, if you are lacking the understanding of figuring out what that truly means, then that's why you're saying some of the stuff that you're saying that is totally whack. Now, one other question from there. Do you feel like people, men, especially don't express their love for women anymore, right? Some of the songs you would hear, people would express the love for a woman.

Like, say, I love you. I would do this for you. Our man. It's true. Some of the great songwriters were back then. Yeah. Right. Was they in love with men.

You're right. But you're right. But you're right. But do you feel like that's missing in writing now? That's the real. but you just said, and it is missing. It's because I don't say, I don't know that I would have the answer why it's because, but I think that folk who are afraid to show true emotion are shortchanging themselves

of a gift, the potential for an amazing gift. It gives you a kind of peace and a kind of look and dignity about you that radiates through you in such a way that's undeniable. And so for you to try to be hard, because you think that's the path. Guess what? You look hard. Some of these cats look like,

and so it's better to understand that there's a greater value and giving the purity of what life is really about, and that's the gift of life through love. And so that's a weapon. That's in a positive way. Don't run from it. But, you know, to your question, yeah, I think a lot of people,

think that that's a path that's worth going. I think there's a greater value because the universality of it to talk about things that involve love in the period of that. You found a fresh way to talk about that? Do you think the feeling and the music was different back then because the quality

of the vagina was better? Wow. Well, you want to talk about it? Crazy. You know what? Let me tell you. Let me tell you. Let me tell you.

Look here, look here. You started the answer to it too. You started to answer it. Yeah, I'm going to be a stay-up with y'all. I watch you guys. And I enjoy this. You know, first of the things, it's a lot of reasons that I'm happy to be on the show with you.

But I enjoy the comeback. And I enjoy the interplay that you into YouTube Tech. I mean, that's why I say if people would understand. the power of what the beauty of this is and what you're giving to them, then they find even deeper value

in some of the things that you are saying. Basically, because there's a lot of power in this. But now, at 85, right? You look good, my brother, 85. Yeah, at 85, I'm sure you've seen a lot of your friends, a lot of your peers transition. How does that make you deal with your own mortality? Wow.

It makes me feel like I need to be sure that I'm doing more for however much time I do have. So I got up this morning and did my stretches and did my little exercise inside of that room because I didn't get a chance to go to the gym so I could be sure that I was on, be on point. But you, because I know Michael Jackson made a record about you, y'all bad.

And you each individually would bring it. Every question, Lauren, or Jess, are you guys at? I know it was, it's going to be on point And it's going to be digging for something deeper. And I got to be on ready for that. And so that's really what it means to me to have the gift of life that I have at this point, to try to magnify whatever quality in me that's exceptional. I mean, time to Mr. Porter, hold up.

You in the gym? Yeah, that sounds like you. You in the gym? My gym was the floor this morning. I have a gym. I work out at my house. Yes. Yeah.

Yeah. And I'm, yeah, I mean. I love it. Yeah. I love it. Man, it's 80. in the gym? My lady is

Conjianthany in Memphis, Tennessee. And so, yeah, no, she keeps me motivating and on positive path. And you have to have people that support you to help you to do that.

So, yeah, I have to stay on point to be on point. I love it. There you go. Do you ever feel alone? All times I feel alone when I get to evaluate it myself because they don't have to look deeper at myself.

So I go through that every day. And David, are you BS? No. David are you better? Yeah. Do you need to be better about it? Yeah. David, did you do it?

Yeah. Don't you do it? We all do it. We just don't want to admit it to the public, but you put me on front street, so I'm saying, yeah. And I also was just speaking from, you know, like I said, being 85,

the people that I know that you've lost that. Yeah. You know, there's a lot of people that you can't just pick up the phone and reminisce with. Yeah. Yeah. And I'm just what I said. I feel it in a magnified way every day.

There is, I would love. to be able to talk to Reese. When we were kids, and Reese is Maurice White. When we were kids, his name was not Maurice White. His name was Sandy. We call him Sandy. Because his hair was Sandy.

I mean, to go all the way from that point, all the way up, and then to lose him and not have that, is just, yeah, Isaac, the same identical thing. When Isaac had a stroke, it was devastating to me.

And so all of those kinds of, of experience that I no longer have, I have to find new kind of routes to take to make my self feel good about a day, every day to people that won't necessarily understand me. For those, some of the things you cried about that you mentioned when you were writing the book? Yes. Yes, that is. But I also think about the gift as well, so it gets me back up. You know, it also pains me when I hear so many stories about, you know, people that came before us and, you know, how a lot of them were addicted to drugs and all. and it just makes me wonder, what would have, what would the game, would the game have been

different if people had more access to mental health resources? Because it felt like they were all just trying to escape something. Yeah. Yeah. You know, I saw those examples that made me be so fearful. I said to just a few minutes ago about five toilets. I was so scared. I'd hate to sit some of having to live with an outdoor toilet.

of life that I had to be sure that whatever it would take, let me get to be on that, I would look for ways to do that. And one of the ways to do that was be sure I didn't do something that could help hurt me along the path of getting there. And if people would think about what is the worst thing that you've gone through. Do you want to double up on that? And then if you don't want to double up on that, will this possibly aid you to doing that? Maybe you think twice about doing it.

Because some people do some things, and I'm going to just have some fun. Let's just throw down. Yeah, throw down means that you need to look at the, you don't need to look at the word throw. You need to look at the word down. I'm saying what that can mean. No, I just chose not to take that path. I've gotten a lot of contact high for being,

I remember when I was a kid, I was in a car with John Adams, who he had a record called Reconsidered me, and I was trying to get the music business and asked me if I could ride with him. He didn't know me. He thought I was an aggressive kid. I would see artists,

I would ask them questions about how to have a career. And I rode with them in the car, over in Arkansas, and I didn't know what they were doing. I'm young. I didn't know what they were doing. I got out of the car, and I was trying to find the sidewalk walking, and I couldn't feel the sidewalk. I was walking on the sidewalk. I said, anything that made me feel like that, I'm going to run like hell. And I ran like hell from it. Was it Riefers? It was Riefer.

But I think it was Rupert Riefer. I don't know. It had to have a first name because if it'd make me feel like that and I don't touch it. Wow. So I said, well, I said, well, I think it was. I understand why the temptations of some of these things that could F you up out there, but I understand that who I want to, when I say love yourself, what does that really mean? Outside of loving yourself, where there are other things that you did to get yourself to the point where you were able to write the book? Because I saw you say that you dealt with a lot of trauma from the closing of Stacks Records.

That's why you never told your story. What did you do for yourself outside of loving yourself that? Well, I've had several people over the years to tell me because, like I said, I was into Stax when it was a country label, and I was, so I had so much to say about so many people that I worked with and so many people that I knew that it would be a shame if I didn't put the message of what actually happened out there. And so many people were telling me that and said, David, you need to do it. And so I just feel like, well, before I'm out of here, let me go about doing it. But it was hard for me because of the trauma of what happened in stacks and how I came out of that was amazing within itself. So I said, well, David, that's the story that should be told.

Because how you came out of that and how you end up getting all of your assets, all your catalog and stuff back and all that, folks need to hear that. So, you know, it just stimulated me to go forward with it, with encouragement from others, but also understanding that it could mean. something that's beneficial to me. What's something you was carrying your whole life that you finally put down while writing the book this old man?

What is, said it? Like what's something you've been carrying your whole life that you finally put down while writing the book? Wow. That I was a kid in high school that was managed, didn't have sex education. And I got a girl pregnant in high school.

And Mama said, you got to have to marry. I said, Mama, I don't know her. You know enough to pull a dress up. So I got married before I was prepared for it. I finished high school under adverse circumstances. I dared with having to provide for a family while I had this passion for music. I sacrificed to be able to go on this path of music without being all that I could have been,

working at the grocery store for some kids, that I hope that that example that I was able to offer them a college education and paid child support and all those kinds of things would give them a higher level of understanding through this book and through what I'm saying, to understand why I did what I did and was for the purpose that hopefully they can learn from

in a positive way. So I was able to purge that out in a public way because a lot of men who go through this step who make the, it's not an error of life, but who go through the thing of causing a life to be, and they do what they should do

the right thing. There's some that don't, but those that do need to be acknowledged for what they've gone through to do it. And I just felt like the book gave an opportunity to expound on it in such a way that I, you know, I did this but I'm not a bad guy. You have a 70-year-old child or 60-year-old child

or 69-year-old child? Wow. You're a grandpa-pop-pop. Hey. Great-grand-pop. Yeah. Wow. That's amazing.

How did your, I want to say child, but you're damages that, they're not a child. How did they receive that? They've received it well. It's a little bit of hurt when you don't get the chance to spend with somebody that now you see everybody admiring and whatever,

and you up in age and you didn't get it. It's a little bit of that. But they understand that it was what I had to do in order to be where I am and where they are. I wonder if adults back then realized the kind of dysfunctional households they were creating. Because, yes, you had to shout out of wedlock, but you can't force all of y'all to be together

because that's not going to be a healthy relationship. You had very few things to fall back on. You know, I mean, all kind of things folk go through what they go through, and they're going to fall back. You had very few things that fall back on. And one thing you have to truly deal with is what are you going to do? Now, you've done this, okay? Now what's you going to do?

And how many things that you have to do? You had on one side of the street, people say, you're this, you're the end word, you did da-da-da-da-da-da. Another side of the street, you're trying to figure out, we're all trying to get these little minister's job just to survive. And the other side of the street, you got somebody looking at you, What you're going to do for me? You got, it's a lot. Man, man.

Yeah. Man. Yeah. Yeah, so those times we're challenging with a level of lack of understanding for great many people. And I think it's a great question. Once again, this is what y'all do, that you ask. Because to hear that testimony about that, maybe some people who it may benefit, they'll hear that.

That's right. If you could spend one more day in the Stack Studio with everybody. back together, right? What's the first conversation you want to have? Wow. If I could spend one more day after what it happened, yeah. Don't give up. They're going to try to knock you all the way to the floor. Don't give up. Al Bell, you were a great asset, not just to Stacks Records, but to America. Don't let them shake that from you. You know, Jim still just come up with a great idea to start a record company. You open the door for a lot of people to become totally

expressive in what they've done. Know that it was appreciated. You know, Rufus Thomas, you know, you sang, Cause I Love You. That was a benchmark for somebody looking a little bit closer at a company that was so much different than Cause I Love You are respected. I would go down the list. Rand Salon, one of the greatest voices who ever sang a song. and let him know that what he did through his voice was more than just the church getting healed from it. It was other people on the street. I was just... What about the Isaac?

And then Isaac was my life. I was his life. The unity in the bond that we formed together that created a creative path. But two young cats that never imagined him having one was. something unbelievable. I'd say that what he always wanted to do was to find an artful way to do what voices like his were not thought of being able to do. And because we created a path of concept to do what we did, due to the way we created, he saw another path to do what he wanted to do with his artistry, and that was take songs that were recorded by others,

take his tone and his concept to magnify where he was vocally and make it be one of the most powerful contribution to American music that ever was and he should be totally applauded for it. He knows that I loved him he knew it from day one until he left here and I would just say boy

didn't see this coming at your sack because we had we called each other hobasack and robesack you didn't see this coming at your sack I'm sure he would say you know, but I would go through the room of all of that. Oh, man, ladies and gentlemen. David Porter.

The book is out right now. Life of a songwriter, David Porter. We appreciate you for joining us. And one last question, Bruce Springsteen. Yes. Had a note for you. What was your relationship with Bruce Springsteen? Well, Bruce was a huge fan of the songs that Isaac and I wrote.

And he voiced that. Not only did he voice that. He recorded that. He sang it on TV shows. He was a big supporter of Sam Moore. And then when we got together, he made me totally aware of that. And he just told me how much admiration. And so when I asked if he would give a quote to the book, he says, yes.

And it was not a thing about talk to this person, talk to that person. He says, yes. Keith Richards is the same thing. He says, yes, Steve Jordan, one of the most amazing trauma producers, cast. New York guy, right? on the floor. He helped me with my non-profit, Steve did. So, yeah, some great, great folk

have voice support. And certainly for my nonprofit, all these videos that I have, Eric Benet's and Lettuces and all these great talents that were trying to give back to the communities that have aspirations to do music. So I have a lot of people to think.

If I start going down to listen. You did, man. Thank you. I do have one more question. Just for this era, because I don't know if they actually understand what does having soul actually mean in 20206? So that's what I want to ask you.

What does having soul actually mean in 2020? Is it a sound? Is it a spirit? Is it a way of living? Soul actually mean not being afraid to show the vulnerability that lives inside of each and every one of us. And do it in a pure way. It doesn't disconnect your manhood or your womanhood.

It just only magnifies the qualities of you that lets people know that you can understand the bullshit that they may come up with when they come up with it and you can also understand that the glory or the beauty that they come up with. And that's what soul.

Soul is the thing that can connect both ways. You can give it, you can see it, and people can bring it back to you. And that's what I would, it's longer than that, but that's what I would say. You guys got a show with a time limit so I won't go to preaching on what sold it, but I can. No, you can.

They need to hear it. No, no. You remain so positive after everything you've been through. Wow. You have never met, I'm saying it's really in a confident way because I control the space I stand on, and that's all I know I totally control. You have never met a person more positive

about being black than me. because everything I am could be and want to be lives in the power of that. I don't think that anybody else and any other ethnic group that was David Porter could be this. And I think it's because of the fact that I come from the timber

that I came from that gives that to me. And so that's... Y'all ain't going to give me emotion in here. David Porter, ladies and gentlemen. Thank you so much for joining us. We appreciate you. That's right. It's the Breakfast Club.

Good morning. Yeah. Hold up. Every day I wake up. Wake your ass up. The breakfast club. You're all finished or y'all done? Hey, Portlandia fans.

Carrie Brownstein and Fred Armisen here. The Dream of the 90s is alive in podcast form. We're launching Podlandia, A.O. rewatch, our brand new podcast where we revisit every episode of Portlandia together, breaking down sketches, going. deep on our iconic characters and pulling back the curtain on how it all got made. And we'll also be joined by the people who helped bring it all to life. Guestrists,

including director Jonathan Chrysall, the mayor himself, Kyle McLaughlin, legendary musician Amy Mann and many more. Kyle is going for it here. You fully improvised, not just words, but a song. Well, I thought you were all going to write a song. I remember you thinking that.

Listen to Podlandia. A.O. Rewatch on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcast, or wherever you get your podcasts. What's up, fam? I'm sports journalist Ari Chambers. Hey, what's up, y'all? It's your girl, Sam J. And we're the host of Everyone Watches Women's Sports,

a new podcast from Together and I Heart Women's Sports. We're breaking down the biggest headlines. Naomi Osaka, showing out. Shout out to you, Naomi. The viral moments. I've been obsessed with Kashan Rock's boxing journey. She looks good. Her combos are swift.

And the stories everyone's talking about across women's sports. Because everyone watches women's sports. Listen to everyone watches women's sports. on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast. I'm Jake Brennan, and on the Disgraceland podcast, I explore the wild lives of rock stars and unbelievable true crime stories from music history. These are the stories you haven't heard, the kind you'll end up telling someone else.

Like the time Paul McCartney spent in a notorious prison or the bizarre crime Lady Gaga is accused of, or that time Blondie's Debbie Harry escaped Ted Bunny. Listen to Disgraceland on the Iheart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. I'm Nick Tutero. You probably know me from NYPD Blue, The Longest Yard, or Spike Lease Black Klansman. And on my new podcast, delivering happiness with Nick Totoro, I deliver pizza to a new guest. I've shared a slice with everyone from Seth Rollins.

What are you doing, my belt? To Bill Burr. I don't think I've ever met somebody so exactly out of their mind as I am. And now, we even have more great guests coming up, including the great John Tuturo. It's called Happiness. Delivering happiness. And many, many more.

Open your free High Heart Radio app. Search Delivering Happiness with Nick Tutor. And listen now. This is an IHeart podcast. Guaranteed human.