Daryl Hall is more than used to being part of a soulful duo, having partnered with John Oates in the best-selling music pairing of all time. So when he hooked up with Grammy winner Cee Lo Green—now a TV star as judge on NBC’s hit show The Voice—for the 52nd and latest edition of his critically acclaimed live web series and nationally syndicated series Live from Daryl’s House, it was no surprise that sparks would ensue on the show, which premieres March 15 at www.lfdh.com and on syndicated TV March 24.
In a six-song set that includes Daryl Hall & John Oates smashes “One on One” and “I Can’t Go for That (No Can Do),” as well as Cee Lo’s Grammy-winning Gnarls Barkley hit, “Crazy” and his own Grammy-nominated Record and Song of the Year “Forget You” (The “F*** You” version will appear on the LFDH website only), the two prove a potent combination.
Said Cee Lo of his experience doing the show: “It was very flattering to be asked, and to be in the presence of such a great guy, great talent and great voice. I feel like I’m being recognized for what I’ve accomplished. Daryl made me very comfortable, and that’s when I can do my best. Having him beside me is all the incentive you could ever ask for.”
The set also featured several originals from Cee Lo’s recent, Grammy-winning solo album, The Lady Killer, including “Bright Lights Bigger City” and “Cry Baby.” Cee Lo compared singing with Daryl to his recent performance with Madonna at the Super Bowl, which was “the biggest moment of my career.”
“Cee Lo and I performed together like we’ve been doing this all our lives,” says Daryl.
The Atlanta-born Cee Lo Green (real name Thomas DeCarlo Callaway) first made his mark at 18 as a member of the Dirty South rap group Goodie Mob, part of a loose confederation of rappers known as the Dungeon Family which also included OutKast. He went on to appear on a track on Santana’s Grammy-winning Superenatural album with Lauryn Hill, “Do You Like the Way,” before releasing his debut solo album, Cee-Lo Green and His Perfect Imperfections, in 2002, followed by 2004’s Cee-Lo Green… Is the Soul Machine and 2010’s The Lady Killer. In 2007, he collaborated with producer Brian “Danger Mouse” Burton in Gnarls Barkley, with their debut album, St. Elsewhere, scoring two Grammys, including Best Alternative Music Album and Best Urban/Alternative Performance for “Crazy.” The duo also scored nominations for Best Album and Best Record of the Year. After seeing him perform on Saturday Night Live and the original Dutch version The Voice, producer Mark Burnett cast him as a judge on NBC’s U.S. music competition show, which has turned into a breakthrough hit. He’s currently working with his old pals in Goodie Mob (“For those who thought I lost my hip-hop chops, you are sadly mistaken,” he laughs) and recording a new solo album, Cee Lo Green is Everybody’s Brother.
The past five years have marked a steady stream of superlatives and recognition for Live from Daryl’s House, with Hall receiving a Webby Award for Best Variety series from more than 10,000 entries at the 14th annual ceremony three years ago at N.Y.’s Cipriani Wall Street before garnering an O Music Award from MTV last year.
Live from Daryl’s House is syndicated nationally by Good Cop Bad Cop Productions in association with Scott Sternberg Productions and distributor Trifecta Entertainment & Media. Executive producers for the show include Hall and Scott Sternberg along with Daryl Hall manager Jonathan Wolfson.
Live from Daryl’s House is being shown weekly in over 80% of U.S. homes in the nation’s top 200 media markets, as well as all of the top 10, including New York (WPIX), L.A. (KTLA), Chicago (WGN), Dallas (KDAF) and Houston (KIAH). The show has also cleared in such key markets as Philadelphia (CBS-owned KYW), Boston (KBIN) and Atlanta (WATL), as well as a number of NBC, Fox and CBS-owned affiliates across the country. Most stations are airing a full hour with two original shows back to back on Saturday nights. The first week of the show did a .2 in national Nielsens, with the second week increasing 50% and several stations adding airings.
The 51 previous episodes of Live From Daryl’s House have featured a mix of well-known performers like Booker T and the MGs, Blind Boys of Alabama, Rob Thomas, Train, Smokey Robinson, The Doors’ Robby Krieger and Ray Manzarek, Toots Hibbert, Nick Lowe, K.T. Tunstall, Todd Rundgren, Keb Mo, Dave Stewart, Goo Goo Dolls’ John Rzeznik and Fall Out Boy’s Patrick Stump along with newcomers such as Allen Stone, Nikki Jean, Grace Potter & the Nocturnals, Mayer Hawthorne, Eric Hutchinson, Chromeo, Matt Nathanson, Parachute, Plain White T’s, soul diva Sharon Jones, Diane Birch, L.A. neo-R&B party band Fitz & the Tantrums, hot new alternative band Neon Trees and veteran alternative mainstays Guster.
