Ralph Rolle, Drummer and Baker
Join me in a conversation today with celebrated drummer Ralph Rolle. He has played with everyone from Sting to Aretha in venues around the world. But his heart always takes him back to his roots: The Bronx, where he was raised by his mother and reared by his grandmother. Both women were excellent bakers, and Ralph, as a young boy, learned about the art of cookie making from his beloved grandma. Known as Grampy, Ralph immortalized her by naming one of his 18 cookie varieties after her.
Listen in below.
Learn about Ralph’s incredible journey from top musician to top baker, building a cookie empire, bringing industry to the Bronx, and giving back. www.soulsnacks.com
Valerie Smaldone is a 5-time Billboard Magazine Award winner and is well known for her unprecedented success holding the #1 on-air position in the New York radio market on 106.7 Life-FM, an iHeart station. She has hosted, produced, and created several award-winning nationally syndicated programs featuring in-depth interviews with stars like Paul McCartney, Celine Dion, Rod Stewart, Elton John and Mariah Carey among others. Her radio talk show "Bagels and Broadway" highlighted theatre and food personalities. She is an accomplished interviewer and voice artist heard on commercials, narrations, promos and audiobooks, as well as a sought after live announcer.
Most recently, Valerie produced and directed a film, The Thursday Night Club, featuring pop diva Gloria Gaynor in her movie acting debut. She is one of the creators and producers of a docu-series, Divine Renovation, starring Erik Estrada, on streaming networks soon.