Melissa Manchester, Geoffrey Levin, Johnny Schaefer
Overcoming Through Art & Connection: Behind the Scenes of Big Blend Radio’s "World Caring Day & Pride Month" Special
In a deeply moving and artistically rich episode of Big Blend Radio, the show honors a dual celebration: World Caring Day and Pride Month. Host Lisa sits down with regular first-Sunday contributor and award-winning singer-songwriter Johnny Schaefer, alongside two powerhouse creative forces: acclaimed composer and documentarian Geoffrey Levin, and the legendary Grammy Award-winning singer-songwriter Melissa Manchester.
The conversation bridges the gap between individual resilience, the toxic nature of social isolation, and the ultimate truth that creative expression and love serve as humanity's strongest lifelines.
Watch the episode below or listen/download it from Podbean.
1. Geoffrey Levin: Healing the "Brothers Broken"
The first half of the episode shines a spotlight on composer and filmmaker Geoffrey Levin, celebrating the recent digital release of his deeply personal documentary, Brothers Broken (now available on Amazon, Apple, Fandango, and Google). The film, which took seven years to complete, chronicles his and his brother's early days in the San Francisco folk scene alongside icons like Jerry Garcia and Janis Joplin—before a sharp detour disrupted their lives.
The Trap of the "Love Bomb": Geoffrey opens up about how a lack of strong family connection in his youth left him highly vulnerable, leading him to spend 46 years inside Scientology. He recalls how the organization instantly "love bombed" him, making him feel like he found a family, while simultaneously encouraging him to disassociate from his parents.
The Erasure of Empathy: In a chilling reflection, Geoffrey notes that inside Scientology, the concepts of "love" and "empathy" were systematically omitted from their specific language and demonized as signs of weakness.
The Return to Connection: Now out of the organization, Geoffrey emphasizes that re-learning empathy and practicing active gratitude are essential for emotional survival and healing.
"When someone says empathy is a weakness, that’s someone who is so disconnected from their heart that they’re no longer operating in a human way." – Geoffrey Levin
Johnny Schaefer
2. Johnny Schaefer: Protecting "Your Kid" and Cultivating Gratitude
As a prominent voice in the LGBTQIA+ community, Johnny Schaefer emphasizes that chosen families and communal spaces are more vital than ever, particularly when real-world data shows a troubling dip in support for queer rights.
The Weight of "When It's Your Kid": The episode features an emotional segment dedicated to Johnny’s poignant song, "When It's Your Kid," which Geoffrey helped fine-tune. Written after an 18-year-old youth tragically took his life following a hostile church sermon, the song serves as a direct plea to parents and communities everywhere to prioritize unconditional love and compassion over rigid dogma.
The Power of the Daily 5: On a lighter, healing note, Johnny shares the origin of The Gratitude Club—a Facebook community he founded a decade ago. The rule is simple: type in five distinct things you are grateful for every day. Johnny notes that actively focusing on the positive creates psychological pathways for more abundance.
Melissa Manchester. Photo: Nick Spanos
3. Melissa Manchester: Finding "A Better Rainbow" Through Stillness
The second half of the broadcast welcomes the iconic Melissa Manchester, who joins the show right before heading into rehearsals for the three-week run of the musical Cagney at the Bay Street Theater in New York.
The Genesis of a Prayer: Melissa discusses her anthemic song, "A Better Rainbow," originally written on the morning of President Obama's second inauguration. She describes the song as a prayer and an offering meant to help listeners get quiet, get still, and remember who they truly are when the world gets loud and distracting.
A Beacon for the Community: Melissa reflects fondly on her lifelong connection to the LGBTQIA+ community. Raised in a household where queer artists were simply loved family friends at the Thanksgiving table, she later witnessed the dangers they faced outside. From her early touring days in the 1970s playing independent clubs in Atlanta, her music has served as an unexpected gift and a safety raft for the community.
4. The Mother Lode: Feed Your Curiosity
In a beautiful moment of alignment, Melissa shares a piece of advice inspired by author Elizabeth Gilbert: Don't worry if you don't know your passion at age 18 or 22—just follow your curiosity. Curiosity is the pot of gold that eventually turns into passion.
This sentiment perfectly mirrors Big Blend’s own evolution into the Big Blend Media House brand with the tagline: "Feed Your Curiosity."
Whether recording her fierce new big-band album Audacity with Ann Hampton Callaway, publishing classical trios like The Sweet By and By, or performing 8 shows a week in Funny Girl, Melissa proves that the creative spirit doesn't care about age—it just wants to stay playful.
Featured Episode Playlist & Links
To immerse yourself in the complete, heartwarming conversation and explore the music discussed in this episode, check out the resources below:
🎵 Music to Celebrate Pride Month & World Caring Day Playlist:
Spotify
YouTube
📌 LINKS:
🎬 Brothers Broken Documentary: https://www.brothersbroken.com
🎬 Watch/Stream Brothers Broken: https://geni.us/brothersbroken
🎵 Johnny Schaefer: https://hearjohnny.com
🎵 Melissa Manchester: https://melissamanchester.com