What if one honest question could completely change the direction of your life? Legendary Hall of Fame speaker, bestselling author, and mentor, Jim Cathcart joins Sonny Melendrez for an inspiring conversation about personal growth, self-belief, discipline, and discovering your true potential. Jim reveals the turning point that transformed his life and shares practical wisdom for building better habits, strengthening relationships, and continuing to grow at any age. Warm, humorous, and deeply encouraging, this episode will challenge you to recognize what is already within you and take the next step toward the life you were meant to live. Show Page: SonnyRadio.com/Cathcart   #JimCathcart #SonnyMelendrez #PersonalGrowth #Motivation #SelfImprovement #SuccessMindset #PositiveThinking #Leadership #Inspiration #PodcastInspiration  

Sometimes the most memorable moments are completely unplanned. As I was preparing this week's show, my wife Linda's friends stopped by with their granddaughters for a visit. As they toured the studio, I invited the girls to gather around the microphones and asked a simple question: "What do you want to be when you grow up?" Their answers were filled with imagination, confidence, and contagious enthusiasm. They talked about their favorite songs, their biggest dreams, and the exciting futures they envisioned. Listening to them reminded me of another dreamer I've had the privilege of interviewing... the legendary Johnny Mathis. As a young man, Johnny dreamed of becoming a singer. At 90 and still performing, he remains one of the most beloved recording artists of all time, proving that a dream, nurtured with passion and perseverance, can last a lifetime. In this special episode, you'll hear the joyful voices of Campbell (10), Ella (11), Olivia (9), Emmy (7), alongside the timeless wisdom of Johnny Mathis (90). It's a heartwarming reminder that dreams don't belong to any particular age. They belong to anyone willing to believe. After all, you're never too young to dream a dream... and you're never too old to live it. ~Sonny

Some musicians play music… and some musicians create a sound. Augie Meyers did both. And if you've ever heard that unmistakable Vox organ, you know exactly what I mean. Every now and then, Texas gives the world a musician whose sound becomes part of our musical DNA. Augie Meyers was one of those rare artists. From San Antonio to stages around the world, his music helped define the sound of Texas rock and roll. Close your eyes for a moment and imagine the Texas music scene of the 1960s… the rhythm, the energy, and that unforgettable organ. Chances are, you're hearing Augie Meyers. I had the privilege of knowing Augie not just as a legendary musician, but as a wonderful human being. Here is my conversation with a true Texas original… the one and only Augie Meyers.

On the afternoon of July 31, 1978, members of one of the finest improv groups of all time—Andy Goldberg, Wendy Cutler, Wayne Powers, Paul Wilson, Susan Elliott, Tony Delia, and director Dee Marcus—walked into the KMPC Radio studios at 5858 Sunset Boulevard in Hollywood to record bits for The Sonny Melendrez Show. That session captured lightning in a bottle.  This episode features rare recordings of improvisational brilliance—hilarious bits that, until now, have remained unheard for decades. What listeners will hear is pure radio magic, created in the moment by seven master improvisers at the height of their creative powers. History A few weeks before the radio appearance, Dee Marcus invited me to "come play with us" at an Off the Wall performance in a small dance studio tucked beside a hamburger stand in West Hollywood. Standing in the back of the room, I watched as one member of the troupe absolutely dismantled the audience with fearless wit and astonishing physical comedy. After the show, once the audience had cleared out, the group gathered together. That performer shared some news—he had just landed a starring role in a new television sitcom and would be leaving the troupe. The show was Mork & Mindy. The performer was Robin Williams. That night, I invited Off the Wall to come play on the radio. Closing Tribute Off the Wall is the longest running improve group in the Los Angeles area, celebrating 50 years of comedy excellence They continue to be a creative force—bold, generous, and endlessly inventive. Their work shaped a generation of performers and proved that collaboration, trust, and fearless imagination could create something timeless.  This recording stands as a tribute to their chemistry, their courage, and their lasting influence on comedy, improvisation, and storytelling itself. -Sonny. Show notes and Links: SonnyRadio.com/show

Scott Carley is a transformative force in leadership, known as The Change Energizer for a reason—he empowers success-driven leaders to become Consecutive Champions, pushing their biggest goals across the finish line again and again. He is the author of Can I Trust You? In this episode: Sonny traces Scott's journey and the turning point that led him to become a highly sought after speaker. Scott and Sonny share a timely conversation aroung the hidden force driving success in today's workplace: Trust. Scott reveals how his Trust Credit Score™ is now being used by leaders, teams and companies to accelerate the Speed of Cooperation. You'll also learn how create your own "Declaration of Success" - You don't want to miss this! Much more! Meet Scott Carley A highly sought-after Motivational Keynote Speaker, Business Consultant, and Vistage Trusted Advisor, Scott has energized thousands of CEOs and leadership teams across all 50 states and in 9 countries. His dynamic approach revitalizes stagnant organizations and inspires bold, lasting transformation. Scott is a Certified Fascinate Advisor, helping individuals and teams unlock their natural superpowers and communicate with unshakable confidence. His clients experience measurable breakthroughs in performance, productivity, and profitability. One of the organizations he coached reached the top 2% of its global industry rankings—a testament to the power of his insights and strategies. He has served two terms as President of the National Speakers Association – Austin Chapter and on the NSA National Chapter Leadership Board. With over 400 cities under his belt as a speaker, Scott's impact spans industries, cultures, and continents. Scott's bold and artful leadership style—equal parts entrepreneurial, dramatic, and purpose-driven—makes him not just a keynote speaker, but a catalyst for cultural and operational transformation. 🔹 The Change Energizer 🔹 Author | Keynote Speaker | Retreat Facilitator | Trust Architect #Leadership #TrustCreditScore #KeynoteSpeaker #Breakthrough #TeamTrust #Innovation #ConsecutiveChampions #BusinessGrowth #MotivationalSpeaker #TheChangeEnergizer #CanITrustYou #SpeedOfCooperation

Robin Frederick is a celebrated songwriter, author and children's television contributor. She is a former director of A&R and production for Rhino Records and Executive Producer of over 60 albums. She has written and produced more than 500 songs for television, records, theater and more. Our connection goes back to the early days of the Disney Channel when I hosted Disney's premiere children's series, You and Me, Kid. You see, Robin wrote the words and music to theme, titled Just You and Me Kid! ~Sonny. In this episode, Robin reveals.. How writing her first musical at 15 led to a career as a professional songwriter Why many of her her songwriting students in their 50's, 60's, 70's and even 80's want to write songs How she learned by listening to one of the greatest songwriters of the modern era. How the Beatles revolutionized songwriting in one night How songwriters are able to reinvent themselves throughout their career The big break that led to writing hundreds of songs for Disney Channel The inspiration behind writing the theme for You and Me, Kid What to do when you are presented with an opportunity to do something you've never done How she broke the ceiling at a time when women didn't produce music The difference between inspiration and creativity The biggest mistake songwriters make with their inspirations The meaning of songcraft and how to use it to take the listener where they want to go The importance of collaboration in writing songs Why she considers herself as a song doctor The job that resulted in best selling books, Shortcuts To Hit Songwriting and Shortcuts To Songwriting For TV and Film How to study the similarity in artforms to solve problems in your writing The most rewarding aspect of writing her memorable songs Show notes, website, contact info: SonnyRadio.com/show #SonnyMelendrezShow #RobinFrederick #SongwritingTips #MusicIndustryInsights #DisneyChannelHistory #BehindTheMusic #HitSongwriting #PodcastForCreatives #WomenInMusic #TVandFilmMusic #SongwritingInspiration #BeatlesSongwriting #MusicCollaboration #YouAndMeKid #SongwritersLife #CreativeProcess #RhinoRecords #MusicMentor #ShortcutsToHitSongwriting #LegendarySongwriter  

Want to know the secret to lasting and fulfilling happiness? You've come to the right place! Sonny visits with Stan Peake,  executive coach, business consultant, speaker and author of 5 books, including "Lasting Happiness is an Inside Job," the title of his popular TEDx talk. In this episode, Stan shares: How to go from a traditional job to a life of entrepreneurship The big question people asked of themselves when COVID hit the US What the workplace will look like in 5 years How to be on the right side of change caused by AI Why success doesn't guarantee happiness The secret to long lasting happiness Much more! About Stan: Stan Peake is an expert at unleashing potential one leader and one business at a time. Named as one of the top 10 executive coaches to follow in 2023 by US Insider and a top voice in both Business Coaching and Leadership by LinkedIn, Stan is on a mission to help one million leaders discover their potential. Co-founder at FSQ Consulting Inc (the 7th company Stan has owned or co-owned), he has grown a team of over 35 executive coaches to help impact more leaders all over the world. Certified as an Executive Coach, Stan is also certified as a corporate facilitator and cultural transformation tools practitioner. Stan holds a Graduate Certificate in Values-Based Leadership from Royal Roads University. Stan also has an Executive Education in Sales Leadership from Queens University and a diploma with distinction in Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) from the Centre of Excellence (online). Most recently Stan completed a certificate in entrepreneurship and innovation from Harvard Business School online. Stan was recently named the Global Chapter organizer for the Entrepreneurship and Innovation networking group for Harvard Business School online. Author of 8 business books, including 6 bestsellers, Stan has spoken at conferences and coached entrepreneurs, executives and athletes from Victoria, BC to Miami, FL, and as far away as Switzerland and Australia. Stan's TEDx talk, "Lasting Happiness is an Inside Job", has over 110,000 views on YouTube. Stan has also been published in several magazines, newspapers, and blogs, from Entrepreneur Magazine to Bizztor Media, India's largest publication for entrepreneurs. While not coaching or speaking, Stan enjoys travelling and staying active with family and friends. Stan resides in Calgary, Alberta, Canada with his wife Maria, son Chase, and dog Zeke.

JD Gershbein is an expert on all things LinkedIn. His company, Owlish Communications provides LinkedIn branding and advisory services to executives, leaders and entrepreneurs around the world. Listen, as Sonny poses the most asked questions by LinkedIn users. In this episode, you'll learn: -The biggest mistake people make on LinkedIn How to navigate LinkedIn to your benefit Do you really need to upgrade your account How to reach out when someone views your profile The best way to attract connections and followers The difference between posting and article writing Who sees your contributions The mystery of the Linkedin algorithm More! About JD JD Gershbein received his B.A. in English from the McMicken College of Arts and Sciences at the University of Cincinnati. He earned two postgraduate degrees at Illinois Tech (formerly the Illinois Institute of Technology), an M.S. in industrial/organizational psychology, and an M.B.A. in marketing communications from the Stuart School of Business. In spring 2011, Stuart offered JD an adjunct professor position and invited him to design and teach the school's first-ever graduate school course on social media marketing. As far as we know, his acceptance marked the first time the subject became part of an MBA curriculum at a major academic institution!

Listen as Sonny reaches into his radio archives to share one of his most treasured interviews with an American music icon: Bobby Vee. Their visit took place on Sonny's show at KMPC Radio in Los Angeles in 1974. Bobby shares his journey of being catapulted into the world of popular music and then looking back, a decade later, as he set out to reinvent himself. He was born Robert Velline in Fargo, ND, and, although he started playing music when he was just a young teenager, it was country music, not rock. However, he, his brother and some friends eventually formed a rock band, "The Shadows", and began to attract some attention in the Fargo area. His big "break" came when rock legends Ritchie Valens, The Big Bopper and Buddy Holly died in a plane crash in 1959 en route to a concert in Minnesota. The concert's promoters decided to put on the show anyway, and asked for help from local talent. Bobby, who knew the words to all of the songs that were to be played, found himself on stage and, at 15 years old, began his career as a rock star. He and his group had a local hit with "Susie Baby", which came to the attention of executives at Liberty Records in Hollywood, and he and The Shadows were signed to the label. The next few records they cut went basically nowhere, however, and Liberty was all set to cancel their contract when a DJ in Pittsburgh played the "B" side to one of their records, a remake of an old ballad by The Clovers called "Devil or Angel". It became a hit in Pittsburgh and then spread throughout the Northeast, eventually hitting #6 on the national pop charts. Liberty then signed Vee to a five-year contract. He had a string of hits for the label, such as "Take Good Care of My Baby", "Rubber Ball", "The Night Has a Thousand Eyes" and "Come Back When You Grow Up, Girl". The rest, as they say is history. *Bobby died on October 24, 2026 from complications of Alzheimer's disease, but not before leaving a legacy unforgettable music, lasting friendships and wonderful memories as a husband, father and grandfather. May he rest in peace.

In the early 1980's my radio home was KMPC Radio in Los Angeles and it was my honor to lend my talents to the efforts of the Los Angeles Department of Children and Family Services. It was at one of the annual Christmas parties for foster children that I had the pleasure of interviewing some of the stars who had come out for the event. In this episode, you'll hear my conversation with these very special celebrities, beginning with a very young, Melissa Gilbert. Next up, one of the most familiar voices in the history of television, Ed McMahon It's been said that being affectionately insulted by my next guest can be considered a badge of honor. I agree! Enjoy my conversation with Mr. Warmth, himself…Don Rickles My final guest conversation from 1980 is with the one and only, Cher! Merry Christmas!