Since its debut in June, 1996, “VH1 Storytellers” has been a way for artists to give their fans a deeper insight into how songs developed. The franchise has expanded to include “SoulStage,” an R&B-focused “Storytellers,” which will debut an episode featuring Erykah Badu tomorrow night on VH1 Soul. And the VH1 website storytellers.vh1.com is expanding to provide more from the shows, including footage that didn’t make the special, starting with Mary J. Blige.
Mary J. Blige, "Real Love"
video.vh1.com
And here’s a look at some of “Storytellers” best guests:
Jay-Z (2007): Jay debuted songs from his album “American Gangster” for the first time with a live band and enjoyed himself so much, he decided to go on a lengthy tour.
Bruce Springsteen (2005): The Boss unveiled the stories behind “Devils & Dust” and his theories about songwriting, saying, “Talking about music is like talking about sex. Can you describe it? Are you supposed to? ... It's better when demonstrated.”
Johnny Cash & Willie Nelson (1997): Playing together and separately, the two country greats swap songs and stories including how Cash wrote “Don’t Take Your Guns to Town” while selling encyclopedias and watching “Gunsmoke.”
Billy Joel (1997): Telling stories about his songs and playing them worked so well for Joel that he has since used the format for master classes at college appearances.