Whitney and Bobby have known each other since meeting in the late 80s at the New Edition concert.

I should know. I was in a Hotel Room next-door to Bobby Brown's brother. He even offered me a ride to the concert. A very kind gentleman.

He said all of them, New Edition, and some from the concert performers, were going to play Basketball the next day in Walnut Creek.

How do I get there? Would you like to know this story; it involves crafty phone work... yu know you wanna find out... ;-)

I heard about a chance to get backstage passes if I ordered from an industry insider because she always had extras because the group's family members could never fly all over the country keeping up with New Edition's tour.

Nevertheless, their allotted tickets for them just in case.

Because the label doesn't want empty seats in the front row, after a certain waiting period the industry insider is allowed to sell the tickets to anyone who promises to show up and fill those front-row seats and go backstage. It's for the appearance of full popularity. (They didn't need that for NE, but I'll took whatever reason got.)

So, I purchased them only to find out they were gone when I came to pick them up. I was so disappointed.

So then came the consolation. I couldn't order a ticket, but... if I really wanted to get backstage there was a chance I could just meet them, play it cool, and hitch a ride. I was told the 'handlers' do it all the time because they just want the group to be in a good mood. I received specific instructions. (Like being in MI6.)

This is what I did with the instructions: I called and booked a room using the same "secret naming convention" I got from the 'instructions' and got "a room on one of high floors." (I won't tell you my code name because that might mess it up for other artists - but there was one and I knew what it was.)

I had the room, and some (who knows how people find these things out) 60 people were piled in my room 'partying' and I couldn't even fit. I called security and threw them out before NE showed up after soundcheck.

After that, as connect time neared, I readied, left my room, and grabbed an elevator. No lie: the doors opened and guess who's in there? New Edition (except Bobby - who was probably with Whitney).

As we ride downwards, plus one HUGE body guard, Ricky Bell starts humming to himself. I swear he sounds as good under his breath as he does on the sound recording. I guess some have it and some just don't.

I put these tracks on my mixes because they tell stories. They're stories we can tell over and over again because of the way the lyrics are written. These are true musical and lyrical professionals and artists and poets.

They know words. Listen and get the message. Wisdom comes from everywhere if you stop and smell the roses.