Welcome to “The Sights + Sounds Show with Jeneé Darden,"where every week we tap into the Bay Area arts scene and bring you rich conversations with artists. On today’s show: Host Jeneé Darden catches up with Grammy-award winning singer and musician Melissa Etheridge. They talk about touring with Wynonna Judd and the foundation Melissa established to research medicinal plant treatments for opioid addiction . Then, after 20 years, the Henry J. Kaiser Center for the Arts is back! We’ll hear from the venue’s CEO about what’s to come. Finally, guess who was crowned king of BART Prom? Here's a hint, you hear this person’s name on both "Sights + Sounds" shows every week.
Melissa Etheridge
Music icon Melissa Etheridge has been touching her fans’ hearts and ears for decades, with her raw, soulful voice and moving lyrics. Last night, she and country star Wynonna Judd made a stop in the South Bay on their “Raised on Radio Tour” at the Mountain Winery in Saratoga. Melissa’s latest album “Rise” is her first album in seven years. It’s inspired by some of the challenges she’s had to rise above in her life, including her 21-year-old son passing away from opioid addiction back in 2020.
Melissa and Host Jeneé Darden chatted about this and she shared a beautiful gem with Jeneé about life, loss and love.
See Melissa's and Wynonna’s performance in Santa Barbara on Oct 23, and watch her "I'm Not Broken" docuseries on Paramount +.
Terri Trotter
An Oakland entertainment venue has, in a way, been reborn. In 2005, the Henry J. Kaiser Center for the Arts closed for two decades . If you’re a long time Oakland resident, you likely went to Henry J. Kaiser Center for high school graduations, concerts and rallies. Renowned people have been on the venue’s stage including Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., Tina Turner and the Grateful Dead. Since it’s reopening this January, after a $100 million renovation, the center hasn’t missed a beat with the big names. Former Vice President Kamala Harris and comedian Jamie Foxx were on this year’s events calendar.
Terri Trotter is the CEO of the Henry J. Kaiser Center for the Arts. She and Host Jeneé Darden talk about the future plans for the historic venue.
Alicia Trost and Porfirio Rangel
Recently, two journalists from our station made Bay Area history by becoming royalty. Reporter Wendy Reyes and “Sights + Sounds” Producer Porfirio Rangel were crowned king and queen at the first ever BART Prom. Their creative, prom-proposal video won them the honor. More than 1,200 people attended the sold-out ‘80s-themed party, and danced under the Rockridge BART Station rails. This is part of list of fun events BART has organized to increase their ridership. Alicia Trost is BART’s chief communications officer. Jeneé spoke with her and 2026 BART Prom King Porfirio Rangel.
