Episode 176: Singer-Songwriter Sidney Riley VISITS!

It is a privilege to welcome singer-songwriter Sidney Riley to The Jake's Take with Jacob Elyachar Podcast.

Hailing from Washington, D.C., singer-songwriter Sidney Riley has been involved with the arts since he first learned to play the piano at 9. He discovered his deep passion for singing when he became a cast member of the famous British children's television series: Children's Choice.

While he was in high school, Sidney formed an A capella group and started writing original music. He had an incredible opportunity to join his choir. He participated in the 2001 Kennedy Center Honors ceremony. He supported music icons Stevie Wonder, Patti Austin, and the late James Ingram and Ray Charles as they paid tribute to the legendary Quincy Jones.

Shortly after performing at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts stage, Sidney's life changed dramatically. He fought Meningoencephalitis, a rare disease that left him in a coma for several months. Sidney Riley overcame a one-percent chance to live, but he had a long journey to recovery ahead. Doctors told him that paralysis caused immobility from his neck and that he would never walk again.

After months of physical therapy and relearning how to walk again, Sidney surprised his friends and family when he walked unassisted across the graduation stage to receive his diploma with his choir. He credits the recovery partly to music's role in his life by keeping him motivated through that difficult time and giving him a sense of purpose.

In this edition of The Jake's Take with Jacob Elyachar Podcast, Sidney Riley spoke about supporting Stevie Wonder and the late Ray Charles on the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts stage and recalling how he overcame Meningoencephalitis. He also spoke about his newest song: "It's Always Been You."

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