Imhotep Gary Byrd

Byrd began his career in Buffalo, New York, on WUFO in the 1960s, discovered and mentored by broadcaster-educator Hank Cameron as a radio prodigy at age 15. During the 1990s, he created the "Global Black Experience," a live broadcast for the Apollo Theater. During the 1980s, Byrd was also a radio and television personality in England, hosting shows on the BBC and other British networks. His 1984 BBC television special with Gil Scott Heron and James Brown earned national awards. Currently, Byrd can also be heard nationally as "The Voice" of Sirius XM’s Soul Town Channel ("Classic Soul & Motown"). His weekly talk and music program, "Radio GBE," is heard live every week on Pacifica radio station WBAI. == Music ==

Byrd is also a poet, author, performer, spoken word artist, and lyricist. A collaborator with Stevie Wonder, Byrd served as lyricist on Wonder’s "Village Ghetto Land" and "Black Man" on his album Songs in the Key of Life. Byrd described the song at the time thus: "The idea is not that black, white or anyone is better, but that we all have our place. We've all made contributions - and mistakes too. Wearing the crown is reaching the top of your potential. You could be a writer or you could be a mechanic, but you can still wear the crown." Present day Currently, his tri-state arts & entertainment community column "Imhotep’s Guide To Black Events" runs weekly in the New York Amsterdam News, one of the nation's oldest African American newspapers. Byrd’s "Express Yourself" broadcasts are now available to listeners on a variety of multiple media platforms. The simulcast WBLS and WLIB talk show is available globally at WBLS.com, WLIB.com, WBLS-HD2, and iHeart radio. "iGBE: Imhotep Gary Byrd’s Express Yourself" programming is also interactive in real time on his Facebook page. == Legacy ==

In 1973, James Brown dedicated the song "Mind Power" from his The Payback album to Byrd. ==See also==