And now here they are, Nick and Sue on Chatterbox.
When the stars talk, they talk to Nick and Sue.
Welcome back to the Chatterbox Redux Podcast
with Nick and Sue and today our special guest
is Kelly Lang We're chatterbox giving you all
you need to know about Muse! And now in Chatterbox
UK, we're just lucky enough to welcome Kelly
Lang. Kelly, welcome. How are you? Thank you
for coming on. Hello, Kelly. Oh, thank you. Thank
you for having me. I have been in Nashville running
errands all day today and it's a beautiful day
here. Doing really, really well. I've got a lot
of things to talk with you about and I'm hoping
we can get to them all. Absolutely fantastic.
Now, let me tell you a little something that
we have done. Your song. which has been adopted
by a hospital over here, over your way. We had
that on our hit and miss show last Sunday. Now
that's very popular, both in the UK and in the
Netherlands. And they voted it a smash hit. What
that means is that all the people that vote,
every single one voted, they reckon that's going
to be a hit. And that's without the adverb being
shown in Europe. So how about that? Oh, my goodness.
What a thrill. Well, I wrote that song many years
ago. It's called I'm not going anywhere. And
you're right. It ended up in a huge national
campaign for Ascension hospitals. And, you know,
during the pandemic, everybody had to leave their
loved ones either in the hospital or a nursing
home, unfortunately. And it was a reassuring
song to help people get through that tough time.
And I think it resonates for everyone at this
point. Absolutely, it's very, very lifting. It's
wonderful. There is such a story behind it. Now,
your story really hits home with both of us.
Sue lost her mother for a brain tumour. My mother...
Sadly, the age of 84 is currently fighting breast
cancer. Oh, I'm so sorry to hear that. Yeah,
and you are a survivor of 17 years. So I hand
the stage back to you, Kelly, to tell the listeners
the rest, please. Well, I'm actually 18 years
out now. I'm super grateful to be here to be
able to tell my story. As you know, so many people
do not survive this. And for a long time, I kept
my story to myself. I just wanted to get it in
my past and not really talk about it. But I became
really close friends with Olivia Newton John,
Dame Olivia Newton John. And in watching her
and witnessing her how she lived to help people
to use her music platform to be able to help
other cancer survivors. It really was a great
example for me to learn from and be able to teach
other people how I got through it and what's
keeping me going. And a lot of it is positive
attitude and gratitude and just looking for for
kindness and giving someone your smile and watching
her has really helped me. And she wrote the forward
to my book and a lot of Yes, and a lot of the
collective ideas that I've come from in there
has just been wisdom that I have gained from
being around her and women like her. Another
great ambassador, of course, for the cause. But
your book now, obviously it's about your... fight
your battle against breast cancer all those years
ago and being a survivor. And I think you've
also done wonderful because the way you're doing
things, you're becoming an ambassador and an
ambassador, as it were, just naturally through
by doing your story. And a lot of people, I think,
are not looking towards that. It gives some hope,
gives people hope because you do have a great
ending. Well, it's not an ending yet, but a great
finish so far, 18 years on. And that's pretty,
pretty amazing. But I mean, I'm assuming it takes
in your, your story, your, your music career
and all the rest of it gives you a taste of when
you were little, maybe. Oh yes. It starts out,
you know, basically talking about where I began.
My father was Conway Twitty's road manager and
it talks about me living in that life. That's
kind of a interesting bubble to live in. and
how I met my husband now, T .G. Shepherd. He's
a big country star. We all know him. Yes. Do
you know of him? That's cool. Yes. Yes. Yeah.
And so it talks about our life and how we became
a couple. And then it talks about how wonderful
it was for him to stay with me as a dating partner.
We were just dating when I became diagnosed and
it gives men or partners. another chapter, he
did his whole chapter and narrated it as well
of what it feels like to stick with a partner
going through such a tragedy. And it's a great
encouragement for men to see another man going
through that and the blessings that came from
it. And it talks about the tragedy of being diagnosed,
but even more so the tools that I got through
to live. I wished I had had somebody like myself
to speak with. when I was first diagnosed because
it would have given me a lot of hope and this
is a book of hope. I'm really wanting people
to get take that from that. That's perfect. It
is amazing. And as you know, me in that present
situation with my mother, there's going to be
thousands of people, sadly, tens of thousands
around Europe, the UK, and in other parts of
the British Commonwealth listening to this. And
sadly, they are in that situation. But then again,
they also have this opportunity of the hope that
you're reaching out and offering people. It's
wonderful. Now, it's an audio autobiography.
I mean, we obviously know what that would be.
Now is it you reading it yourself and do people
download it or do they order it in a in a shop
or what happens? Well what I did, I wrote the
book by myself. I had a friend named Missy Query
help me with the editing but I wanted it to be
like a conversation that you're just sitting
at the table with me listening to me tell my
story and I knew a lot of people that you know
weren't weren't able to see as well lately or
were more busy with their lives and didn't have
the time to physically sit down and read a book.
So the audio book just became kind of something
of demand that people needed, as well as the
audio and I mean, there's a physical book. So
that was a joy for me to go in and it was really
emotional for me. I got to tell my story for
the first time I was able to read it through
all at one time. And I have to tell you, I cried
at the end of it, just happy tears, joyous tears.
Because it was like I've completed something
could have tied a bow around it. It's a done
project But it's it's really helping women helping
anybody that that is going through a stressful
situation like that to see light at the end of
their tunnel You know, I often say that cancer
can be a death sentence But my attitude was that
I turned it into a life sentence by looking at
things more appreciatively and abundantly and
I just I just live a bit more aware of the goodness
in life and I choose to focus on that. Now when
you were going through your cancer, when you
had it diagnosed and you were fighting it as
we would in the UK. Was it your faith that helped
you through, just true grit and determination,
or did you still have music help you through?
I mean, what did you turn to? Was it all things
and more? I believe it was a combination of all
of that. I surrounded myself with very positive
people. The people that I felt weren't very positive.
I just kind of steered clear of them. I chose
to watch comedies. I chose to write a lot of
music at that time, a lot of healing music. I
was, you know, happily in love with TG and we
did some traveling and just did some things that
we might not have or might have put off. I just
chose to live in the presence because you know
what? We don't know what tomorrow will bring.
No, absolutely. So I've learned to live more
in the presence since that. And I know this sounds
strange, but I'm really grateful that cancer
taught me that at a young age. There is a course.
the other victims as well. There's the children,
the husbands, the partners and everything else.
And I believe your book also is offering them
all, everyone hope. It really is. Absolutely.
I wanted to share with you, speaking of Olivia
earlier, I know that she's beloved there as much
as she is here, but I am so honored to be on
her latest album. It's going to be called Just
the Two of Us and it's a duets project. Everybody
she's ever sung a duet with, including myself,
is coming out May the 5th. Oh, very soon. May
the 5th. Wonderful. Wow. Yes. So people like
Barry Gibb, Paul Anka, Mariah Carey, Dolly Parton,
myself, John Travolta. So many artists that she's
recorded with in the past are going to be on
this last album that they put out for her. And
I'm just Looking forward to I sang the song.
How can you mend a broken heart? Which is very
poignant in this light that she's not here anymore
It takes to to tangle and to to present a radio
show so here's Nick and Sue Your musical do This
is Nick and Sue with Cheddar Box, giving you
all you need to know about musical entertainment.
Cheddar Box, Cheddar Box, Cheddar Box, Cheddar
Box, Cheddar Box. She was an absolute national
treasure because she was British born, as I'm
sure you're aware. Oh, yes. Yeah, true icon.
And there was a lot of... a lot of wet eyes,
like crying and just people upset when she went.
We knew it was coming, of course, sadly, we all
knew. But when it did come, that still hit. But
she also was quite a great ambassador for breast
cancer awareness to the extent that we all knew
that's what she was suffering from. Yes. And
I'm hoping to carry her torch, you know, if in
some small way, just to I hear her voice in my
head. a lot and it's just that of encouragement
for other people. So, you know, perhaps your
listeners will be able to see my story and hear
her voice through my story as well. It's something
that affects everybody and one out of five women,
I believe, deal with breast cancer and it's just
it's too much. Honestly, it's too many people
affected. Absolutely. I had a lump over Christmas.
It wasn't cancer or anything. It was to do with
cysts. But how quick it took the doctor and the
hospital to see me, within two weeks I got seen.
But it was all clear, thankfully. Thank goodness.
we also have to urge all the females listening
of you know whatever whatever age they must regularly
check themselves the reason why just females
it's the reason why i'm saying is because my
mother who's 84 got to 70 um i don't know how
it just passed her by and now we've got to the
age of 84 and we've got a lump that's a few inches
wide and things like that so um I'm urging all
the female listeners and the guys, they need
to check themselves in as well. And in addition
to that, if anything feels not quite right or
a little bit different, and please get yourself
checked. And I know, Kelly, you will put that
in a much better way than I have. Yes. Well,
if I may expand a little bit, I found a knot
under my arm and I was told that I was too young.
I was 36. But the person I saw on TV advocating
and asking people to do their self -exams, she
was much younger than myself. So I said to my
doctor, I said, you know, I feel like this is
something to be concerned about. She says, well,
we'll keep an eye on it. So eight months later,
I felt a jolt of pain in that area. And I said,
you know what, I'm going to just force them to
do another test on me. Eight months later, I
did a diagnostic mammogram and an ultrasound
and neither of them showed anything. But I told
the lady that was doing the ultrasound, I said,
can you push just a little bit farther in because
you're not going deep enough? And there it was.
So my point in the book is to be your own self
-health advocate because you know yourself more
than a doctor would who's just meeting you. And
you know, if you know something's not quite right.
Don't hesitate to ask harder questions or ask
for more details because you, I mean it basically
saved my life. At that point, it had already
spread to lymph nodes and I had to lose all my
hair with chemo and radiation. But if I had just
been more aggressive in the very first of that,
who knows if it would have gotten that far. Sure,
and do you think, she wants to have a word in
a second, do you think also there's this element
in just the human race in general that people
still think... that it won't happen to them or
may not happen to them. I just wonder if there's
that little bit of apathy still and people are
just that, you know, they put it off, they make
that appointment next week, next month, whatever,
and the weeks become months, become years and
that kind of - Sure, that's human nature, yes.
That's the one, isn't it? Sadly. Sue, you wanted
to say something? Kelly, this is for all the
ladies and gentlemen out in the world. What would
you say to them if they found a lump? Well, if
you find a lump first of all, don't panic because
80 % of them are benign They're no problem whatsoever.
So that is encouraging in itself I suggest that
you go to your doctor and be very very persistent
because a lot of time doctors are busy or they've
got you know, their own issues or Unfortunately,
some medical things lately have kind of slipped
through the cracks, but be your own advocate.
I would suggest going straight to You know, for
the women, the OBGYN is a good place to start.
I would just be really adamant about your concerns.
Ask for a diagnostic mammogram. It is much more
detailed than a regular mammogram and your insurance
will generally pay for it. And I suggest if you
still have that nagging concern, go to a second
opinion. You know, you can't offend a doctor.
You are your own personal advocate and you've
got to be mindful. You know that doctor might
I've had to let go of a few doctors in my time.
I didn't feel that one was on the same page with
me. I thought she was just a little too busy
and she kind of treated me like a number. And,
you know, we've got to be mindful of whom we're
letting in our lives. And I just didn't think
she was as positive as I'd like for her to be.
And so I just replaced her. I didn't know you
could do that. I thought you were stuck with
the doctor you started with. So, you know, take
advantage of that too, because that's not something
you need to play around with. The other thing,
Kelly, as well, if somebody is having to express
their personal parts to a doctor or consultant,
they always can have a chaperone of the same
sex as the person that's going. Yes, I highly
recommend that because, you know, and also this
is another bit of advice. If you are concerned
about something or if the doctor's reading you
test results, let's say, I suggest you take your
phone in with you. We all have voicemail on our
phone now, our voice recorder. I suggest you
recording the conversation because when you're
nervous like that, going into a doctor's office,
you don't recall, you think you are. but you
don't recall everything that's said. So that
is another bit of advice too. I think it's really
healthy to be able to reflect back on the conversation
when you're not in a nervous state. You mentioned
Kelly, just to put people... explain to people
in the UK more. You mentioned about your insurances
and you can, you know, you have your insurance
in the USA, but of course we have the NHS here
in the UK. That's true, that's true. We do have
private like Bupa, but the NHS when it comes
to breast cancer is open to, they're very, very
good, very hot. We've got to just go there. But
the thing is, of course, if you're not happy
in the UK with your specialist, you too, although
it's the NHS, can get a second opinion. There's
nothing that stop you doing that. So just to
explain in the UK, that's what people in the
UK should do if they're not happy with their
specialty. I mean, put yourself as a priority
because, you know, like I said, sometimes doctors
miss things and it's not that they're being a
bad doctor, but you know yourself better than
anybody does. So just listen to that inner voice.
Now this one, I mean I've listened to some other
stuff you've done, your songs of Take My Breath
Away and Midnight Train to Georgia, the listeners
are going to have a little treat with listening
to that as well, those two as well, but I'm not
going anywhere, which I've said to you before,
got the vote on hit and miss. Now see Chatterbox
UK, a lot of the stations linked to at this show
and they put their airplay figures through to
what's called the CBUK chart which comes out
every Saturday and it just so happens when Obviously,
we're going to play this song on that show. A
lot of the stations repeat it at some other weird
time in the night as well as a peak time. So
basically, you need to do each station. It counts
as one different play, although it's on the same
show. So we are looking at 216 times 2 just by
having the song played on this. So we've got
432 plays just by having the song on here. That's
a good start. Now, website is nice and easy.
lang dot net kelly lang dot net and can find
more about what we've been talking about and
you and what you've released and everything else
that can all be found on there and is there any
other social media that you'd like to tell the
listeners about please kelly well we love social
media we love facebook instagram tiktok i'm trying
to get into it's kind of hard for me but um also
i've got another i've got an A lot of people
think I'm just cutting a lot of cover tunes,
but that's not necessarily the truth. I'm more
of a songwriter than anything. So I'll have an
inspirational album coming out in June. So be
looking for a song called I think it's Jesus
coming out in June. And then my husband, TG,
and I are going to release a duets project coming
out in the fall. I can't wait to share it with
you guys. We'd like to get you back on for an
interview. Please do. We do do updates and we
love to have people back on and it's good also
for the listeners and then they can follow someone's
career. I mean I'm talking about some people
have had been singing since the 50s sometimes
as well as some more recent ones but yeah they
love to follow. Some are back on for about 15
minutes. They love the updates don't they? Yes.
Especially with your hopeful story and we would
have your duet then Olivia's duet album out as
well by then which is coming up. By the way,
TG is here listening to you. Say hi, TG. Hi,
TG. Hello. How are you? We're good, thank you.
We're good, thank you. I don't know if your ears
were burning. We were talking about you saying
that you're very well known in Europe and the
UK. Well, I'll tell you what, I love it over
there. We have a lot of dear friends that live
there and we are looking forward to eventually
coming over there. Matter of fact, I just released
a new single with Anne Margaret and Pete Townsend
of The Who. It just came out. It's a remake of
the old Everly Brothers hit Bye Bye Love. And
I'm sure that you can go wherever music is downloaded
and hear it. But I just wanted to say hello and
I look forward to meeting you face to face eventually.
Yeah, absolutely. Well, you've made some great
names there, TG. I know this is obviously Kelly's
dog. Brilliant. Thanks for coming on, TG. That's
amazing. Thank you. Good to hear your voice.
Yeah, excellent. Thank you. Thank you. You take
care of yourself. You're so sweet. He's sitting
right here, so I wanted to make sure you connected
with him. Oh, brilliant. Thank you, Kelly. Kelly
Lang, thank you for coming on Chatterbox UK.
And we can't wait to have you back on and have
a little update with you. Thank you very much.
Well, let me know when. Indeed. Thank you. Cheers.
You've been listening to the Chatterbox Redux
podcast with Nick and Sue and today our special
guest was Kelly Lang. If you're interested in
becoming a future guest on the Chatterbox Redux
podcast or the radio show Chatterbox UK, you're
welcome to submit songs, books or whatever it
is you do and send us a CV, synopsis or press
release. However, we receive several thousand
such press releases every week and it's impossible
to reply to each one individually. Why not email
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for another Chatterbox Redux podcast in the meantime
take care thank you for your company And we catch
you then. Bye bye. Nick and Sue with Chatterbox
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