{"podcast":{"title":"Tribute Band Sessions","slug":"tribute-band-sessions-7519845","podcast_index_feed_id":7519845,"rss_url":"https://feeds.megaphone.fm/tributebands","website_url":"https://tributebandsessions.com","image_url":"https://megaphone.imgix.net/podcasts/08f76638-8cd8-11f0-a1f3-6799b17b9ed6/image/f251ddff035ea122e3bd988f06e1c4a6.jpg?ixlib=rails-4.3.1&max-w=3000&max-h=3000&fit=crop&auto=format,compress","author":"Mike Gendler","episode_count":46,"summary":"Tribute Band Sessions takes you behind the curtain of the billion-dollar tribute industry—where legendary music is reborn every night. Hosted by creator, music producer, musician, and talent manager Mike Gendler, along with rotating celebrity co-hosts, each episode features unfiltered conversations with tribute performers, booking agents, and insiders. From tour life and gear to sold-out shows at venues like Red Rocks, this is your all-access pass. New episodes drop every Wednesday.","last_synced_at":"2026-07-30T06:17:59.006776+00:00","page_url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/tribute-band-sessions-7519845"},"episode":{"title":"Bill “Billy” Jolly – Love TKO, Teddy Pendergrass Tribute & The Future of Tribute Bands EP 018","slug":"bill-billy-jolly-love-tko-teddy-pendergrass-tribute-the-future-of-tribute-bands-ep-018","published_at":"2026-01-28T12:09:00+00:00","page_url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/tribute-band-sessions-7519845/bill-billy-jolly-love-tko-teddy-pendergrass-tribute-the-future-of-tribute-bands-ep-018","show_page_url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/tribute-band-sessions-7519845","url":"https://tributebandsessions.com/","audio_url":"https://pscrb.fm/rss/p/traffic.megaphone.fm/PAN5007259650.mp3?updated=1765769925","summary":"In this episode of Tribute Band Sessions, host Mike Gendler sits down with Bill “Billy” Jolly – a three-time Emmy Award–winning producer, writer, and musical director and the MD of Love TKO: The Teddy Pendergrass Tribute Band. Born and raised in West Philadelphia, Bill shares how Motown bass lines, James Brown’s “Cold Sweat,” and the lush productions of Tom Bell, Gamble & Huff shaped his ears. He walks us through his journey from local drummer to touring pianist with Norman Connors (“You Are My Starship”), MD for Gene Kahn and Grover Washington Jr., and eventually music director for Teddy Pendergrass after Teddy’s accident. Bill talks about: Working with legends like Aretha Franklin, Bonnie Raitt, Chaka Khan, Tina Marie, Bill Withers, Phyllis Hyman, Patti LaBelle, Michael Bublé, Michael Bolton, Celine Dion, Pink, The Roots, Jadakiss and more What it really takes to be a successful musician (“be a Walmart, not a Dunkin’ Donuts”) Writing full orchestral arrangements for PBS, symphonies, and even Tony Danza’s Frank Sinatra tribute How Love TKO was formed with original Teddy band members and why having the official endorsement of the Teddy Pendergrass estate matters Why tribute bands exist, how they fill a real emotional and musical need, and his advice for new tribute bands on setlists, venues, and marketing From panties still flying onstage to building the perfect Teddy set, Bill explains how Love TKO makes audiences feel 18 again for 90 minutes – and why tribute bands aren’t going anywhere. Subscribe, like, and drop a comment with the Teddy song you’d HAVE to hear at a Love TKO show. #BillJolly#LoveTKO#TeddyPendergrass#TributeBandSessions#PhillySoul 🎸 Listen & Follow Tribute Band Sessions: 🌐 ⁠⁠⁠⁠Website⁠⁠⁠⁠ 🎧 ⁠⁠⁠⁠Spotify⁠⁠⁠⁠ 🍎 ⁠⁠⁠⁠Apple Podcasts⁠⁠⁠⁠ 📘 ⁠⁠⁠⁠Facebook⁠⁠⁠⁠ 📸…","meta_description":"In this episode of Tribute Band Sessions, host Mike Gendler sits down with Bill “Billy” Jolly – a three-time Emmy Award–winning producer, writer, and musi…","key_points":[],"chapters":[],"topics":[],"duration_seconds":3643,"processing_state":"not_requested","actions":[{"name":"request_transcript","method":"POST","url":"https://stenobird.com/v1/public/podcasts/tribute-band-sessions-7519845/episodes/bill-billy-jolly-love-tko-teddy-pendergrass-tribute-the-future-of-tribute-bands-ep-018/transcription-requests","description":"Idempotently request low-priority transcript generation for this episode."},{"name":"read_markdown","method":"GET","url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/tribute-band-sessions-7519845/bill-billy-jolly-love-tko-teddy-pendergrass-tribute-the-future-of-tribute-bands-ep-018.md","description":"Read the agent-friendly Markdown representation of this episode resource."}]}}