{
  "id": 12717757,
  "title": "Thelma Houston, Kim Carnes, Rupert Holmes & More Guest on New Podcast Hosted By Billboard Chart Veterans",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/07/thelma-houston-kim-carnes-rupert-holmes-more-guest-on-new-podcast",
  "topic": "culture",
  "section": "Culture",
  "published": "2026-10-07T21:09:59.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Billboard",
    "slug": "billboard",
    "url": "https://www.billboard.com/music/music-news/heart-for-the-charts-podcast-1236356388/"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Billboard chart veterans Fred Bronson and Michael Ellis have launched a new podcast, A Heart for the Charts, featuring chart history and stories from artists who experienced chart success firsthand. The podcast's inaugural episode, \"The Day I Went to Number One,\" features Thelma Houston and Gretchen Christopher from The Fleetwoods. Houston recalls the journey to her 1977 Billboard Hot 100 No. 1 hit \"Don't Leave Me This Way,\" while Christopher reflects on The Fleetwoods' 1959 achievement with \"Come Softly to Me.\" Other notable guests include Kim Carnes, who discusses her 1981 Hot 100 topping \"Bette Davis Eyes,\" Rupert Holmes, who talks about \"Escape (The Piña Colada Song)\" reaching No. 1 in 1979, and Record Research Head Researcher Paul Haney. Second Disc founder Joe Marchese and Motown historian Andy Skurow also contribute to the podcast, which concludes its first season on December 1. The format emphasizes the stories behind chart runs rather than mere peak positions.",
  "summary": "The Record Research series is called A Heart for the Charts.",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}