By Duane Gallop

Lenny Green is the host of 98.7 Kiss’s top-rated late night program, “Kissing After Dark.” It’s seven hours of what he calls the most memorable love songs ever recorded, making him the disc jockey with the longest running set in New York. Beginning in 1995, Kissing After Dark has built a reputation for fostering a relaxing mood that those in love (or not) can appreciate.

Lenny said he got involved with Kiss FM after years of persistence, dedication, “and the grace of God.”

“Radio was my second love for me,” he said. “My first love was singing. I knew at nine years old I was going to be in the entertainment industry. But I thought it was going to be as a singer.”

Well, it wasn’t. He caught the “radio bug” in college and after years of applying himself program director Vinny Brown brought Lenny on board at Kiss FM. Soon he was the voice of Kissing After Dark.

He says he met Karl Browne at an Open Mic event and was “overwhelmed and stunned” by Karl’s talent. A true student of black music, Lenny Green did some research and happily discovered that Karl’s father was jazz performer, the late great Al Browne.

“So I knew Karl Browne came from good stock,” he said. “This gentleman has truly been blessed with the gift of music. And because I have a passion for what I do, I respect others who have taken their craft and their talent as seriously as I take mine. And it’s obvious by just how Karl Browne plays, and his musical knowledge, that he has a passion and a dedication to music.”

Passion for all types of music is not as easy as it sounds. Tastes change and mature. What you enjoyed as a teenager might not be enjoyable as an adult. But Lenny has come to embrace the passing of musical seasons and to appreciate contemporary as well as “old school” music and plays it all on his radio show. Throughout the decades, in fact since its inception, Rhythm and Blues has taken a variety of twists and turns. And even though people may say it’s dwindling, Lenny Green says that R&B is as strong as ever and is not likely going anywhere.

Just like every genre of music however, R&B had its time to shine. Now the mantle has passed to Hip Hop – a genre that many (including Lenny) didn’t see lasting, but has grown into a worldwide phenomenon.

“It’s just young people expressing themselves,” Lenny explained. “Music plays such an important part of our lives. I believe the music of today is still in its developmental stages. I think its definitely making a better turn around as of late.”

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