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Lydia Cornell reached the height of Hollywood Stardom becoming one of the world’s most notable stars from her starring role as Sara Rush in ABC’s Too Close for Comfort. Appearing in over 250 movies and television shows, the People Choice Award winning Actress and sex symbol of her time has a rise and fall journey that is eye opening, heartfelt, and inspiring. Lydia graciously spends time with Matthew Mayer talking about her journey from growing up in El Paso, Texas to experiencing the coincidences and god shots that lead her to becoming a worldwide household name, and all of the experiences that come with becoming a star.

You don’t want to miss out on this eye opening journey of Lydia Cornell! Follow Lydia Cornell on Instagram @lydiacornell1   Follow Matthew Mayer on Instagram @mayersolopiano  

Per her biography: Lydia Cornell is an AFI Best Actress nominee and People’s Choice Award winner, and international star often best known as the star of ABC’s hit series Too Close For Comfort as TV legend Ted Knight’s daughter, Sara Rush. One of the most popular sex symbols on TV, she is now a mother, author, teen mentor, talk show host, comedienne, producer, director, and award-winning writer. Too Close for Comfort can currently be seen four times a week on Antenna TV, Tribune Broadcasting. Learn more about Lydia at https://www.lydiacornell.com/

Per Wikipedia: Cornell’s first screen appearance was as Lydia Korniloff in a walk-on as a girl in a car in the film Steel (1979), produced by and starring Lee Majors. Her first professional speaking part was in an episode of The Love Boat, for which she had two lines.[18] In the summer of 1980, Cornell spent nine weeks filming in the Greek Isles for her appearance in the mythological horror film Blood Tide, which was not released until 1982. Cornell’s first major role was as Sara Rush, the daughter to Ted Knight’s character Henry Rush, on the sitcom Too Close for Comfort during 1980–1985. In 1982, at the height of the sitcom’s popularity, Cornell was described by sexologist Robert T. Francoeur as providing a modern example of “classic female stereotypes in the mold of Marilyn Monroe and Jayne Mansfield”. Cornell appeared in several single episode roles on television series such as The Love Boat, Charlie’s Angels, The Drew Carey Show, Quantum Leap (the pilot episode) Full House, Knight Rider, The Dukes of Hazzard, The A-Team, T. J. Hooker, Simon & Simon, Hunter, Hardball, Black Scorpion, Hotel, Fantasy Island and Curb Your Enthusiasm. She also appeared as a guest on episodes of television game shows including Battle of the Network Stars, Super Password, and Match Game Hollywood Squares Hour.

About Matthew Mayer:

From growing up in a town with no stoplights, to performing in front of thousands, and eventually reaching millions of listeners worldwide, #1 Billboard Charting Artist Matthew Mayer, has a story as curious and risk-taking as the music he creates. Growing up in rural Canistota, South Dakota, Matthew’s first foray into the world of music came at age 12, when he discovered the piano – and with it, a lifelong love. Inspired by legendary solo piano godfather, George Winston, Matthew would debut his piano talents to patients at the Ortman Chiropractic Clinic, setting up each Wednesday evening on an old upright, to share an hour of piano and storytelling. With often as little as just two listeners in attendance, this is where Mayer began his live piano-show journey. In 1998, he gathered every dollar to his name, raising just enough to produce his first solo piano CD, Crossing the Bridge. As an Undergrad student at the University of South Dakota at the time, this next step certainly didn’t come without risk. But what is the life of an artist without risk? Matthew’s first CD went on to turn a profit, leading him to create another – and another… and another. As of 2025, Matthew has an extensive catalogue of more than 20 piano albums and his music has streamed close to a half a Billion times across streaming platforms! His solo journey took him to packing up his car in the summer of 2001, and driving out to Hollywood. Spending two years working at NBC’s Television Entertainment Show, Access Hollywood, Mayer’s introductory into the entertainment business was both eye-opening, and motivating. In recent years, Matthew’s music has become synonymous with the explosion of viral online content and music streaming. From his 2022 album ‘Piano Lullabies’ quickly amassing more than 500 million streams on Amazon Music, to his latest hit ‘When Flowers Grew Wild’ being used as the soundtrack to more than 75,000 Instagram Reels from creators across the world. Matthew is the Owner and Founder of the Podcast Going Solo where he speaks with Amazing People from all walks of life! More about Matthew at www.matthewmayer.com

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CD Baby Founder, Derek Sivers, shares his amazing life journey with Matthew Mayer. From Growing up in Hinsdale, Illinois, to graduating from The Berklee College of Music, and then on to joining a Circus as a ring leader and performer, Derek would eventually go on to Build one of the most transformational music distribution platforms that would change the music scene as we know it today. After dedicating a decade building his company and helping thousands of musicians around the world reach listeners because of a distribution system he led the way on, Derek would also go through immense tough times. In the year 2007, Derek Sivers had one of the most tumultuous years of his life. This included going through a Divorce in which his life savings was drained, 90% of the company he founded was no longer his, all of his own employees, led by his good friend and VP, led a mutiny against him, and the woman he was madly in love with, married another man. After selling his company (in which he set up millions to go to charity), Derek continued on his life’s curiosity of ventures including authoring hundreds of articles and several books including Anything You Want, Your Music and People, Hell Yeah or No, How to Live, and his latest Useful Not True. Derek Sivers continues to share writings, insights, and philosophies that invite people of all walks of life to listen and share. From Derek’s Website at https://sive.rs/ Derek Says the following: I’m ambitiously focused on creating – More than anything, I want to make lots of stuff. I want to make articles, books, websites, music, companies, systems, apps, and especially new ideas. This shapes most of my life decisions. Saying no to almost everything, so I can have lots of time for making. At the age of 14, I decided I wanted to be a successful musician. Knowing it’s something that millions want, but only one-in-a-million achieve, I knew I’d have to be fiercely focused, persistent, savvy, and work like an Olympic athlete in training. In other words, not casual. I was single-focused obsessed with being a successful musician from age 14 to 29 — crucial years when many of my friends were feeling lost. It had me waking up early to practice, staying up late to write, saying no to all distractions, and reading whatever I could to improve. Then, at age 29, I accidentally started a company, so I was narrow-focused on creating that for 10 years, through the age of 39. I also want to learn lots of stuff, especially different approaches to thinking and living. That’s why I read so much non-fiction, and want to keep moving around the world. I connect with those who stretch, strive, and grow. I can’t relate to those who chill, hang out, watch TV, party, etc. I’ve optimized my life for creating and learning. I’ve cut out most things from my life that most normal people do — (like hanging out or media consumption) — in pursuit of my bigger goal. My life philosophy I’ve always had an uncommon approach to life, mostly shaped by my ambition. But when I read a book on Stoicism I realized I wasn’t so unique. My own self-created philosophy lined up almost exactly with this ancient philosophy. Especially the point about strengthening yourself for a more difficult future. But I’m also very skeptical, and was surprised to find that’s also a philosophy. Meaning: for almost anything on this page, the opposite may also be true. I don’t trust what I tell myself. It’s not a lie — it’s my truth at the time. But an opposite point of view can replace it when I shift my perspective. (I sometimes do this intentionally: do the opposite of my beliefs, just for a different perspective.) So, actually, the book that best contains my life philosophy is “How to Live”. The title is ironic. It doesn’t tell you how to live. Buy one from me and you’ll see. About Matthew Mayer: From growing up in a town with no stoplights, to performing in front of thousands, and eventually reaching millions of listeners worldwide, #1 Billboard Charting Artist Matthew Mayer, has a story as curious and risk-taking as the music he creates. In recent years, Matthew’s music has become synonymous with the explosion of viral online content and music streaming. From his 2022 album ‘Piano Lullabies’ quickly amassing more than 30 million streams on Amazon Music, to his latest hit ‘When Flowers Grew Wild’ being used as the soundtrack to more than 55,000 Instagram Reels from creators across the world, Matthew has met the 21st century musical evolution head on and tackled it with a smile. Having experienced first hand the journey of a small town pianist turned international performer, Matthew has dedicated much of his life to the genre of solo piano, and helping other independent artists shine in the process. Today, you can find Matthew Mayer’s music on all major streaming platforms and discover more about the journey of an aspiring solo pianist from his podcast, Going Solo.

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Fox News National News Correspondent and Emmy Nominated, CB Cotton, joins Matthew Mayer on the Going Solo Podcast as she shares her inspiring life’s journey of love, loss and the musical notes in between.

A proud graduate of the Hussman School of Journalism and Media at UNC, CB’s journey begins in North Carolina with a story of love. Cotton shares how her interracial family upbringing shaped her perspective, her personal history, and the way music weaves through her life as both solace and celebration.

A hard working beginning with a blue grass environment, CB takes us back to her humble beginnings, the experience of losing her brother at a very young age, and how her love of music and guitar took root. Influenced by legends like Stevie Ray Vaughan, Lenny Kravitz, and Joe Bonamassa, CB’s skill on the strings rivals her prowess in journalism.

Source: FOX NEWS Website: CB Cotton currently serves as correspondent for FOX News Channel (FNC), based in New York City. She joined the network in February 2023. Most recently, Cotton contributed to the extensive coverage of the attempted assassination of former President Donald J. Trump. Prior to this, she provided viewers with live reports surrounding the Anti-Israel campus protests at Columbia University.

Previously, she covered the arrest of the four suspects who assaulted two New York Police Department officers in January 2024. Additionally, she reported on the 2024 UN Security Council meeting, former President Trump’s New York civil fraud trial and the December 2023 Albany, New York temple shooting. Before her role at FNC, Ms. Cotton served as a reporter for ABC affiliate KMGH-TV in Denver, Colorado, where she was the station’s lead night side reporter focused on crime, justice, and law enforcement. During her tenure, she covered the city’s breaking news stories, including the Boulder King Soopers supermarket shooting and the December 2021 Marshall fire. She has also reported on alleged police misconduct.

Previously, Ms. Cotton served as a multimedia journalist at ABC affiliate WKRN-TV in Nashville, Tennessee. Cotton began her journalism career as the Jacksonville, North Carolina bureau chief for NBC affiliate WITN-TV. A graduate of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Ms. Cotton holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in broadcast and electronic journalism.

Matthew Mayer BIO

From growing up in a town with no stoplights to reaching millions of listeners worldwide, #1 Billboard Charting Artist Matthew Mayer has built a career as bold as the music he creates. With over 17 albums, two Telly Awards, and a viral presence on streaming platforms, his solo piano compositions have captivated audiences globally, including his Piano Lullabies album amassing over 250 million streams. Beyond performing—having toured Croatia’s national theaters and collaborated with renowned composers—Mayer is dedicated to uplifting independent artists through SoloPiano.com and his Going Solo podcast, where he dives into the journeys of extraordinary individuals navigating their own independent paths in music, media, and beyond.

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Seen by millions worldwide, Faith Salie of ‘CBS Sunday Morning’ and NPR’s ‘Wait Wait Don’t Tell Me,’ shares intimate, funny, and inspiring stories on her life with Matthew Mayer on The Going Solo Podcast. As a Rhodes Scholar and Recipient of Harvard’s prestigious literary award, the Bowdoin Prize, Salie’s career is beyond impressive as she continues to share joy, hope, gratitude, grace, and….To Coda….Faith.

Faith Salie (Source: Wikipedia) Faith Coley Salie (born April 14, 1971) is an American journalist, writer, actress, comedian, television, radio, and podcast host. She is a contributor to CBS Sunday Morning and a panelist on NPR’s Wait Wait… Don’t Tell Me!. She hosted Science Goes To The Movies on PBS and CUNY TV. She is a storyteller for The Moth, with her story viewed over 4 million times. Her first book, Approval Junkie, “a collection of daring, funny essays chronicling the author’s adventures during her lifelong quest for approval,” was published by Crown in April 2016. Salie adapted it into a solo show which she performed Off-Broadway at the Minetta Lane Theater in New York City in 2021. The play premiered at the Alliance Theatre in Atlanta in 2019.

Salie was born in South Weymouth, Massachusetts, to Robert Salie and Gail Coley Salie. She grew up in Dunwoody, Georgia, with her two older brothers. Salie was raised Roman Catholic. Salie began dancing at age three and decided she wanted to be an actor after getting the lead in the fourth-grade class play. She began performing professional children’s theatre at 13. In college, she performed in plays and musicals with Matt Damon, Mo Rocca and China Forbes. Salie graduated in 1989 from North Springs High School in Fulton County, Georgia (now Sandy Springs, Georgia). She enrolled as an undergraduate at Northwestern University and transferred after one year to Harvard University. She graduated magna cum laude and Phi Beta Kappa from Harvard with a degree in history and literature of modern France and England. She won Harvard’s prestigious literary award, the Bowdoin Prize, as well as the Jonathan Levy Award for best actor. Chosen for a Rhodes scholarship, she earned an M.Phil. in Modern English Literature from Magdalen College, Oxford.

Upon moving to Los Angeles from Oxford, Salie appeared in small roles on Sweet Valley High and Married… with Children before being cast on Star Trek: Deep Space Nine. She played the role of Sarina Douglas in two episodes, “Statistical Probabilities” (1997) and “Chrysalis” (1998). Salie, as Sarina Douglas, appears on a Deep Space Nine trading card. Salie starred in the 2004 Bravo improvisational situation comedy Significant Others, as well as other television sitcoms and dramas, including Sex and the City and Unhappily Ever After, in which she played goth girl Caitlin Blackpool for a season. As a stand-up comedian and “pop-culture pundit,” she appeared on several VH-1 shows including Best Week Ever, I Love the…90s, and Undateable. In 2006, Salie moved to Manhattan to host the Public Radio International show Fair Game from PRI with Faith Salie. It was a daily satirical news and entertainment show and podcast. On Fair Game, Salie interviewed hundreds of newsmakers including Lorne Michaels, Jimmy Carter, Anthony Hopkins, Zach Galifianakis, Leonard Nimoy, and Chelsea Handler. She was a regular contributor to an ethics column for O, The Oprah Magazine. Salie has appeared as a guest on The Oprah Winfrey Show, The O’Reilly Factor, and Anderson.

Since Fair Game, Salie has hosted many podcasts, including Wait Wait Naked and Ashamed (about the 20th anniversary of Wait Wait…Don’t Tell Me!), Broadway Revival for Audible, Real Good for Stitcher, One Plus One for Wondery, and Authorized (about sex and romance in literature) for Audible. She has twice guest-hosted Wait Wait…Don’t Tell Me! From 2008 to 2010, she hosted Sundance Channel’s coverage of the Sundance Film Festival, where she interviewed actors and directors such as Jennifer Lawrence, Robert Redford, Ryan Gosling, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Chris Rock, Amy Poehler, Billy Bob Thornton, Joan Rivers, Michelle Williams, Dax Shepard, Elijah Wood, and Ashton Kutcher.

Salie has been a contributor to CBS News Sunday Morning since 2009.

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Gwendolyn Osborne is an actress and former model who spent 12 years on The Price Is Right as a model from 2005 to 2017. Osborne was recognized as one of the “longest-running woman of color on a daytime game show”. Osborne spends time with Matthew Mayer on the Going Solo Podcast, talking about her extraordinary journey from Bath, Somerset London, to Hollywood. Osborne’s consistent work ethic, combined with her forward looking belief system, has enabled her to stand out among the elite. Most famously for casting as one of the elite Amazonian Women on the set of Wonder Woman 1984.

Follow Gwendonlyn on IG: www.instagram.com/itsgwendolyn Website: www.gwendolynosborne.com From her website at www.gwendolynosborne.com

Gwendolyn Osborne began as a runway, print, and commercial model that helped set the stage for becoming one of the models on The Price is Right show. A consummate professional, Gwendolyn was a part of the show for over 12 years and gained a historical accolade as the longest-running woman of color model on a game show. She would then join the cast of Wonder Woman 1984 as one of the Amazonian Women. It was on the set of this blockbuster movie where she captured her inner strength and power and truly took stock of what it meant to be a real-life Wonder Woman. She pushed the boundaries of her physical and mental strength while mastering her craft as an actor, transcending her experience into her everyday endeavors and passion projects.

Matthew Mayer, from Canistota, South Dakota, is a #1 Billboard Charting Artist. In recent years, Matthew’s music has become synonymous with the explosion of viral online content and music streaming. From his 2022 album ‘Piano Lullabies’ quickly amassing more than 50 million streams on Amazon Music, to his latest hit ‘When Flowers Grew Wild’ being used as the soundtrack to more than 90,000 Instagram Reels from creators across the world. Having experienced first hand the journey of a small town pianist turned international performer, Matthew has dedicated much of his life to the genre of solo piano, helping other independent artists shine in the process, as well as building relationships with successful entrepreneurs, artists, and people of all creative types, in pursuit of understanding their journey and success. From developing and teaching a first of its kind course (The Business of Music) at his alma mater at The University of South Dakota, to founding SoloPiano.com – an online platform dedicated to celebrating and promoting the largest collection of independent solo piano artists (Over 400 Artists Worldwide) – Matthew continues to dedicate himself to spreading the timeless magic of solo piano music.

Today, you can find Matthew Mayer’s music on all major streaming platforms and discover more about the journey of all aspiring creatives and artists on his Podcast, Going Solo. Follow Matthew on IG: www.instagram.com/mayersolopiano www.matthewmayer.com

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Movie Director, Anthony D’ Ambrosio shares with Matthew Mayer, the remarkable, daunting, rewarding, story behind his most recent film “Triumph of the Heart,” along with sharing personal experiences into his own journey that lead to the making of this film.

Triumph of the Heart (Triumph of the Heart) is a feature film about St. Maximilian Kolbe and his companions’ triumph over darkness. Where most stories about Kolbe end, when he volunteers to take the place of a prisoner in an Auschwitz hunger cell – This story starts there…..In Triumph of the Heart, St. Kolbe joins nine condemned men in a starvation bunker and fights to forge a brotherhood of hope in the darkest place on earth.

You can support this film on Kickstarter Here: https://www.kickstarter.com/…/triumph-of-the-heart-0

In Anthony’s own words from the Triumph of the Heart Kickstarter Page:

“I grew up Catholic. Went to seminary. Left seminary. Fell in love. But just before I got engaged… I got sick. An undiagnosed medical condition destroyed my life. I couldn’t sleep, my relationship ended, I could barely hold down my job, and there was no cure or end in sight. Amid that darkness, I lost my faith, and I wanted to die. But Kolbe’s story stuck with me. As I meditated on how Kolbe built a brotherhood in that dark place, a light broke through. I wrote this story to share Kolbe’s answer to my suffering and doubt with a world that desperately needs it. Kolbe is a saint for us and for our age.”

Follow Triumph of the Heart on Instagram

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Matthew Mayer is a #1 Billboard Charting Artist and Host of the Podcast Going Solo. Mayer embarks on speaking to successful people in their craft, who have gone solo to pursue their dreams.

#kolbe#maximiliankolbe #16670 #triumphoftheheart#anthonydambrosio#goingsolo#thegoingsolopodcast#goingsolopodcast#matthewmayer#block11#suffering#pain#hope#love#catholic#catholicsaints#stmaximiliankolbe#saintmaximiliankolbehttps://www.instagram.com/mayersolopiano/

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Will Ackerman, Founder of Windham Hill Records, and one of the greatest Record Producers of our times, talks with Matthew Mayer about music, life, creative approaches, mentorships and more. This intimate and real conversation highlights the Grammy Award Winner’s journey, key moments throughout his life, and how he became an instrumental figure for so many artists and listeners throughout the world.

Will released his first album “In Search of the Turtle’s Navel” from his very own label, Windham Hill Records decades ago. He has gone on to release albums by well known artists like George Winston, Alex De Grassi, Robbie Basho and More. With over a 45 year professional career, Will Ackerman’s recordings and performances have touched millions of lives.

Will Ackerman continues to work as a producer out of the studio he has built in Dummerston, Vermont – Imaginary Road Studios.

More information on William Ackerman can be found at https://www.williamackerman.com

More information on Matthew Mayer can be found at https://www.matthewmayer.com

Please follow on:

Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/mayersolopiano

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mayersolopiano

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mayersolopiano

Listen and Follow “The Going Solo Podcast by Matthew Mayer” on Spotify, Apple, Stitcher, and more!

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