Teddy Riley talks about his new memoir in Sacramento this weekend
BUT BEFORE THAT, HE’S TALKING WITH KCRA 3. HERE’S BRANDI CUMMINGS. TEDDY RILEY WENT FROM THE PROJECTS IN HARLEM TO CREATING NEW JACK SWING AND PRODUCING HITS FOR MUSIC ICONS LIKE MICHAEL JACKSON, SNOOP DOGG, AND PHARRELL WILLIAMS. AND NOW HE’S SHARING THAT JOURNEY IN HIS NEW MEMOIR TITLED REMEMBER THE TIMES. TEDDY. THANKS SO MUCH FOR BEING HERE. WE APPRECIATE IT. THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME. HOW’S IT GOING? IT’S GOING WELL. WE WANTED TO JUST JUMP IN AND ASK YOU, HOW WOULD YOU SAY THAT YOUR EARLY EXPERIENCES ACTUALLY SHAPED THE SOUND THAT YOU CREATED? WELL, I WOULD SAY, BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, COMING FROM THE PROJECTS, YOU KNOW, WE WENT THROUGH A LOT OF STRUGGLE. AND THAT STRUGGLE MADE US CREATIVE, EITHER CREATIVE OR, YOU KNOW, TURN THE OTHER WAY. BUT I WAS MORE CREATIVE, YOU KNOW, WITH DEALING WITH MY, MY MOM, WHO IS A SINGLE PARENT AND, YOU KNOW, GROWING UP, YOU KNOW, WE HAD TO THINK OF SOMETHING, YOU KNOW, TO GET OUT OF THE PROJECT. SO MUSIC WAS MY ESCAPE. LOOKING BACK OVER YOUR CAREER, IS THERE A SESSION THAT YOU HAD WITH A SPECIFIC ARTIST THAT COMPLETELY CHANGED HOW YOU THINK ABOUT MUSIC? MICHAEL JACKSON HE WILL CHANGE HOW YOU THINK ABOUT MUSIC, HOW YOU DO MUSIC, HOW YOU ACCEPT MUSIC. AND HE WAS MORE MORE SPIRITUAL WHEN IT CAME TO MUSIC AND THINGS THAT IN SUBJECTS HE HAD TO BRING ACROSS, BUT THE MUSIC HAD TO SPEAK TO THE LYRICS. SO THOSE WERE THE THINGS THAT I’VE LEARNED, YOU KNOW, GOING TO WORK WITH MICHAEL WAS LIKE GOING TO COLLEGE. YEAH. SO, YOU KNOW, I THINK THAT HIS WAY OF RECORDING AND HIS WAY OF DOING MUSIC HAVE REALLY CHANGED MY LIFE. LET’S TALK ABOUT YOUR NEW BOOK. WHAT MADE YOU SAY THAT NOW IS THE RIGHT TIME TO TELL THIS STORY? WELL, THIS IS MY 40TH YEAR IN THE BUSINESS, AND I’LL BE 60 THIS YEAR, SO I FEEL LIKE, YOU KNOW, IT’S TIME TO TELL THE STORY. WE HAD THIS BOOK. WE HAD TO START, WELL, ALL MY LIFE, BUT WE STARTED WRITING IT ABOUT 12.5, 13 YEARS AGO. AND JUST FINALLY CAME TO THE CONCLUSION OF JUST LET’S PUT IT OUT. AND I FELT SPIRITUALLY, IT WAS THE RIGHT TIME. IT CAME OUT ON FEBRUARY 10TH, WHICH IS THE SECOND ANNIVERSARY OF MY MOTHER GOING HOME. OH, I SEE, WHAT IS IT THAT YOU MOST WANT READERS TO UNDERSTAND ABOUT YOU AFTER THEY FINISH READING? JUST MY PATH AND THINGS THAT YOU KNOW, ESPECIALLY FOR THE YOUNGER ONES WHO ARE INSPIRED TO GET INTO THE MUSIC INDUSTRY, YOU KNOW, THAT’S A THIS WOULD BE A GOOD PATH, NOT THE BAD PARTS, BUT THE GOOD PARTS, YOU KNOW, BECAUSE IT WORKED FOR ME. AND THAT’S WHY I’M STILL HERE. WELL, WE ARE GLAD YOU ARE STILL HERE. AND OF COURSE, THANK YOU FOR ALL THAT YOU’VE DONE FOR FOR MUSIC, FOR THE CULTURE. AND I KNOW A LOT OF FOLKS IN SACRAMENTO ARE LOOKING FORWARD TO SEEING YOU IN PERSON THIS WEEKEND. I’M LOOKING FORWARD TO IT AS WELL. CAN’T WAIT. AND YOU CAN ATTEND THE AUTHOR TALK AND JAM SESSION FEATURING TEDDY RILEY. HE WILL BE AT SACRAMENTO’S GILL THEATER ON SUNDAY AT 6 P.M. THE CONVERSATION WILL BE LED BY FORMER SACRAMENTO MAY
Teddy Riley talks about his new memoir in Sacramento this weekend
Updated: 7:03 PM PST Feb 27, 2026
Northern California music fans will get an up-close look at one of R&B and hip-hop’s most influential figures during a special jam session and author talk with Teddy Riley.The Grammy Award–winning producer, songwriter and artist is celebrating the release of his new memoir, “Remember the Times,” with an in-person event on Sunday featuring live stories, lyrics and keyboard accompaniment. In “Remember the Times,” Riley reflects on his rise from growing up in the Harlem projects to becoming the architect of New Jack Swing, a genre that reshaped contemporary R&B and hip-hop. Over the past four decades, he has worked with some of the biggest names in music.The memoir explores Riley’s triumphs and setbacks and offers readers a candid look at the evolution of popular music and the resilience behind lasting success.The Author Talk and Jam Session featuring Teddy Riley will be held at Sacramento’s Guild Theater on Sunday at 6 p.m. Get tickets here.The conversation will be led by former Sacramento Mayor Kevin Johnson.Teddy Riley joined KCRA 3 on Friday morning to talk about his memoir and the upcoming event. Click the video above to watch the full interview. See more coverage of top California stories here | Download our app | Subscribe to our morning newsletter | Find us on YouTube here and subscribe to our channel
SACRAMENTO, Calif. —
Northern California music fans will get an up-close look at one of R&B and hip-hop’s most influential figures during a special jam session and author talk with Teddy Riley.
The Grammy Award–winning producer, songwriter and artist is celebrating the release of his new memoir, “Remember the Times,” with an in-person event on Sunday featuring live stories, lyrics and keyboard accompaniment.
In “Remember the Times,” Riley reflects on his rise from growing up in the Harlem projects to becoming the architect of New Jack Swing, a genre that reshaped contemporary R&B and hip-hop.
Over the past four decades, he has worked with some of the biggest names in music.
The memoir explores Riley’s triumphs and setbacks and offers readers a candid look at the evolution of popular music and the resilience behind lasting success.
The Author Talk and Jam Session featuring Teddy Riley will be held at Sacramento’s Guild Theater on Sunday at 6 p.m. Get tickets here.
The conversation will be led by former Sacramento Mayor Kevin Johnson.
Teddy Riley joined KCRA 3 on Friday morning to talk about his memoir and the upcoming event.
Click the video above to watch the full interview.
See more coverage of top California stories here | Download our app | Subscribe to our morning newsletter | Find us on YouTube here and subscribe to our channel