The Pulse of Entertainment: Francisco
X. Rivera Has Become a Well Sought After Bilingual Sports Announcer for NBA, NFL, NHL, FIFA
by Dr. Eunice Moseley
(March 21, 2025) - "When I turned three...my parents put me in a bilingual
school," said Francisco X. Rivera (Los Angeles Kings), who is one of the most sought-after bilingual
baseball, soccer, basketball, hockey and football broadcasting sports announcers in the country. "It came easy to me,
to be honest."
Born in Mexico, Rivera came to the United States to attend college at Cal State University,
Long Beach as an international student. He obtained a paid internship at Fox Sports in his junior year.
"My first one (announcer job)? I was 24 and I was still in college at Long Beach
State in 2006," Francisco said when I asked. "The Fox Spanish Channel had me audition. I had never been in a studio
before. I was an intern and not familiar with broadcasting. It (first job) was a baseball Dodgers' game - from the studio,
but the game gets rained out. Then I did a St, Louis game. I thought it was great; I was not an announcer but an analysis...but
I'd played baseball all my life, not a pro-though."
"I
was a junior...six months into my internship when Fox Sports offered me a job in production," Rivera continued. "During
my last year at school I obtained a second job at a Latin American studio based in Long Beach."
He went on to announce for Fox Sports for the Los Angeles Football Club (NFL); The Los Angeles
Clippers in Spanish; the Los Angeles Kings; NHL (National Hockey League); Major League Soccer (NLS); Super Bowl; World Series;
NBA Finals; FIFA Confederations Cup; FIFA Club World Cup; Fight League; ESPN Deportes; Deportes 62, ESPN 710, and Estrella
TV.
Francisco X. Rivera, also a Hispanic marketing executive, is
one of the leading Spanish speaking sports announcers in the country. His main job is with the Los Angeles Kings as a Spanish
speaking play-by-play announcer. His announcer job with the NHL made history, with Francisco becoming the first Latino broadcaster
to call the NHL in English! In 2019, around the time of the COVID pandemic, Francisco X. Rivera launched the Hablando Hockey
Podcast covering the Los Angeles Kings from a Latino perspective. Amazing, isn't he? Honestly, I think I may have forgotten
some other announcing roles he has had thus far. www.FoxSports.com
The Pulse of Entertainment: Multi-Billboard
Chart-Topping Saxophonist Paul Taylor Releases ‘A Brand New Day' Shanachie Entertainment Debut Album
(March 18, 2025) - "It's my 13th record. I'm blessed and appreciate that
I'm still doing this," said multi-Billboard chart-topping saxophonist Paul Taylor when we talk about
his new album "A Brand New Day" (Shanachie Entertainment). "It has lots of variety...different
vibes...cross genres."
Taylor said the title of his 13th
record "A Brand New Day" means having a "positive outlook on life." Paul has hitmaking producers Barry
Eastmond (Whitney Houston, Chaka Khan) and Dino Esposito (Kim Waters, Jeff Lorber) teaming with him on the project.
"(The title track) It's a special song to me," Paul added. "It has an
inspiring vibe."
The "A Brand New Day" album offers
10 selections, nine are originals and one is a Billie Ellish cover. This album is Paul Taylor's first on the Shanachie Entertainment
imprint - home of Norman Brown and Mint Condition.
A well-sought
after saxophonist Paul Taylor has played on the projects of Regina Belle, Peabo Bryson, Keiko Matsui, Peter White and Marion
Meadows - to name a few. The Denver native was introduced to the sax while in school and his influence grew to come from the
great Grover Washington, Jr.
"I was seven years-old...my younger
brother was six," Taylor recalled when I asked how he started on the sax. "We were in kid bands...my mom got us
in bands. When I first met with the director of the band, he assigned us our instruments. I stayed with it...and in high school
we had our own band."
Paul Taylor said he eventually received
a scholarship based on his sax skills. You can see Paul Taylor's skills and hear some selections from his new "A Brand
New Day" (Shanachie Entertainment) on April 19th at The Funky Biscuit in Boca Raton, Florida; May 3rd at the Staller
Center for the Arts in Stony Brook, NY; May 20th at the Hong Kong Jocky Club in Wan Chair, Hong Kong; May 22 at the Capitol
Theatre in Singapore; May 24th at the Ludlow Garage in Cincinnati, Ohio; June 18th at the House of Blues in Orlando, Florida;
June 21st at the Emo's Austin in Austin, Texas; June 22nd at the Punch Line Houston in Houston, Texas, and for more dates
throughout 2025 log onto www.PaulTaylorSax.com.
SYNDICATED COLUMN: Dr. Eunice Moseley has an estimated weekly readership of over one million
with The Pulse of Entertainment. She is also a Business Management/Public Relations Strategist and Consultant at
Freelance Associates and is Promotions Director (at-large) for The Baltimore Times. www.ThePulseofEntertainment.com.
EVENTS: "Uplifting Minds II" Entertainment Conference (ULMII), founded by Eunice in 1999, is into
its 26th year. Next events are coming to Baltimore via Zoom Saturday April 19, 2025, presented by Security
Square Mall and The Baltimore Times, and Los Angeles via Zoom Saturday, November 8, 2025. The ULMII
event is a free entertainment conference offering a Professional Panel Q&A Session, a Professional Talent Showcase and
National Talent Competition (vocal, songwriting, dance and acting) where aspiring artists have a chance to receive over $20,000
valued in prizes/product/services. Log onto www.UpliftingMinds2.com RSVP for Zoom Access at EventBrite.com or email info@thepulseofentertainment.com.
