Grammy, Emmy Award Winner Narada Michael Walden Wrote Song About Kalamazoo’s Giant Candy Cane Park

The Rocker Morning Show recently talked with native son, and music producer, recording artist, and drummer Narada Michael Walden about his new album, "Euphoria," that came out on Nov. 17th.

While we were talking with Narada, he gushed about growing up in Kalamazoo, and Michigan, and some of his fondest memories in town, which included the giant candy canes in Bronson Park. They were so vivid in  his mind, that he wrote a song about them four years ago on his Christmas album.

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"I thought they were gone, I didn't think they were there anymore."

Narada Michael Walden loves Kalamazoo, and said his time growing up in Michigan, and in southwest Michigan with his family is what shaped his love of music, and his eventual career.

"All that music really just touched my heart man."

But one thing stuck out to Narada, and to us when we were talking with him about his vivid memories of the town gowning up.

Meatball: "How often do you make it back to Kalamazoo, and when you're not here, is there something you're craving?"

Narada: "When you say craving, I always have a great memory, in downtown, and it's in my new Christmas song. Downtown Kalamazoo used to be a place where they had those big candy canes at Christmas time. That was my favorite time, Christmas. And you go downtown, and the big candy canes would be there, you could hang out down there, and see if Santa and all that was there. And I made a song now, called 'Christmas time in Candycane Park, (laughs), so that's what I miss about Kalamazoo, in that downtown area near the mall."

However, it was pointed out to him that the Candy Canes were brought back to Bronson Park this year.

"That's good man, because I heard they were gonna take them down."

Though they aren't the SAME candy canes Narada remembered from his childhood, they are at least reminiscent of the years he sings about in his song, which you can hear below.

Add to that... this is a GREAT Christmas song, and something everyone from Kalamazoo should add to their holiday playlist.