San Francisco Video Blog
Posted by Steve Allen | Filed under Personal Blog
Kimberly and I posted our video blogs from San Francisco on Facebook and now here they are for those who missed them. It was Kimberly’s idea to post video everyday and we were both surprise at just how many people followed our vacation via the blog. Enjoy!
Thanks for watching Steve & Kimberly Allen’s San Francisco video blog!
San Francisco Vacation Photos
Posted by Steve Allen | Filed under Personal Blog
Click on the photos to open the picture set on Flickr.
Motown Drummer Uriel Jones Dies At 74
Posted by Steve Allen | Filed under Motown, Music Industry, Personal Blog
As most of you know, I’m a huge Motown fan. I looked Uriel up and discover that he lived just three streets away from Kimberly in Lincoln Park, MI. I’ve had several phone conversations with him and I can say he will be truly missed.
LOS ANGELES (Reuters) – Motown drummer Uriel Jones, whose hard-driving funk propelled classic tunes by the Temptations and Marvin Gaye, died in a Michigan hospital on Tuesday after suffering complications from a heart attack, a family member said. He was 74.
Jones, the last surviving drummer in the Motown session band known as the Funk Brothers, was stricken in mid-February but had been showing signs of improvement, said his sister-in-law Leslie Coleman. He relapsed last Tuesday, and died at Oakwood Hospital & Medical Center in Dearborn, she told Reuters.
He was a key component of the “psychedelic soul” foray by the Temptations, including “Cloud Nine” and “I Can’t Get Next to You,” and brought a party feel to their earlier hit “Ain’t Too Proud To Beg.”
But Jones also applied a sensitive touch to such ballads as “The Tracks of My Tears,” by The Miracles, and “What Becomes of the Brokenhearted,” by Jimmy Ruffin.
Jones came to Motown in 1964 after touring with Gaye, and recorded for Motown’s enfant terrible on “Ain’t That Peculiar,” “I Heard it Through the Grapevine” and “Ain’t No Mountain High Enough.”
“Uriel’s drum sound was the most open and laid-back, and he was the funkiest of the three guys we had,” said Motown arranger Paul Riser. “He had a mixed feel and did a lot of different things well.”
Motown’s primary drummer was Benny Benjamin, but Jones and Richard “Pistol” Allen increasingly shared the duties as Benjamin was sidelined by drug addiction. Benjamin died in 1969. Allen succumbed to cancer in 2002 shortly after completing production on the Funk Br
others documentary “Standing in the Shadows of Motown.”
The film, released to great acclaim in 2003, gave a new lease of life to Motown’s forgotten session musicians. The band toured the world and won two Grammy awards. While Motown recordings utilized many musicians, the film focused on 13 players, of whom five were already dead. Just four Funk Brothers are alive now.
Jones is survived by his wife, June, and three children. Funeral services are pending.
Paul Harvey 1918 – 2009
Posted by Steve Allen | Filed under Personal Blog
One of my heros past away on Saturday. Paul Harvey was unlike any other radio broadcaster. His point of view was thought out, wise, and consistent. Even people that disagreed with him respected him.
It was July 3, 2006 I was driving in my car when Paul Harvey came on the radio. He said had a different take on the idea of “independance.” I went back to the office and found it on the net and I kept it. I’d like to share here today.
Click the “play” icon below.
Here’s the story from USA Today…
Paul Harvey’s Singular Voice Falls Silent
Paul Harvey was radio’s original Prairie Home Companion.
The legendary commentator, 90, who died Saturday in Phoenix (no cause of death was released), was known for his homespun take on the day’s events, which reached 18 million listeners a day on the ABC Radio Networks. Harvey’s 15-minute monologues, delivered with frank but rhythmic drama, were punctuated by a signature signoff: “This is Paul Harvey. … Good day.”
Harvey’s radio career spanned more than 70 years, predating TV and continuing into the Internet age. And for the past 57 years, the appeal of Paul Harvey News & Comment truly transcended generations. Recalls Catherine Miller, a mother of two from Carlsbad, Calif.: “I have loved Paul since I was a kid. I remember listening to him on summer days, driving in the car with the adults, thinking that he had it right.”
Indeed, Harvey was known as the “voice of Middle America” for his apple-pie conservatism, although he was hardly part of the extreme breed who dominate talk radio today. When he first went national in the early 1950s, he was a staunch defender of communist hunter Sen. Joe McCarthy, and in the 1960s he frequently railed against the counterculture and what he perceived as permissiveness on college campuses and in the news media.
But in what many consider his most famous broadcast, Harvey in 1970 blasted his friend Richard Nixon’s expansion of the Vietnam War and instead urged the president to get out.
“Mr. President, I love you,” Harvey said, “but you’re wrong.”
In a statement, former president George W. Bush said: “Paul was a friendly and familiar voice in the lives of millions of Americans. His commentary entertained, enlightened and informed. Laura and I are pleased to have known this fine man.”
Harvey was born in Oklahoma in 1918 and made his on-air debut in Tulsa at age 14, at the urging of a teacher. He read the news and commercials. He gradually worked his way into bigger markets and ultimately hit Chicago in the late 1940s.
In 1990, Harvey was inducted into the Radio Hall of Fame. Ten years later, when Harvey was 81, ABC signed him to a 10-year, $100 million contract. Harvey’s two daily news and commentary segments, and the evening “Rest of the Story” human-interest clip, were carried on more than 1,100 ABC radio stations and an additional 400 belonging to the Armed Forces Radio Network.
Said ABC Radio chief Jim Robinson: “As he delivered the news each day with his own unique style and commentary, his voice became a trusted friend in American households.”
25 Random Things About Me…
Posted by Steve Allen | Filed under Personal Blog
If you’re on Facebook, you know all too well about the “25 Random Things About Me” post that is going around. If you are not familiar with it, here is what it is about. If you were “tagged” to do this, you were supposed to write 25 random things about you. Then list 25 people and send it to them in addition to re-tagging the original person who sent it to you. I thought I would post it here too.
25 Random Things About Steve Allen…
1. I’ve seen several of my friends from WV get tagged in the “25 Random Things About Me” and just last night I was wondering how long it would be before I got tagged. I got tagged twice today.
2. I once had a pet cow named Robbie. He has provided several funny stories that I tell as often as I can. Oh, I had a pet chicken too. Her name was Christina.
3. I’m a huge Motown fan. I’ve collected every Motwon single every released. I’ve also tried to make contact with everyone that I can who worked there. Often times I use some of the Motown musicians on my studio recordings and those guys are still awesome. I’m just glad they answer the phone when I call.
4. I’ve got to work with or meet most of my heroes including Brian Wilson, George Jones, Vestal Goodman, Tommy Emmanuel and Dottie Rambo.
5. If the doctor told me I only have six months to live and I could do just one more recording session, I would want to record James Taylor.
6. I grew up in the smallest incorporated town in West Virginia. Current population 92 people in 2.2 square miles.
7. I am very proud of where I came from. I actually named my company after my hometown: Worthington Music Group.
8. My mother wouldn’t allow me to run for mayor when I was 11. I can remember not making any sense of why she didn’t think I could do a good job if I would be elected.
9. My mom really discouraged me from pursing music as a career. She thought the only thing available for me was playing local dive bars for $50 per night. When I was in high school she wanted me to take vocational classes to become an electrician. I followed my heart and it paid off. Today my mom is one of my biggest supporters.
10. I lost my dad to leukemia in October. I miss him dearly. He used to call me in the middle of the day and sing these hilarious songs that he just made up off of the top of his head.
11. I was always very close to dad. When he got sick I went to be with him in WV as much as possible. Some of the best times we’ve ever shared were in room 403 at Fairmont General Hospital.
12. I have a dog named Chloe, but dad wouldn’t let me bring her to TN when I moved here 10 years ago. He wanted her. He just called her “dog.” Four days before he died he wanted to see her. So I took her to his hospital room. You should have seen the look on both of their faces when they saw each other. Simply priceless.
13. I’ve been dating Kimberly Allen for the past three years. No, we’re not related. We checked. The ironic thing is that her brother is also named Steve Allen.
14. I’ve never loved anyone so dearly as I do Kimberly. I never take it for granted that she is willing to put up with me. (In case you don’t know, I’m am an incredibly quirky person.)
15. I have had a couple horrible date experiences. I’ll briefly describe two of them. The first was when I had a date scheduled with “Girl A” to attend an award show but she cancelled at the last minute. I ask “Girl B” to go with me. At intermission “Girl B” and I run into “Girl A.” They knew each other!! It turned out they were former roommates. They chatted while I devised an escape plan. The second, and worst, date experience I’ve ever had was when I asked a girl to attend one of my client’s concert with me. She agreed, but when I went to pick her up… SHE BROUGHT HER BOYFRIEND! She never once mentioned she wasn’t single. I don’t know why she didn’t politely decline the date. She did however bring yet another girl with her so It wouldn’t be overly awkward. Let me say that this girl had some rocks in her coin purse if you know what I mean.
16. I am so thankful for my Aunt Louise, Aunt Betty and Uncle Walter who nurtured my interest in music all of my life. I don’t know what would have happened if they did not do what they’ve done.
17. I once wrote a song for a girl that I had a crush on back in high school. I played it for her and then she spilled a Sprite down my back. I’m did not take that as a compliment. However, the song as since been recorded. I laugh all of the way to the bank with my royalty check every quarter.
18. I was a four year member of the North Marion Noteables (show choir) back in high school. Those four years taught me the fundamentals that I use every day in my business. I can’t believe other teachers criticized it for being a two-period class.
19. I have taken private music instruction all of my life. Randall Hall was my teacher from middle school till my freshman year of college. He taught me how commercial music worked. By the way, he played with all of the Motown groups too. He lives back in Shinnston, WV. Kimberly, my mom, and I ran into him a couple months ago.
20. I used to be made-fun of a lot growing up. Especially during elementary school. It is amazing how those things stick with you for the rest of your life. I’ve learned to use it as motivation. I think I will homeschool my kids though.
21. I am love old recording microphones. I have mics from the 1930s to the 1970s. The old ones just sound better.
22. I just bought a Hammond organ. If you don’t know what that is, its the King James version of the organ. Just turn on the radio and you’ll hear it. They are on everything. I bought it from a church I attended from 1998 to 2001. They called and asked me if I wanted it. I told them yes. Then they asked if I could pick it up before Wednesday because they wanted to set up the Christmas tree and the organ was in the way.
23. I love vinyl records. My favorite artists are Billy Joel, Frank Sinatra, Mills Brothers, Four Freshman, old soul recordings.
24. I also have a 1923 Edison Diamond Disc record player in my office. It sounds amazing. I really think I was born forty years too late.
25. I always try to let people know how much they mean to me. Here is a reminder to a few people that I have thought of while writing this note (in random order): Kevin Haugh, Kimberly Allen, Aunt Betty, Cheryl Stanley, Crystal Johnson, Rod Batson, Brad Baton, my mom, all of the Unthanks, Aaron Minick, Michael Sykes, Scott Fowler, the late Roger Bennett, Les Butler, the people that I went to high school with back in WV, Kelly Back, Bruce Watkins, Mark Drury, David Smith, Gwen Embrey, Gary Harmon, Dean Newkirk, Phebe Braik. Trust me there are more…
Tags: items, random, steve allen
Life In Franklin, Tennessee…
Posted by Steve Allen | Filed under Personal Blog
I made this video a couple of years ago. I took the photos during the last week of October on a beautiful autumn day.
Tags: franklin, historic downtown, leipers fork, pucketts grocery, tennessee
This Is How I Grew Up In WV…
Posted by Steve Allen | Filed under Personal Blog
I shot this video at 6 a.m. the day before Thanksgiving in 2002. My family moved off of the family farm the day after Thanksgiving. I drove all night from TN to WV and when I arrived I though the fresh fallen snow was too beautiful not to video. This is the family farm as I remember it. Mom and dad moved just a 1/4 mile from the farm, but it has drastically changed over the past several years. I loved growing up here and I would like to share it with you.
Tags: back home again, barn, dad, dog, farm, farm house, marion county, mom, tractor, west virginia, worthington, wv
RCA Record Manufacturing - 1942
Posted by Steve Allen | Filed under Personal Blog
I really enjoy listening to old records. I have a 1923 Edison Diamond Disc player and plenty of 78’s and hundreds of 33’s. I found these two videos on YouTube about the vinyl record manufacturing process in 1942. Although the process is not much different today, I think this vintage video captures the distilled essence of the time period.
Tags: 33, 78, diamond, disc, edison, pressing, rca, records, vinyl
Dottie Rambo - WSMV News Story
Posted by Steve Allen | Filed under Personal Blog
May 11, 2008 was a very sad day. I got the news about the accident just before 8 a.m. that morning. Joel Key called me and asked me if I had heard the news and I was not prepared for what I was soon to hear. He told me that Dottie’s bus was involved in an accident and Dottie was killed. I was paralyzed. I was with her the previous Saturday night. Before I left she motioned me to her. She told me that she was so glad that our paths crossed and that she loved me. She motioned me to come closer and she whispered a few words in my ear before she headed to her bus and me to my car. Those were the last words I ever shared with her. I will always treasure that.
WSMV in Nashville did a great feature on the evening news the day of the accident. Thanks so much to Chris Tatum for his effort on this news piece.
Tags: chris tatum, dottie rambo, gaither, larry ferguson, wsmv
My Favorite Poem
Posted by Steve Allen | Filed under Personal Blog
I am not sure why this poem came to the forefront of my mind tonight. It is past midnight and I am still at the office. I am tired and ready to end my day. However, I felt that I should post this.
I was first introduced to this poem my freshman year of high school by a teacher named Kevin Haugh. This poem has stuck with me through the years. Recently, I found out this this is also Berry Gordy’s favorite. Anyone that spends any time with knows that I am a big fan of Motown. So, I thought I would share this.
IF
If you can keep your head when all about you
Are losing theirs and blaming it on you,
If you can trust yourself when all men doubt you
But make allowance for their doubting too,
If you can wait and not be tired by waiting,
Or being lied about, don’t deal in lies,
Or being hated, don’t give way to hating,
And yet don’t look too good, nor talk too wise:
If you can dream–and not make dreams your master,
If you can think–and not make thoughts your aim;
If you can meet with Triumph and Disaster
And treat those two impostors just the same;
If you can bear to hear the truth you’ve spoken
Twisted by knaves to make a trap for fools,
Or watch the things you gave your life to, broken,
And stoop and build ‘em up with worn-out tools:
If you can make one heap of all your winnings
And risk it all on one turn of pitch-and-toss,
And lose, and start again at your beginnings
And never breath a word about your loss;
If you can force your heart and nerve and sinew
To serve your turn long after they are gone,
And so hold on when there is nothing in you
Except the Will which says to them: “Hold on!”
If you can talk with crowds and keep your virtue,
Or walk with kings–nor lose the common touch,
If neither foes nor loving friends can hurt you;
If all men count with you, but none too much,
If you can fill the unforgiving minute
With sixty seconds’ worth of distance run,
Yours is the Earth and everything that’s in it,
And–which is more–you’ll be a Man, my son!
–Rudyard Kipling
thank's for the interesting information...