Making It Happen TV

Friday, April 1, 2016

For the Christmas of 1946, before there was ever such a thing as go-carts, Bob’s dad made him a midget racer, which was powered by a Maytag washing machine motor. After seeing what he had done, their next door neighbor approached him about combining their skills and building rides which they could run on the weekends, to make extra money. To start off, they built a miniature train, which was put on a track that circled their house at 2232 E. 8th Street in Tulsa, Oklahoma. They didn’t charge for the rides, so it was kind of like a testing ground for them. Later, his parents progressed to building small rides, which were placed on a playground, under the big screen at the local drive-in theaters. After two or three years his dad and the neighbor dissolved and the neighbor went on to become a land developer, but Bob’s dad continued to make rides.
Bell’s Amusement Park became an Icon to the City of Tulsa. I doubt if there is anyone in Tulsa who hasn’t experienced at least one time a stroll through the park. At first glance, I don’t think I expected Bob Bell to have the kind of heart, I saw in him the day of our interview. When I first saw him at the gate, he was busily attending to the functioning of a ride. He appeared to be a man in a hat, with a pair of blue jeans on that was totally consumed in work. However, as we went inside to talk, I saw a tenderness from this man, which brought tears to my eyes. I asked him, if there was anything he would change in his life, if he could? His words were “If you change anything, it changes everything. I can’t even imagine not having the wife I have, or the children I have, or my role in life. So No, I wouldn’t change a thing.” “Wow, I thought.”

Wednesday, March 30, 2016

Paul Harvey - Radio Personality

Who doesn't know the name Paul Harvey? In preparation for our interview in 2003 I was feeling very inadequate about talking to a man of his stature. Understandably I was quite awestricken that God had given me the opportunity to interview him. I was expecting to be faced with an intellectual businessman that would speak to me in a matter-of-fact manner, but Paul Harvey was one of the warmest persons I had ever spoken to. His love for his wife, Angel and his admiration for Paul Jr. only added to his warm demeanor. I've always had a hunger for wisdom that came from experiences of another person's life, to match it with the caliber of moral character that exuded from Paul Harvey, made the experience ten times more enjoyable. The words, "Hello Americans," immediately causes you to focus on a recognizable voice that you instantly trust. Twenty-four million people will 'stand by' for Paul Harvey. That's the number of loyal listeners who tune in every week to hear his skillful blend of news and views. I'm a firm believer that "greatness" comes from God and I was so pleased to realize that Paul Harvey also recognized from where his blessings flowed. Thank you Paul Harvey for staying on your knees in that West Virginia hotel until you became that "good leader."

As the story goes as told to me by Mr. Harvey, it was a cold winter night in late December just before Christmas when a knock was heard at the front door of his home in Tulsa, Oklahoma. His Mama didn't know who was at the door, so she hid him and his sister Frances in a closet. The next few minutes were to leave an indelible mark on all three of them. His father Harry Harrison Aurandt was a dedicated Tulsa Police Officer, but that cold winter night was to be the last time he would perform the duties that he loved so well. Standing before his Mama as she opened the door were the fellow officers who came to report the death of his father while he was on his nightly police watch.

His mother Anna Dagmar Christiansen Aurandt, whom his daddy called Dagie, came from a very strong Danish background which he believed was attributed to her ability to stand firm and focus on her immediate priorities.

As Christmas approached Paul's Mama choked back the tears and was determined not to let the tragedy spoil the season for her children. His sister Frances was ten years old and he was a small boy of three, but they strung tinsel and popcorn and draped it around the doorways and hung it on their Christmas tree. From that day forward Christmas remained the most important time of the year, because his Mama turned the tragedy into a pleasant memory. I'm sure that early experience had much to do with his continuing empathy for police officers. He had never known an officer that was paid enough for what they do.

Growing up Paul attended Longfellow Elementary School and Horace Mann Junior High, before going on to Central High School while it was still located in the middle of downtown Tulsa. He was inspired most of his life by three devoted teachers - an Elementary teacher named Mrs. Harp whom he fell in love with at the age of seven; a Physics teacher named Emmy Hurst who stretched his imagination in Junior High; and a High School teacher named Isabel Ronan who spent a great deal of time influencing the direction of his life. She encouraged him to appear in several school plays and involved him in oratorical contests. Eventually she took him to the University of Tulsa so he could enroll in classes under the professional leadership of someone who was further helpful in teaching him to stand tall and breathe through his diaphragm.

One day when he was fourteen years old Mrs. Ronan took him to KVOO radio when it was located at the top of the Philtower Building. She boldly marched him in to see the program director, and said, "This young man has the talent and ability to be on your radio station." That was the beginning of his life-long career in radio and there was a lot of WKRP's in his background.

One of his most beloved memories is the time he got off the elevator at KXOK Radio in St. Louis and found himself staring into the eyes of a very beautiful and dainty blonde-haired young lady by the name of Lynne Cooper. His first words to her were, "Is that your pretty white car that is parked out front?" "Yes," she said. "Well, you are taking me to the airport tonight," He confidently remarked. Thankfully she accepted, and they had a lovely dinner together and he proposed to her that very night; of course she didn't say yes until three years later. Angel is the name he fondly called her. She was the most feminine human he had ever met.

The second most important event of his life was the birth of their son, Paul Harvey Jr. He paid his parents the highest compliment after he was grown by buying a house right next door to his parents. Eventually Paul Jr. began announcing his dad's morning program and sometimes substituted for him when he was away and no one could tell the difference in their voices.

When Mr. Harvey was a boy he attended a Church of God which happened to be right around the corner from his house. Even though he had accepted the scriptural promise of "believe and be saved," at the same time, church only meant Sunday School picnics and being with his friends. Later in life he was made to understand that if you don't live it, you don't believe it. Billy Graham and Paul sort of grew up together. Billy was still in Wheaton College when they first became friends; he had a pastorate out near their home. There was a time when the two of them took a week off of their busy schedules to play golf in West Virginia and while they were in the hotel Paul said to Billy, "I don't want to be a leader." However, Billy was very tenacious and he said, "Paul it doesn't make any difference what you want, you are a leader and we are going to be a good one or a bad one." I think it would be dreadful if anyone in our position of "helping others," was himself leaderless. If we are unguided missiles we are inevitably destined to self-destruct and destroy anyone who follows us; I cherish the thought that I have God's constant guidance. We all fall from time to time but those who deserve even a modicum of what the world calls success, gets up again and again and dusts themselves off.

Paul Harvey said if he had but one message to pass along to his countrymen it would be that self-government will not work without self-discipline. The daily news is filled with people making mistakes because they lack the self-discipline that it takes to make the right decisions. He said he believes it takes the Holy Spirit to guide us, so whatever we need to do to find the strength for self-discipline, each of us needs to do it.

Saturday, May 2, 2015

David Gates - Oklahoma's Own

David Gates has always been one of Oklahoma's favorite sons. He's such a gentle soul. I knew I had to include him in my Tulsa book titled "Movers and Shakers" which I produced for the 100 Year Celebration of Tulsa. At the time of our interview he was performing in Hong Kong, but his agent made arrangements for us to talk and I'm so glad that we did.

David was born in Tulsa in 1940, the son of a band director and piano teacher. Of course music was in his blood from as early as he could remember. It thrills me when I hear stories about people who knew early in life what their purpose on this earth was supposed to be. Because of his father's influence David could read music by the time he was five years old. By the time he was in high school he was proficient in piano, guitar and the bass.

David married his high school sweetheart Jo Rita and shortly after two children were added to their family. It was inevitable that David would advance in his music career. He had formed a local band and had already been the backup group for Chuck Berry who had made a stop in Tulsa. Rock and Roll had just come on the scene and David knew he had to pursue his dream, which at the time meant he would have to pack his bags and move to Los Angeles. So in 1961, with his wife, two small children and $200 in cash he made his way to California. He promised his Dad if he didn't make progress in the business in two years that he would come back home and finish college at the University of Oklahoma. It was almost two years exactly when he realized he was in the music business for life. He wrote a song titled "Everything I Own" to honor his father who had recently passed.

A fellow classmate Leon Russell was there as well as an Arkansas boy we all came to know as Glen Campbell.

David had a great advantage because he knew Rock and Roll, Country and Rhythm and Blues. He could read music, create arrangements, produce and play instruments. By the end of the decade, as an arranger, his clients included Bobby Darin, Elvis Presley, Ann-Margaret, Duane Eddy, The Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, Merle Haggard, Hoyt Axton, Bobby Vee and Buck Owens.

By the late '60's rock groups were the rage and David knew that the best way to get his own songs recorded was to sing them himself. So in 1968 he formed a group affectionately called "BREAD" - with Jimmy Griffin and Rob Royer.

During the '70's hit songs were coming one right after the other. Songs like "Make It With You", "It Don't Matter", "Guitar Man" and "Sweet Surrender". The group was so popular they had to start putting a limit to how many performances they would make. "Make It With You" and "Baby I'm-a Want You" became Gold Records.

Later David began making solo hits - he produced eight successful singles - five of them became top-10 hits. Music will always be in David's life. Over the years he's occasionally made his way back to Oklahoma and his hometown fans are still eager to gather around when he's in town.

I was so impressed with David Gates and certainly hope that some day we will meet again. Let me leave you with a couple of songs for old times sake - "Guitar Man" and "Sweet Surrender".

www.makingithappentv.com

Friday, May 1, 2015

Tommy Brandt - An Unstoppable and Gifted Singer.

I remember when I first met Tommy Brandt in 2009 on the set of Making It Happen TV. It wasn't just his amazing ability to capture the hearts of his audience that intrigued me - it was his genuine love for the people he knew he was destined to touch in his performances.

His wife Michelle informed me that Tommy wasn't just a singer that preached, but he was a preacher that sang. It didn't take long to see that everything about Tommy was all tied up in his desire to walk out the destiny that God had placed on his life. We all have gifts and talents that have been placed within us, but it's up to us to hone those talents so they can be brought forth to the world.

Tommy and his family spend countless hours on the road traveling from one city to the next in a tour bus that they often call their home.

If you receive word that Tommy is coming to your town I would encourage you to take time to go to one of his performances. I guarantee you'll feel just like you do when you come out of a "feel good" movie. Tommy and his family will leave a mark on your life that cannot be erased.

I recently went to Tommy's website www.tommybrandt.org and heard him sing "If I Had My Way" and I just had to share it with others. Please listen and enjoy.