Entertainment News, Music, Television, Concert Tours, Opinions, Humor, Life Tributes & Legacies, Flotsam & Jetsam
.JPG)
It was actually three years before I ever discovered, by accident, that in the Congressional Record of the 112th Congress, that Texas Senators Kay Bailey Hutchison and John Cornyn had publicly recognized our team, and had read into the record the story I'd written for examiner.com. As a four-degreed Aggie and native Texan, nothing could have made me happier than to see this.
There are two web links to this, presented here and here.
Congressional Record 112th Congress (2011-2012)
CONGRATULATIONS TEXAS A&M LADY AGGIES -- (Senate - April 06, 2011)
[Page: S2184] GPO's PDF
---
Mrs. HUTCHISON. Mr. President, something happened last night, and I feel compelled to say on the floor of the Senate that I am very proud of the Texas Aggies women who won the NCAA national basketball championship.
It is so important, I want to say a couple of words about that, because this is the first national championship that the Lady Aggies have ever won. It was a great game last night. I certainly congratulate the Notre Dame Fighting Irish as well. But the Texas Aggies played with spirit. They came from behind at the half, and 76 to 70, they defeated Notre Dame.
I congratulate the Texas Aggie ladies, but I also want to say that Texas A&M's coach, Gary Blair, became the oldest coach to ever win a national women's championship. He has turned the Lady Aggies basketball team into this national championship team.
I mention Danielle Adams. Her All American performance last night was incredible. It is a great day. I am a Texas Longhorn, and most days I am for all of our Texas teams, and I love to say ``Gig `Em Aggies.'' There is one day that I cannot say that. That is Thanksgiving Day. But 364 days a year, I am all for the Aggies when they are playing. And when they played like they did last night in any sport, all America should recognize it.
With that, I wish to say that my colleague Senator Cornyn and I are going to ask unanimous consent to offer a resolution congratulating the Lady Aggies of Texas A&M on winning the 2011 National Collegiate Athletic Association women's basketball championship.
[Page: S2185] GPO's PDF Thanks to the Aggies's hard work, determination and tireless work ethic, they have finished out the 2010-2011 season with a strong 33-5 record, second place finish in the Big 12 Conference and a National Championship title.
I salute head coach Gary Blair for coaching the Aggies to their first NCAA Women's Division I Basketball Championship after 38 years of helping young women compete and reach their full potential. Associate head coaches Vic Schaefer and Kelly Bond, and assistant coach Johnnie Harris also worked to lead the team to this fine achievement. And the Lady Aggies's success would be incomplete without great athletes such as MVP and All-American, Danielle Adams and her teammates: Kelsey Assarian, Maryann Baker, Kristi Bellock, Kelsey Bone, Sydney Carter, Skylar Collins, Sydney Colson, Adaora Elonu, Karla Gilbert, Kristen Grant, Adrienne Pratcher, Catherine Snow, Tyra White, and Cierra Windham.
Today, it is my honor to join with the entire Texas A&M University family and the State of Texas to honor the Aggies. This team has learned what it takes to become national leaders. The experience that each of these athletes has gained in this endeavor is invaluable, and it will surely lead to future success in life.
The following article written by Dawn Lee Wakefield for the Examiner.com describes Coach Blair's and the Aggies's persistent and positive approach to the game and this exciting championship series:
[From the Texas A&M University Arts Examiner, Apr. 6, 2011]
Texas A&M Women's Basketball, NCAA Champions Win It for the Aggie Family
(By Dawn Lee Wakefield) BRYAN-COLLEGE STATION.--Texas A&M University sports fans around the world celebrated another important first tonight, their very first NCAA Women's Basketball Championship. For almost as long as TAMU Women have been competing in NCAA athletic competition, the road has been long, and the ability to gain respect for the team has been tough. A real battleground in fact. Even as recently as four months ago, you couldn't get a crowd into Reed Arena to see the Lady Aggies play basketball. But that all changed tonight, in 40 short minutes of play, in the heart of Indianapolis, Indiana, seen around the world on ESPN.
On-campus support for TAMU Athletic teams, by the Aggie student body is legendary, for that trademarked 12th Man Spirit. Even more in the forefront of all sports is the 12th Man Foundation (formerly the Aggie Club), whose mission it is to garner funds and endowments by which to support Texas A&M Athletics. And yet, it was not all that long ago that a few hundred stalwart fans would arrive at Reed Arena (there was no charge to park as in men's games, because they really didn't expect much of a crowd), that Coach Blair himself would walk up and down the steps of Reed Arena, carrying bags of candy, tossing them to fans and thanking them for coming.
Never one to be subtle, Coach Blair would work the crowd by saying, ``bring a friend next time, bring two friends; let's fill this place!'' After each game, the Lady Aggies didn't head to the locker rooms to rest after a hard-fought game right away. Instead, they would come up into the stands and thank people for coming. Week after week, game by game, it simply mystified the Aggie faithful in attendance as to ``what are they thinking'' about why the TAMU Athletic Ticket office wasn't being pushed for ticket sales. Every game the Lady Aggies gained style, grace, accuracy, and stature and yet, the only crowds of Aggies lined up to camp out for ticket-pulls for student tickets were for the men's games.
They didn't know what they were missing, the ones who weren't there. They were missing the faithful Aggie Yell Leaders leading the crowd, the Hullaballoo band doing a rendition of ``Sweet Caroline'' that would make Neil Diamond proud, and the crowd responding, ``Aggies Ball!'' every time PA announcer Mark Edwards would identify ball possession for the team. Mike Wright and Tap Bentz, with their radio play-by-play, kept those in touch who couldn't get there in person, and local TV KBTX did their best to show highlights. And yet, the second deck of Reed was filled only once, when Baylor came calling. With a solid loss at the hands of the Greiner-Mulkey-driven offense, those who'd come to see the game left, and some didn't come back. That didn't faze the Lady Aggies or the coaching staff.
As part of Coach Blair's and Coach Schaefer's mandate, the Lady Aggies participate in a multitude of community charity events. One night last October, the starting players and waiting-in-line players crowded into a Double Dave's to participate in a pepperoni-roll making contest against the men's team, and then stayed to visit with the crowd, thank them for coming out to support them, by contributing to United Way, and once again, they went home to study. They're some of the hardest-working kids in town, and yet the words ``national champions'' were never spoken, or expected by those who loved them `anyway'.
It is surreal to some to think that, the newly crowned national champions, Texas Aggie Women's Basketball, has for years remained the best kept secret on campus. Until tonight.
Throughout the NCAA championship series, the Lady Aggie basketball team overcame naysayers, doubters, and brutal physical competition in the most exciting display of Aggie spirit shown in years. They did it by creating a sense of family, with whomever embraced their love of basketball, the coaching staff, and Texas A&M University. Never was the spirit of Aggieland greater than after each game, seeing President Loftin (easily recognizable in his signature bow tie) in the middle of a long line of Aggies, ``sawing varsity's horns off'' as they sang the Texas Aggie fight song after each victory. Local business sponsors paid countless thousands of dollars to create ``jewelry cam'', ``kiss cam'', ``know your Aggie players--what's on their iPod'', ``the berney cam'' and flying blimps to make each game an event, an exciting event, and share the love of family Aggie basketball style.
The prelude to the national championship was nothing short of high-octane spectacular. Almost 500 Aggie fans waited in the basement of Reed Arena in the Aggie practice room 3 weeks ago, to find out what the NCAA draw would be, and where they were to begin their journey to the Sweet Sixteen. When the announcement came on ESPN, ``Shreveport'', the cheers were deafening as Aggie fans knew they were within driving distance to watch the first, and hopefully second, round of play as the bracket opened, and the race was on, the only goal at the time, to make the Sweet 16, out of the Superb 64.
Just being in the NCAA championship was enough, almost, for most Aggie fans. It was an unprecedented thrill to think that this year's team had the perfect combination of talent, strategy, coaching staff, and the hearts and minds of players who refused to let go of one goal, and one goal only: Victory. Getting that W. The girls studied in buses, on planes, at 2 a.m. when the rest of Aggieland was fast asleep. The Lady Aggies knew how important it was to stay true to the title ``student-athletes''.
On March 20th in Shreveport, the CenturyTel Center still had plenty of room in the stands for Aggie fans, but the faithful alumni, friends, and fans of the Lady Aggies made the pilgrimage with joy and great expectation to watch them defeat McNeese State by the score of 87 to 47. The crowd reaction was joyful, and yet people were just thrilled to be there, not thinking much about the next game to come against Rutgers. When the Lady Aggies made short work of Rutgers with a score of 70 to 48, the Aggie family was again surprised, if not thrilled, to be going to the Sweet 16, at last.
Advancing to the NCAA 3rd round on March 27th, again, Aggie fans picked up numbers, if not their speed, as they gassed up their cars and planes for the short hop to Dallas, to the American Airlines center to watch their team face Georgia's Lady Bulldogs. Georgia was at first an `unknown quantity with potential and power,' but the Lady Aggies came to play, making short work of their solid opponent, 79 to 38, in a game that looked much like a 3-point shooting clinic. The work of the Big D, defense, proved to be a powerful force meeting an immovable object.
Not only was Tuesday, March 29th the occasion of the 4th round of the NCAA finals, that Elite 8 night, it marked the 4th matchup between Texas A&M and the highly advertised Baylor Bears. Three times, the Aggies had met them; three times they had fallen, as hard as Kim Mulkey's snakeskin jacket hit the ground in disgust one night when she didn't like the referee calls.
Although 11,000+ fans crowded into Dallas' American Airlines Center to watch ``The 4th time's (hopefully) a Charm'' matchup, the gold and green far outweighed the maroon and white in the seats. And yet, the Aggies gathered, the faithful, were loud, proud, and the happiest people in the state of Texas with a victory that was hard fought, in a night where the Lady Aggies refused, again, to give in to negative expectations. Instead, they focused mentally on the ``+'' sign that Coach Blair draws on the back of his left hand, self-created to remind him to stay positive throughout the game.
``They're kids, 18-22, and this is just a game'' as he announced as a reminder to all that sports were about sportsmen and sportswomen, in the spirit of competition. Lessons well taught. Lessons well learned. Every after-game interview, you'd hear one word above the rest. ``TEAM''. No stars, even among the player of the game. It was ``my team, our team, this team''. The class possessed by the Lady Aggies spoke for itself, loud and clear.
The chant went up, ``Final Four, Final Four'' after the Lady Aggies stunned Baylor, 58 to 46. The Aggie faithful didn't want to leave the American Airlines center as they stood and swayed to the Aggie war hymn, and watched each member of the team, the yell leaders, Lady Aggie Dance Team, Hullaballoo band, staff, and the sports announcers each cut down a piece of the winning game net. Coach Blair thanked everyone for coming and encouraged people who could to make that trip to Indianapolis to root on their team in the Final Four.
Outside the arena in the hallways of the American Airlines center, Aggie faithful
[Page: S2186] GPO's PDF made new friends among those who'd lingered to absorb the joy of the Elite Eight to Final Four pathway. With tears in their eyes and joy shining from their countenance, three women introduced themselves to the BCS fans, saying ``that's our Coach, that's our Coach'' about Blair. Turns out they'd been his players at South Oak Cliff High School. And, true to form, Coach Blair had mentioned each and every team he'd been a part of in his thank-you speech following the game. A man who's never forgotten who brung him to the dance, was now ``going to the dance'' in Indianapolis. Though the distance was longer, those who could afford the charter planes, the buses, or the time and gas to drive made their plans to attend the Final Four in Indianapolis. The Final Four was in store, and all eyes were only on the prize of eliminating the Stanford Cardinal. No other goal was announced. Stanford was considered in the same light as the Aggies. A number 2 seed. Overlooked. Relegated to the category of ``nice, but not a contender''.
How wrong the rankings can be in predicting who is the champion of the day. The oft-used expression, ``any given day'' was never more true than when the Lady Aggies went back to work, and walked out of Conseco Field House with a 63 to 62 win, thanks to Sydney Colson's pass to Tyra White for the layup, and 39 minutes and 45 seconds of defense, defense, defense, and the hot shooting arms of every player who made their play a key' play. Fans were stunned. It seemed too good to be true.
The Championship game was in sight, and the Championship title was at stake. Could it be, that same team, who 16 short weeks ago couldn't find a crowd had emerged as a national powerhouse, a force to be reckoned with, was now the darling of ESPN up-close interviews, sound bytes by Blair, and the contemplation of Vic Schaefer's `drawing board' where he'd drive that defense to excellence each and every game of the way. Blair and Schaefer, together with Associate Head Coach Kelly Bond and Assistant Head Coach, Johnnie Harris, are not to be overlooked. Team. Family. United. Aggies. Spirit personified filled each player with a sense of family such that even the motto printed on the tickets at the beginning of the season read, ``This is Home''.
So, tonight, as Texas A&M set out to prove their worth outside the walls of their hometown, they were taking on a first-class team with a second-tier rating in Notre Dame. It was the Fighting Texas Aggies vs. the Fighting Irish. How appropriate. For 40 minutes of regulation play, all these players did was fight, not against each other as much as against misperceptions, being overlooked, disregarded, and essentially underappreciated as the true champions each team came to be realized before the game started.
With a ``never-say-die'' spirit, the can-do Aggies, led by America's favorite new coach, Gary Blair, and King of Defense, Vic Schaefer, let loose and held forth as the Aggies pulled out a 76-70 victory that still seems unreal, unless you saw it yourself. Never. Say. Die. The Lady Aggies, per Coach Blair's pre-game speech, stayed on the bus, to come out winners. Said Blair, ``if you don't plan on winning tonight, then get off the bus. There's only one thing that counts. Winning''. Taking his words to heed, each team member committed to that outcome, and emerged the first national champions in Texas A&M Women's basketball. History was made.
Throughout the NCAA series the team: MVP Danielle Adams, Tyra White, Sydney Carter, Sydney Colson, Adora Elonu, Maryann Baker, Adrienne Pratcher, Kelsey Assarian, Karla Gilbert, Kristi Bellock--battered, bruised, in visible pain, tossed and slammed onto the floors of field houses, arenas, and stadiums, play after play, time after time, just got back up and showed America what it meant to be a proud `Fightin' Texas Aggie'.
``Some may boast of prowess bold, of the school they think so grand, but there's a spirit that's ne'er been told. It's the Spirit of Aggieland. We are the Aggies, the Aggies are We, true to each other as Aggies can be. We've got to fight boys (old traditions die hard), we've got to fight, we've got to fight for maroon and white. After they've boosted all the rest, they will come and join the best, for we are the Aggies, the Aggies are we. We're from Texas AMC''. The words to the school song never sounded sweeter as they did to those who witnessed history in the making, in a fieldhouse in Indianapolis.
Wednesday, April 6th at 2 p.m., history will be made once again. The Lady Aggies will be at Reed Arena to be greeted by their Texas Aggie family, the Aggie Nation, and at last their time has come. Word to the wise: get there early if you're going. For the first time in the history of Women's basketball, there's going to be a parking problem to welcome home the champions.
The Lady Aggies have brought honor, dignity, and joy to those who call TAMU their team. Sunday night, TV audiences were treated to a one-shot of a little fellow holding up a cardboard sign saying, ``Coach Blair is my hero''. That went viral across Facebook and Twitter. Turns out, it was the coach's grandson, Logan. His sign tonight, shown to the nation, said, ``after we win Coach Blair is taking me to Disneyland''. That only seems fair, as Coach Blair took Aggies everywhere to the top of the college sports world tonight. And it was the ride of a lifetime, and sheer joy every minute of every game of every season. Gig em, Aggies, for tonight you are indeed the NCAA Champions.
###
Ultimately, the Texas A&M women's basketball leadership would come to emulate Coach Blair's assistant, Claudia Walker, in preparing a commemorative photo volume, adding writing to go along with the photo memories of the season-long journey. Katie Josh Fox, of Fox Marketing & Design was responsible for the beautiful book and I wrote the majority of the text that was included in the volume. Entitled "Our Champions: Our Time," the limited edition volume was a joy to create and share for fans of the team.
.JPG)
Photo source: Sen. Hutchison: online at www.gretafoxnewinsider.com
Photo source: Sen. Cornyn: starlocalmedia.com
Original story posted online at examiner.com (all examiner.com files removed 9 July 2016).
Three candidates and one insider work together as a team for one week, for one person to be chosen to be the new e-commerce Brand Manager at Abbyson Living. TNT, used with permission
Abbyson Living President Yavar Rafieha shared, in an exclusive interview for examiner.com, how it was he and his brothers came to need the process for which TNT’s “Inside Job” was a perfect match. “We were seeking a new Brand Manager for our company,” said Yavar, “and the experience offered by ‘Inside Job’ was the perfect opportunity to see multiple candidates using their skills in an exercise that was specifically relevant to our needs.”
If you’re expecting to click on to http://www.Abbyson.com and purchase furniture, that’s not how their business works. In fact, if you’re an individual customer, you can look but you cannot order. Where you will be able to get their beautiful furnishings is online, through one of their many resellers, which include Neiman-Marcus, Overstock.com, Costco and Wayfair.com. There’s something for every price point and every budget. How did it come to be that Abbyson Living, quietly set back in California’s San Fernando Valley, exploded onto the national scene?
How Abbyson Living developed its international presence and industry distinction is a story that begins, as many good news stories do, with a father’s love for his family— a dream, and a substantial amount of hard work. Abby Rafieha had three good reasons as inspiration: his sons, Yavar, Doddy, and Rodd. As the senior Rafieha studied for his Ph.D. in economics in Houston, Texas, his mind was on creating his own business and his international background and acquired academic knowledge proved the perfect combination to begin his career. But first Abby traveled, “across Europe and Asia. Attracted and inspired by the rich and colorful cultures he encountered, he fell in love with functional art and artistic design.”
Ultimately it was the culture and design he found in Tibet that inspired the senior Rafieha to create the Abbyson Corporation. Abby’s first personnel “find” was his firstborn son, Houston-born Yavar, but first Abby had to wait until he discovered his actual career path. “I always thought I was going to be a lawyer one day,” said Yavar. “I liked watching all the courtroom scenes on TV and thought that’s what I would do. But I changed my mind.”
“When I was 16, I began traveling with my father on business trips. We went all over Asia and Europe. I sat in meetings with him, watching how he negotiated business deals, and set up manufacturing,” said Yavar. “Integrity was extremely important to him, in his dealings with people, and he took great pride in design and quality, which I saw on those trips.”
It made young Yavar so proud to watch his father in action; it seemed only natural that he wanted to follow his father’s path. But, he says, “Our father never really groomed us into taking over and getting involved with our career decisions. He never forced that on us.” However, “when I saw his products being delivered and how he would get such tremendous responses from his customers, I knew that this was where I wanted to be.”
Time passed and the business grew, on the ground, simply by “identifying, developing, and acquiring high quality products and selling them at a reasonable price, featuring items you would want in your own home.” Yavar said, “The joy is still there, for all of us. Last week I was at an event where someone I’d not met before came up to me and said, “Oh, I just bought one of your couches! Can’t believe I’m able to tell you in person how great it is!” You sometimes forget how great feedback is,” Yavar said, “when we have 5,000 shipments (not pieces, but full shipments) per month.”
Before you watch the program online, on demand, let’s establish one fact to prevent any misconception. In case you were wondering, the Rafieha brothers didn’t just fall into the business. Yavar, Doddy and Rodd are three of the most intelligent, cultured, and well-traveled young executives, who work more hours each week than their employees. Not one silver spoon here, except in the correct place on any fine dining table, as they travel the world as part of high-profile events where their furniture designs are seen. One visit to their website will show you all of the places where their work is prized and valued.
Each of the brothers began their career paths strictly by choice, not by expectation, and each of them is equally distinguished and schooled in the areas for which they’re responsible at Abbyson Living. This is the company that the three brothers formed together in 2008, a natural outgrowth of the company their father, Abby, began. Today, Abby serves as Chairman, Founder and Special Advisor, and his input is both sought and welcome, but he’s equally confident that his sons are doing tremendously of their own accord.
Abbyson Living President, Yavar, earned his B.S. degree (with honors) from Cal State—Northridge with a double major in business administration and political science. He is also multicertified in martial arts, and if that’s not enough, he speaks basic Chinese and Spanish, and he’s been working in the business since he was 18.
As Senior Vice President/COO, Doddy earned his B.A. degree in Comprehensive Business Management Education. He oversees finance and manufacturing accounts and focuses on overseas operations and has worked there since he was 19.
For the role of Vice President of Sales & Marketing, Rodd prepared well. He graduated with a B.S. in Business Management from Cal State—Northridge and began working for the business at age 18. He works with all the teams and managers at Abbyson Living.
Yavar overseas operations, human relations and the branding side of the business, which is extensive. Says Yavar, “We are a tight family, and I love my brothers very much. The reason all of this works is that we each have established specific roles and responsibilities, and we come together when needed and can function independently as well.” “Our corporate culture is very important,” Yavar explains. “We want to make sure we have a happy environment and we reward our employees, regarding them as part of our extended family.”
Some of the amenities available at Abbyson Living might have some folks from Google coming by to visit. They have a chef who cooks for all employees once a month, providing food and fellowship. The employee of the year is gifted with a trip to Hawaii, and there are electric massage chairs for the employees. Nice touch.
In 2012 Abbyson Living was named as one of Inc 500’s “America’s Fastest Growing Companies.” For the “Inside Job” position opening, the person hired would be making a six-figure salary, and Yavar said, “We wanted to make certain we had the right person to join our team.” Now, who wouldn’t want to work at Abbyson Living? Yet, the criteria are demanding and the standards are high to find the right person.
The premise of “Inside Job” is that the show producers review resumes and credentials to select three prospects as finalists, and the company supplies one corporate insider to work (unrevealed) alongside the potential candidates for a week. Yavar said, “This was a new process for us, a big risk but a big experience. We were hiring differently for the first time. Hundreds of applicants submitted resumes and the producers spent one to two days just discussing with us the requirements we had for the new hire.” They then spent weeks interviewing candidates and came up with the final three. “Internally, we spent time and interviewed six different employees for the role of the insider,” said Yavar.
There were two assignments for the team of four. An executive from Overstock.com participated along with the Abbyson team to judge the first project, the creation of a living room design in 90 minutes, which would ordinarily take two days. The second test was to create a 30-second product video of beautiful outdoor living furnishings for their exquisite website, a real test of pressure. The three Rafieha brothers dropped in unexpectedly on the team in the middle of that process, and then saw the finished product.
No scene spoilers here, so no spoiler alert. Two women and two men are the candidates who spend a week together and have to work together on the tasks. This really “is” a “must-see” episode because you’ve never seen such attempts by one at throwing others “under the bus” and by another at presuming a “condescending superiority” toward the others. It’s also just fun to watch because you see the lengths to which people will go and the heights towards which they will soar when under pressure, particularly revealing their true characters.
At the end of the two assignments, the person who is hired is chosen...by the insider, whose identity shocks all of the other three. No more commentary on the episode, lest the good news be revealed too soon. The winner is bright, talented, and entirely creative, plus experienced for the job. Yavar said, “This show was a wonderful experience for us and it’s changed the way we now hire our executives. We have adopted the elements of this process to test people in our environment to know how they’ll interact and perform in our corporate culture.”
If you didn’t see the original broadcast, you have a second chance to see it, at your convenience. Watch this tremendous story at TNT Drama’s online web site. See a company in action who really lives every element out its mission statement. The Rafieha brothers were inspired by their father to create a company, Abbyson Living, where they could supply furnishings of exceptional quality and unique beauty to retailers at a full range of price points, from affluent estates all the way to your first home. They even have a beautiful showroom in Las Vegas!
From a company initiated by a wise father, Abby Rafieha, who took his oldest son, Yavar, with him as he traveled the world to create a furniture business, the premise was like how many other “Father & Sons” dreams begin. Abbyson Living represents Yavar, Doddy and Rodd making their father’s unspoken dreams and wishes for his sons come true, when there was never any pressure in the first place to follow him there.
Ever had a dream job? One that you’d close your eyes and wished would be yours? Perhaps it was a place you’d heard of, but had never been to; maybe it was one where you had always wanted to work, but didn’t even know how to get your foot in the door.Suddenly, the skies opened and the chance of a lifetime fell out and you had a shot at the job of a lifetime.
That’s the premise of TNT’s new original series, “Inside Job,” and one of those company where dreams come true is Abbyson Living. After watching this episode, undoubtedly many people will visit the company website and click on “Employment Opportunities.”
The company is not called Rafieha & Sons. Instead, it is a loving tribute to their father—most appropriately named by Abby’s sons—Abbyson Living. Watch the episode and see it for yourself.
Chances are good you’ve seen Nancy Kiersten (Kiki) Ebsen onstage if you’ve attended rock and jazz concerts around the country over the past fifteen years. A truly gifted musician in her own right, Ebsen granted examiner.com a special interview to share good news about her latest Kickstarter project, “to my dad, Buddy Ebsen, for Father’s Day. Love, Kiki.”
Thinking her name is familiar? It should be. Kiki is a singer-songwriter whose own compositions are a celebration of jazz, rock, and soul; her emotions flow effortlessly as she plays. When she sings, the power of her vocals conveying the lyrics is mesmerizing. She has a good sense of humor and rapport with the audience when headlining her own house concerts. Basically she was born to be on stage, somewhere, anywhere, everywhere.
You definitely have seen her, if you’ve attended a concert headlined by Christopher Cross, Al Jarreau, Boz Scaggs, Bill Champlin, Peter Cetera, Karla Bonoff, Michael McDonald, and Tracy Chapman, or even just listened to their albums. She’s there.
In addition to being on so many other artists’ music projects, Ebsen has released several of her own albums, including “Red,” “Kiki,” “Cool Songs, Vol. 1,” and “The Beauty Inside.”
Her first Kickstarter project was born when she was rummaging through an old trunk of some of her mother’s memorabilia and came upon the sheet music for a song her dad had written, “Missing You.” As she held that sheet music and heard the melody in her mind, she was inspired to record that song and other song standards that were also important to her dad, about the time that he’d written “Missing You.” She thought, “it would be great to have it done in time for my Father’s Day card to him, even though he’s not here to hear it.”
You might not have made the connection between the singer and her well-known father, beloved actor, dancer and musician, born Christian Ludolph Ebsen, Jr. Or, perhaps Baby Boomers might easily have typecast Buddy as Jed Clampett, of “The Beverly Hillbillies,” rather than a multitalented actor, dancer, singer and songwriter who was first known from his movies, stage productions and even vaudeville shows.
Long before the days of the Clampetts, Ebsen was a popular cast member in “Broadway Melody” movies, and he played “Captain January” alongside the late Shirley Temple. The diverse Ebsen was as popular on stage as he was on television. Still, you saw the versatile actor guest on “Burke’s Law, “Davy Crockett,” “Bonanza,” “Red Skelton,” “Gunsmoke,” and later on another weekly show, “Barnaby Jones,” with Lee Meriwether, a Quinn Martin production.
In fact, when they were growing up, Kiki and her brother, Dustin, knew that their mother was a writer and had a community theatre; that was “her job.” And their father had “his job” on television. They weren’t exactly sure when he was on TV, but they thought that everyone’s dad worked on television because their dad did. That’s the extent to which they were a show-biz family.
One evening, Kiki and Dustin sat down to look for their dad across all the channels to see where he actually was. They tried one channel, then another, and they “sort of, kind of thought” they’d found him, but they weren’t sure. The duo changed the dial through a series of programs and actors until they settled on one man. Both agreed that was indeed “Dad.” Surely that was him! As their mother, Nancy Wolcott McKeown Ebsen, walked into the room, they announced, “Mom, we found Dad on TV!” Nancy said, “No, that’s Lawrence Welk.” Oh well, they kept on watching anyway.
As they grew older Nancy, Dustin, and their siblings, Susannah, Cathy, and Bonnie (by Ebsen’s marriage to Nancy McKeown) and older siblings, Elizabeth and Alix (by Ebsen’s first marriage to Ruth Cambridge) grew up surrounded by as much of a normal non-Hollywood life as you could imagine. Everyone in the family had talent in some form or fashion; it was definitely a creative environment to grow up in, but no pressure to enter show business.
Young Nancy Kiersten Ebsen showed early signs of being a maverick, if not a baby renegade. Her older siblings started calling her “Kirstie,” but she announced one day that she was “Kiki,” and that’s what they should call her. They did. The next sign that she had early talents that were unique and non-mainstream came soon thereafter. Her grandmother played piano, her mother played, and an older sister played, so Kiki was started on lessons. Turns out she didn’t really need them.
Kiki was an obedient child, and so she pleasantly sat for lessons, but once she saw and heard the teacher play a piece, she was able to immediately reproduce the song by ear. Encouraged to “read” rather than “play by ear,” Kiki decided upon a silent compromise. She sat at the piano pretending to read the music, while playing by ear. Don’t you just love her already? Music on her terms.
As she grew, Kiki had many opportunities to find her father on television. Yet outside his regular series roles on “The Beverly Hillbillies,” “Barnaby Jones” and “Matt Houston,” Buddy’s movie talents became clearer, as Kiki discovered her dad’s tremendous dancing in Broadway chorus spots, and later in feature films including “Captain January” and portraying Doc Golightly, the man Holly Golightly left behind in her wake.
Kiki saw how Buddy effortlessly portrayed diverse characters in true-life fashion. One role was too true-to-life. In fact, he was originally supposed to be the scarecrow in “The Wizard of Oz,” but wound up being re-cast as the Tin Man. This was years before producers could use CGI for skin color. In being subjected to repeated applications of alum powder to his skin, Ebsen developed a severe reaction and illness, which landed him in the hospital and out of the movie, “man of tin” no more.
Television would ultimately call him next, just a wish away. Ebsen was a man of many talents—song, dance, composition, and acting.
Staying true to your talent is what Kiki gleaned from watching her dad; that, and the value of working hard and doing your best, which she learned from both parents. Kiki’s mom, Nancy, was a full-time mom who also had her own California playhouse and produced many community theatre shows there regularly.
Kiki’s career in music was strengthened through high school and college. She graduated with a degree in classical voice (BFA '84) from California Institute of the Arts (CalArts).
Her first job after graduation came as a result of fortuitous happenstance. A good friend was offered the opportunity to tour with the iconic band, Chicago, playing keyboards (offstage) whenever Robert Lamm and Bill Champlin would leave their keyboards to take center stage on a song. Turns out, Kiki’s friend didn’t want to tour, so she said, “well if you won’t take that job, I will!” Her first tour with Chicago led to all of the other “big name” artists with whom she would see the country.
Even though her career was filled with backing stars, opening for stars, or perfectly showcasing the compositions of stars, that’s been what Kiki has wanted to do. Music on her terms. Simply the love of making music with people she regarded and respected, of being part of a greater effort, and contributing to a product of excellent has been more than “enough” thus far.
And yet, you can’t keep the creative person confined to structure too long before something inside them propels them to find a new path, at least for a time. All through the years and miles of touring, Kiki was writing her own material, spurred on by the joy of simply making music at the highest level. Her style dares to be confined to a single genre. In fact, it’s not. She writes rock, jazz, and more—material that would fit perfectly on the pickiest terrestrial adult-contemporary station (if they were likely to play anything that was outside their formulaic “The Eagles-Journey-John Mellencamp” tightly packed programming).
Ebsen’s own compositions have been “covered by Boney James, Eric Marienthal and Jessy J.” Plus, she’s been on television with Blake Shelton, Kenny Loggins, Glen Campbell, Michele Branch, Gloria Estefan, Melissa Etheridge, and her two hands-down favorites, Robert Goulet and Dolly Parton. No doubt about it—Kiki Ebsen is a first-call musician and has the respect of all the biggest names in the business today.
Yet, like 95% of quality musicians today, the days of the big record labels and singles launched on the radio we used to know are gone. Today, artists create their music, build and grow their following, and produce their CDs to sell to people who already know their work. It’s worked well for the past 10 years to develop this path. Social media is a powerful tool that helps artists by-pass traditional major labels. Facebook pages help fans track upcoming concerts. Twitter encourages direct contact between artists and fans.
In fact, constituencies and contingencies of music fans flourish on Twitter; just ask Will Champlin, a new young talent and musician who rocketed to national awareness last year on NBC’s “The Voice.” Champlin has 87,700 followers on Twitter, and one of those followers is Kiki Ebsen, as she’s known him since he was about 3 years old. Remember Ebsen played offstage for Chicago and later toured (separately) with Peter Cetera and Bill Champlin. It’s just one big musical family out there. Turns out Will and Kiki were on the same music bill recently and she had a chance “to hug his neck and tell him how proud she is of how well he is doing making his own music.”
Not long ago, as Kiki considered her own musical roots and family, it led her to look through some old trunks of things saved from her family’s home. As she pored over prized history, Ebsen discovered something that would ultimately change her life: a song that her father had written captured her eye and her imagination.
As Kiki shares in her own words on her current Kickstarter campaign:
A few years ago I discovered buried in my mother’s attic a box of original scripts and music from my father’s career. Among them were Born To Dance, Yokel Boy and even a songbook from The Wizard of Oz with his handwritten notes in it. I also found a tune my father had written called “Missing You," a song so beautiful and poignant it felt like a gift just for me. I began to include it in my shows and got chills before performing it, as if my dad was there with me.
Kiki’s drive to make an album of jazz standards in tribute to her father would then begin with “Missing You” as the centerpiece, her returning her father’s gift—years in finding its way to her—back to him, with love. She then decided to include songs she knew were her dad’s favorites, including:
“Moon River” (because he was in “Breakfast in Tiffany’s), “Somewhere Over the Rainbow” (because he was supposed to originally portray the Scarecrow in “The Wizard of Oz” and was switched to the Tin Man, until the alum poisoning took him from the movie altogether) “Easy to Love” (from the Broadway Melody movie series he was in) “Laura” (his favorite song) “Codfish Ball” (from “Captain January,” the movie with Shirley Temple where he portrayed the title role) “St. Louis Blues” (the first song that Buddy taught his maverick maiden on the piano) “Tea for Two” (Buddy’s signature dance routine that took his vaudeville skills ultimately into the movies).
The Kickstarter campaign is an opportunity for Ebsen to focus time and effort to complete her tribute to her dad in time for Father’s Day. In just 3 weeks, as of March 24, 2014, Ebsen has already raised pledges of $9,580 of her $12,000 goal from 123 backers. This is only by word-of-mouth, with people discovering that this gift of love for her father is on Kiki’s mind. The album is tentatively entitled “Scarecrow,” and with a successfully funded Kickstarter (or Keekstarter as she wryly titled one of her YouTube updates), she’ll be on her way to finishing. The album title also reminds you that a scarecrow is often overlooked but serves a valuable role out in the field standing all alone.
Ever the upstart, Ebsen has made a major financial commitment to animal rescue as well as to her Healing Equine Ranch, a nonprofit that brings people together with an opportunity for spiritual renewal via communication with nature, to study the intelligence of and learn by interacting with horses. That’s in her spare time.
To enjoy some of Kiki’s past performances that showcase her singing and playing, click on any of the links that follow to hear and see her work:
Kiki Ebsen, "Woodstock"; Christopher Cross “Never Be the Same” with Kiki Ebsen on keyboards and backing vocals; Christopher Cross duet with Kiki Ebsen, “Spinning” performed in Tokyo, Japan; Christopher Cross duet with Kiki Ebsen, “Open Up My Window”.
Preview a song from the upcoming “Scarecrow Sessions,” and consider a special Kickstarter contribution of support: Check out “Missing You” written by Buddy Ebsen (with Zeke Manners), performed by Kiki Ebsen. Musicians she’s joined by include David Mann as producer (plus sax and flute), John Patitucci (acoustic bass), Henry Hey (piano), and Clint de Ganon (drums).
Remember that Ebsen has neither craved, nor sought, a spotlight before, nor has she ever used her famous family name to direct attention her way. Instead, she has preferred to push herself—on her own—to create and share her music in intimate settings and venues when she’s not on the road. Perhaps as her amazing talent becomes better known, she’ll find more individual showcases for travel and performance on her own, as well as with all the artists who seek her to join them.
Opportunities to share your support for Kiki’s vision begin at an affordable $10, $15, $25, $50, $100, and more. Once you hear her voice, you’ll want to be a part of this outstanding opportunity to lift up a daughter’s love for her father. Don’t let the $12,000 end goal limit your enthusiasm, because anyone who’s followed a musician’s career knows that it takes money after the music is made to get the project out for distribution. The full project cost is somewhere closer to $22,000. Music on her terms.
For every daughter who loves her father, from every father who loves his daughter, and for those who wish they could still hug their loved ones’ necks today, here’s your chance. Join Kiki in her Kickstarter campaign, help her reach her goal, and take her over the top so others can discover her, too. You’ll be glad you did, come Father’s Day.
As a nice postscript, six months later, I discovered this video on YouTube:
As an even nicer postscript, the results of Kiki's Kickstarter project were entirely successful, and the Kickstarter site noted that "180 backers came together to pledge $13,216 (exceeding her goal) to help bring this project to life." And true to her word, the "Scarecrow Sessions" CD was in the hands of backers by Father's Day and you could watch her online in her Father's Day 2014 concert debuting the music if you couldn't attend in person. Bravo!
