Sally Stevens: A Legend In The Background
In this final episode of season 1, Carla talks with legendary singer, Sally Stevens. Sally’s invaluable contribution to film and television uniquely qualifies her to comment on the changes in the industry over the years, the Oscars, diversity, and the myriad of great film composers that she’s worked for, like Gerry Goldsmith, Hans Zimmer, Alf Clausen, and John Williams. Bio: Sally Stevens is an American singer, actress and a vocal contractor. She has sung on hundreds of The Simpsons episodes, and sings the main title, which has been in use since the inception of the show. She also sings the main title for Family Guy and has worked for Seth MacFarlane, the creator of the show, as vocal contractor and singer since the inception of the series. She has sung, and been vocal contractor for hundreds of films, some of which include The Last Airbender, The Abyss, Contact, Amistad, Power of One, Behind Enemy Lines, Beyond Borders, Forrest Gump, and Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull. Sally Stevens is the mother of session singer Susie Stevens-Logan. She did the voices of Marge and Patty in the demo recording of "Dancing Workers Song". Most recent projects included singing and vocal contractor services for Night at the Museum 3, for Alan Silvestri, composer (2014). She also contracted the male choir for Thomas Newman, for the Steven Spielberg film Bridge of Spies, (2015) and sang for vocal contractor Bobbi Page on the scores for Tomorrowland and Jurassic World, for composer Michael Giacchino (2015). Stevens was born in Los Angeles, California, and attended UCLA as a music major. She worked as a production singer in Las Vegas with bookings in 1961 and 1962, then began to work freelance in recording and commercials in Los Angeles. She sang on the Danny Kaye Variety Show two seasons, and The Carol Burnett Showand The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour. Her first work in film scoring was in 1962, How the West was Won, then continuing, Doctor Zhivago and The Sound Of Music.[1][2] Other solo performances in film include The Secret of NIMH (composer Jerry Goldsmith),[3] and Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid (Burt Bacharach, composer). In 1979–82 she was the on-camera spokesperson for KBIG Radio, a Los Angeles radio/music station. She is a freelance artist/session singer and vocal contractor. As a solo artist, she was greatly influenced by Peggy Lee. She has written lyrics for film and television projects, and her song, written with Dave Grusin, "Who Comes This Night" is included in James Taylor's first Christmas CD, recorded in 2005. During the late 1960s and 1970s, she worked extensively in records and commercials. She has recorded with Frank Sinatra, Andy Williams, Country Joe and the Fish, Burt Bacharach, Gary Puckett & The Union Gap, Paul Revere & The Raiders, Sonny & Cher, The Hollyridge Strings, Neil Diamond, Dean Martin, Tom Scott, Gabor Szabo, Hugo Montenegro, Percy Faith, Gino Vannelli, Wayne Newton, Michael Bublé, and many others. During this period, she was one of a group of singers for Los Angeles radio station KBIG, which at the time was playing the format for which the now-iHeart Media owned station is best remembered, Beautiful Music. She also served as on-air promotional spokesperson for that station. Stevens was the lead vocalist on "Tomorrow's Child," the theme song for Spaceship Earth at Walt Disney World's EPCOT Center from 1986 until 1994. Stevens is also the director of the Hollywood Film Chorale.[4] She was also the choral director of the Oscars broadcasts for over 20 years, the most recent broadcast being the 2015 Academy Awards. She served on the local and national boards of AFTRA for over 40 years, on the board of Screen Actors Guild for 18 years, was a trustee of NARAS, and is currently a national trustee of the AFTRA Health & Retirement Funds. Episode Links: MGM Il Baccio Louis B Mayer Sam Goldwyn Ken Darby Walter Schuman The Wizard Of Oz Jeff Chandler Anne Blythe Loretta Young Epcot opening Florida right to work state Sag Aftra The Simpsons Family Guy Streaming Animation New Media Contracts Goliath Residuals The Sound Of Music How The West Was Won Dr Zivago Gig Economy Burt Bacharach Selma Glory Performance Lady Gaga Performance Mary J Blige Performance Sally’s Photography John Williams Sandy DeCrescent Jerry Goldsmith Annie Liebowitz Spielberg Alan Silvestri Alf Clausen Amistad Hans Zimmer Power Of One Pamela Dillard John McGuire Oren Waters Dominic Frontiere On Any Sunday
