Skip Taylor

Biographies

Skip Taylor

A native Californian, Skip Taylor first worked professionally as a teenager with Bob Duncan's The Sundance Kids. Shortly thereafter, he went on to work on-air in broadcasting. He took a hiatus from show business to spend the early years with his four children during which time he pursued a business career.

Eventually, his arm was twisted until he agreed to return to singing on stage in local and regional productions including (Captain von Trapp) in The Sound Of Music, ( Freddie Eynesford-Hill) in My Fair Lady, and (Sir Lionel) in Camelot. Additional stage credits include The King and I, Show Boat, 1776, Fiddler On The Roof, Amahl and the Night Visitors; Le Nozze di Figaro; and Annie.

Skip has studied voice with several of the foremost vocal coaches in Southern California, training in diverse musical genres - pop, country, opera, and musical theatre. Skip is also a voice-over artist. His voice can be heard in commercials, animation productions, and public service announcements.

Skip Taylor's entertainment career has already come full circle, and it seems he's only just begun. A number of years after performing with The Sundance Kids, in 2002, he was invited to join The Crew Cuts, another group headed by none other than Bob Duncan. More recently, in addition to his participation in The Crew Cuts and The Gospel Crew Cuts, Skip has also appeared with Stars of the Lawrence Welk show in Forever Blowing Bubbles.

Skip's stage work has been eclipsed in recently years by his traveling and singing bass with The Crew Cuts. More fun than work, he says that he is doing what he loves, "with three of the greatest gentlemen I've ever known."

Michael Redman

Michael Redman, Jr., the lead tenor in the Crew Cuts, is familiar to many audiences both by sight and by sound. Some people recognize Michael as a cast member of such vintage TV series as The Smothers Brothers, Donny & Marie and The Lawrence Welk Show. And many listeners recognize his voice from his solo albums and commercials, as well as various records, cartoons and film soundtracks. He can be heard also on many Walt Disney and Hanna-Barbera creations like “The Little Mermaid”, Yogi Bear and The Flintstones. And recently, the entire Redman family completed their vocal work on a Disney film, “Perfect Harmony”, in which Michael’s wife, Cinda, and their two daughters, Jennifer and Melissa, all joined forces.

Some of Michael’s commercial novelties include singing while shaving barbershop-quartet style for Gillette Foamy shave cream; more barbershop thirst-quenching for Lipton Tea; and singing and tap-dancing, uniformed as a World War I “Doughboy” soldier, on top of a shiny, new Chevrolet. Michael’s acting career includes a starring role in a new, situation-comedy pilot taped in New Zealand, titled “The Cleaning Company”, as well as several roles on “Little House On The Prairie” and “Highway To Heaven”. In addition, he appeared on the TV series, “Eight Is Enough”, singing in---guess what?---a barbershop quartet!

Film credits for Michael include “Annie”, “Blues Brothers”, “Big”, “Lonesome Dove”, “Apocalypse: Now”, and “Oh God, Books I, II, and III”.

As a recording artist, Michael has performed and recorded with such legends as Frank Sinatra, Barbra Streisand, Ray Conniff, Elvis Presley, Henry Mancini, Dolly Parton, Kenny Rogers, and Florence Henderson.

Another highlight for Michael has been the blending of his voice with the Grammy-nominated “L.A. Voices”. What a treat to perform the exciting and demanding arrangements in concert with the incomparable big band jazz artistry of “SuperSax”. These groups are popular internationally, playing to sold-out concerts and jazz clubs throughout the United States and in such places as Tokyo, Monte Carlo, Barcelona, The Hague, Antwerp, London and Paris.

Michael’s career took an exciting turn when singer-songwriter, Gail Farrell created the smooth, fun blend of voices which came to be known as the popular trio of “Gail, Ron & Michael” on TV’s longest-running musical-variety show, “The Lawrence Welk Show”. Together, the trio performs throughout the U.S. in concerts, clubs, symphony orchestras, pops concerts, festivals, state and county fairs in addition to television, film and recording projects in Nashville, Los Angeles and other entertainment centers. The trio is part of the international “Musical Family Reunion Tour” which is appearing in major metropolitan areas in the U.S. and Canada.

Michael continues his performance schedule of solo concertizing and recording, as well as sharing co-hosting chores with his lovely wife, Cinda, on TV fund-raisers for various charities and PBS pledge drives. Cinda Goold Redman is a concert pianist and chamber music performer appearing with symphony orchestras and recitals internationally. Cinda is also author of the popular, celebrity book of recipes, photos and updates, Recipes For Remembrance, featuring stars of “The Lawrence Welk TV Show”.

Michael’s latest solo album is entitled “Michael Redman---Yesterday and Today”. The album is a mixture of pop, contemporary Christian, inspirational, standards, big band and a touch of jazz.

His stint with the Crew Cuts started in 2002.

Bob Duncan

Bob Duncan is the second tenor in the Crew Cuts. He was born in Santa Monica, CA, April 2, 1940, attended Van Nuys High School, and began his professional career in the eleventh grade when he recorded a hit record called “Image of a Girl”. Football, track, and singing were the focus of high school, but that focus changed January 23, 1958.

On January 23, 1958, Bob accepted Christ as his Savior. This was a life-changing event. Bob dedicated his life to the Lord for full-time ministry. The path of that dedication has had many turns but the commitment has always been the center of his decisions.

Bob married Judith Anne in 1970, and they have 2 children, Christopher, 23, and Jennifer, 21. Christopher has his diploma from U.C.S.B. in mechanical engineering. Jennifer attends college and is a third grade teacher’s aide and the director of the before and after school day care

After high school, Bob pursued a football career with the newly formed A.F.C. He joined the L.A. Chargers and played till a torn knee stopped him.

Since the time of his conversion, Bob still felt the yearning to do full-time ministry. His mentor in that pursuit was Dr. John Gustafson, the Minister of Music at the First Baptist Church of Van Nuys.

From 1958 to 1962 Bob was John’s assistant at Van Nuys First Baptist. John recommended Bob to audition for a spot in The Westmont Quartet. Bob did that and was awarded a full scholarship to Westmont College.

“In April of 1964, my friend from the quartet, Steve Smith, and I were invited to be the escorts for Laura and Bonnie Lewis. We were going to attend a “live” performance of The Lawrence Welk show. This was at the Palladium on Sunset Boulevard in Hollywood. It was “Grandma” Lewis’s birthday. While watching Lawrence Welk it occurred to me maybe our Westmont Quartet could audition for The Welk show. At the intermission Mr Welk was signing autograghs. I approached him and asked for an audition. Mr Welk invited Steve and me backstage right then. Mr Welk liked Steve’s solo voice and asked him to get together with the piano player, Larry Hooper, and prepare an arrangement on the spot to sing that night!

Meanwhile I went out to the Lewis family and told them Steve was going to sing. I asked them to do the following, ‘When Steve starts to sing stand about two thirds of the way back from the stage and spread out. About half way through the song start applauding and push the crowd toward the stage.’

“It worked like a charm. The crowd moved forward applauding before the song was through. The song he was singing was “Moon River”. Well, Mr Welk was very impressed with the crowd’s reaction and asked Steve to sing another song. Steve sang “Red Roses for a Blue Lady”. The same thing happened (with the Lewis family doing their part). Mr Welk then said ‘There is another boy here and their quartet is going to audition tomorrow.’ I called the other two members, Greg Dixon and Johnny Johnson, at two in the morning and told them to get down to USC where we were staying and to start rehearsing for an audition with The Lawrence Welk Show the next day.

The rest is history. We passed the audition and became permanent members of The Lawrence Welk Show. Lawrence gave us our new name ‘The Blenders’. (He really liked Fred Waring and thought the Waring Blender was named after Fred Waring.)

The Westmont quartet became “The Blenders” on The Lawrence Welk Show.

After a successful career on “The Welk Show” Bob was offered a full- time ministry at The First Baptist Church of Downey. This was the beginning of a full-time Music Ministry. Bob built the ministry to include 12 choirs, a 22- piece orchestra, 3 Bell Choirs and a program that continues today called “The Living Christmas Tree”.

In 1974, Bob reached a crossroads in the ministry. He and Judy, his wife of 4 years, felt that there was more to the ministry than just building new groups. Bob and Judy felt that the leading of the Holy Spirit, not committees, must determine the direction of their lives.

Bob was offered many attractive church positions but chose the least attractive possibility, the First Baptist Church of Oxnard, CA.

This church had gone through 2 church splits and was ready to be sold. The members could only pay for six months of Bob’s salary. This was the perfect place to determine if the “Ministry” was led by committees or by The Holy Spirit.

Since there were no committees, The Holy Spirit was the only One in charge. The results were miraculous. The Pastor, a new youth minister named John Lutz, and Bob, all felt free to follow God’s lead.

In 1977, Bob renewed his friendship with a former Westmont Quartet member, John Felton. John was the leader of a 50’s group called “The Diamonds”. John asked Bob to sing tenor part-time. (Bob was then the pastor of The First Baptist Church of Oxnard, a job that continued till 1980.

In 1980, The Lord led Bob and John to WORD RECORDS. They produced a TV show called “More than Music”. The show could be compared to a Christian MTV. Bob worked with many young artists, Amy Grant being one.

In 1982, Bob went back to professional show business. Bob became the owner and leader of THE DIAMONDS. This was a singing group that had found stardom in the 50’s, faded from public view for a while, the became a sought after group from 1982 until today.

Bob sold his interest in THE DIAMONDS in 1998. He reformed an old group called THE CREWCUTS and they sing across the world today. Often, they are booked with his wife’s group, THE CHORDETTES. Whose hits include: “Mr. Sandman” and “Lollipop”

In 2000, Bob became the first full-time Minister of Music for the Ojai Valley Community Church.

In June of 2001, Bob produced a new show called “A’ WUNNERFUL, A’ WUNNERFUL” featuring The Stars of the Lawrence Welk Show. Though this show has sold out everywhere it’s played and continues to be in demand, Bob’s heart for the ministry still burns brightly.

Bob continues to find new opportunities and in October of 2004 created and produced a show in Las Vegas called “The Magic Jukebox”. This was a show that featured The Platters, The Crewcuts, The Coasters, The Drifters, David Somerville, Donnie Brooks, Jerry Fuller, and Al Wilson. It is currently being booked across America.

Bob is currently creating and producing a new show called, “Forever Blowin’ Bubbles”, featuring his friends from The Lawrence Welk TV Show, that will tour this November in The Pocono’s.

Biographical Dateline

1955 First professional singing job. – The Lobos

1956 Recorded first hit “Image of a Girl” - The Safaris

1958 Accepted Jesus Christ as Savior January 23^rd 1958 and began church ministry singing with the Jubilaires Quartet at The First Baptist Church of Van Nuys, CA.

1959 With mentor, Harold l. Fickett, set a prayer course with the Lord for the following:

A college degree in Music (Westmont Collage)

Professional experience in Recording, Television & Performance (“ The Blenders” on The Lawrence Welk Show” and recording under the “Dot” label)
Full-time minister of Music (The First Baptist Church of Downey.
All of the above was the result of answered prayer started in 1959.

1960 Played with the L.A. Chargers (which became the San Diego Chargers)

1962 Westmont Collage on scholarship to sing with The Westmont Quartet

1964 The Westmont Quartet became The Blenders on “The Lawrence Welk Show”

1967 Became the minister of music at the First Baptist Church of Downey

Started “The Living Christmas Tree” which is still performing today
Developed 12 Choirs and 22-piece orchestra
2 Bell Choirs
7 High School/ College Tours (2 out of the country)
4 Jr. High choir tours
Produced and coordinated 3 services on Sunday (7 years)

1968 Was asked to join The Metropolitan Ministers of Music Organization, of which he is still a member today.

1970 Married Judith Anne Lehmann

1974 Became the Minister of music at The First Baptist Church of Oxnard, CA

1975 Developed the High School/College Choir from 4 to 125 the first year, Created a musical outreach to the community called “The Kids Next Door", Developed “The Living Cross” for the adult ministry

1976 “ The Kids Next Door” won the Oxnard Trophy for service and recognition to the city of Oxnard. In 5 years over 1000 young people came to the Lord.

1979 Became The Minister of Music at The Tampa Bay Community Church

1980 Produced 13 shows for Word Records TV Division with Gospel stars that included: Amy Grant, Russ Taff (Gaither Vocal Band) Brush Arbor.

1981 Son Christopher Duncan was born

1981 Joined “The Diamonds” a 50’s recording and performing group

1982 Became the president of Diamond Productions and owner of “The Diamonds” Reformed the group and recorded 5 Albums and Performed over 200 performances a year for the next 16 years

1883 Jennifer Duncan was born

1985 Formed a production company called Jubillee Productions, Inc.

Created a singing group called “The New Chordettes” of which his wife is the founding member. This group has performed continually up to today

1986 Produced the First “Hot August Nights” in Reno, NV. This is the largest event of its kind and continues today. Produced “Hot August Nights” until 1989

1998 Sold his interest in “The Diamonds” and reformed “The Crewcuts”

2000 Created and own a show called “Forever Blowin’ Bubbles” featuring Stars from the Lawrence Welk Show

2004 Created and produced a show called “The Magic Jukebox” which debuted at THE GOLDEN NUGGET in Las Vegas last October.

2005 The Crewcuts are recording their first “gospel album’ and will launch their Gospel ministry with concerts and appearances across America.

Joe Dickey

Joe Dickey is the baritone in the Crew Cuts. “It’s a totally anonymous part in the group. I don’t have the highest or the lowest voice. I’m not the youngest or the oldest. I’m not the best looking, or the tallest or shortest. But I DO get to stand on one END most of the time. And I do have the most laughable name. Hey, you’ve gotta be willing to look for anything you can to feel special, ya know?”

He says he is exactly like everyone else in Southern California: he’s a singer / actor / talent coordinator / lighting designer / cue caller / road manager / writer / director / producer. Unabashedly, he rates himself as being excellent at six of those things, slightly better than average at one, and average or less for the other two. To continue the comparison with all other Southern California residents, he owns more cars than there are drivers in the family, he was a busboy for three weeks, and worked as an inventory clerk for a weekend. What separates him from that same group is that for the rest of his adult life Joe Dickey has been a singer. He loves to sing, and consequently, he says, I love my life!

A member of Equity, AFTRA, and SAG, his career has been long and varied and includes a number of distinguished jobs. For eight years he was a lead performer in “Hallelujah Hollywood” , which was at the time the largest production show in the world, at what was then the MGM Grand Hotel (now Bally’s). He was a member of several well-known vocal groups including the Ray Charles Singers and the Doodletown Pipers. His performances in nightclubs, studios, theaters, and churches throughout the country have placed him in front of more than 5,000,000 people. He has been seen on numerous television shows, both musical and dramatic. He has performed for numerous Fortune 500 companies, as well.

While serving as a Captain in the Air Force (many, many years ago), he won the USAF World-Wide Talent Contest. “I only got in the contest because they told me if I won I could go somewhere. And if you kept winning, you got to keep going somewhere else. I got to be off base for a month! The trophy was just icing on the cake.”

As a writer, part of his work has been for major PBS stations, writing thousands of pledge scripts. He has also penned speeches and special material for live shows and telethons, composed many songs, written hundreds of lyrics, and created and produced highly acclaimed motivational cassette programs. While in Nashville, he wrote over 1500 radio spots. He has also written and produced jingles, created special comedy materials for numerous acts, completed scripts for industrial films, and has been successful in receiving 86% of the requested funds in his grant proposals. Additionally, he has produced, directed, and coordinated talent for benefit concerts; worked as a road manager, lighting designer, and cue caller for main room acts in major hotels in Las Vegas, Reno, Tahoe, and Atlantic City; and has been the on-camera host for numerous industrial films and video productions.

A man of multiple talents and interests, he is currently writing a novel, he is in the midst of creating a production show for Las Vegas, and he is looking for a game agent to represent him on a board game that he invented. He was a soloist for over 14 years at the same two Southern California churches but now serves as Music Director at a small church in La Crescenta, still singing solos about every other week at different churches.

He also finds time to read, having finished a number of books this year and has started but is still working his way through an even greater number. He subscribes to “Better Homes and Gardens”, “Bottom Line Personal”, “Family Handyman”, “Golf Tips”, “Kiplinger’s”, “MacAddict”, “PC Magazine”, “Sheet Music”, “Shift”, “Smithsonian”, and “Vegetarian Times” (though not a vegetarian). In no order of importance, he is a member of KCET (the Los Angeles public television station) and volunteers to be an on-camera host for their pledge breaks; he belongs to both his son s and daughters PTAs; he is the President of the Big Sky Retreat, a spiritual retreat that meets yearly in Big Sky, Montana. He’s no longer a member of AARP. “I joined for a while but quit. It made me feel old.”

He has a degree in Business Administration from Emory University and has lived and worked in Southern California since 1972. His hobbies include gardening, furniture construction, poetry writing (mostly haiku for the past few years), culinary arts, and a occasional round of golf. “I got down to an 8 handicap in my second year -- when I was 16. I’ve never been as good since. I dress 70, talk 80, and shoot 90.”

His wife of 20 years died (at the age of 40) 6 years ago and he now resides in Simi Valley with his 14-year-old daughter (a dancer / singer / actress) and his 10-year-old son (a Little League baseball player). He has another beautiful daughter who is a successful architect in Seattle.

In October, 2004, he was honored as the Single Parent of the Year by the Universal Love Foundation, at the Four Seasons Hotel, in Beverly Hills, CA. “I thought it would give me some status within my little three-member family, but my kids have proven me to be incorrect. And you know they’re ALWAYS right.”