Synopsis: Best friends with guitarist Keith Richards and considered the 6th Stone, Bobby Keys is best rock n roll saxophonist in the world. Well known for his work with, among others, The Rolling Stones, John Lennon, Joe Cocker, Eric Clapton and an endless number of Texas musicians.
Keys is especially recognized famously for his work on Brown Sugar and the album Exile on Main Street. Bobby’s story of a small town Texas kid who knew Buddy Holly, found the road out of town through music, played with Elvis and Donovan, achieved rock n roll stardom with the Stones only to crash and burn before a comeback again with the Stones has resonated.
Featuring: “featuring interviews with The Rolling Stones’ Keith Richards, Ron Woods, Charlie Watts, Mick Taylor as well as Texans Bill Gibbons (ZZ Top), Joe Ely and Jim Price, Dr. John, Bobby Whitlock, Ian McLagan, Jim Keltner, J.I. Allison, and more!
Marriage Story and Once Upon a Time…in Hollywood Lead Houston Film Critics Nominations Year’s best films to be honored January 2
HOUSTON, TEXAS (December 15, 2019) — Marriage Story, Noah Baumbach’s intimate dissection of marital disappointment, joins Once Upon a Time… in Hollywood, Quentin Tarantino’s epic exploration of exaggerated egos, to lead the nominees for the 13th annual
awards of the Houston Film Critics Society.
Both films are nominated for six awards including Best Picture, with Once Upon a Time…in Hollywood also receiving a seventh nomination for Best Movie Poster Art. The prestigious film journalists annually honor the movie industry’s best work with winners to be announced
January 2 at the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston.
Closely following the nomination leaders are 1917, The Farewell, The Irishman and Parasite, each nominated for five awards including Best Picture. Other contenders for this top award are Knives Out, Jojo Rabbit, Joker and Uncut Gems.
“We’re a passionate, adventurous group,” says Doug Harris, President of the organization. “This list of nominees represents the thousands of screening hours our members have devoted to uncovering the year’s most distinctive films so that we can bring the best of cinema from around the world to the audiences we serve.”
Because of the close voting for nominations, six actresses will compete for Best Actress for the first time, including Charlize Theron in Bombshell, Awkwafina in The Farewell, Renée Zellweger in Judy, Scarlett Johansson in Marriage Story, Saoirse Ronan in Little Women, and Lupita Nyong’o in Us. Five nominees are usually named. Johansson is also up for Best Supporting Actress for Jojo Rabbit, one of four other categories with six finalists emerging from tight contests, along with Best Foreign Language Film, Best Original Song and Best Documentary Feature.
Nominated for Best Actor are Leonardo DiCaprio for Once Upon a Time… in Hollywood, Adam Driver in Marriage Story, Eddie Murphy in Dolemite is My Name, Joaquin Phoenix in Joker and Adam Sandler in Uncut Gems.
Earlier this month, the HFCS announced its nominees for the Texas Independent Film Awards which honor films made in Texas. Bull, Building the American Dream, Nothing Stays the Same: The story of the Saxon Pub, Seadrift and Sleeping in Plastic are all up for these awards.
Winners in 18 categories will be presented at the January 2 event – starting at 7 p.m. – with special appearances from Roger Corman, who will be honored with a lifetime achievement award, as well as Ellyn Needham, wife of the late movie stunts pioneer Hal Needham, who will present the Society’s inaugural award for Best Stunt Coordination Team. An After Party, open to all awards ticket holders at no additional charge, will be staged in the Ultimate Ransom Room at the Hotel ZaZa Houston Museum District. Tickets are available through the ticket portal on the MFAH website, at https://www.mfah.org/calendar/houston-film-critics-society-best-2019-
awards/202001020630PM.
The Houston Film Critics Society’s 13 th Annual Movie Awards are underwritten in part by Leonard Courtright and the Keystone Family of Companies with additional support provided by Balcones Distilling.
About The Houston Film Critics Society
An After Party, open to all ticket holders at no additional charge, will be staged in the Ultimate Ransom Room at the Hotel ZaZa Houston Museum District. The forty-one members of the Houston Film Critics Society are working film journalists on television, radio, online and in traditional print. Together, they reach millions of people each week across the United States with their critiques and commentaries on film. The organization’s mission is to promote the advancement and appreciation of film in the Houston community and beyond. For additional information and a list of members, visit www.HoustonFilmCritics.com.
2019 Houston Film Critics Society Nominations
Best Picture
1917; The Farewell; The Irishman; Jojo Rabbit; Joker; Knives Out; Marriage Story; Once Upon a
Time… in Hollywood; Parasite; Uncut Gems
Best Director
Bong Joon Ho, Parasite; Sam Mendes, 1917; Martin Scorsese, The Irishman; Quentin Tarantino,
Once Upon a Time… in Hollywood; Lulu Wang, The Farewell
Best Actor
Leonardo DiCaprio, Once Upon a Time… in Hollywood; Adam Driver, Marriage Story; Eddie
Murphy, Dolemite is My Name; Joaquin Phoenix, Joker; Adam Sandler, Uncut Gems
Best Actress
Awkwafina, The Farewell; Scarlett Johansson, Marriage Story; Lupita Nyong’o, Us; Saoirse
Ronan, Little Women; Charlize Theron, Bombshell; Renée Zellweger, Judy
Best Supporting Actor
Willem Dafoe, The Lighthouse; Anthony Hopkins, The Two Popes; Al Pacino, The Irishman; Joe
Pesci, The Irishman; Brad Pitt, Once Upon a Time… in Hollywood
Best Supporting Actress
Kathy Bates, Richard Jewell; Laura Dern, Marriage Story; Scarlett Johansson, Jojo Rabbit;
Florence Pugh, Little Women; Margot Robbie, Bombshell; Zhao Shuzhen, The Farewell
Best Screenplay
Knives Out; Marriage Story; Once Upon a Time… in Hollywood; Parasite; The Farewell
Best Cinematography
1917; The Irishman; The Joker; Once Upon a Time… in Hollywood; Parasite
Best Animated Feature
Frozen II; How to Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World; I Lost My Body; Missing Link; Toy Story 4
Best Original Score
1917; Joker; Little Women; Marriage Story; Us
Best Original Song
Glasgow, Wild Rose; Home to You, The Aeronauts; I Punched Keanu Reeves, Always Be My
Maybe; (I’m Gonna) Love Me Again, Rocketman; Into the Unknown, Frozen II; Stand Up, Harriet
Best Foreign Language Film
Atlantics; Corpus Christi; Les Miserables; Monos; Pain and Glory; Parasite
Best Documentary Feature
American Factory; Apollo 11; Biggest Little Farm; For Sama; Hail Satan; They Shall Not Grow Old
Texas Independent Film Award
Bull; Building the American Dream; Nothing Stays the Same: The Story of the Saxon Bar; Seadrift;
Sleeping in Plastic
Visual Effects
1917; Ad Astra; Avengers: Endgame
Best Stunt Coordination Team
Crawl; Ford v Ferrari; Furie; John Wick: Chapter 3 Parabellum; Shadow
Best Movie Poster Art
Birds of Passage; John Wick: Chapter 3 Parabellum; Once Upon a Time… in Hollywood; Parasite;
Portrait of a Lady on Fire; The Last Black Man in San Francisco;
No, Kris Jenner did not interview Beyoncé on channel 13's "Good Morning Houston," that was Lisa Trapani Shumate
Lisa Trapani Shumate has been a lot of things in her life.
She's been a longtime television executive, journalist and host, but I bet the Houston Public Media Associate Vice President at the University of Houston/General Manager has never been called the Kardashian's Kris Jenner.
At least that is what the internet is apparently calling Shumate according to E!.
And it all stems from an early 1990's interview with Beyoncé, Shumate did as a host on abc13 KTRK's Good Morning Houston.
"The comments were so funny and I’ve heard from so many people," Shumate told mikemcguff.com. "As you know, the facts are the show was Good Morning Houston and co-host Don Nelson is also in the clip. I was expecting my daughter which explains the over sized jacket someone commented on."
The Jenner doppelgänger internet investigation started after Beyoncé's father, Mathew Knowles, posted a #throwbackthursday that showed an 11-year-old Beyoncé in 1992 being interviewed on channel 13's Good Morning Houston with fellow Destiny's Child singer Kelly Rowland for their then group Girls Tyme.
It seems his social media followers immediately thought Shumate, who went by Lisa Trapani back then, was Kris Jenner.
"Beyoncé’s response was so sweet and so true-'If we just keep practicing...,'" Shumate added. "Her hard work paid off. That’s the takeaway for me. Turns out when you put the names Kris Jenner and Beyonce in the same story, the internet goes crazy. Once it was confirmed the 'lady is not Kris Jenner,' the excitement died as fast as it started. Lol!"
Actually after thinking about it, Shumate and Jenner do have some things in common. Besides running television entities, they also have being authors in common.
The reporter will focus on factors that affect the health of Houstonians
Houston Public Media was one of nine newsrooms across Texas selected to host a Report for America journalist starting in June 2020. The journalist will focus on factors that affect the health of Houstonians.
“Our participation in Report for America will help us better tell the story of Houston, focusing on how factors like poverty, climate change and pollution affect individual and community health,” said Dave Fehling, director of news and public affairs at Houston Public Media. “This will allow us to report on health problems and trends, as well as highlight innovations and ideas that lead to health solutions.”
Report for America is a national service program that places talented, emerging journalists into local news organizations to report for one to two years on under-covered issues and communities. This ambitious national effort addresses news deserts widening across the country that leave communities uninformed on important local issues, as well as serves as a pipeline for a new generation of journalists.
“This placement will help Houston Public Media strengthen quality, local journalism in our region and contribute to a healthy democracy by informing and engaging area residents,” said Lisa Trapani Shumate, general manager of Houston Public Media. “Houston Public Media’s important service to the community is providing a place for life-learning and exploration for audiences of all ages.”
Report for America is investing more than $5 million in direct support to newsrooms, paying for half of every participating reporter's salary and providing training at the beginning of the term and throughout the service years. The program announced it will field 250 journalists across 46 states in 164 newsrooms the coming year. Newsroom applicants included all media – radio, TV, print, and digital. The goal of the model is to expand the number of local reporting positions permanently.
Journalists and their newsroom pairings will be announced in April after a selective national search.
Learn more about Report for America and view the full list of 2020 newsrooms here.
(This post was taken from a release sent to me by Houston Public Media)
Houston film critics and Balcones Distilling to honor Texas-made films on January 2
Five Texas-made films have been named by the Houston Film Critics Society (HFCS) as nominees for its annual Texas Independent Film Awards (TIFA).
Nominees for the Best Texas Film of 2019 are:
- Bull
- Building the American Dream
- Nothing Stays the Same: The Story of the Saxon Pub
- Seadrift
- Sleeping in Plastic
“We wrap a strong year for films made in Texas with an impressive list of nominees,” observes Joshua Starnes, TIFA Coordinator and past president of the HFCS. “With three films presented in documentary-style fashion and two additional narrative works, these filmmakers give us history, social commentary and drama, each imbued with a taste of the Texas spirit. We are honored to shine the spotlight on such deserving films and the talented people who made them.”
Over a dozen films were screened and selected by a nominating committee of HFCS members. Final voting by the Society’s general membership will take place this week. The winner, as well as the recipient of the Texas Independent Film Visionary Award, will be announced at the HFCS’ annual awards ceremony, Thursday, January 2, 2020, at the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston. Special guests include
director Roger Corman, who will be honored with a lifetime achievement award by the HFCS, as well as Ellyn Needham, wife of the late movie stunts pioneer Hal Needham, who will present the Society’s inaugural award for Best Stunt Coordination Team.
The HFCS created the TIFA in 2014 to spotlight the quality of independent film in Texas. Each year, the HFCS welcomes submissions of films shot in Texas that have been financed outside the major studio system by small investors and/or independent production companies. For the second consecutive year, the HFCS TIFA program will be underwritten by Balcones Distilling of Waco, Texas, makers of such award winning whiskies as Baby Blue, the Original Texas Whisky.
A reception for the nominees, open to all Awards Show ticket holders, will be held just before the event in the lobby of the Hotel YLEM from 5:00 to 6:00 PM, 8080 Main St. in the heart of the Texas Medical Center. HFCS thanks the YLEM for being the official hotelier of the TIFA.
About The Houston Film Critics Society
The forty-one members of the Houston Film Critics Society are working film journalists on television, radio, online and in traditional print. Together, they reach millions of people each week across the United States with their critiques and commentaries on film. The organization’s mission is to promote the advancement and appreciation of film in the Houston community and beyond. For additional information and a list of members, visit www.HoustonFilmCritics.com.
(This post was taken from a release sent to me by the Houston Film Critics Society)
KHOU 11 morning meteorologist for #HTownRush, Chita Craft, made her big baby announcement this afternoon.
"Meet Chita Ann Craft born 12.9.19, 9 pounds, 20 and 3/4 inches long. She is just a dream! Big brother Les is coming to meet her today. All of our prayers were answered! To all the mamas to be... Delivery with #2 is a lot easier," Craft posted on Facebook.
Thanks to everyone who has contributed to the KLOL Documentary IndieGoGo campaign. It's not too late to support the film, but we are only days from the end of the campaign! SEE IT NOW.
Here are some stories from the Rock101movie.com website about KLOL in the 1980s.
Kevin Dorsey’s commentaries Kevin Dorsey’s commentaries actually pre-date the Stevens and Pruett Show as you will hear in the interview. He later worked for Houston radio stations Z-Rock 106.9 KKZR and 93.7 The Arrow KKRW.
Share Rocket gives us data on how each Houston TV station and the corresponding air staff members performed on Facebook and Twitter.
Share Rocket is, "a social media ratings and audience solution providing media companies an easy way to quantify their social media equity, benchmark against peers and turn social market intelligence into insights that drive social success."
The numbers are pulled from station usage on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram using Share Rocket's "Share" measurement.
First we are looking at every Houston media company in the Share Rocket database and top personalities. Then I am looking at the top 5 on air staff members at each station in order of channel number.
Good news for all the people writing in asking me the whereabouts of KHOU traffic anchor/reporter Stephanie Simmons. She is back on channel 11 as of this morning.
Thanks to everyone who has contributed to the KLOL Documentary IndieGoGo campaign. It's not too late to support the film, but we are only days from the end of the campaign! SEE IT NOW.
Here are some stories from the Rock101movie.com website about KLOL in the 1970s.
What music was KLOL playing in 1971?
I’ve been getting questions concerning what 101 KLOL Houston was playing in the 1970s. Thanks to what was called the K-101 “Music Sheet,” we have definite proof. The K-101 Music Sheet was a pamphlet that I guess was available for free at Houston record stores.
The crazy world of 101 KLOL in the Rice Hotel
The man who signed on KLOL, Pat Fant, talks about the early days of the legendary rock station. This is way before the AOR landed in Montrose where it remained for decades. When the FM rocker signed in 1970, it was located in the Rice Hotel in downtown Houston.
What did 101 KLOL sound like in 1979?
In November of 1979, the Iran hostage crisis started, Ronald Reagan announced his candidacy for US President and the Houston Astros signed Nolan Ryan to record 4 year $4.5 million contract according to onthisday.com. In the course of working on my 101 KLOL documentary, I ran into former DJ Greg Thomas who worked mid-days and afternoons on Houston’s legendary rock station back in November of 1979.
CPB taps 21 public media stations for the national digital initiative
Houston Public Media is one of 21 public media stations across the country participating in the Corporation for Public Broadcasting’s Digital Culture Accelerator Buddy Program.
This innovative program provides participating public media stations with guidance to implement digital-first processes and change station culture for the digital age, as well as mentoring from a fellow public media station.
“Our participation in this transformative initiative comes at a time when Houston Public Media is refreshing its brand, reimagining its television studios, and laying the groundwork for the future through a new station strategic plan,” said Lisa Trapani Shumate, general manager of Houston Public Media. “This is the next step we’re taking to make digital an integral component of all we do.”
This year’s announcement builds on a successful year-long pilot project that helped 20 public media stations increase engagement and membership revenue, while driving innovations in how the stations are serving their communities. Houston Public Media is paired with Rocky Mountain PBS, a public media station in Denver, Colorado, that completed the accelerator program.
“This has inspired a station-wide cultural commitment to experimentation and testing, one that tracks progress and successes using metrics,” said Don Geraci, director of content at Houston Public Media. “Our station vision statement now better reflects where we want to head, and we’ve set an inspirational goal of doubling our reach to three million people each week by 2025.”
The CPB-supported, hands-on program is customized for each station’s operations, helping senior leadership focus on the organization’s vision and alignment, new audience engagement strategies and new membership models.
To learn more about the Digital Culture Accelerator and CPB’s efforts to accelerate digital transformation across public media, click here.
(This post was taken from a release sent to me by Houston Public Media)
Standing in roughly the same spot my great grandmother did almost 56 years ago in Dealey Plaza as she waited for President John F. Kennedy’s motorcade to pass by.
She worked as a seamstress for Abraham Zapruder. She moved to Dallas from Alabama after being beaten for years by her husband. She escaped that traumatic life and started over – only to find herself in the middle of one of the most traumatic events in US history.
Nothing could stop her though. She went back to work the next week. Maudie Bell Richardson died in 2004. One of the strongest and most humble people I’ve ever known
Great story.
The Dallas native joined channel 13 Houston in 2016. Before Houston, he worked for KJRH in Tulsa, OK, KCEN's KAGS-HD newscasts Bryan/College Station, KZTV Action 10 News Corpus Christi, KRIS 6 Corpus Christi, KAUZ Wichita Falls and KFDX Wichita Falls.
"... and then there was you. The most precious girl I’ve ever laid eyes on arrived on December 3rd and my whole world shifted. You are our everything, Vivianne Kristine. We love you more than words can say. 💗🙏🏼," Jeffers posted on Facebook.
This is the first child for Jeffers and her husband, Andrew.
FOX 26 KRIV reporter Maria Salazar announces she is having a baby
In my opinion, FOX 26 KRIV reporter Maria Salazar took her baby news to a deeper level. Meaning, I might have totally missed the message if I were mindlessly scanning through a social feed, because she required me to actually think.
And you know from reading my blog posts, thinking is not what I do best!
In the announcement, Salazar and her husband are featured with fur baby, their dog named Conchita. Conchita is wearing a bandana that says "Big Sister" on it. This is the first time I have ever used the term "fur baby" on my blog, but I have to keep up with the times.
"Conchita is ready to report for guard dog duties beginning May 👶🏽 💙," Salazar posted on Instagram.
And yes, even I can realize the baby will be a boy thanks to the blue heart thank you very much. I got that much. Although the #babyboy probably helped me get it too.
"I look forward to becoming a Houstonian and serving our community, sharing in the lives of our viewers and having the privilege to tell their stories,” she said at the time.
Before H-Town, Salazar worked as a reporter at WFMZ 69 News in Lehigh Valley, PA, a reporter and producer at WKTB Telemundo Atlanta and a client engagement specialist and on-air talent at WUVM 4 Azteca Atlanta.
If you listened to my college radio show, then you might remember Howling Mad Murdock. Wait...you didn't listen? Well anyway, Murdock sent me the new trailer for the latest James Bond film called "No Time To Die."
We went through a period of "will he, or won't he" with current James Bond star Daniel Craig, but he obviously did return in what looks like the last film for his era.
What else might we like to know about you?
I have a famous second cousin. His name is Daniel Craig, but you probably know him as Bond, James Bond.
So there you go, yes, Tiffany Craig of Houston is actually related to Daniel Craig. In case you didn't know, also from her bio, our Craig moved from Dingwall, Scotland to Houston as a child.
Does this mean Tiffany Craig likes her martini "shaken, not stirred?" Is Sally Ramirez her M? Is Bill Bishop like her Q? Who is Moneypenny?
“One door closes and another one opens and I’m on to the next chapter of my career," Green tweeted. "I will be joining the wonderful & amazingly talented people of @KHOU, the CBS station in #HOUSTON!"
Talk about Thanksgiving.
His last job, Verizon FiOS1 News New York and Northern New Jersey, just shutdown in mid-November.
He has a lot to be thankful for to land a new job that fast in the TV news biz.
Now, Green already has some history with a weather colleague at channel 11. He and Erika Lopez both worked at WeatherNation TV in Denver, CO.
"SOOOOO excited for @AddisonGreenWX to join the @KHOU weather team!!! 👏 See ya soon, Friend," Lopez tweeted.
Besides FiOS1 and WeatherNation TV, Green also has worked for Media Logic Group / AerisWeather - Minneapolis, MN. He was also a weather producer for both CBS News and FOX 5 WNYW New York.
The EMMY winner attended the State University of New York at Albany - Albany, NY and State University of New York at Buffalo - Buffalo, NY.
While we are past eating turkey and stuffing, KPRC 2 weekend morning anchor Jacob Rascon, and his wife Ashley, are thankful for their latest bundle of joy.
"Welcome to the world Noah Daniel Rascon! Born three weeks early at Memorial Hermann Katy Hospital. What a miracle life is! So beautiful! So amazing," he posted on Facebook.
Rascon notes that Noah's birth was more complicated than usual.
"Ashley lost a lot of blood during the surgery. This was her fifth cesarean section! Noah spent more time in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit than our other children. It was hard to see them like that. But mom and baby are improving! We thank God for the privilege of being parents. For the privilege of life! For the Savior of the World, whom we celebrate always, but especially during Christmastime. For a great job! For friends," Rascon added.
In June, Rascon and Ashley, released a video of their other children, Olivia, Malachi, Elijah and Elena breaking the news to the world of their coming little brother.
I'm sure that Noah's grandfather, Art, is excited about his arrival.
KENS-5 names Aaron Wright as the evening anchor alongside Deborah Knapp.
AUSTIN
Meteorologist CARLO FALCO moves to weekends at KTBC-TV in Austin (from KOKH-TV, Oklahoma City).
- Steve Swienckowski at DCA Talent http://www.dcatalent.com.
Cori Coffin, formerly of KVUE, joins NBC News as a freelance anchor in New York.
Ellyn Needham, wife of the late Hal Needham, will participate in the inaugural presentation
The magic of movie stunts will be celebrated by the Houston Film Critics Society (HFCS) with the debut of a new award for Best Stunt Achievement, presented to the stunt coordination team of a qualifying 2019 film. The first honoree of this newly established, annual tribute will be announced at the organization’s 13 th Annual Movie Awards ceremony on January 2, 2020.
“This is the perfect year to introduce our award for stunt coordination,” says HFCS President Doug Harris, “and we are thrilled to be among the first film critics associations to formally recognize this essential and perhaps most challenging element of the craft of movie-making.”
When considering the addition of this award category, HFCS members acknowledged the astonishing stunt work in several 2019 films including Avengers: Endgame, Ford v Ferrari, Gemini Man and John Wick: Chapter 3—Parabellum, and recalled the foundation of such
accomplishments in the groundbreaking work of industry pioneers Buster Keaton and Yakima Canutt, both born in 1895. The group further noted that one of the year’s most talked about films, Once Upon a Time in Hollywood, centers around the adventurous life and work of a
fictional stunt man.
In association with this inaugural recognition, the HFCS has planned a tribute to Hal Needham, widely considered to be in the top echelon of Hollywood stuntmen. Ellyn Needham, widow of the legendary performer, will be on hand as the HFCS’s special guest.
The salute will spotlight Needham’s legendary work as a stunt man in movies and television, as well as his direction of stunt-filled films Smokey and the Bandit, Hooper and The Cannonball Run, among others. In 1986, Needham and William L. Fredrick received a Scientific and Engineering Award from the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences for the design and development of the Shotmaker Elite camera car and crane. In 2012, he received an honorary Oscar from the Academy for what the organization described as “extraordinary distinction in lifetime achievement.”
The new Best Stunt Coordination Team will be the 18 th category honored by Houston Film Critics Society this year. In addition to its customary lineup, the organization recognizes the best movie poster design as well as the year’s worst film and presents the Texas Independent Film Award (TIFA) along with its companion, the TIFA Visionary Award.
The 13 th Annual HFCS ceremony will be held Thursday, January 2, 2020, at the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, and is underwritten by the Keystone Family Companies with additional support by Balcones Distillers. Information on event tickets, local accommodations and underwriting opportunities is available from HFCS President Harris.
About the Houston Film Critics Society
The 40 members of the HFCS are working film journalists on television, radio, online and in traditional print. Together, they reach millions of people each week across the United States with their critiques and commentaries on film. The organization, which actively promotes the advancement and appreciation of film in the Houston community, also offers annual scholarships to student film makers and journalism students with an interest in film critique. For additional information and a list of members, visit www.houstonfilmcritics.com.
(This post was taken from a release sent to me by the Houston Film Critics Society)
She announced today that she and fiancé, KHOU 11 photographer Gregg Ramirez, are getting married.
"Some personal news... 🤗 After a long engagement, my fiancé photog Gregg and I are getting married," Craig tweeted.
The couple made headlines in September 2019 as Ramirez helped rescue kids from the rising waters of Imelda.
Craig joined KHOU in 2010. In 2014, she became the consumer reporter.
Before KHOU, Craig worked as a reporter for WKRG 5 Mobile, Alabama, ABC 33/40 WBMA also in Mobile and KVII Amarillo. She began her career at KTRK abc13 behind the scenes.
She is a graduate of Sam Houston State University and North Shore High School.
Guess who is the subject of the number one post of all time on this blog?
Give up?
It's former abc13 KTRK children's host KiTiRik, aka Bunny Orsak.
Dave Ward just sat down and conducted a fascinating, in-depth interview, with Kitirik which I am linking to below. But, I'm also linking everything else I have on the legendary Houston TV star!
As a product of the Houston Independent School District, I'm saddened by the news concerning the takeover as you are.
But this is not an education blog by any means. Seriously, have you really ever read what I write here with a critical eye. Keep it that way or you will be disappointed.
Now on with the show. Poking around the district's website, I found a page called "Distinguished HISD Alumni."
I thought it would be interesting to see who from the media world graduated from the Houston school district. This list is expanded to also include the entertainment world.
This is a post that I will take heat for because some readers will say, "you didn't mention x or y who went to this or that HISD school!"
Hey, don't blame me, I didn't come up with the list. Nor did I write the summaries.
That aside, even I learned a lot from the page. By now, most know that Houston brought Uncle Walter Cronkite and Dan Rather to the media world, but we have a lot of other big names if you add in music and entertainment into the mix. HSPVA takes up most of this space naturally.
Austin High School
Mark James (né Francis Zambon) (1959) — GRAMMY-award-winning songwriter who made his mark with songs like “Hooked on a Feeling,” “Suspicious Minds,” and “Always On My Mind,” which were made famous (respectively) by singers B. J. Thomas, Elvis Presley, and Willie Nelson; inducted into the Songwriters’ Hall of Fame in 2014.
Bellaire High School
Jeff Cohen (1972) — executive vice president and editor of The Houston Chronicle newspaper from 2002 - 2012.
Wayne Dolcefino (1974) — Longtime award winning KTRK abc13 investigative reporter. Now runs Dolcefino Consulting. Before that Johnston Junior High.
Richard Linklater (1979) — independent film-maker, actor, and director who came to fame in the early 1990s; known for his edgy depictions of youth culture and modern life; inducted into the Texas Film Hall of Fame in 2007
Cindy Pickett (1965) — actress whose career on both the large and small screens spans more than 30 years; perhaps best known for her role as the lead character´s mother in the movie, Ferris Bueller´s Day Off, Pickett has also appeared on TV shows such as Murder, She Wrote, L.A. Law, NYPD Blue, Medium, and CSI: Miami
Dennis Quaid (1972) — actor, best known for his roles in feature films like Inner Space, The Right Stuff, and The Big Easy
Randall Rudy "Randy" Quaid (1969) — actor, best known for his quirky roles in oddball comedy films like Kingpins, Independence Day, and National Lampoon´s Vacation
Brent Spiner (1967) — actor and classmate of Randy Quaid; perhaps best known for his character "Data" on the TV series, Star Trek: The Next Generation
Donald Yearnsley "Trey" Wilson III (1966) — stage and film actor whose career spanned more than 25 years at the time of his death in 1989; appeared in feature films such as Bull Durham, Twins, and Raising Arizona and TV shows such as Dallas and Spenser: for Hire
Davis High School
Kenny Rogers (1956) — country music singer, gained fame in the 1980´s for songs like The Gambler, We´ve Got Tonight, and Lady
Furr High School
Carolyn Campbell (1974) — TV Reporter for Channel 11 (KHOU-TV)
High School for the Performing and Visual Arts
Lisa Hartman Black (1974) — actress, best known for her work on TV-series soap opera Knots Landing; married to country music singer Clint Black; also attended Long Middle and Sharpstown High Schools
Shelley Carrol (1982) — professional jazz musician (saxophone) and band leader; has recorded albums both solo (A Distant Star, 2001) and with the Duke Ellington Orchestra (1997) — with whom he has toured; his music has also been featured on the televesion series, Melrose Place and Evening Shade
Justin Stewart Furtsenfeld (1994) — lead singer, guitar-player, and lyricist of the rock band "Blue October," which has appeared on the Tonight Show with Jay Leno, Jimmy Kimmel Live, and Late Night with Conan O´Brien
Jorge Garza (1987) — opera singer, has performed with the Los Angeles Music Center Opera, Baltimore Opera, the Academy of Vocal Arts in Philadelphia, the Opera Company of Philadelphia, the Santa Fe Opera, and the Orchestra de Lyon in France
Robert Glasper (1997) — professional musician (piano); founding member of the Robert Glasper Trio, which released its debut album, Mood, in 2003; has also played in the bands of Christian McBride, Terence Blanchard, Mark Whitfield, Russell Malone, Nicholas Payton, Tim Warfield, Kenny Garrett, Charles Tolliver, Louis Hayes and Bilal
Everette Harp (1979) — jazz musician (saxophonist), best known for his self-titled debut album and second release, Common Ground
Andre Hayward (1989) — professional jazz musician (trombone); member of the Lincoln Center Jazz Orchestra; has performed with Roy Hargrove on the album Of Kindred Souls and with Dave Holland on the album What Goes Around; also backed up stars like Rosemary Clooney, Eartha Kitt, Diane Schuur, and Joe Williams
Sara Hickman (1981) — singer/songwriter, known for albums Equal Scary People, Shortstop, and Necessary Angels, the second of which yielded the adult-contemporary hit I Couldn't Help Myself
Beyoncé Knowles, (2000*) — lead singer of pop group Destiny´s Child, known for her debut multi-platinum solo album, Dangerously In Love, and group releases, Destiny´s Child and Survivor
Jason Moran (1993) — acclaimed jazz pianist with six solo albums to his credit and guest appearances on more than a dozen other artists´ albums; signed to Blue Note Records in 1997 while still a senior at the Manhattan School of Music
Matthew Mullenweg (2002) — co-founder and developer of WordPress, an open-source blogging software first released in 2003. He also founded Automattic, the parent company of websites such as VaultPress (a backup service) and Akismet (a spam filter) in 2005. He was named one of PC World's "Top 50 People on the Web" in 2007, and one of Inc.'s "30 under 30" and Business Week's "25 Most Influential People on the Web" in 2008.
(Evelyn) Renée O´Connor (1989*) — actress, best known for her role as "Gabrielle" on the TV show Xena: Warrior Princess
Eutimio "Tim" Ruiz, Jr. (1993) — bass player for the Houston-based Tejano band La Mafia, which performed at the inaugural gala of President Bill Clinton in 1997, won 12 Tejano Music Awards, eight Premio Lo Nuestro awards, and two Grammy awards (1996 and 1998) for best Tejano album
Kendrick Scott (1998) — professional musician (drums); has played with jazz masters such as Terence Blanchard, Kenny Garrett, Stefon Harris, Joe Lovano, Pat Metheny, and Dianne Reeves; music was also featured in the soundtrack to the 2004 movie, She Hate Me
Mark Seliger (1977) — chief photographer for Rolling Stone and Us magazines since 1993; has also worked for GQ and Conde Nast
Mark Simmons (1993) — professional musician (drums); has performed on albums by Walter Beasley (Tonight We Love, 1997), Joey McIntyre (Stay the Same, 1999), Bobby Lyle (Straight and Smooth, 2004) , and Al Jarreau (Accentuate the Positive, 2004)
Ed Smart (1980) — professional musician (composer/arranger); his music has been featured on the prime time TV shows American Idol, Picket Fences, The Practice, and Touched by an Angel; composed music for award-winning documentary Hank Aaron: Chasing the Dream; has worked with Beyoncé Knowles, Brian Setzer Orchestra, Amy Grant, and Michael W. Smith.
Helen Sung (1989) — professional musician (piano); has performed or recorded with such jazz stars as Benny Golson, Slide Hampton, Steve Turre, Buster Williams, and legendary composer and saxophonist Wayne Shorter; featured on Blue Note recording artist Lonnie Plaxico´s album, Mélange
Camille Zamora (1988) — Professional opera singer; Zamora has performed with a number of ensembles and artists, including the London Symphony and Plácido Domingo. She has been recognized with a 2013 Congressional Citation and been named one of CNN’s Most Intriguing People. Zamora is also a contributor to The Huffington Post and the co-founder of Sing for Hope, a charity created to honor the memory of a close friend who died of HIV/AIDS.
Houston High School
Jeff Hunt (1980) — chief executive officer of global public-relations firm, GCI Group, one of the largest PR firms in the world; also president and CEO of both GCI Read-Poland in Texas and GCI Latin America
Jack Valenti (1937) — author, politician, and entertainment icon; aide to former president Lyndon Baines Johnson; became head of the Motion Picture Association of America in 1966 and spearheaded the creation of the movie-rating system that still exists today
Jones High School
Rosiland A. Jordan (1984) — White House Correspondent for NBC News in Washington, D.C.; reporting for NBC Nightly News and The Today Show
Jo Beth Williams (1966) — actress/producer/director, nominated for Emmy awards (1984 "Adam"), (1988 Baby M), and (1995 Frasier episode); Academy Award (1995 On Hope); and Golden Globe award (1989 Baby M)
Lamar High School
Lauren Anderson (1982) — prima ballerina from 1990 to 2006 with The Houston Ballet (the first African-American promoted to that position); has been a guest performer in shows in Chicago, Chile, Moscow, and New York
Marsha Dorsey Outlaw (1981) — professional visual artist who has worked with the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, the Texas Commission on the Arts, and Michelle Barnes’ Community Artists Collective. Her murals and mosaics grace a number of public spaces around Houston, including Peggy Park in the Third Ward, and Piney Point Elementary School’s SPARK park.
Linda Ellerbee (1962) — author, journalist, award-winning television producer; wrote and anchored NBC News Overnight; also attended River Oaks Elementary and Lanier Middle Schools
Robert Foxworth (1960) — actor, best known for his roles on TV series Falcon Crest and Six Feet Under
Kelendria Trené "Kelly" Rowland (1999*) — member of the R&B musical group Destiny´s Child, whose albums have gone multi-platinum with hits like Survivor and Independent Woman; her debut solo album in 2002 went gold, and featured the hit song Dilemma, recorded with rap artist Nelly
Jaclyn Smith (1964), actress, best known for her role in 1970´s TV series Charlie´s Angels
James Marcus Smith (1956) — also known by his stage-name, "P. J. Proby," Smith is a singer, songwriter, and actor who has worked with such luminaries as country-music legend Johnny Cash and rock-n-roll phenomenon Elvis Presley
Tommy Tune (1957) — Tony award-winning Broadway performer, actor, dancer, singer, performer, choreographer, and director
Sherri Williams (1990) — Channel 39 News anchor
Marvin Zindler (1939*) — reporter at Channel 13 KTRK-TV station in Houston. His infamous investigation in La Grange was the inspiration for a Broadway musical; also attended Pershing Middle School
Lee High School
H. Clay Dahlberg (1965) — professional artist who creates primarily Western-themed sculpture. His work has earned the Best in Show distinction from the Texas Cowboy Artists Association and has been exhibited at the National Cowboy and Western Heritage Center.
Jeff Filgo (1985) — television producer/screenwriter who has worked on That 70?s Show, The New Adventures of Old Christine, and Diary of a Wimpy Kid.
Billy Gibbons (1968) — guitarist in rock band ZZ Top
Melanie Hauser (1971) — freelance sports writer, award-winning columnist, and feature writer who has worked for the Austin-American Statesman and The Houston Post and contributed to Sports Illustrated and other publications; one of the most respected golf journalists in the country
Randal "Randy" Lemmon (1980) radio personality on KPRC Talk Radio (950); hosts Randy Lemmon´s GardenLine
Ron Stone, Jr. (1981) — author and contributing reporter to KPRC-TV, Channel 2; collaborated on award-winning TV series The Eyes of Texas with his father, Ron Sr.; writer and producer at Stonefilms of Texas
John P. White (1991) — actor who has appeared in a number of Hollywood films, including Teaching Mrs. Tingle, Can?t Hardly Wait, and Galaxy Quest, as well as several television series, such as Chicago Hope and Party of Five
Stiles White (1987) — writer or production coordinator on a number of Hollywood films, including Galaxy Quest, The Sixth Sense, Inspector Gadget, and Pearl Harbor
Madison High School
Peter Brett Cullen (1974) — stage, screen, and television actor for more than 25 years; nominated by Soap Opera Digest for Best Supporting Actor for his role in the 1980s TV show Falcon Crest; has also played in movies (Apollo 13), TV mini-series (The Thorn Birds), and made appearances on prime-time shows (Desperate Housewives, The West Wing, Ally McBeal)
Milby High School
Miguel "Mike" Barajas (1973) — KRIV-TV FOX News anchor
Michael Berryhill (1963) — freelance writer; previously worked for The Houston Chronicle and The Houston Press
T. G. Waggoner (1938) — an early television wrestler, better known in the 1950´s as "Gorgeous George"
Reagan High School
Larry Hovis (1954) — actor; remembered for his role as Sergeant Carter on the 1960´s TV sitcom Hogan´s Heroes, as well as stints on Gomer Pyle, U.S.M.C., and Rowan & Martin´s Laugh-In
Dan Rather (1950) broadcast journalist, former CBS Evening News anchorman; also attended Love Elementary and Hamilton Middle Schools
San Jacinto High School-closed in 1971
Richard J.V. Johnson (1948) — chairman and publisher of The Houston Chronicle daily newspaper
Walter Cronkite (1933) — former CBS Evening News anchorman
Scarborough High School
Karen Dufilho-Rosen (1987) — Academy Award-winning producer of Pixar animated short films Geri´s Game (1997) and For the Birds (2000). Head of Pixar´s "shorts" department; produced outtakes for A Bug´s Life, Toy Story 2, and Monsters, Inc. Also responsible for 2003 Academy Award-nominated short film Mike´s New Car.
Sharpstown High School
Clarence Bagby (1982) — journalist and community activist; founder of the Houston Lesbian and Gay Community Center
Robert Earl Keen (1974) — Texas singer/songwriter
Sterling High School
Yolanda Adams (1979) — award-winning gospel singer; received Grammy awards in 1999 and 2001 for Best Contemporary Soul Gospel Album, 13 Stellar Awards
Carlotta “Monique” Nation (1982) — Award-winning Houston television personality for KRIV-TV Fox 26 who covered a number of high-profile crime stories, including the execution of convicted killer Karla Faye Tucker in Huntsville and the dragging death of James Byrd Jr. in Jasper; recognized by the Young Women’s Christian Association as one of its Women of Achievement in 2000 and Young Minority Achievers in 2001; tied for first-place prize from Texas Associated Press Broadcasters Association for her commentary on the Jasper case (1999) and second-place prize for her coverage of a fire (1997)
Waltrip High School
Shelley Duvall (1967) — actress/producer, known for her role as Olive Oyl in the film Popeye, and her Tall Tales and Bedtime Stories children´s TV series
Patrick Swayze (1971) — actor/dancer, known for his roles in the movies Dirty Dancing and Ghost. Also attended Oak Forest Elementary and Black Middle Schools
Washington High School
Jennifer Holliday (1978) — Tony Award-winning singer/actress, perhaps best known for her breakout performance in the Broadway show Dream Girls in 1981
Westbury High School
Robert "Bob" Allen (1964) — Houston´s Channel 13 (KTRK) Sports Director; also attended Lamar High School
Michael Strahan (1990*) — professional football player (defensive end) for the New York Giants
Wheatley High School
Lonnie Bernard Rochon (1945) — became the first black disc jockey in Houston, working as "The Rambler" at KNUZ and later KCOH. After stints in New York and St. Louis, ended his radio career as an on-air personality and community affairs director at KDAY in Los Angeles.
Joseph Leslie "Joe" Sample (1957) — jazz musician for more than 40 years; successful both as a solo artist (with albums like The Pecan Tree) and as a piano player for The Crusaders for more than 30 years
Worthing High School
Ralph Cooper (1966) — KCOH Radio (1430 AM) Sports Rap host, veteran sports broadcaster and sports writer; also attended Grimes ES and Attucks MS
Terri Ellis (1982) — founding member of the girl group EnVogue; recorded a string of hits in the early 1990s, including My Lovin' (Never Gonna Get It), Free Your Mind, and the theme song on the movie soundtrack to Set It Off starring Queen Latifah
Yates High School
Debbie Allen (1967) — actress/dancer /director/producer, often remembered for her role as "Lydia Grant" in the 1980s TV drama series Fame
Phylicia Allen Rashad (1966) — actress/producer, perhaps best known for her role opposite famed comedian Bill Cosby as Claire Huxtable on the 1980´s sitcom The Cosby Show
Kim Gagné (1982) — two-time Emmy Award winner and supervising producer of “The Steve Harvey Show”; also started the show “City Under Siege” for FOX-TV, “The Defenders” and “Great Day Houston with Whitney Casey” for KHOU-TV Channel 11
Conrad O. Johnson (1933) — known as "Prof;" world-renowned jazz saxophonist and leader of the Conrad Johnson Orchestra; patented his own model of a saxophone ligature (the CJ Ligature); established the Conrad Johnson Music & Fine Arts Foundation and the Conrad Johnson School of Music, a Magnet program for aspiring jazz musicians (housed at Kashmere High School)
Roland Martin (1987) — nationally syndicated columnist, commentator for the TV One Cable Network, and host and managing editor of “Washington Watch with Roland Martin,” a one-hour Sunday morning news show; also a CNN analyst who was named by Ebony magazine in 2008, 2009, and 2010 as one of the 150 Most Influential African-Americans in the United States
David McGee (1981) — professional artist whose work has been included in either group or curated exhibits in such esteemed institutions as the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, Harvard University, and the Menil Collection; has received numerous grants and awards for his work, and had solo exhibitions in Texas, New York, Rhode Island, and North Carolina
* = the person attended but did not graduate from that school
