16 Jun Steve Bedell – A Tribute by Dan Crow
The Entertainment Industry is certainly well-stocked with iconic, creative people. However, if you add honesty, compassion and empathy to those traits the number of those folks working in this business is reduced significantly. I was blessed to have one of those beautiful souls as my manager and mentor for over 20 years, Steve Bedell.
By the late 1980’s I had been grinding away in the children’s music business for a dozen years and was happily out doing schools, libraries and malls. Yes, there were a few albums I recorded on my own and for Sierra Briar, Rounder Records and a Baby Songs video. Oh, and being a staff songwriter for two wonderful shows on The Disney Channel. Yet, it felt like it was time to take the next step. That is when I had the synchronistic good fortune to meet Steve Bedell. He was so COOL! I mean Hollywood COOL! He immediately took this Crow under his wing and began to guide my career in family entertainment to a new level. He got me signed with Sony Records and their new sub-genre, Sony Kids Music. He helped hook me up with a major concert booking company that took me all over the world. He placed all my publishing with trusted companies. He always supported every aspect of my career and became my muse, collaborator and dear friend.
Steve worked at the top level of entertainment as a film producer and as Vice-President of Music at Paramount. He was responsible for organizing all the music for Top Gun, Footloose, Witness, Ghost, Ferris Bueller’s Day Off and many more. He even convinced Miles Davis to appear in Scrooged!
That he believed in me as a songwriter and performer for kids and their families was almost too magical to comprehend. He never stopped nurturing our creative partnership. It was his idea to launch KidzMusic.com along with John Wood and myself.
We lost Steve in early June of this year, and my heart aches for his remarkable wife and our friend, Zaida, and for his son Adam and his family and for all of us who were a part of his life force. Steve Bedell was a classy man and a great human being. We will miss you my friend.
Steve Bedell
Imperial Wizard
Stephen Bedell started his business career with Grey Advertising, the Wes Farrell Organization and Casablanca Records, handling music publishing working with such artists as Donna Summer and Barry Manilow. Bedell was at Paramount Pictures as senior vice president of music, where he worked on over 100 notable films such as Footloose, Witness, Ferris Bueller’s Day Off, Star Trek III, IV & V, Top Gun, Coming to America, Naked Gun, Ghost, and many more.
He served many years on the Board of Governors of the LA Chapter of NARAS (The GRAMMYs) as well as being a former National Trustee to NARAS for five years. Steve is co-founder of Kidzmusic.
Debi Derryberry
Posted at 15:53h, 21 JuneWhat a beautiful tribute. RIP Steve Bedell
Dana Cohenour
Posted at 16:29h, 21 JuneSo very sad to learn of Steve’s passing! What an amazing career he had, and what a remarkable, kind man he was. I have been personally grateful to him for including my recordings in his efforts to enrich the lives of children with music, and have been honored to be associated with Kidzmusic. His work with Paramount Pictures is especially impressive… the music in each of those films is spectacular and elevates each story greatly. My heart goes out to his family and friends, and to you, Dan. He was certainly an inspiration and a loving source of guidance in your life and many others.
Joanie Bartels
Posted at 18:19h, 21 JuneWhat sad news and a wonderful tribute. I am truly sorry Dan. I know Steve will be greatly missed by his family, friends, business associates and all those whose careers he helped nuture and grow. You were both blessed to know each other.
Lindsay "Cookie" Morgan
Posted at 18:54h, 21 JuneHey Dan,
What a sweet,thoughtful tribute you have done here for the Imperial Wizard, Steve Bedell. How lucky so many of your musically talented friends and you were to have such a special guy like Steve leading the way to entertain kids with music. All those years seem like such an innocent time when kids were encouraged to be silly and goofy and allowed to be kids for just a little bit longer than they are today. Even you are still 11 years old! It was a pleasure to be asked to design some of your album covers while I yelled to you to “Get out of my cookie jar!” and the Fridays you came to my classroom to try out your new songs on my students. Unforgettable precious memories.
Peter Alsop
Posted at 21:31h, 21 JuneSteve was quite wonderful and true blue helper to John and Dan. He understood their genius and continually supported them and their music for kids and families. That’s rare, … particularly if you’re rubbing shoulders with so many other ‘main stream’ musicians and film-makers. Sail on Steve! And thanks from all of us kid-songsters.
Lucinda allshouse
Posted at 21:29h, 22 JuneRIP Steve. Lots of great memories we’ll keep til perhaps, who knows, we’ll meet again.
Scott Lipsker
Posted at 10:50h, 08 AugustDamn, I am sad to find this out about Steve leaving us…I was so fortunate to be associated with and supported by him from 1976 to around 1986. He supported me as a songwriter and artist. We met him when he was VP under Wes Farrell, where we were signed as artists on Wes’ label. Then, when he went to Casablanca and ran their publishing, he got us doing many tracks with Donna Summer as a writer. For five years he paid me as a staff writer for his own company Adamsongs/Pzazz music. Me and my partner Steve Stapley wrote and recorded many songs under his guidance. Then, while he was VP/music at Paramount, he got me gigs as a writer and as a player. I did several soundtracks and he got some of my music into other movies. He believed in me way more than anyone in the business and I loved him. I hadn’t connected with him for years, and now, as I tried to do so, I found that I missed him. Absolutely a man of integrity in a business that is very often overrun with cheaters and thieves. I am sad. I wish I could’ve spoken with him again to say this to him directly. Goodbye my friend
Chris Mock
Posted at 21:23h, 17 NovemberWhen I went to Google to look up Steve Bidell, I was deeply saddened to learn of his passing. I had the privilege of working as an Executive Assistant for Steve when he formed an entertainment management company with Burton Taylor (Taylor Bidell Entertainment). It was during that time that I learned so much from him, particularly through his connection to kid-friendly music and his work with Dan Crow. Reading Mr. Crow’s tribute and the words of others here, I wholeheartedly agree with their sentiments.
Working for Steve was an absolute joy. He was a wise and inspiring man, dedicated to his craft and the artists and musicians he tirelessly supported. His career and contributions to the music and entertainment world will never be forgotten by those whose lives he touched.
My sincere condolences go out to his wonderful wife, Zeda, and his son, Adam. Steve’s legacy will live on through the incredible work he accomplished and the countless lives he impacted. He was truly one of a kind.
Goodbye, Steve, and thank you for the time we shared. It was an honor to know you.
Chris Mock
Posted at 21:33h, 17 NovemberJeez, I spelled his name wrong. Ugh, what a disaster and completely unforgivable. Please post this corrected comment please. Sorry, Steve.
When I went to Google to look up Steve Bedell, I was deeply saddened to learn of his passing. I had the privilege of working as an Executive Assistant for Steve when he formed an entertainment management company with Burton Taylor (Taylor Bedell Entertainment). It was during that time that I learned so much from him, particularly through his connection to kid-friendly music and his work with Dan Crow. Reading Mr. Crow’s tribute and the words of others here, I wholeheartedly agree with their sentiments.
Working for Steve was an absolute joy. He was a wise and inspiring man, dedicated to his craft and the artists and musicians he tirelessly supported. His career and contributions to the music and entertainment world will never be forgotten by those whose lives he touched.
My sincere condolences go out to his wonderful wife, Zeda, and his son, Adam. Steve’s legacy will live on through the incredible work he accomplished and the countless lives he impacted. He was truly one of a kind.
Goodbye, Steve, and thank you for the time we shared. It was an honor to know you.
Chris Mock
Posted at 21:39h, 17 NovemberAnd my apologies to Zaida for misspelling her name.
My sincere condolences go out to his wonderful wife, Zaida, and his son, Adam.