Alison Martino, Daughter of Al Martino

After almost a year of phone tag and scheduling conflicts I was finally able to get Alison on the podcast. Well before making contact, I had been following a Facebook page “Vintage Los Angeles”. I was / am fascinated by the photos she and followers post. Once I figured out who Alison was and that it was her Facebook page I knew I really needed to have her on the podcast.

Alison’s father, Al Martino was a famous traditional pop and standards singer and actor. Al was part of the last Hollywood crooners and played Johnny Fontane in the film The Godfather.

Having lived in Los Angeles in the early 80s and then again from 1986 to 2005 I was more interested in Alison’s love for preserving the history of Los Angeles and sharing her hometown with the world then chatting about her father. We do chat about Al and what her life was like growing up with him.

Although Alison and I never met while I lived in LA our paths of cool, unique and old Hollywood crossed on many levels. I had so much fun talking about and reminiscing about places no longer there or that are on the verge of disappearing from the landscape.

She has a fantastic love for vintage style, architecture and history. Our conversation reminded me of Episode #5 with Ryan Cassidy, another lover of vintage style and a deep old Hollywood connection.

If you are fascinated by vintage photos and the history of Los Angeles then you will enjoy hearing the passion and energy Alison puts into keeping LA special.

https://www.facebook.com/VintageLosAngeles

https://martinostimemachine.blogspot.com

https://www.facebook.com/alisonmartino1970

https://www.instagram.com/alisonmartino

https://www.vlamerch.com

Episode 47 – Lena Prima (Louis Prima – Daughter)

To many a generations Lena’s father is best known for the best song and scenes in the 1967 animated movie The Jungle Book. Yep, Lena Prima is the daughter of the amazing showman Louis Prima aka “King Louis”.

I shared my story of David Lee Roth doing her father’s famous song “Just a Gigolo” and my mother setting me straight that DLR was not the original singer.

Lena is a wonderful performer, recording artist and proud of her father’s legacy while carving her own fan base in the world of music. She did the Rock & Roll / Heavy Metal west coast scene for years, there’s some great photos in the notes, and toured full time with cover bands before finding a musical home in her father’s kingdom of New Orleans.

So on your next trip to The Big Easy be sure to stop in and see Lena at The Hotel Montleone in the French Quarter.

https://www.lenaprima.com

https://www.facebook.com/lenaprimaofficial

https://www.instagram.com/lenaprima

Episode 45 – Tess Frizzell (Shelly West – Daughter)

I had so much fun talking with Tess Frizzell and learning about life on the road and getting to record a song with her mother Shelly West. I had the pleasure of meeting her mom back in the early 80s when I was a DJ / Bartender / Contest MC at Cowboy’s Nightlife in North Myrtle Beach, SC. She even signed a copy of her “Red Hot” LP for me. I still have it and shared a photo with Tess.

Now Shelly West is not Tess’s only famous relative, oh no, her family tree is a Country Music forest.  Her Grandmother Dottie West is a Country Music Hall of Fame Grammy winner. Dottie was the first female country artist to win a Grammy. Let’s not forget the Frizell side of her family. Her dad is Allen Frizzell youngest brother to, and making her Uncles, singing sensation David Frizzell and Country Music Legend, Lefty Frizzell. Lefty is from Corsicana, TX where my wife was born and raised. There is even a statue and museum of Lefty there. We make sure to stop by when we go see family in Corsicana.

Tess grew up on the road with a list of Who’s Who in the country music world. From sneaking onto Willie Nelson’s bus as a very young girl, to being held by Grand Ole Opry stars like Minnie Pearl as baby, too Super Stars babysitting while mom was on stage performing.

She is also a very talented singer and songwriter in her own right. During our conversation I learned Tess is an accomplished portrait artist and painter. Her portraits have been commissioned by families of US Presidents and she has sold amazing portraits of Country Music’s biggest stars. See her website link below for details. I truly hope you enjoy Tess’s conversation as much as I did.

https://www.tessfrizzell.net

https://www.facebook.com/TessFrizzell

Episode 44 – Cindy Cash ( Johnny Cash – Daughter)

Cindy Cash the third daughter of Johnny Cash and his first wife Vivian Liberto is our guest on this episode of Relatively Famous. Cindy chats about her life as a daddy’s girl and really getting to know her father when she started touring with him. She would spend her school months at their remote hilltop home in Casitas Springs, California and summer in Tennessee or on tour with her dad, June and their children. Cindy loved the hilltop home with it’s amazing 360 views and wildlife of rattlesnakes and coyotes, even if was a tough and lonely place to grow up.

Following in her dad’s path Cindy loved to sing and would often join Johnny on stage. She even did a mini tour with Kathy Twitty and Peggy Lynn as “The Next Generation”. I’m not sure there is a greater love than the love Cindy has for her father Johnny. She has many memories and mementos our her fathers and she is sharing both with his fans. There was a recent auction and Cindy has plans for more.

I so loved chatting with Cindy and do hope to visit with her next time I happen to be in Nashville. Cash is King and Cindy is a lovely princesses in the Royalty Country Music Cash Family.

https://www.cindycash.com/
https://www.imdb.com/name/nm1289456/
https://www.instagram.com/johnnycash/?hl=en
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vivian_Cash

Episode 28 – Bellamie Blackstone (Harry Blackstone Jr. – Daughter)

Since starting this podcast I have been stunned by the connections Wheel of Fortune has provided. Here I have the honor of interviewing the granddaughter and daughter of renowned Master Illusionist Harry Blackstone and Harry Blackstone Jr, Bellamie Blackstone. She is not only an amazing TV Producer, she’s also the Producer of Wheel of Fortune. Her grandfather Harry was known to rival Houdini and her father Harry Jr was not only a master of stage illusion he was known for guest starring on primetime tv shows like Hart to Hart. This episode is pure magic, pun intended…

https://www.emmys.com/bios/bellamie-blackstone

Episode 21 – Kimber Eastwood (Clint Eastwood – Daughter)

This episode’s interview came out of left field for me. I’ve spent the last 50 yrs quoting lines from her father’s films with my friends only to discover she has been a makeup artist of Wheel of Fortune for 20 yrs. Yep Clint Eastwood’s daughter Kimber Eastwood Midkiff has been an actor like her father but prefers being behind the camera producing and doing makeup. She doesn’t live the Hollywood highlife you’d expect of an Eastwood and love to drive the country with her husband and dogs.

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Episode 20 – Kimberly Butler McMillan (Marty Butler – Daughter)

This episode’s guest, Kimberly Butler McMillan, I met way back when the short film, A Chess Player that I produced, was screening in the Beaufort International Film Festival. However it wasn’t until years later that she told me about her father, a well known Canadian singer songwriter. As the podcast grew and I was thinking of guest I Googled her father, Marty Butler and listened to his music. Well, his daughter Kimberly has a great story of blended families, pharmaceutical sales, single motherhood, real-estate, a new home and a deep love for her father, his music and songs, including Fly Little White Dove Fly that he wrote for The Bells. Marty also gave piano lessons to Anne Murray. Marty’s death from Aids in 1996 lead Kimberley on the journey to become deeply involved in Aids charity work. #Trinilopez #thescptres 

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Episode 19 – Kimberly Brown (Jim Brown – Daughter)

In this episode I talk with the daughter of movie star, rights activist and NFL Legend Jim Brown. Kimberly Brown talks of how her father instilled helping
others and how she, along with Ray Charles daughter started Daughter of Legends. Watching her dad portrayed and having a small part in the film One Night in Miami. Launching Daughters of Sports and what being a female football player is like. She’s a Defensive End working towards becoming a Running Back like her
father.

https://daughtersoflegends.org/
https://daughtersoflegends.org/daughters-of-sports/
https://www.instagram.com/daughtersoflegends
https://www.facebook.com/DaughtersofLegends2/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jim_Brown
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K8vf_Cmh9nY

Continue reading “Episode 19 – Kimberly Brown (Jim Brown – Daughter)”