Steve Rawlins

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Steve Rawlins
Rawlins in Recording Studio, 2015
Born
Steven Jeffrey Rawitz

(1954-09-05) September 5, 1954 (age 69)[citation needed]
Occupations
  • Musician
  • Arranger
  • Composer
  • Musical Director
  • Music Producer
  • Author
Years active1972–present
Spouses
Michele Delon
(m. 1993; div. 1994)
Isela Sotelo
(m. 1978; div. 1989)
Children2
Musical career
Genres
Instrument(s)
  • Piano
Labels
  • Motown
  • London Records
  • Sea Breeze Records
Websitesteverawlins.com

Steve Rawlins is an American musician, composer, arranger, musical director, and author. He has arranged music for a wide range of recording artists, including Smokey Robinson, Bette Midler, Chaka Khan, Anna Danes,[1] and Lainie Kazan. He produced the single Angelito (Angel Baby), recorded by Isela Sotelo on Motown Latino Records, which charted on Latin Billboard's Hot 100 in 1982.[2]

He has arranged music for the Academy Awards and Emmy Award ceremonies, and for multiple television shows, including The Crazy Ones, 24, and Jeopardy!. Rawlins has performed throughout the U.S. and internationally including Carnegie Hall and the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts and served as music director for such artists as John O'Hurley,[3] Lainie Kazan, Steve March-Tormé, Anna Danes,[4] Shea Arender,[5] and The Wonderful Wizard of Song-The Music of Harold Arlen.[6]

Early life[edit]

Steve Rawlins (born September 5, 1954) was born in Mineola, New York to parents Gloria (née Gluck) and Herbert Rawitz. His father was an aerospace engineer that worked on NASA's Project Gemini. Rawlins is the second born of three siblings. He began taking piano lessons at six years old and began playing the trumpet at nine years old and played both instruments consistently throughout his childhood.

He and his family relocated to Los Angeles, California in 1965 when Rawlins was eleven years old. His parents frequented live CBS variety television show tapings as a part of the audience and sat next to the orchestra which influenced Rawlins in choosing a career as a professional musician. He attended University High School (Los Angeles) where the school's big band singer was Lorna Luft (daughter of Judy Garland) and Rawlins wrote some of his earliest arrangements for her to sing. His music teacher John Magruder, (who played baritone saxophone with Don Ellis) mentored him in music arranging and career direction. He graduated high school in 1972.

While attending CSUN, (California State University at Northridge) Rawlins saw a notice on a bulletin board that composer/arranger Sammy Nestico was teaching a big band and was looking for musicians at nearby Pierce College. Rawlins joined the band for the next two years learning much from Nestico in advanced composition and orchestration techniques.

Career[edit]

In 1974 Rawlins played keyboards with a top 40 band touring throughout Western Canada. Upon returning to Los Angeles in 1975 he began writing music for The Merv Griffin Show and was offered a position as a staff arranger and music librarian. Griffin's featured trumpet player, Jack Sheldon, introduced Rawlins to Benny Goodman to write arrangements that were featured in his 40th Anniversary Concert at Carnegie Hall.

In 1979, Rawlins was hired by John Davidson (entertainer) as an arranger at his John Davidson's Singer's Summer Camp (JDSSC) on Catalina Island then hired him to write for his show in Las Vegas and Rawlins went on to compose and arrange music for his The John Davidson Show, which aired for two years.

He continued to freelance as a musician, composer and arranger for various commercials, TV shows, and recording projects.

Isela Sotelo - Angelito (Angel Baby) - Motown Latino Records[edit]

Rawlins produced and arranged Isela Sotelo's radio charting single, Angelito (Angel Baby) released on Motown Latino Records which was earned a spot on the Billboard Hot 100 Latin music charts in 1982.[7][8]

Step Right Up[edit]

Before the release of his album Step Right Up (released on Sea Breeze Records) in 1985, Rawitz decided to legally change his last name to Rawlins for the sake of easier pronunciation and spelling.[9] The song, Laguna was played on radio stations throughout the U.S. and was in regular rotation on KTWV (94.7 The Wave) in Los Angeles in 1985.

Steve March-Tormé[edit]

Rawlins began working with Steve March-Tormé in 1996 as an arranger, composer, and pianist and continues to work with him. Rawlins co-wrote the title track, Swingin' at the Blue Moon Bar & Grille as well as arranged Straighten Up and Fly Right which March-Tormé recorded as a duet with his father, Mel Tormé.[10]

Discography[edit]

Year Album Artist Credit
2019 The King Symphonic Shea Arender/Las Vegas Symphony Orchestra Arranger, Conductor
The Romantic Michael Tinholme Arranger
Lady Stardust Michael Tinholme Arranger
August Afternoon Claude Hall Arranger, Piano
2017 Blue Smoke Mary Bogue Producer, Composer, Arranger, Piano
One Night Of Sin Mary Bogue Producer, Arranger
The Moonlight Sessions Lyn Stanley Arranger
2016 Once Upon a Time Winston Byrd Piano
2015 Interludes Lyn Stanley Arranger
From The Start Alistair Tober Composer
2014 Potions Lyn Stanley Arranger
2013 Lost in Romance Lyn Stanley Producer, Arranger
2012 Don't Go To Strangers Mary Bogue Producer, Arranger, Piano
That Old Feeling Patrisha Thomson Producer, Arranger, Piano
2011 Kiss of Brazil Bianca Rossini Composer, Keyboards
2009 Inside Out Steve March Tormé Arranger, Piano
2008 Last Call Al Timss Arranger, Piano
2007 So Far Steve March Tormé Producer, Composer, Arranger, Piano
2006 Standard Scotch Scotch Ellis Loring Piano
2005 Benzali Daniel Benzali Arranger, Piano
2003 A Night For Romance George Bugatti Arranger, Piano
The Essence of Love Steve March Tormé Producer, Composer, Arranger, Piano
2001 Sunday Drive Robert Kaufman Producer, Composer, Arranger, Keyboards
Queen of the Night Ella Leya Keyboards
2000 Buy Me A Martini Sara Laporte Producer, Composer, Arranger, Piano
Live On the Strip George Bugatti Arranger
The Night I Fell For You Steve March Tormé Producer, Composer, Arranger, Piano
1999 Swingin’ At The Blue Moon Bar and Grille Steve March Tormé Producer, Composer, Arranger
1998 Oh, What a Night For Love George Bugatti Arranger, Piano
Hot Harmonica Danny Welton Arranger
1997 Summer in San Francisco Danny Welton Arranger
1992 Bruce Eskovitz Bruce Eskovitz Trumpet
Time Will Tell Grant Geissman Composer
1991 Flying Colors Grant Geissman Composer
1988 Three Gals, Three Guitars The Del Rubio Triplets Trumpet
1986 Musica Ranchera and Rock and Roll Isela Sotelo Producer, Composer, Arranger, Piano, Trumpet
1985 Step Right Up Steve Rawlins Producer, Composer, Arranger, Trumpet
1983 Flip Wilson Flip Wilson Arranger, Trumpet
1982 Angel Baby (Angelito) Isela Sotelo Producer, Arranger, Piano
1978 40th Anniversary Concert (Live at Carnegie Hall) Benny Goodman Arranger
1977 Come Softly Brenton Wood Trumpet

Film and television[edit]

[11]

Year Film/TV Credit Studio/Production Company
2014 The Crazy Ones Arranger CBS
2012 Carol Channing: Larger than Life Arranger Dramatic Forces
2010 Arrested Development Piano Fox
2009 24 (TV Series) Arranger, Piano Fox Television
2000 Star Trek Voyager On-Camera Musician, Piano Coach Paramount
1998 All Dogs Go to Heaven: The Series Arranger MGM Television
1997 Family Matters On-Camera Musician CBS
1996 Phil Hartman NewsRadio Arranger NBC
1993 Jeopardy! College Championship Arranger King World Productions
1992 Class of the 20th Century Arranger A & E
1991 World War II- A Personal Journey Arranger Disney Channel
1988 "Viva" Composer, Arranger Syndicated Talk Show Theme
1987 This Is Your Life Arranger Ralph Edwards Productions
1983 Post Composer, Arranger Newsweek Television
Superbowl Trumpet, Arranger NBC
1982 Yes, Georgio On-Camera Musician MGM
My Favorite Year On-Camera Musician MGM
1980-1982 The John Davidson Show Composer, Arranger Syndicated
1979 Real Life On-Camera Musician Paramount
Los Angeles Film Critic's Awards Music Director, Arranger Metromedia
1978 Charlies Angels Trumpet ABC/Aaron Spelling Productions
1975-1978 The Merv Griffin Show Staff Music Arranger, Music Librarian Syndicated
1971 Pretty Maids All in a Row On-Camera Musician MGM

Author[edit]

In 1995 while attending the NAMM Show Rawlins met John Haag, who was the president of Creative Concepts Publishing. Haag published Rawlins' How To Get Real With A Fake Book[12] Shortly thereafter Hal Leonard LLC bought out Creative Concepts Publishing and hired Haag as a consultant who oversaw the rest of Rawlins' Hal Leonard releases.[13][14]

Year Book Topic Publisher Credit
2008 $2,000 Singers Resource Book 69 Custom Arrangements For Female Singers Hal Leonard Author
2006 Ready Tonight - Volume 1 Performance-Ready Female Vocals in Original Keys Hal Leonard Author
Ready Tonight - Volume 2 Performance-Ready Female Vocals in Original Keys Hal Leonard Author
Entertaining Easy Classics Volume 1 (Book/CD) Easy Piano With Chord Symbols Hal Leonard Author
Entertaining Easy Classics Volume 2 Easy Piano With Chord Symbols Hal Leonard Author
2004 Pro Charts in Original Keys: Volume 2 For Female Singers Hal Leonard Author
Pro Charts in Original Keys: Volume 1 For Female Singers Hal Leonard Author
2003 Jazz Tracks for Singers Men's Edition: Book/Audio with Jazz Trio Tracks [15] Hal Leonard Author
Jazz Tracks for Singers Women's Edition: Book/Audio with Jazz Trio Tracks Hal Leonard Author
Jazz Ballads for Singers Men's Edition: 15 Classic Standards in Custom Vocal Arrangements Hal Leonard Author
Jazz Ballads for Singers Women's Edition: 15 Classic Standards in Custom Vocal Arrangements Hal Leonard Author
2002 The Singer's Book of Jazz Standards Women's Edition (Vocal Collection) Hal Leonard Author
The Singer's Book of Jazz Standards Men's Edition (Vocal Collection) Hal Leonard Author
2001 21 Bebop Exercises For Vocalists and Instrumentalists Hal Leonard Author
1996 How to Get Real with a Fake Book:A Guide for the Piano Arranger A Guide for the Piano Arranger Hal Leonard Author

References[edit]

  1. ^ "Anna Danes, Steve Rawlins, Lucie Hill host Ilona Europa interviewed singer songwriter Anna Danes and her music director, composer, arranger Steve Rawlins".
  2. ^ "Global Voice - Before He Was Old Enough To Drink, STEVE RAWLINS was working with MORT LINDSEY - Cabarabia Podcast - Published on Nov 18, 2014". YouTube.
  3. ^ "Broadway World - Photo Coverage: John O'Hurley Plays Cafe Carlyle by Stephen Sorokoff Mar. 30, 2017".
  4. ^ "KPBS Radio - An Evening With Anna Danes - Music Director Steve Rawlins".
  5. ^ "Las Vegas Symphony - The King Symphonic - Steve Rawlins - Arranger, Conductor".
  6. ^ "Wonderful Wizard of Song - The Music of Harold Arlen - Music Director Steve Rawlins - December 1, 2018". 15 December 2023.
  7. ^ "American Radio History - Billboard Magazine - Latin Radio charts - Isela Sotelo - 7/10/1882" (PDF).
  8. ^ "Discogs - Angelito - Isela Sotelo - 1982". Discogs.
  9. ^ "All Music - Step Up - Steve Rawlins". AllMusic.
  10. ^ "New Haven Register - Steve March-Tormé may not make you think of his dad, but he sure can sing - musical director and piano player, Steve Rawlins - November 2, 2013". 2 November 2013.
  11. ^ "IMDB - Steve Rawlins". IMDb.
  12. ^ "Barnes and Noble - How To Get Real With A Fake Book - Steve Rawlins".
  13. ^ "Sheet Music Plus - Steve Rawlins Arrangements".
  14. ^ Amazon - 21 Bebop Exercises for Vocalists - Steve Rawlins. ISBN 0634033905.
  15. ^ "Hal Leonard Publishing - Steve Rawlins - Jazz Tracks for Singers – Men's Edition - Book/Audio with Jazz Trio Tracks".