Post by Rick Henry on Apr 16, 2004 21:45:11 GMT -5
After careers with Carpenters and Disney, life takes a new turn for Bigfork cafe owner
By Heidi Gaiser
The Daily Inter Lake
After spending his life performing with the Carpenters and working for Disney, Doug Strawn changes his focus and opens a cafe in Bigfork with his wife, Nancy. The Strawns bought the former Cup and Saucer in September and now own and operate the restaurant as Doug and Nan's Cafe.
Robin Loznak/ Daily Inter Lake
When tourists pour into Bigfork this summer, it's likely that many of them will stop by Doug and Nan's Cafe on Electric Avenue for coffee or a sandwich.
And most customers will leave the small establishment without realizing that the man who just handed them an ice cream cone once performed for President Richard Nixon and the entire cast of the Watergate conspiracy, sat in on a recording session with Paul McCartney, and for five years was the official voice of Donald Duck.
After a life in entertainment that included a decade as a backup vocalist and band member with the Carpenters, Doug Strawn has settled in Bigfork with his wife, Nancy. Though neither was ready to retire from work altogether, they did slow the pace of the their lives when they took over the ownership of the former Cup and Saucer on Sept. 16.
"We're thrilled to be here," Strawn said. "It's a really nice way to spend this part of our lives."
Strawn, 58, hasn't left his days as an entertainer behind completely. He plays clarinet and sings with the Company Brass at the Bigfork Inn every Friday and Saturday night, and will be part of Tuesday's New Year's Eve party there as well. His musical talents aren't new to the area, as he has shared his knowledge with local music students at the Flathead Lake Music Camp each summer for the past 14 years, working with old friend and local music teacher Bob McCandless.
Strawn's friendship with McCandless is part of what drew the Strawns to the Flathead Valley. While the Strawns were living in Orlando, they purchased a second home in Bigfork in 1996 and planned to move to Montana after their youngest daughter left for college.
The Strawns have three children: Megan works as an escrow officer in Orange County, Calif., Matt is in the Navy, and in September Melinda began her freshman year at California State University at Long Beach, leaving the Strawns free to start their new lives.
"We sold everything we couldn't fit into our truck and our Explorer and moved into our house up here," he said.
A few years before the move, Strawn had retired as the director of entertainment for Walt Disney World, a job that had him in charge of 1,500 division employees. He oversaw actors who walk around in Disney character costumes, singers, dancers, musicians, technical personnel, management and pyrotechnics experts. With its nightly fireworks displays, the Disney corporation is second only to the U.S. military in its use of explosives.
"It was a huge job," Strawn said of the position he held from 1983-99. "Disney World covers 43 square miles. You can put four Disneylands inside of Disney World."
Strawn was a natural fit when Disney World began searching for a voice to represent Donald Duck during radio and television interviews during the character's 50th birthday celebration in 1984 — Strawn said he'd been imitating Donald since age 6.
Two years at Disneyland, as manager of talent booking, had prepared him for his Orlando job.
Disneyland also helped launch his entertainment career. As a member of the Dapper Dans barbershop quartet, Strawn sang on Disneyland's Main Street during the summer of 1969.
"It was the Disney philosophy, which I believe in, to treat everyone like they're a guest in your home," Strawn said. "It made it a unique and exciting place to work. It felt like you were at home."
Disneyland discovered the Dapper Dans after the group won $1,000 representing California State University at Long Beach on a syndicated television program, "Your All American College Show," on Nov. 1, 1968. They were brought back on Dec. 27 of that year for the semifinals, with guest presenter Walter Matthau, but finished in second place.
While Strawn was at Disneyland, he had found a job playing piano at the park's Coke Corner for fellow music student and friend Richard Carpenter.
Strawn, who was born in New Jersey and raised in Ohio and near San Francisco, met Richard Carpenter and his sister, Karen, while earning his bachelor's degree in music at California State. They were singing in the same choir, and all were greatly influenced by vocal teacher Frank Pooler, who Strawn said became a mentor throughout his career.
The Carpenter siblings and Strawn had been helping each other find work throughout their college years, and after Richard Carpenter and Strawn left Disneyland at the end of the summer of 1969, the Carpenters were awarded a recording contract with A&M Records. They asked Strawn to be part of the group.
The Carpenters' first hit was "Ticket to Ride" in 1970, and four months later the group added a No. 1 single with "Close To You." The Carpenters piled up 12 Top Ten singles in the United States during the 1970s, selling more than 80 million records worldwide. Their songs include pop music standards like "We've Only Just Begun," "Rainy Days and Mondays," "Goodbye to Love," and "Top of the World."
Strawn was with the group through it all, "from the garage to the Lear jets.
"I had the opportunity to do what I always hoped to be able to do with my life. All I ever wanted to be was a performing musician, and I had the opportunity to perform at the highest professional level. We played everywhere in the free world."
Strawn experienced all the highlights of fame. He was constantly asked for autographs and photos and received fan mail from all over the world.
He called the Carpenters' appearance at the White House "one of the most interesting engagements we ever played." It was the day after Nixon had given a speech denying his role in Watergate.
"We were smack in the middle of it," Strawn said. "It was the most electrically charged room I've ever been in in my life. There were a lot of nervous people in that room."
Another memorable engagement was a date to film a live album at the Palladium in London in the mid-'70s. McCartney wanted a ticket for the show, and the band was invited to a studio recording session with the former member of The Beatles during their stay in London.
The Carpenters broke up in 1979. Strawn said the group members had been seeing the symptoms Karen Carpenter's anorexia nervosa for a few years before that.
"We were very concerned, but there wasn't much we could do," he said of her drastic weight loss.
She was starting to put on weight and was on her way to recovery, Strawn said, but the 32-year-old singer died of heart failure on Feb. 4, 1983.
"It was a sad, sad day for the world to lose a voice like that. She had one of the most marvelous voices I have ever heard," he said. "I sang with her almost every day for 15 years. Just singing with her always made you sound better."
Strawn still keeps in touch with Richard Carpenter and some of the other Carpenters musicians. But while music is still very much part of his life, his focus now is on the cafe.
Part of the appeal of owning a small business, Strawn said, is that it gives he and Nancy, his wife of 25 years, a chance to work side by side and a way to connect with the community.
Local business has been keeping them going so far until the season kicks into high gear next June.
"One thing about this community that stands out is the friendliness and honesty," Strawn said. "Everyone has been so welcoming and supportive as we get this business off the ground."
www.dailyinterlake.com/NewsEngine/SelectStory.tpl?command=search&db=news.db&eqskudata=18-786329-2
By Heidi Gaiser
The Daily Inter Lake
After spending his life performing with the Carpenters and working for Disney, Doug Strawn changes his focus and opens a cafe in Bigfork with his wife, Nancy. The Strawns bought the former Cup and Saucer in September and now own and operate the restaurant as Doug and Nan's Cafe.
Robin Loznak/ Daily Inter Lake
When tourists pour into Bigfork this summer, it's likely that many of them will stop by Doug and Nan's Cafe on Electric Avenue for coffee or a sandwich.
And most customers will leave the small establishment without realizing that the man who just handed them an ice cream cone once performed for President Richard Nixon and the entire cast of the Watergate conspiracy, sat in on a recording session with Paul McCartney, and for five years was the official voice of Donald Duck.
After a life in entertainment that included a decade as a backup vocalist and band member with the Carpenters, Doug Strawn has settled in Bigfork with his wife, Nancy. Though neither was ready to retire from work altogether, they did slow the pace of the their lives when they took over the ownership of the former Cup and Saucer on Sept. 16.
"We're thrilled to be here," Strawn said. "It's a really nice way to spend this part of our lives."
Strawn, 58, hasn't left his days as an entertainer behind completely. He plays clarinet and sings with the Company Brass at the Bigfork Inn every Friday and Saturday night, and will be part of Tuesday's New Year's Eve party there as well. His musical talents aren't new to the area, as he has shared his knowledge with local music students at the Flathead Lake Music Camp each summer for the past 14 years, working with old friend and local music teacher Bob McCandless.
Strawn's friendship with McCandless is part of what drew the Strawns to the Flathead Valley. While the Strawns were living in Orlando, they purchased a second home in Bigfork in 1996 and planned to move to Montana after their youngest daughter left for college.
The Strawns have three children: Megan works as an escrow officer in Orange County, Calif., Matt is in the Navy, and in September Melinda began her freshman year at California State University at Long Beach, leaving the Strawns free to start their new lives.
"We sold everything we couldn't fit into our truck and our Explorer and moved into our house up here," he said.
A few years before the move, Strawn had retired as the director of entertainment for Walt Disney World, a job that had him in charge of 1,500 division employees. He oversaw actors who walk around in Disney character costumes, singers, dancers, musicians, technical personnel, management and pyrotechnics experts. With its nightly fireworks displays, the Disney corporation is second only to the U.S. military in its use of explosives.
"It was a huge job," Strawn said of the position he held from 1983-99. "Disney World covers 43 square miles. You can put four Disneylands inside of Disney World."
Strawn was a natural fit when Disney World began searching for a voice to represent Donald Duck during radio and television interviews during the character's 50th birthday celebration in 1984 — Strawn said he'd been imitating Donald since age 6.
Two years at Disneyland, as manager of talent booking, had prepared him for his Orlando job.
Disneyland also helped launch his entertainment career. As a member of the Dapper Dans barbershop quartet, Strawn sang on Disneyland's Main Street during the summer of 1969.
"It was the Disney philosophy, which I believe in, to treat everyone like they're a guest in your home," Strawn said. "It made it a unique and exciting place to work. It felt like you were at home."
Disneyland discovered the Dapper Dans after the group won $1,000 representing California State University at Long Beach on a syndicated television program, "Your All American College Show," on Nov. 1, 1968. They were brought back on Dec. 27 of that year for the semifinals, with guest presenter Walter Matthau, but finished in second place.
While Strawn was at Disneyland, he had found a job playing piano at the park's Coke Corner for fellow music student and friend Richard Carpenter.
Strawn, who was born in New Jersey and raised in Ohio and near San Francisco, met Richard Carpenter and his sister, Karen, while earning his bachelor's degree in music at California State. They were singing in the same choir, and all were greatly influenced by vocal teacher Frank Pooler, who Strawn said became a mentor throughout his career.
The Carpenter siblings and Strawn had been helping each other find work throughout their college years, and after Richard Carpenter and Strawn left Disneyland at the end of the summer of 1969, the Carpenters were awarded a recording contract with A&M Records. They asked Strawn to be part of the group.
The Carpenters' first hit was "Ticket to Ride" in 1970, and four months later the group added a No. 1 single with "Close To You." The Carpenters piled up 12 Top Ten singles in the United States during the 1970s, selling more than 80 million records worldwide. Their songs include pop music standards like "We've Only Just Begun," "Rainy Days and Mondays," "Goodbye to Love," and "Top of the World."
Strawn was with the group through it all, "from the garage to the Lear jets.
"I had the opportunity to do what I always hoped to be able to do with my life. All I ever wanted to be was a performing musician, and I had the opportunity to perform at the highest professional level. We played everywhere in the free world."
Strawn experienced all the highlights of fame. He was constantly asked for autographs and photos and received fan mail from all over the world.
He called the Carpenters' appearance at the White House "one of the most interesting engagements we ever played." It was the day after Nixon had given a speech denying his role in Watergate.
"We were smack in the middle of it," Strawn said. "It was the most electrically charged room I've ever been in in my life. There were a lot of nervous people in that room."
Another memorable engagement was a date to film a live album at the Palladium in London in the mid-'70s. McCartney wanted a ticket for the show, and the band was invited to a studio recording session with the former member of The Beatles during their stay in London.
The Carpenters broke up in 1979. Strawn said the group members had been seeing the symptoms Karen Carpenter's anorexia nervosa for a few years before that.
"We were very concerned, but there wasn't much we could do," he said of her drastic weight loss.
She was starting to put on weight and was on her way to recovery, Strawn said, but the 32-year-old singer died of heart failure on Feb. 4, 1983.
"It was a sad, sad day for the world to lose a voice like that. She had one of the most marvelous voices I have ever heard," he said. "I sang with her almost every day for 15 years. Just singing with her always made you sound better."
Strawn still keeps in touch with Richard Carpenter and some of the other Carpenters musicians. But while music is still very much part of his life, his focus now is on the cafe.
Part of the appeal of owning a small business, Strawn said, is that it gives he and Nancy, his wife of 25 years, a chance to work side by side and a way to connect with the community.
Local business has been keeping them going so far until the season kicks into high gear next June.
"One thing about this community that stands out is the friendliness and honesty," Strawn said. "Everyone has been so welcoming and supportive as we get this business off the ground."
www.dailyinterlake.com/NewsEngine/SelectStory.tpl?command=search&db=news.db&eqskudata=18-786329-2
