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About the Bluebird Foundation
The
Bluebird Foundation Board hopes will be the
beginning of helping many area students pursue their
passion for the arts. The foundations mission
statement is: To be an advocate for area youth in
the performing arts and to create awareness of the
power of the arts to enhance self-esteem, to
increase understanding of others, and to improve
academic performance.
The inspiration for the Bluebird Foundation came
from Audrey Lundeen, late mother of Tracy Lundeen,
who he solely credits for giving him the gift of
music and the arts. “She introduced us to the
Bluebird of Happiness when we were very young. For
the Bluebird Foundation there is no better place to
start than with kids. Giving kids the gift of the
arts is truly a gift that will last a lifetime, a
gift of calm during storms and peace during times of
troubles. The arts are truly a gift that will always
keep on giving,” he states.
The Bluebird Foundation is a Minnesota Corporation
that has filed for nonprofit status under 501 (c)(3)
to the Internal Revenue Service.
The Awards
Audrey A. Lundeen Award
The Audrey A. Lundeen Bluebird Scholarship is
intended for current high school seniors who plan to
pursue their interests in dance, theater, or music
(vocal or instrumental) in college or some other
advanced arts training beyond high school. The
student does not need to plan to major in dance,
theater, or music but must plan to do advanced
study/training to keep the arts a part of their
lives. A $2,000 scholarship will be awarded to one
senior to use for his/her advanced training in the
arts
C.M.
“Bud” Schultz Music Award
Schultz attended University of Michigan, finishing
his education and Masters upon graduation from UMD
after the war. His first teaching job was in
Richland WA, then to Stephen MN, before moving back
to Duluth and being the band director at West Junior
High School in Duluth until it closed.
Schultz spent his last years teaching at Ordean
before retiring in 1987. He also taught at UWS, UMD
and the College of St. Scholastica. Schultz directed
the Community Schools band and the Union Band as
well as his church choir.
Bluebird Foundation President Tracy Lundeen credits
Schultz for keeping him on track with his music and
his life during junior high school. “Bud believed in
me and was really one of the key people I can look
back at in my life and say made a huge difference.
When it came time to name a music award, there was
no other name to consider in my opinion. I loved
that man,” said Lundeen.
Rose Mary Harmeier Hoene
Dance Award
Harmeier Hoene is the late mother of Bluebird
Foundation Board Member Rose Hoene.
Rose Mary Harmeier Hoene studied dance at New York
University and Colorado College under such great
modern dancers as Hanya Holmes and Martha Graham. In
her first teaching job at the University of
Minnesota, Duluth, Hoene helped to design the UMD's
first dance studio at the new campus. She owned and
operated her own dance studio and choreographed,
performed, and provided performers and other
support, for countless dance and theatrical
productions for the Duluth Playhouse, Junior League
Fundraisers, UMD, UWS, and Duluth East High School
to name a few. She was also an active supporter and
participant in the Duluth International Folk
Festival for many years and volunteered countless
hours sharing her love for dance with many area
organizations.
Big Daddy’s-Jim Stellmaker Brass Award
The
award is sponsored by Dave Gonhue, owner of Big
Daddy’s Burgers in Duluth’s Piedmont Heights. Gonhue
studied trombone under the late Jim Stellmaker,
performed in college and toured with United States
Air Force Band before entering the restaurant
business.
John D. Munsell Theater Award
The award is named after the late John D. Munsell
who was the director of theater at UW Superior for
over 25 years and directed over 70 theatrical
productions including 25 musicals, and a touring
theatre program that gave 400 performances in over
60 communities during a 10-year period. He performed
in countless plays, commercials, and professional
appearances.
Cathy Fank, the UWS theater faculty member hired to
replace Munsell, said it was "daunting" to follow
Munsell's act. "He was such a dynamic, inspirational
and well-respected acting and directing teacher, so
I was stepping into big shoes," she said, pointing
out that a number of Munsell's former students are
now on the theater faculty at area colleges and
active in the local theater scene.
The Ray Wolffe Award:
How it came about: “We wanted to do something that
would be geared more towards what some of us did in
high school with our rock bands and songwriting.
Most of this took place in basements, garages,
community centers and dance halls around the region”
said Tracy Lundeen, Bluebird Foundation President.
“There is an enormous number of talented kids in the
area that may not be involved in organized school
programs that are doing great things in music” he
added. This award is for them and named after an
inspirational guy originally from Duluth
Ray Wolffe was born in Duluth and grew up in the
Central hillside housing projects. He found his way
into trouble with drugs but found his source for
strength in his love for music.
His career has taken him from a top regional group
in the 70’s in Duluth called M A Free Press (where
his musical association with Michael Baker, Whitney
Houston’s long time music director began) to his
move to L.A. at the request of another native
Duluthian, Phil Solem (The Rembrandts)
He’s music career took him to the Hollywood club
scene with some of the soon to be biggest names in
the industry like Van Halen, Quiet Riot Devo and
many others. Then on to performing with the likes of
Carmine Appice (Vanilla Fudge), Vinnie Vincent
(Kiss) and Cyril Cianflone (Rascals) in a group
called Rocker.
From there Ray took a long layoff from music and
touring to raise his daughters and establish his
business in motion picture lighting, B & M Lighting.
B & M provides lighting for TV and movie sets. His
wife (Noelle Collette), inspired him to start
writing and singing again about ten years ago and
once again music has brightened his life. He’s now
singing in a great band called Little Faith that has
recorded 3 CD’s the last one produced by long time
friend and former band mate Michael Baker.
Bluebird Vocal Music
Award
The Bluebird Vocal Music Scholarship is intended for
current high school seniors who plan to pursue their
interests iin music in college or some other vocal
arts training beyond high school. The student does
not need to plan to major music but must plan to do
advanced study/training to keep the arts a part of
their lives. A $500 scholarship will be awarded to
one senior to use for his/her advanced training in
the vocal arts
Michael Baker Percussion Award
Michael Baker, is a 1975 Duluth Central High School
graduate. From his humble roots in Duluth Michael
went on to become a drummer to some of pop’s biggest
stars and was Whitney Houston’s music director for
two decades.In the role of Music Director and
Drummer for Whitney
Houston for 18 years, Michael, has a long
and distinguished resume playing, producing,
arranging, has multi-platinum productions and is a
world-renowned drummer. He has performed with
some of the world's top recording artists, Annie
Lennox on her "Nostalgia" video's and
live performances, which included the 2015 Grammy awards, featuring Annie Lennox and Hozier performing "Take
Me to Church" and "I've Got A Spell On You".
Over the years Michael has recorded with or
performed with the following artists; Michael
Jackson, Aretha Franklin, Missy Elliott, Sting, Andy
Summers, Christina Aguilera, James Taylor, Elton
John, Shaggy, Usher, Wyclef, Ashanti, Gerald
Albright, Mary J., Blige, Celine Dion, Ricky Martin,
Brandy, Duncan Sheik, Candy Dulfer, Bruce Hornsby,
Aaliyah, Luther Vandross, Ray Charles, Ben Vereen,
Gregory Hines, as well as Italian
superstars;
Pino Daniele, Mario Biondi, Giorgia, Zuccaro and
Jazz artists such as Herbie
Hancock, Al Jarreau, Branford Marsalis, The Zawinul
Syndicate, Wayne Shorter, Jimmy Smith, Kenny
Burrell, Kirk Whalum, Stanley Turrentine, Billy
Childs, Freddie Hubbard, Bobby Lyle, Dianne Reeves,
Clark Terry, The Ellington Orchestra and many
others.
It is with great pride we introduce this new
Bluebird Grant to honor of one of Duluth’s most
accomplished native sons and one of the world’s
premier drummers, Michael Baker
Bob Schroeder Entrepreneur Award
Behind almost every great performing artist there
are entrepreneurs that are agents, attorneys,
technicians, engineers, producers, marketers, etc.
Duluth native Bob Schroeder started in the music
business in 1968 playing organ with the group “Only
the Young “, which later became SOUND INC. SOUND INC
still holds the record for the biggest selling local
single music recording of all time, holding number
one on the regional radio charts for nearly 10
weeks.
Amidst all this, Bob founded Show Pro, a Duluth
based booking agency, production & sound company
working with a number of top regional acts
throughout the upper Midwest and Canada. Schroeder
eventually sold the company to Bluebird President
Tracy Lundeen.
Bob went on to the University of Minnesota Law
School. He continued to work in the music
industry with names like Neil Young, Grass Roots,
REO Speedwagon, Rolling Stones, Rush, Billy, Joel,
Joe Cocker, Charlie Daniels, Chicago, Police,Yes,
ELO, Aerosmith, Journey, Dianna Ross, Prince, the
Jets, The Time, and many others in various
capacities from attorney to production manager for
video & stadium events , to rigger, to promoter, to
advance man.
In 1984 Bob joined WSI (Warehousing
Specialists, LLC), and today is CEO which has grown
into one of the largest privately held logistics
companies in the U.S. WSI is a nationwide 15
million square foot distribution network with a
global logistics reach. WSI provides logistics and
supply chain services to a wide range of industries.
From the steel for an NFL stadium, to the nation’s
largest assembler of the enormously popular game
Trivial Pursuit, to something as simple as a box of
facial tissue, Bob and WSI have been able to take
care of their customer.
The Bob Schroeder Entrepreneur Award is for that
special “behind the scenes person” who has
aspirations of one day being able to “Take Care of
the Customer”.
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