Go Red For Women Fashion Show

Runway. Photographs © 2017 Larry F. Levenson. All rights reserved. 
Model on left: Alexa. Model on right: Lexy   Makeup: Shannon Nemec

Mark A. Norell, PhD

Dr. Mark A. Norell is a paleontologist and molecular geneticist. He is Division Chair and Macaulay Curator, plus Paleontology Professor at the American Museum of Natural History in New York City.

Dr. Norell is acknowledged as one of the most important living vertebrate paleontologists.

His articles appear often in major scientific journals, including Science, Nature (cover stories), and Time magazine listed his work in the 10 most significant science stories for three years.

He was named a New York City Leader of the Year by the New York Times.

Please enjoy this New York Times article, and this Wall Street Journal article.

Photograph © 2017 Larry F. Levenson. All rights reserved.

Runway Model - LaRae Fashions

This dress is by designer Madison Durant of LaRae Fashions.

Model: Brynn Shaffer
Hair: Travis Harland
Makeup: Shannon Nemec

Photograph © 2016 Larry F. Levenson. All rights reserved.

Jennifer Tierney

Jennifer Tierney is the owner, designer, and in this image, the runway model for J.tierina Designs.


Photograph © 2016 Larry F. Levenson. All rights reserved.

Dan Verbeck: Radio Reporter and Newsman

After working two years for newspapers, Dan Verbeck enjoyed a distinguished 48-year career reporting news on the radio.

Photograph © 2017 Larry F. Levenson. All rights reserved.

Henry W. Bloch

Henry Bloch co-founded H&R Block in 1955 with his brother Richard.

It was through the U.S. Army Air Corps he received graduate training at Harvard University School of Business.

In 2001, Henry was inducted into the U.S. Business Hall of Fame.

Photograph © Larry F. Levenson. All rights reserved. 

Kevin Willmott: Producer, Screenwriter, Director

Kevin Willmott was the executive producer and co-writer of Chi-Raq, a Spike Lee movie. 

He also wrote and directed feature movies including C.S.A.: Confederate States of America, Gordon Parks Elementary, Ninth Street, Jayhawkers, The Only Good Indian, The Battle for Bunker Hill, and more.

Photograph © Larry F. Levenson. All rights reserved.

Cynthia J. Popp: Producer, Director

Cynthia J. Popp won an Emmy® for producing The Bold and The Beautiful, and two awards from the Directors Guild of America for the same television show. 

She also directed episodes of Frasier, Jacob's Edge, and Passions.

Presently, Cynthia is Chief Executive Officer of Elocin Entertainment, and a partner in 2North Entertainment.

Photograph © 2016 Larry F. Levenson. All rights reserved.

#WomenYouShouldKnow

Angelo Pizzo: Screenwriter, Producer, Director

Angelo Pizzo began his career at Warner Brothers Television, then moved to Time-Life Films.

He and David Anspaugh wrote the movie Hoosiers (1986), which earned two Oscar nominations, and named best sports film of all time by ESPN and USA Today.

In 1993, Angelo wrote and produced the movie Rudy, and in 2005 he did the same with The Game of Their Lives.

Photograph © 2016 Larry F. Levenson. 

All rights reserved.

#Writer 

Pakistani Style

MH is a confident, fashion-forward Pakistani woman.

Photograph © 2016 Larry F. Levenson. All rights reserved.

Jason London

Jason London is a television and movie actor whose many credits include Dazed and Confused, Jason and the Argonauts, CSI, Grey's Anatomy, NCIS, 7th Heaven, and over 100 more.

Photograph © 2016 Larry F. Levenson. All rights reserved.

Barry Washboard Barnes, Musician

Barry Washboard Barnes plays the washboard, and is often seen playing with Ernest James Zydeco Band.

Photograph © 2016 Larry F. Levenson. 

All rights reserved.

Max and Vincent Modeling Mens Apparel

Models Max MacDonald and Vincent Sung at ULAH.

Photograph © 2016 Larry F. Levenson. All rights reserved.

Wrongfully Convicted: Joe Amrine - 17 Years on Death Row

For a thought-provoking look at criminals, death sentences, religion and redemption, also read this article.

Joe Amrine surrendered to authorities when he was accused of committing a crime.

While incarcerated, he was charged with murdering a fellow inmate. With testimony from three other inmates, Joe was convicted and spent 17 years on death row.

Eventually, the other inmates admitted they lied.

With the help of Midwest Innocence Project, and criminal defense attorney Sean O'Brien, the Missouri Supreme Court overturned his murder conviction. He is back in society, and doing well.

Innocence Project

Photograph © 2016 Larry F. Levenson. All rights reserved.

Quixotic

Innovative Performance Art

Quixotic let me play with them backstage.

Photographs © 2016 Larry F. Levenson. All rights reserved.

Kansas Air National Guard

Thank you for keeping us safe.

Kansas Air National Guard.

Photograph © 2016 Larry F. Levenson. All rights reserved.

Monica Gray

#WomenYouShouldKnow

Prologue: Law professor, and criminal defense attorney, Sean O'Brien, accepted this wrongful-conviction case in 2007 as part of Midwest Innocence Project.

When Monica Gray was 13 years old, she met Ricky Kidd, and they quickly became best friends.

Her best friend turned into the love of her life, and after Monica graduated high school, she moved in with Ricky.

On Valentine's Day, 1996, she and Ricky were stunned when police interrogated them about a double murder. They both had documented alibis.

They were released, however three months later, with Monica pregnant, Ricky was charged in the double murder. He was convicted, and sentenced to life in prison.

With permission, I am including a link where you may read Monica's account of the last 20 years.  This case is heartbreaking, and still being adjudicated. Read her remarks here:  http://themip.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/2016.11.5-Monica-Gray-Remarks.pdf.

Innocence Project

Photograph © 2016 Larry F. Levenson. All rights reserved.

RonReaco Lee and Lucas Black

I shot this image during a break on a movie set more than a dozen years ago.  

On the left is actor RonReaco Lee, who has a lengthy television and movie resume. Two projects in post-production are due out in 2017. 

Lucas Black is on the right. I first saw him as Frank Wheatley in Sling Blade, and he now stars on CSI: New Orleans. His role as Sean Boswell in The Fast and The Furious movies has helped make them very successful.

The name of the woman in the center escapes me, however I remember her as the on-set acting coach.

Photograph © Larry F. Levenson. All rights reserved.

Fashion Week Wedding Dress

Kansas City Fashion Week. 

October, 2016.

Model: Jasmine

Photograph © 2016 Larry F. Levenson. All rights reserved.

Carmen

Carmen, who is perpetually glamorous.

Photograph © 2016 Larry F. Levenson. All rights reserved.

Midwest Innocence Project - Wrongfully Accused

Saber Hossinei was a successful insurance broker in Wichita, Ks, until he was charged with a crime he did not commit.

With the help of an attorney the charges were ultimately dropped, however the experience had a profound effect upon him.

He began driving to Kansas City, Mo., a 6-hour round trip, twice a week to the Midwest Innocence Project office, where he volunteered his time. 

Saber has returned to school with hopes of becoming an attorney, and is presently Development Associate with the Midwest Innocence Project.

Photograph © 2016 Larry F. Levenson. All rights reserved.

James Carville - "The Ragin' Cajun"

James Carville is a political strategist, best-selling author, actor, producer, talk-show host, speaker and restaurateur. 

He resides in New Orleans with his wife, Mary Matalin, where he is a Professor at Tulane University.

Photograph © 2016 Larry F. Levenson. 

All rights reserved.

War Veteran

Military service ribbons.

Veterans Day is November 11, 2016.

Photograph © 2016 Larry F. Levenson. All rights reserved.

Michael Stern - Symphony Conductor

Michael Stern conducting the Kansas City Symphony.

Photograph © 2016 Larry F. Levenson.

Steve McFarland - Competitive Diver, Coach, Broadcaster

As a competitive diver, Steve McFarland won two AAU National Championships, plus two bronze medals at the University Games.

After competing, Steve coached at the University of Miami, bringing about four NCAA All-Americans; became a diving analyst at the 1988 and 1992 Olympics for NBC; then ESPN, Turner Broadcast Sports, and more.

He served as President of USA Diving, and was Olympic Diving Judge at the 2000 Sydney and 2004 Athens Games.

In 2005, he received the Paragon Award / Competitive Diving from the International Swimming Hall of Fame.

Photograph © 2015 Larry F. Levenson. All rights reserved.

Frank Busch - Olympic and Collegiate Swimming Coach

Frank Busch coached the USA Olympic Swimming teams in 2008 (Beijing) and 2012 (London).

As a collegiate coach, Frank was named Coach of the Year 6 times by the NCAA, and 11 times by the PAC-10.

In 2008, He was inducted into the American Swimming Coaches Association Hall of Fame.

USA Swimming

Photograph © 2015 Larry F. Levenson. All rights reserved.

Dramatic Lady

Photograph © 2016 Larry F. Levenson. All rights reserved.

Rowdy Gaines - Oympic Gold Medalist, Television Analyst

Rowdy Gaines is a former competitive ​swimmer, U.S. Olympic Hall of Fame member, three-time Olympic gold medalist, and member of the International Swimming Hall of Fame. 

He is a swimming analyst for ESPN and NBC, and covered the Beijing 2008 Summer Olympics, and the London 2012 Summer Olympics.

usaswimming.org 

Photograph © 2015 Larry F. Levenson. All rights reserved.

Andrew Gemmell - Olympic Swimmer

Andrew Gemmell was a member of the 2012 United States Olympic Team, and competed in the 1,500-meter freestyle event at the 2012 Summer Olympics.

​
He just​ returned to the 2016 Open Water National Championships, and won the 10K title in one of the best fields the race has had.

usaswimming.org 

Photograph © Larry F. Levenson. All rights reserved.

Lindsay Benko Mintenko: Olympic Gold-Medalist Swimmer

Lindsay Benko Mintenko is an Olympic gold-medalist swimmer and former world-record holder. 

She represented the United States at the 2000 and 2004 Summer Olympics.

She is married to Canadian swimmer Mike Mintenko.

usaswimming.org 

Photograph © Larry F. Levenson. All rights reserved.

Singer

Photograph © 2016 Larry F. Levenson. All rights reserved.

Crystle Lampitt

Crystle Lampitt: news personality, model, world traveler. 

Photograph © 2016 Larry F. Levenson. All rights reserved.

Krazy Karl - Bikers Against Child Abuse

Krazy Karl rides his motorcycle to support B.A.C.A, Bikers Against Child Abuse.

B.A.C.A. is a charitable worldwide organization. Its mission is to protect children across 18 countries from dangerous individuals and situations. 

Photograph © 2016 Larry F. Levenson. 

All rights reserved.

Don Cheadle: Actor, Writer, Producer, Director

Don Cheadle earned multiple Emmy, BET, and Golden Globe Award nominations, and nominated for an Academy Award, a Screen Actors Guild Award, and won two Golden Globe Awards. 

"Crash" (2004), a movie in which he starred and co-produced, won an Academy Award. 

Photograph © 2016 Larry F. Levenson. 

All rights reserved.

Bill Farmer - Voice of Disney's Goofy and Pluto

Bill Farmer has been the official voice of Disney's Goofy and Pluto since the mid-1980's.  

Additionally, his resume is full of leading and supporting voice-roles in movies, television and advertising.

Bill has worked with Pixar, Warner Brothers, Universal Studios and MGM.

Monthly, he performs with Fred Willard's sketch-comedy group, The MoHo's, at Hollywood's Second City Theater.

Photograph © 2016 Larry F. Levenson. All rights reserved.

Damien Crutcher - Musician

Damien Crutcher is founder and executive director of Crescendo Detroit, an organization committed to improving the lives of Detroit-area children through instrumental music and dance. 

He declined opportunities to teach at universities so he could work with young people.

Damian is also Assistant Pastor of his church.

Photograph © 2016 Larry F. Levenson. All rights reserved.

Vince Giordano - Musician

Grammy-winner Vince Giordano is a musician, arranger and leader of the New York City-based Nighthawks Orchestra.

Vince appeared in The Aviator, The Cotton Club, HBO's Boardwalk Empire, Revolutionary Road, and Finding Forrestor. His soundtracks have been featured in numerous television and movie projects.

Upcoming projects are Woody Allen's Cafe Society, opening at the 2016 Cannes Film Festival; the HBO movie, Wizard of Lies; and Sophie and the Rising Sun, which recently debuted at the Sundance Film Festival.

Photograph © 2016 Larry F. Levenson. All rights reserved.

Jeremy Scott - Creative Director & Designer at Moschino and Jeremy Scott

During his senior year at Pratt School of Design in New York City, Jeremy Scott interned at the Italian luxury fashion house, Moschino.

His first collection as a designer was introduced during Paris Fashion Week in 1997.

Among his customers are Björk, Madonna, Kylie Minogue and Britney Spears. He also dressed Rihanna, Miley Cyrus and Nicki Minaj before they became internationally known.

Photograph © 2016 Larry F. Levenson. All rights reserved.

Daniel Trahey: Muscian, Educator, Innovator

Daniel Trahey directed educational programming for Hartford Symphony Orchestra, and is Artistic Director for Baltimore Symphony Orchestra's OrchKids.  

OrchKids helps establish brighter futures for Baltimore children. His idea is to put musical instruments into the hands of children, not guns. And, it's working.

Daniel has taught at Yale University, Baltimore School for the Arts, and Baltimore public schools.

He holds a bachelor's degree in music performance and music education from Peabody Institute of The Johns Hopkins University, and a master's degree in music from Yale.

In his spare time, he plays the tuba for Archipelago Group, a non-profit outreach organization.

Photograph © 2016 Larry F. Levenson. All rights reserved.

Andrés Salguero - Latin Grammy Winner

   Andrés Salguero and his wife, Christine, are, "123 Andrés."  

   The two musicians create music, books, and perform live shows in the United States and other countries, in English and Spanish for children and families.

   Their songs are often used in early childhood and elementary school education classrooms.

   Andrés won a Latin Grammy in the Best Latin Children's Album for his song Arriba Abajo. This was his second nomination for a Latin Grammy.

   Billboard magazine described him as a, "rockstar for little language-learners."

   Andrés grew up in Bogota, Colombia. He learned to play guitar, then studied clarinet, and had his first studio experience at age eight. 

   He eventually earned a Doctorate degree in Music.

   Christina was raised in the United States, the daughter of a Colombian family, and studied theater and dance as a child.

   She holds a Master's degree in Education from the University of Pennsylvania.

   123 Andrés has been featured in The New York Times, Los Angeles Times en Español, Billboard magazine, NPR, The Boston Globe, The Washington Post, CNN en Español, Univision, Telemundo, and SiriusXM's Kids Place Live. 

   Photograph © 2016 Larry F. Levenson. All rights reserved.

Isabella Emmack: International Model

Model Isabella Emmack has walked runways around the world for Jeremy Scott, Alexander Wang, Fendi, Saint Laurent, Balenciaga, and other top designers.

If Isabella was to choose a mission to support, it would be anti-bullying; she was harassed based on appearance and personality.

Photograph © 2016 Larry F. Levenson. All rights reserved.

Jesse Pringle

Jesse Pringle. 

Writer, Producer, Actor.

Jesse has also been a professional boxer and Mixed Martial Arts (MMA)competitor.

Photograph © 2016 Larry F. Levenson. All rights reserved.

Kacie McDonnell: KSHB-41 Action News

Kacie McDonnell covers assignments for NBC-affiliate KSHB-TV 41 Action News, and is Sporting Kansas City's pre-game and post-game host.

Photograph © 2016 Larry F. Levenson. All rights reserved.

Dr. Min Kao - Garmin

Dr. Min-Hwan Kao emigrated to the United States from a small town in Taiwan. 

He and Gary Burrell founded Garmin in 1989 to produce navigational instruments for aviation and boating, utilizing the Global Positioning System (GPS).

Their original office consisted of a card table and two folding chairs.

Dr. Kao earned a bachelor's degree in electrical engineering from National Taiwan University, then earned master's and PhD degrees in electrical engineering from the University of Tennessee.

Prior experience was with Teledyne Systems, and research for NASA and the United States Army.

The word Garmin is a combination of Gary and Min.

Photograph © Larry F. Levenson. 

All rights reserved.

Michael Drummond - Fashion Designer

Award-winning fashion designer Michael Drummond starred on season 8 of Lifetime's Project Runway. His skills extend to stage and screen assignments, as well as runway.

The New York Post described his designs as, "visionary".

Heidi Klum and Tika Sumpter are clients, and his work has been showcased with many noted designers and couturiers.

Photograph © Larry F. Levenson. All rights reserved.

"Trashmouth"

Tom "Trashmouth" Baker is a noted Blues musician, who brings down the house with his harmonica and vocals.

Photographs © 2016 & © 2017 Larry F. Levenson. 

All rights reserved.

Millage Gilbert: Blues Musician, Seventh Son of the Seventh Son

Update: January 16, 2022. 

Sadly, Mr. Gilbert passed away today.

#FeelingTheBlues

   Legendary blues musician, Millage Gilbert, is a celebrated performer known for his mastery of guitar, harmonica, and vocals. His style is a mix of Delta Blues, Memphis Soul, and Kansas City Blues.

   He comes from rural Mississippi.  "I was grown up from a family of 14. I'm the 12th child, the baby son. Now, I’m the only boy left living.  My father was the seventh son in his family, and I’m his seventh son."

   Millage, and his Down Home Blues Band, have performed with Bobby Bland, Otis Clay, Johnnie Taylor, Little Milton, Albert King, Z.Z. Hill, and Denise LaSalle.

   Performances have taken him across the United States, and to The Netherlands, and England.

Photograph © 2017 Larry F. Levenson. All rights reserved.