Six Degrees of Separation - What Mentorship Connections Can Do - Frank Scales - Class of 1977

Two of the most influential people in my life had different careers and spoke to me at different seasons.  One was a teacher, and one was in business. If I had to find the common thread between them, the number one would be time. They both gave me valuable time.  I felt I mattered to them, and as a result, they were able to speak volumes and have an impact.  

Over my career in music and audio production, I’ve been able to witness how powerful mentorships and giving back can be. I’m truly amazed at the success of the people I’ve been able to mentor or pass along a little knowledge.  While I have enjoyed success in many of my endeavors and long travels, I am equally proud of the accomplishments of these men and women. 

Alexandra interned with me through The University of Texas RTF Department and continued longer than her course required. She served simultaneously on the team at Austin City Limits.  She went on to become marketing director for Border’s Books for many years. 

Mike and Jonathan went through the same UT RTF program with me at LBJ Broadcasting. I would hire them both as assistants. Their careers expanded rapidly into professional VoiceOver.  So far, they have voiced national campaigns for NBC Nightly News, Fox Business, Biography, Jared, Mountain Dew, Lysol, Discovery, National Geographic, Animal Planet, McDonald’s, and GMC.  Jim, my full-time production assistant, landed a national campaign for Netflix and has won several national and regional awards for production.

But the most unusual and unexpected opportunities for me came when a fellow Southeast Texan and keyboardist, Jason Halbert, called out of the blue. I was living in Austin at the time; he was living in Nashville, attending Belmont University. He had the chance to audition for dcTalk as their keyboardist; however, the audition required him to play the Hammond B3, which he had never touched. He called on me to teach him. So he flew to Austin, and we had a Hammond crash course over a weekend.  He subsequently won the audition and went on to play for dcTalk for a few tours before forming the worship band Sonic Flood and then moving west, where he met up with Randy Jackson. Randy hired him as keyboardist for the first American Idol road tour when Kelly Clarkson won 1st season. Kelly went on to make him her permanent Music Director and Keyboardist.

Jason has held that role with Kelly Clarkson since. He tours and travels the world; he co-writes and arranges her songs, arranges all the band music for her daily TV show on NBC, and produces her albums.  Needless to say - I am very proud of Jason! To this day, he still tells me, “Without you, I wouldn’t be here”.  That’s humbling and powerful when I think about it.  (Pictured is Jason with keyboard legend Paul Shaffer)

When I think about it - two people had THAT kind of influence on me. One a lot of you know. I went to kindergarten at 1st Baptist Bridge City. I had already begun to play the piano by listening and watching my grandmother play and sing her favorite hymns.   (that's my grandmother Katie "Nanny" Scales and me pictured right)

But one day in class, we took a tour of the buildings, and as we entered the main church - there was a teenage guy playing/practicing the Hammond organ.  It made an impression on the five-year-old me. A young person, especially a guy playing one, made it cool for me. Up until then, I had only heard women play.   Fast forward a few decades, and I realized that teenager was BC Alum Larry Lawson.  (below is a rare photo of me [center] with my 1st Baptist, BC Kindergarten Class, courtesy of Jill Barker)

So, I’m grateful to him for introducing me to what would become a lifelong love of the Hammond organ and to my grandmother for giving me the opportunity to hear, play, and love music for the rest of my life. 

I've enjoyed some successes throughout my career as well, from voicing and producing national concert tour radio & TV audio, producing custom music for a syndicated kids' show,  directing and playing in worship bands, and managing creative departments for two national networks. 

There is a wise principle; “Do not despise these small beginnings…”   I think it holds true in my life. I’ve witnessed it and seen it happen not only personally and professionally but also in the lives of many others. Most of the people I’ve mentioned were all in their early 20s when I worked with them.  This is a major common thread that I feel is still an important age for us as BC alumni to remember.  

Are we giving back in ways to constructively help the next generations to succeed?  I want to keep looking for ways, and in that, I know I will keep learning as well. I hope, in some way, our Alumni website can be a catalyst for some sort of mentoring program for younger BC alumni and, in turn, influence their generation to continue some of the traditions of giving back someday.  You never know what it will lead to.