Synopsis
The drummer of Action Unlimited, Dewey Pope, tells the story of the band's ascent to the upper echelon of rock bands in Action Unlimited: The Band of Gold. Pope shares with readers the band's evolution, their adventures (and misadventures) on the road, their comingofage experiences, their brushes with celebrities, and stories about sharing the stage and meeting some of the biggest names in music in the Sixties. Ride along with Action Unlimited in their tour vehicle--a goldpainted funeral hearse--and wax nostalgic as you share in their musical journey that took them to the threshold of stardom--so close that they could taste it--only to be denied entry. Join Dewey and bandmates Jon, Kent, Dave, Chuk and Sam and enjoy the story of a Kentucky band that almost made it big.
About the Author
Dewey was born in Winchester, KY on September 25, 1946. He attended Hickman Street Elementary for eight years (1952 1960) and graduated from George Rogers High School in 1964. His main emphasis in high school was art and music.After graduating from high school, he spent the next several years playing in rock bands throughout central Kentucky ultimately joining and going to California with the group Action Unlimited. The group opened for many national acts on Dick Clark s Caravan of Stars prior to leaving for California where they met a Clark representative who eventually took over their management and led the group to a record contract with Cameo Parkway Records released nationally in 1966. AU played up and down the west coast club circuit and Las Vegas throughout 1966 and 67. Some of the highlights during that time was performing as a featured act on a Dick Clark Sponsored tour throughout the Midwest, backing Billy Preston in Oxnard, CA and working with Jimmy O Neil on a specially sponsored Shindig show for the USO in San Diego, CA.After the group broke up in 1967, Dewey returned to Kentucky and joined the Army in 1969. He spent the first year stateside and was then assigned to Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe (SHAPE) from 1970 to 1972. Dewey worked as an Army illustrator and Entertainment Specialist during his tour at SHAPE and played in a thirteen-piece orchestra, which provided the music for several musicals presented by the Entertainment Center on the SHAPE compound.After returning from his active duty tour in the Army in 1972, Dewey returned to college on the GI Bill and received a BA Degree in Art in 1979. He spent the next several years working as a Graphic Artist, Illustrator and Visual Arts Specialist while at the same time working as a drummer in several local groups throughout central Kentucky. Dewey rejoined the military, going into the Army Reserve in 1981 and eventually to the Kentucky Army National Guard in 1985. He received an appointment to Warrant Officer in 1984 and worked for the next twenty-four years as a Photo Journalist, Illustrator and Visual Information Manager for the Kentucky Guard.Dewey won an Army Wide Award (Special Achievement Print Media) from the Second United States Army for a poster he designed for the 350th Birthday of the National Guard in 1986. Dewey produced, directed and edited two, state and national, award winning documentaries for the Kentucky Guard, The History of the Kentucky National Guard in 2003 and Bataan: The Harrodsburg Tankers; A Time for Courage, A Time for Heroes , in 2007. The awards included a Telly Award, several Videographer Awards, an Award of Merit from The American Association For State and Local History, Kentucky Historical Society Awards of Merit, Gold and Platinum AVA Awards and a Medal of Merit from the Order of St. Constantine.During his time as an army photo journalist in the guard, Dewey had many stories, and photos, published in the Kentucky Guard publication, The Bluegrass Guard and in army publications on oversea deployments.Dewey retired in 2008 from the Kentucky Army National Guard and currently applies his time still playing the drums with the very popular group, Prime Cut throughout Kentucky, producing art prints and writing his first book, Actions Unlimited: The Band of Gold. Dewey celebrates his fifty-fifth year as a musician (drummer) this year and was recently presented with a Lifetime Achievement Award (ALM) and inducted in the Academy of Local Musicians Hall of Fame.
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