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Bob Heil - Touring Sound Pioneer Part 1



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Ken Talks with Bob Heil about the inception of the concert sound industry

Anyone who came up in the concert audio scene in the late 60s and early 70s knows Bob's contributions and inventions that helped define the embryonic rock and roll production industry and ultimately landed him an exhibit in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Bob was gracious enough to invite Ken & Josh to his home studio this summer to record our discussion/interview. This video is just a tiny part of our time with Bob, and we plan on doing more Bob Heil videos in the future.

Born in 1940, Bob Heil grew up and lived in the small town of Marissa, IL. His interest in music grew from his love of the theater organ. He also became an avid amateur radio operator (K9EID) in his teens, designing and building homemade transmitters, amplifiers, and antenna systems. In 1966 he opened Ye Olde Music Shop, one of the country's first pro audio stores. From there, he started to provide sound to local bands and venues.

By 1970, Bob and his team provided their latest system for The Grateful Dead at the Fox Theater in St. Louis after the Dead's system was impounded due to a drug bust. Heil Sound ended up doing the sound for the rest of the Dead’s tour that year. Heil Sound went on to provide sound for many of the early 1970's largest tours, including The Who, The James Gang, Jeff Beck, ZZ Top, Humble Pie, Seals and Crofts, Bachman-Turner Overdrive, Leslie West, J. Geils, Ike and Tina Turner, and Chuck Berry.

In addition to the music store and sound company, Heil Sound was an early manufacturer of sound- and music-related products, including the invention of the Guitar Talk Box along with some of the first touring loudspeakers, amplifiers, and modular live sound mixers. Today, Heil Sound is a modern microphone company specializing in professional-quality dynamic microphones and related accessories. Heil mics are trusted worldwide by Grammy-winning artists, professional podcasters, live sound and studio engineers, and satellite broadcast stations to reliably deliver natural, articulate, clear sound and excellent rear noise rejection.

Some of Bob Heil’s Awards:
1982 International Amateur Radio Operator of the Year
1989 USA Satellite Dealer of the Year - Satellite Broadcasting & Communications Assoc.
1995 Live Sound Pioneer Award - Audio Engineering Society Convention
2007 Innovator of the Year - Parnelli Award
2007 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame display of Heil Historically Important Gear
2014 Honorary Doctoral Degree in Music and Technology - University of Missouri

Video Segments:
00:00 Introduction
00:15 Interview Start
00:46 Early Heil Mixers 1968-69
01:30 Ye Old Music Shope
01:47 Bob's Love of Theater Organs
02:33 Michael Mcdonald & REO Speedwagon
03:35 Home Built Electronic Kits
03:51 Sunn Amps
05:12 Fox Theater Sound System
05:58 Grateful Dead 1970 Tour
07:08 Bilboard Magazine
08:34 Touring Semi-Truck & Bus
09:18 We are "The Who"
11:07 Mellotron
11:52 1972 J Geils Band & Humble Pie
12:05 Heil Sound Dealers Across the USA
13:14 Mavis Console & IES
14:40 Beam Forming at EAW (Ken)
15:16 Regional Sound Companies of the last 1960s
16:04 AboutProSound Videos Coming Soon
16:19 Credits

For more information about Heil Sound: https://heilsound.com
For more information about Heil in Amateur Radio: https://heilhamradio.com

Heil Sound on Twitter: https://twitter.com/heilsound
Heil Sound on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/heilsound/
Heil Sound on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/HeilSound/
Heil Sound on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/HeilSound

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