Sony Pixel Power calrec Sony

The Gambler and the Bandit - Michael Strickland Remembers Kenny Rogers

27/03/2020

The Gambler and the Bandit - Michael Strickland Remembers Kenny Rogers posted: 27/03/2020

In 1976, Bandit Lites owner Michael T. Strickland saw on stage in Las Vegas a has-been rocker, playing to an almost empty room. It was none other than Kenny Rogers, formerly of The First Edition. In a moment that would forever shape Bandit Lites and the life of Michael Strickland, Kenny struck up a conversation and the two swapped numbers; while Bandit was already a big player in a very small industry, what happened next was a real game changer.

Strickland met with promoter Keith Fowler who saw something in Rogers and stated that he believed Rogers could succeed. Kenny took the 1960's hippie image, refined it, classed it up, and picked songs that were unique. By the end of 1977, Rogers released his self-titled album, and things were starting to happen.

Almost overnight and in the blink of an eye, Kenny released the track Lucille, and life would never be the same for either Kenny Rogers or Michael Strickland. The song zoomed to the top of the country and rock charts worldwide, and Kenny Rogers was born! What followed was huge global chart successes with Daytime Friends, Love or Something Like it, The Gambler, She Believes in Me, You Decorated My Life, Coward of the County, Don't Fall in Love with a Dreamer and Lady. In four short years Kenny Rogers became the biggest entertainer in the world as he slayed record charts, radio, television and live shows.

Kenny was a virtual hit machine and the public and the media loved him. Strickland and Bandit Lites were along for the ride, and it was the ride of a lifetime. This company from Kingsport, Tennessee was illuminating the biggest entertainer in the world, and having Kenny Rogers as a client led Bandit quickly to many, many more clients. As Kenny was a cross-over act, Bandit gained rock and country clients at an amazing pace. Kenny was the ultimate selling card, and Bandit exploded.

One day in 1979 at a state fair somewhere in middle America, Kenny gave Strickland some of the best business advice he ever received. Bandit Lites was exploding, and cash was a big need to fuel growth. Strickland worked up a sales pitch for Rogers and made it this faithful day, in the dressing room. After twenty minutes of telling Kenny how wonderful Bandit Lites was, how far it would go, and how valuable it was, Strickland asked Rogers if he would like to buy half of the firm for $100,000.

Rogers rocked back, pulled on his neatly trimmed silver beard and paused. This was the longest moment of silence in Strickland's life.

Michael, is Bandit as good as you say it is? Kenny asked very quietly. Is Bandit as successful as you say it is? Will Bandit be the biggest and the best lighting company one day? Michael, is everything you are telling me true?

Yes sir, Strickland quickly answered.

As quietly as before, Kenny tilted his head slightly to the side and locked eyes with Strickland. If you ever spoke to Kenny, you know the look. He always squinted when he looked at you like this.

Well, Michael, if Bandit is all you say it is, why in hell would you sell me half for only $100,000?

Kenny Rogers, with this single question, had again changed the course of life for Michael Strickland and Bandit Lites. Strickland did not sell half of his dream, and it turned out well in the end. Sitting there Strickland had no plan and no path to the easy cash he so desired, but he also maintained full ownership of a company that would go on to become a world leader and be successful for over 50 years.

This advice was by far the single biggest piece of advice anyone every supplied to Strickland and Bandit Lites, and Kenny Rogers showed he believed in Bandit by cosigning the first ever commercial loan for Bandit Lites, a whopping $100,000.00. Not a lot, but it was to Strickland, and Kenny graciously signed it.

Bandit and Kenny Rogers worked together right up to the end. The Kenny Rogers All In For The Gambler at Bridgestone Arena was an extravaganza on October 25, 2017 that served as a capstone to a phenomenal career. The early years were a very special time for Bandit and Strickland, as Strickland was Kenny's Production Manager and lighting director from 1976 to 1980.

No one knows where Bandit would be today without Kenny. There were even rumors at the time that Kenny owned Bandit, which were never true. Yet that faithful day in 1976 when The Gambler met The Bandit, the world of entertainment was forever changed. There is no doubt that Kenny would have become Kenny, but perhaps, just perhaps, Bandit might never have fully become Bandit Lites as it is known today. For that opportunity, and for that great advice, Strickland says Thank you Kenny Rogers, as well as, I love you and goodbye my friend.

About Bandit Lites, Inc. Bandit Lites is a global leader in the entertainment lighting marketplace. From touring productions to fixed installations, Bandit Lites has a full staff of highly trained professionals to deal with all types of lighting needs. Bandit's global presence will ensure seamless transitions no matter where your next show takes you.
LINK: https://www.live-production.tv/news/products/gambler-and-bandit-%E2%80...
See more stories from liveproduction

Europe Stories

06/10/2025

France Tlvisions Wins Prestigious 2025 EBU Technology & Innovation Award in Groundbreaking Collaboration with Dalet

France T l visions, France's leading broadcaster, has received the 2025 EBU ...

04/09/2025

Monumental Sports & Entertainment and Dalet Win Prestigious 2025 NAB Show Project of the Year Award

Monumental Sports & Entertainment (MSE), in collaboration with Dalet, has been a...

02/07/2025

NAB 2025: Calrec expands ecosystem providing ultimate flexibility

Calrec expands ecosystem at NAB 2025 giving broadcasters access to dynamic workflows and ultimate flexibility Helping broadcasters meet the shifting needs of me...

02/07/2025

VEON Raises USD 200 Million in Private Bond Placement

02 Jul 2025 VEON Raises USD 200 Million in Private Bond Placement Dubai, July 1, 2025: VEON Ltd. (Nasdaq: VEON), a global digital operator ( VEON ), announces ...

02/07/2025

Dom Chinea opens his Cornish Workshop for new series on U&YESTERDAY and U

Brand new factual series follows mechanic and self-taught engineer Dom Chinea as he makes the move of his life to the far west of Cornwall UKTV today announces...

02/07/2025

Rohde & Schwarz acquires ZES ZIMMER Electronic Systems GmbH and expands its T&M portfolio for power electronics

Rohde & Schwarz acquires ZES ZIMMER Electronic Systems GmbH and expands its T&M ...

02/07/2025

Riedel Communications Launches RefSuite Ecosystem for Sports Officiating, Coaching, and Production

Wuppertal July 2, 2025 Riedel Communications Launches RefSuite Ecosystem for S...

02/07/2025

ABC Appoints New Chair

Andrew will serve as Chair of ABC alongside his role at NED, APL Media, where he supports the executive team with strategic insight and global expansion plans. ...

01/07/2025

ITV Celebrates Best Sunday of 2025 with Code of Silence

The launch of Code of Silence, coupled with the Britains Got Talent semi final, gave ITV its best Sunday night of 2025. The first episode of the new crime dr...

01/07/2025

Romola Garai joins Shaun Evans in ITV thriller BETRAYAL, as filming begins in the North West

ITV and Mammoth Screen have announced the start of filming for Betrayal, a gripp...

01/07/2025

Movicom Selects Clear-Com to Power Communications for Global Live Events

eds3_5_jq(document).ready(function($) { $(#eds_sliderM519).chameleonSlider_2_1({ content_source:......

01/07/2025

KIT Plugins release NOIZ One Vox

Vocal-processing plug-in joins NOIZ Hub series Launched in 2024, KIT Plugins' NOIZ Hub series was created with the aim of providing a range of professio...

01/07/2025

7 Day Mastering: New course from Mastering.com

New self-paced learning programme announced Mastering.com have announced the availability of a new online course designed to cover the fundamentals of maste...

01/07/2025

cetecom advanced certifies Rohde & Schwarz test solution for the verification of Next Generation eCall functionality

cetecom advanced certifies Rohde & Schwarz test solution for the verification of...

01/07/2025

Teresa Smith Announced as Commissioning Editor for Factual Entertainment

RT has announced that Teresa Smith has been appointed Commissioning Editor with responsibility for Factual Entertainment following a public competition. This s...

01/07/2025

RT is Supporting 26 Arts and Cultural Events across Ireland this July

This July, RT is delighted to support Galway International Arts Festival, Earagail Arts Festival in Donegal, Belfast TradFest and 23 other arts and cultural ev...

30/06/2025

Discover Weekly Turns 10: Celebrating 100 Billion+ Tracks Streamed and a Decade of Personalized Discovery

There's nothing quite like the magic of finding music that feels made just f...

30/06/2025

Spotify's Editors Pick Their Best Songs of the Year (So Far)

When it comes to new music, Spotify's team of editors across North America is always on the hunt for songs that make them feel, think, and move. They're...

30/06/2025

The Forsytes Season 2 Commissioned by MASTERPIECE on PBS

Star Studded Ensemble Cast Are Joined by Richard Rankin as Filming Begins on the Second Season [June 12, 2025 - Boston, MA]: The Forsytes, Debbie Horsfield...

30/06/2025

Qu-Bit announce the Bloom v2

Eurorack sequencer module reimagined California-based modular synth innovators Qu-Bit have announced the launch of a new module that offers a fresh new take...

30/06/2025

Techivation launch T-De-Esser Pro Mk2

Improved dynamic behaviour, improved audio quality & more Techivation have announced the release of an upgraded edition of their very first premium plug-in,...

30/06/2025

German premiere with live flight demonstration: German industry team showcases electromagnetic combat from the air

German premiere with live flight demonstration: German industry team showcases e...

30/06/2025

The Focusrite Summer Sale is now on

The Focusrite Summer Sale is now on Don't miss unbeatable deals on Scarlett, Vocaster, and more. Whether you're an artist, a producer, or a podcaste...

30/06/2025

Yellowstone origin story 1923 starring Harrison Ford and Helen Mirren comes to RT One and RT Player

All 8 episodes of Season 1 of 1923 will be available on RT Player from Tuesday ...

30/06/2025

Thales 2025 Global Cloud Security Study Reveals Organizations Struggle to Secure Expanding, AI-Driven Cloud Environments

Facebook Twitter LinkedIn 52% report AI security spending is displacing tr...

30/06/2025

Thales Alenia Space to develop SOLiS very-high-throughput laser communications demonstrator

Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Cannes, June 30th, 2025 - Thales Alenia Space, t...

29/06/2025

Roland introduce the Mood Pan

Handpan-inspired instrument announced Roland have announced the launch of the Mood Pan, a unique electronic hand percussion instrument that has been designe...

28/06/2025

Scaler 3.1 update from Scaler Music

Music theory plug-in updated Three months on from the release of the latest version of their renowned music theory plug in, Scaler Music have launched an up...

27/06/2025

Spotify Launches K-Pop Performance Video Series . . . Next Up, TWS

K-Pop remains one of the biggest genres globally, and many fans just can't get enough of it. That's why Spotify has launched a new series of K-Pop perf...

27/06/2025

Family Cybersecurity CEO: Protecting Kids, Parents, and My Sanity From Scams

In our latest blog post, Rafael Rivera highlights the rising threat of online scams, and the important role cybersecurity plays in protecting families across ge...

27/06/2025

Klevgrand introduce Walls reverb plug-in

From grounded realism to bending, impossible geometries Klevgrand have announced the release of a new algorithmic reverb plug-in which they say deconstruct...

27/06/2025

GIK Acoustics: Room EQ Wizard Tutorial

Learn to use REW for room analysis Acoustic treatment is one of the most important factors in any studio, and with the extensive range of products available...

27/06/2025

Soundtheory release Kraftur Focus

Second edition of parallel clipper plug-in announced Soundtheory have announced the launch of Kraftur Focus, a new edition of their parallel clipper plug-in...

27/06/2025

Thales and KONGSBERG to establish new major Defence communications joint venture in Norway

Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Thales, a global high-tech leader, and Kongsberg...

27/06/2025

RTL Group to acquire Sky Deutschland

Friday 27 June 2025 Combination of RTL Deutschland and Sky Deutschland (Germany, Austria, Switzerland) to create a unique proposition in entertainment, sports ...

26/06/2025

AgileTV will develop the TV service for LIWEST in Austria

Bilbao Linz, June 26th 2025 - AgileTV, a European leader in TV and video technology solutions, has signed an agreement this week with the Austrian telco LIWES...

26/06/2025

Ad-hoc News: aconnic AG places capital increase and postpones publication of annual report until completion of the transaction

aconnic AG (ISIN: DE000A0LBKW6), Munich, has resolved, based on the decisions ma...

26/06/2025

KRK launch Kreate Series monitors

Three new entry-level models introduced Catering to everything from casual listening to professional content creation, KRK's new Kreate Series monitors ...

26/06/2025

MIDI Innovation Awards: Deadline approaching

Registration closes on 8 July 2025 The deadline for entires into the fifth annual MIDI Innovation Awards is now just two weeks away. Product submissions are...

26/06/2025

Waves V16 now available

Entire plug-in range updated Waves have announced the launch of Waves V16, the latest version of their extensive plug-ins collection. Along with compatibili...

26/06/2025

The European Space Agency awards Thales Alenia Space the study of the SIRIUS mission to monitor Urban Heat Islands from space

Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Madrid, June 26, 2025 - The European Space Agenc...

26/06/2025

UKTV and Talented People renew partnership for a third year and expand into recruitment for scripted roles

UKTV and Talented People are delighted to announce the renewal of their successf...

26/06/2025

THE EXTRAORDINARY GENERAL MEETING OF MAGYAR TELEKOM DECIDES ON THE SEPARATION OF THE COMPANY'S PASSIVE MOBILE INFRASTRUCTURE

THE EXTRAORDINARY GENERAL MEETING OF MAGYAR TELEKOM DECIDES ON THE SEPARATION OF...

26/06/2025

RT'S FINDING SAMANTHA TRUE-CRIME PODCAST SERIES OPTIONED AS A TV EXCLUSIVE

Keeper Pictures, the Dublin-based scripted production company whose credits include The Gone and Striking Out, has optioned the exclusive TV adaptation rights t...

26/06/2025

RT presents new documentary on the origin stories of three abandoned babies in 1960s Ireland

This July, RT presents The Phone Box Babies, a documentary revealing new insigh...

25/06/2025

VidCon 2025: Top Creators Join Spotify to Discuss the Impact of Video Podcasts

Last week, content creators from all over the world flocked to Anaheim for VidCon 2025, one of the largest creator conferences in the U.S. As an official sponso...

25/06/2025

Clear-Com Supports Fourth Annual Rise Academy Summer School

eds3_5_jq(document).ready(function($) { $(#eds_sliderM519).chameleonSlider_2_1({ content_source:......

25/06/2025

Soundtoys announce Pride Month campaign

Sales proceeds from 25 - 26 June 2025 donated to Lambda Legal Soundtoys have announced that 100% of all sales made on 25 and 26 June 2025 will be donated to...

25/06/2025

Universal Audio A-Type plug-in goes native

No Apollo or UAD hardware required Universal Audio have announced that their software recreation of Dolby's renowned multiband enhancer - which was laun...