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BEHIND THE THUMB
Michael gives the 1st copy of the hit single "One For The Thumb" to one of his BIGGEST fans!
While touring the United States from Maine to California as a national
recording artist for BMG Records and AMI Records, Michael O'Brien
headlined more than 30 concerts throughout Western PA. Michael
regularly performed before large crowds including his first major
concert to a standing room only crowd at Duquesne University's 5,000
seat A.J. Palumbo Center. Michael O'Brien has been part of the
"Steeler Country" for nearly 15 years.
One of Michael's crew members is Ron Gresko, a former member of the
Pittsburgh Steelers Scouting and Player Personnel Department staff
during the Chuck Noll reign. Prior to even knowing Michael, Ron played
his music at his wedding and even listened to songs with Steelers owner
Dan Rooney, who made favorable comments regarding Michael's music. Ron
always spoke highly of the integrity and class of the Steeler
Organization and combining Michael's music with the Steelers was Ron's
goal.
July 2002- During an off day of touring, Ron brought Michael to
Indiana University of Pennsylvania (IUP) to meet some fans of his music
that worked there and to meet the legendary IUP Head Football Coach
Frank Cignetti. Coach Cignetti gave Michael several IUP football
t-shirts and a football to throw around on the field of the beautiful
football stadium. Michael was a former QB for the Teamster's Union
team and a running back at Georgia Southwestern.
Walking onto that field brought back memories of a cannon arm, but at 5'
9", he was unable to compete on the college level as a QB. As Ron and
Michael started throwing the ball up and down the field they had all to
themselves, Ron stated, "I can't believe you can throw it that far.
Michael was launching passes from the 50 yard line to the back of the
endzone! Michael remarked, "You mean you can't believe I'm a musician
and throwing it 60 yards?" Ron ran different pattens and remarked that
the spirals were like bullets and he hadn't caught passes thrown that
hard since warming up Todd Blackledge on the sidelines during a Steeler
game. Ron said, "Come on, show me your arm strength on this deep down
and out!" Michael did. Ron caught it, but the pass fractured his index
finger in two places. As they stopped to see the finger swell and turn
purple, Ron stated in true Steeler fashion, "yeah, my finger is
fractured - you should do a song for the Steelers". They stood alone in
the middle of this college football field and discussed a Steeler fight
song. "The Thumb" is born!
September 2002 - After returning from a concert in Portland, Maine -
Michael O'Brien, Ron Gresko and the crew pulled up the tour bus to the
home of former NBC Today Show Host and Pittsburgh News anchor legend,
Faith Daniel's home in the NYC metro area. The entire gang had stopped
for dinner and a sleep over at this long time friend of Michael. That
night, they all grabbed their dinner plates and rushed to the family
room to watch the Steeler game. Faith is a diehard Steeler fan and
turned to Michael and said the words, "Why don't you write a Steelers
song?" Ron replied, Yeah!, "That's what I said!" "The Thumb" is
growing.
July 2003 - Michael is performing at the World Arena in Colorado
Springs. Michael and Ron spend six hours before and six hours after his
concert engrossed in a conversation at the hotel reinforcing the
excitement of the future Steelers song!
September 2003 -Michael is closing encores in his Western PA shows
with a rough draft of "The Thumb."
September 2003 - A dismal season and on a dismal day Ron takes Michael
down to the Steeler offices to meet front office personnel such as Gerry
Glenn, Art Rooney II and Steelers Digest Editor, Bob Labriola. But "The
Thumb" is not done and the Steelers run at getting "One For the Thumb"
is highly in doubt this season. Ron takes Michael over to see Heinz
field and as they approach the stadium, Ron recognizes a friend from his
days with the Steelers working the main ticket window. In a drizzling
50 degree rain; Ron, Michael and one middle aged lady are standing
waiting for Ron's friend to issue her Steeler tickets. The lady turns
and says, " Michael? Is that you? WOW! What are the chances? I was at a
concert of yours in Denver about 10 years ago! What are you doing
here?" Michael replied, "We are planning a Steeler fight song." To
which the lady replied, "That would be great! I think it'll bring us
good luck. We'll finally win one for the thumb if you do!"
What are the chances that in the cold rain on a Monday afternoon, there
is one person waiting amongst the giant walls of concrete to the stadium
for her tickets and she's a fan of his from years ago ...... and now
that the song is beginning to take root in the midst of the Steelers
best season in 25 years! This was like a sign to Michael O'Brien and
Ron Gresko. "One For The Thumb!" is now a mission from above!
October 2004 - Michael is performing at the Fargo, ND Civic Arena. Ron
and Michael spend hours game planning for the future Steelers song!
October 2004 - Michael just out of the studio from the new AMI
Christmas album - recuts the track, "Here Comes Santa Claus", into "Here
Comes Roethlisberger", a spiritual Christmas tribute to the
level-headed maturity and class of a rookie QB (Ben Roethlisberger) and
religious prayer for "The Chief" (Art Rooney) to lead the people of
Pittsburgh to "One For The Thumb!"
November 2004 -Michael releases "Here Comes Roethlisberger"/ "One For
The Thumb!" to media outlets. Within days, the Executive Producer of
Sports for KDKA (CBS Pittsburgh affiliate and the Steeler flagship
station), contacts Michael requesting permission to use "One For The
Thumb!" for TV and Radio. Michael is also invited to appear at the KDKA
station and sing the song live on The Jerome Bettis segment - "The Bus
Stop" 12/22/04. "One For The Thumb" has taken on a life of it's own!
November 2004 - Within the same week Michael meets popular columnist
Jill Eckenrode of the #1 Steeler Fan Site (www.steelergridiron.com) who
will join forces to make Michael's "One For The Thumb!" the rally cry of
the Pittsburgh Steelers as they strive for their 5th Super Bowl. "One
For The Thumb" continues to grow!
November 2004- Within the same week music retail giant - Transworld
Entertainment - has heard Michael's "One For The Thumb" and signed on to
stock all 15 of their FYE stores in the Western PA malls! FYE has asked
Michael to do in-store events at any of the locations - the first
scheduled mall sponsored "Steeler Rally" is at the Galleria Mall in
Johnstown, PA on Tuesday, December 14, 2004 at 6:30 pm
This is the year we get "One For The Thumb!"
Sample Verse and Chorus
Mean Joe, Franco, Swann, Lambert, Ham and even the Pope - will wait in
line to get a picture with Myron Cope!
We're Super Bowl bound and we're on the attack - even Bradshaw's hair
is gonna come on back
to see the Steel City and all of Western PA - as we celebrate "Happy
Roethlisberger Day!"
We're the Pittsburgh Steelers - We're #1 - from the "Steel Curtain" to
"The Tommy Gun"
and now Big Ben's here, so here we come - We've got 1 2 3 4 now "One
For The Thumb"
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