BRET MICHAELS TAKES THE THORNS WITH THE ROSES B y C assaundra B rooks • P hotos courtesy B ret M ichaels
cottsdale resident Bret Michaels lives life to the fullest—now more so than ever. For the last twenty-five years, people have known him as the front man for Poison, one of the most celebrated rock bands of all time, and for the past ten years as a solo artist as well. Despite the typical rock ’n’ roll rough patches, the band, known for hits like “Every Rose Has Its Thorn” and “Something to Believe In,” has maintained its chemistry and its love for rock ‘n’ roll, charting ten singles in the Top 40 on Billboard’s Hot 100, releasing eight studio albums and four live albums, and selling over 30 million albums worldwide. In May, they kicked off the summer with the Poison 25th Anniversary Tour. In more recent years, Michaels has emerged with a career containing many facets: spokesperson, reality TV star, film producer, writer, director, talent judge, philanthropist, and father. Fans of Donald Trump’s hit NBC reality series Celebrity Apprentice will recognize Michaels as last year’s Season 3 winner. The show afforded Michaels the opportunity to raise awareness and funds for a cause near and dear to him: diabetes research and aid. A lifelong diabetic, his is the face of the American Diabetes Association. Michaels donates a generous portion of his time, money, and support to a number of diabetes charities. Through Apprentice, Michaels also created Snapple’s number-one selling diet drink, Tropa-Rocka Tea. Apprentice wasn’t Michaels’s first foray into the world of reality TV. His search for love brought VH1 audiences Rock of Love with Bret Michaels and its subsequent sequels. While the show failed to bring Michaels lasting love, his 2010 series, Bret Michaels: Life as I Know It, chronicled his romantic reunion with Kristi Lynn Gibson, the mother of his daughters Raine and Jorja, to whom he proposed in the season finale that aired in December. The family of four enjoys spending time at their Scottsdale home. Michaels recently combined his appreciation for Arizona and his devotion to good causes with the May Rock the Waterfront concert that benefited Phoenix Children’s
Hospital and The Boys & Girls Club of Scottsdale. Arizona residents relished a solid set list of fan favorites and Michaels’s distinct rock persona that can’t be copied. His philanthropy touches Arizona in other ways, too; earlier this year, he performed at Muhammad Ali’s Celebrity Fight Night and donated $20,000 of his own money to the Muhammed Ali Foundation. He also raised more than $200,000 for the Barrow Brain Tumor Foundation through a star-studded dinner at his own home; he also supports the Camelot Therapeutic ranch, which provides services at no charge to adults and children with disabilities. While 2010 brought Michaels to new levels of professional success and personal happiness, it also brought him major health issues. His emergency appendectomy, massive brain hemorrhage, and warning stroke that alerted doctors to a hole in his heart were well documented in the media. Arizona shared the unfortunate spotlight, as some of the country’s foremost surgeons and doctors treated him at a local hospital. Happily, 2011 is summing up to be a much kinder albeit jam-packed year. His health is restored, and he’s formed a new partnership with Dean Guitars. Combined with the inaugural Bret Michaels Rock Hard Ride Hard cash prize for the “toughest, most tenacious supercross rider of the season,” a four-day Bret Michaels Rock Your World Super Cruise coming up in November, and more projects and ventures forever on the horizon, he’s showing no interest in slowing down or taking it easy. Bret Michaels will continue to rock hard, give back, and get creative for years to come.
North Valley Magazine: You are known across the country as a big supporter of the American Diabetes Association. Can you explain your history with the disorder? Brett Michaels: Well, I’ve been diabetic since I was 6 years old, and it’s a huge part of who I am and why I do what I do—why I’m driven and the way I live my life. I
I work out a little, listen to some of my favorite tunes, and then do my vocal warm-up. These are the things that really psyche me up—a little bit of mental and physical preparation can go a long way, so I’m ready to go give it 200 percent every night. AUGUST | SEPTEMBER 2011 North Valley
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