Rocking With Bret
January 15, 2012
Posted by Barrett-Jackson
Rocking With Bret
Rock star, entrepreneur, father, philanthropist and survivor, Bret Michaels has a full life.
Busy though it is, though, a car-centric thread unites every aspect.
“I think I was a car guy before birth,” Michaels said.
“My first car memory is a Ford Falcon my family had, growing up in western Pennsylvania. It was rusted, the floors were gone, and I remember its red vinyl upholstery and the day we drove through a slush puddle, and snowy, muddy water splashed through the floor onto my mom’s Sunday dress.
“That was the day I learned my first curse word, too.
“My love for cars is beautiful and bittersweet.”
Three of Bret Michaels’ cars will be auctioned during the 41st Annual Barrett-Jackson Scottsdale Auction during Thursday prime time. A portion of the proceeds from each car will be used to further Michaels’ many philanthropic projects.
Michaels is a driver even though, he said, “My profession is basically a continuous road trip.
“Sometimes when I need a break I’ll just get in one of my cars and drive … I’ll put my guitar in my Bentley and drive the six hours to LA. It’s good for my soul.”
Bret Michaels’ 2004 Bentley Continental GT is the first of his cars that will cross the Barrett-Jackson auction block on Thursday as Lot #705.4. “It’s one of the best cars I ever bought,” Michaels recalled.
“I had no intention of buying it, but when I saw it, it just caught my eye. The custom Moonbeam Silver paint, chrome Bentley 19” wheels; it looks like a bullet. I sunk into the seat just right. It felt right, it smelled right, and the low growl reminded me of a Muscle car. It drives like a dream, like you’re gliding along with no effort at all, and there’s a little bit of a comfortable back seat for my daughters.”
Michaels definitely knows a good thing when he sees it, an important quality for an entrepreneur. He showed his entrepreneurial skills by winning “Celebrity Apprentice 3” and is the only Apprentice winner to press forward and make a commercial success of the product he created on the show, Snapple’s Diet Trop-A-Rocka Tea. He has been the force behind Trop-A-Rocka’s introduction and promotion, driven by his lifelong challenge of being a type-1 diabetic. As he put it, “And just like being a diabetic doesn’t mean I have to sacrifice having a rockin’ good time, Trop-A-Rocka doesn’t sacrifice great taste.”
His Celebrity Apprentice win earned $640,000 for his chosen charity, the American Diabetes Association, sponsor of Camps for Kids with Diabetes.
His philanthropy extends far beyond that, encompassing other causes including his most recent project, the Bret Michaels Music and Hospitality Room at Barrow Neurological Institute at St. Joseph’s Hospital in Phoenix. St. Joseph’s is the hospital where he was treated for a brain hemorrhage and had heart surgery the day after appearing at last year’s Barrett-Jackson auction in Scottsdale. A portion of the room will be dedicated to and named for Ronan Thompson, who died at the age of four from neuroblastoma, a form of childhood cancer.
Michaels’ drive, intelligence, sensitivity and articulate presentation have made the edgy bad boy a valued participant in television including judging during season three of “Nashville Star” on NBC. It was during his time in Nashville on the show with Leann Rimes that Michaels, who didn’t want to be limoed around, bought the Lincoln Navigator featured as Lot #705.5 at this year’s Scottsdale auction.
“It’s loaded with options and drives almost like a sports car even though it has the comfort and space of an SUV,” Michaels said. “We call it the ‘Michaels Family Truckster’ and have used it a lot.”
In addition, the Navigator rushed him to the hospital saving his life when he suffered a life-threatening brain hemorrhage.
“It’s been in every TV show I’ve done,” he said, including the VH1 hit special “Bret Michaels: Life as I Know It.” Competence in a variety of situations, reliability and performance are the Navigator’s defining qualities, attributes shared by Michaels. It is the ideal ride for an active family.
“I go to Barrett-Jackson Scottsdale every time I have the chance,” Michaels commented. “It’s the granddaddy of them all, the premier car auction, a top-of-the-line event. I’ve donated a lot there, giving back, which is a great feeling.
“The energy is unmatched. I perform live a lot throughout the year and the feeling I get on the Barrett-Jackson auction block is right up there with live performance. My heart is pounding as much as when I do concerts.
“This year will be even better with the Bret Michaels Band performing live at the gala, and we’re planning to make Thursday a huge rock ‘n’ roll night. We’ll make it a party, make it an event.”
Plan on Michaels’ 2011 Ford Explorer, Lot #705.6, adding to that excitement. It’s brand new, one of several vehicles he purchased earlier this year, and is fully loaded with every option and accessory it could take. Michaels said, “I had it delivered and it was featured on TV in ‘Life as I Know It.’ It has custom exterior and interior features and looks beautiful; it’s top of the line and has almost no miles on it.”
Michaels is known to pull some extras out of the vehicles he offers at Barrett-Jackson, as he did last year, to add to the excitement. Perhaps a few items from his latest entrepreneurial endeavor — the “Bret Michaels Pets Rock Pet Collection” developed exclusively for PetSmart with a rock ‘n’ roll twist, a Bret Michaels series Dean “Player” guitar, or some of the Bret Michaels apparel items he’s conceived and designed will be added to the successful bidders’ haul.
His enthusiasm for cars and motorcycles runs throughout his life, his songs and his philanthropy. He has found dozens of ways to energize charities with his original ideas, performances, participation, advice and donations — from diabetes to juvenile cancer, performances for our troops, Make-A-Wish, Rock the Cure for breast cancer, the Barrow Neurological Foundation and the Camelot Therapeutic Ranch.
He has written, directed, executive produced, shot and performed his own stunts as well as scored and starred in the Showcase Entertainment film “A Letter From Death Row” with Charlie Sheen.
It’s a busy life, and one that started with cars, go karts and even racing lawnmowers with his two sisters as a kid. And his life still involves cars, evident on his property with his go kart and motorcycle track, and as shown by the three cars offered at Barrett-Jackson’s 41st Annual Auction at Scottsdale.
“When my career started to pipeline, I took the first money I earned and bought a used Porsche 944 and a Harley-Davidson Wide Glide. The Harley almost cost me my life.
“Not from riding it, though. While buying it at Bartel’s, I walked out front and saw this beautiful bike. I was drawn to it and went over and straddled it, put my feet up and felt at home. Then this dude walked up and growled, ‘Get off my bike.’ It wasn’t for sale.
That was an even nearer death experience than when he wrapped his Ferrari 328 GTS around a telephone pole.
Cars are good for Bret Michaels’ soul, but a little dangerous, like his life.
— By Rick Carey