Rock success to play for a packed house

By Tribal News

For Puyallup Tribal News
Published on: June 12, 2008

Bret Michaels is, if nothing else, a true survivor. He has survived a life-long battle as an insulin dependent diabetic, a well publicized near fatal car crash in 1994 and the countless musical trends and fads of the last two decades.

“As soon as I ever start to just go through the motions I’ll quit,” confessed the 44-year-old singer, songwriter, producer, director and actor. But there is little chance he will even slow down – let alone quit anytime soon. In fact, after more than 20 years in the business this award-winning, multi-platinum superstar’s career continues to move at warp speed.

As frontman for the rock band Poison, Bret Michaels has sold 25 million records and scored an amazing 15 chartbusting Top 40 singles including “Talk Dirty to Me,” “Something to Believe In,” “Nothing But a Good Time” and the timeless No. 1 smash “Every Rose Has its Thorn.” And in the new millennium Poison’s music has been featured in such big screen flicks as “Mr. and Mrs. Smith,” “Grandma’s Boy” and “Deuce Bigelow-European Gigolo.” They continue to be one of the industry’s top grossing concert attractions and their 2006 “20 Years of Rock” CD was a bona fide Top 20 gold smash.

Bret Michaels has also produced and written material for other artists including Stevie Nicks. He wrote and produced the song “Love’s a Hard Game to Play,” which appeared on her platinum album “Timespace: The Best Of Stevie Nicks.” More recently Bret Michaels could be heard providing background vocals along with Phil Vassar on the Kenny Chesney and Uncle Kracker duet single “Last Night Again.”

In the mid-90s Bret Michaels formed a film production company with actor Charlie Sheen. The partnership ultimately led to Bret Michaels writing, directing and starring in several films including “A Letter From Death Row,” which he co-produced with Charlie Sheen.

As an actor, Bret Michaels has made regular appearances on such hit television shows as “Yes Dear,” “Martial Law” and “The Chris Isaak Show.” And he has also co-hosted “Access Hollywood” and been a judge on the wildly popular “Nashville Star” program.

Setting his musical sights beyond Poison, Bret Michaels released his debut solo album “Songs of Life” in 2003 followed by the rootsy, Americana flavored sophomore record “Freedom of Sound” in 2005.

“I would play music whether I made it or not,” Bret Michaels told a journalist in 2002 and it is that commitment to his art that continues to keep him at the forefront of the entertainment industry.

His nationwide success is apparent locally too, as his June 20 show at the Emerald Queen Casino sold out in record time.

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