Welcome to TedNugent.com

Biography

Ted Nugent has been known for cranking his Gibson Byrdland and performing like a madman since his days with the Amboy Dukes. In the thirty years since departing the ‘Dukes, he has established himself as a successful solo artist and has also been a part of a few supergroups, most notably Damn Yankees.

An avid hunter as well as a guitar legend, the Nuge’s restless spirit has driven him into many other ventures, including stints as a radio show host and a regular contributor for numerous publications.

An avid hunter as well as a guitar legend, the Nuge’s restless spirit has driven him into many other ventures, including stints as a radio show host and a regular contributor for numerous publications.

In recent years Ted has become known as an author as well, penning a cook book, Kill It and Grill It, and the New York Times-bestsellers God, Guns, & Rock 'N' Roll and Ted, White, And Blue: The Nugent Manifesto. He also hosts his own hunting, fishing, trapping and shooting lifestyle show on Outdoor Channel – Ted Nugent Spirit of the Wild.

The Musician

Throughout his lengthy career, guitar wildman Ted Nugent has revelled in the controversy and criticism that always seems to follow in his path. While there's no denying his exceptional talent on the six-string, his knack for penning arena rock anthems, or his standing as one of rock's top live acts, it's his non-musical endeavors that have caused the most condemnation from his detractors (his pro-right wing beliefs, pro-gun advocacy, appreciation of hunting animals, etc.). But by the same token, Nugent is a family man and one of the few hard rockers who has admirably stuck by his lifelong anti-drugs and -drink stance throughout his career.

Born on December 13, 1948, in Detroit, MI, Nugent became interested in rock’n’roll early in the game, picking up the guitar as a youngster, while his disciplinarian father passed his beliefs down to Nugent. In the '60s, Nugent formed his first bands (including Royal High Boys and Lourdes), drawing inspiration from such British blues-rockers as the Rolling Stones and the Yardbirds. But it wasn't until the formation of the Amboy Dukes that the Nuge got his first taste of stardom (it was also around this time that Nugent began playing a Gibson Byrdland guitar, a model which would be instantly associated with him throughout his career). The other members of the group didn't exactly share Nugent's clean-living lifestyle, as proven by their psychedelic hit single "Journey to the Center of the Mind," which Nugent claimed he didn't know at the time was about being "under the influence." The band managed to issue several albums throughout the late '60s - 1967's self-titled debut, 1968's Journey to the Center of the Mind, and 1969's Migration - as the group fit in well with such other high-energy rock bands to emerge from the Motor City: MC5 and the Stooges in particular.

With band members coming and going at an alarming rate, Nugent remained the only constant member - eventually officially changing the band's name to Ted Nugent & the Amboy Dukes by the '70s, and issuing 1971's Survival of the Fittest, 1973's Call of the Wild, and 1974's Tooth, Fang & Claw. While none of these releases exactly stormed the charts, Nugent and his cohorts remained an in-demand concert draw, as he also set up "guitar duels" on-stage around this time (battling with MC5's Wayne Kramer and Mahogany Rush's Frank Marino, among others).

By the mid-'70s, Nugent decided to finally ditch the Amboy Dukes name and set out on his own, assembling a first-rate backing band that included second guitarist/vocalist Derek St. Holmes, bassist Rob Grange, and drummer Cliff Davies. By 1975, the new band was signed to Aerosmith's management company (Leber & Krebs), as well as the same record company, Columbia, resulting in the release of Nugent's self-titled debut in November of the same year. The band immediately struck a chord with the heavy metal/hard rock crowd from coast to coast, due to the band's over-the-top stage show. But the band members' relationship with Nugent was rocky at best - Nugent wanted complete control of the band, while the others wanted it to be more of a democracy. The end result was St. Holmes leaving the band prior to the sessions of their sophomore effort, 1976's Free-for-All (which saw a then-unknown singer by the name of Meat Loaf filling in for the departed singer).

St. Holmes returned, however, in time for the album's ensuing tour, and by the release of 1977's Cat Scratch Fever (which spawned the hit single title track), Nugent and his band was one of the top rock bands in the US - storming the charts and selling out arenas coast to coast. By now, Nugent had assumed the stage persona of a caveman - hitting the stage dressed in nothing but a skimpy loincloth and knee-high boots, and would often begin his show by swinging out on a rope à la Tarzan (!). Like other rock acts of the '70s (KISS, Cheap Trick, Peter Frampton, etc.), Nugent used a live album to catapult his career to the next level of stardom -- 1978's classic Double Live Gonzo! But despite all the success, the members of his band began deserting him one by one over the course of such albums as 1978's Weekend Warriors, 1979's State of Shock, and 1980's Scream Dream. To add insult to injury, Nugent found himself bankrupt around this time, due to several failed business ventures and poor management.

Nugent continued to tour and crank out albums throughout the '80s (including such forgettable releases as Intensities in 10 Cities, Nugent, Penetrator, Little Miss Dangerous, and If You Can't Lick 'Em...Lick 'Em), but it appeared as through the Nuge was trying to keep pace with the burgeoning pop-metal crowd instead of sticking to the raw and raging rock that brought him success in the first place. Nugent also tried his hand at acting around this time, appearing as a drug dealer in an episode of the hit TV series Miami Vice in 1986. By the end of the decade, Nugent joined the rock supergroup Damn Yankees (joining former Night Ranger bassist/singer Jack Blades, former Styx guitarist/singer Tommy Shaw, and drummer Michael Cartellone) - resulting in the quartet's self-titled debut in 1990, which became a surprise hit due to their top ten power ballad, "High Enough." But ultimately, the union proved to be short-lived; after only one more album (1992's lackluster Don't Tread), the band called it quits.

Nugent returned to his solo career, issuing his best album in over a decade, 1995's back-to-basics Spirit of the Wild, while several archival releases turned up throughout the '90s: 1993's three-disc box set Out of Control, 1997's Live at Hammersmith '79, as well as his first three albums reissued with added tracks and newly remastered sound in 1999 by the Epic/Legacy label (also issued at the same time was the first truly comprehensive compilation of the Amboy Dukes, the 18-track Loaded for Bear). The Nuge was also the subject of an interesting VH1 Behind the Music episode. He continued to tour well into the 21st century (landing the opening slot on KISS' Farewell US Tour in 2000), and issued the third live collection of his career, Full Bluntal Nugity, in 2001. In addition to music, Nugent has gotten involved in politics, hosting a number one morning radio show in Detroit, has issued his own hunting camp and issues instructional videotapes (as well as the Ted Nugent Spirit of the Wild PBS video series), owns his own hunting supply store, has been appointed to the Board of Directors of the National Rifle Association, writes columns regularly for a number of different magazines, and even sells his very own beef jerky (called Gonzo Meat Biltong)! In 2001, the Nuge penned his own autobiography, the perfectly titled God, Guns, & Rock n' Roll.
- Greg Prato, All Music Guide

* Was the top-grossing act in the world in 1977, 1978 and 1979
* Founded Damn Yankees in 1989 and went on to sell over five million albums
* Tour with KISS in one of the top ten grossing tours of 2000
* Unleash the Beast tours in 2005 and 2006 set attendance records at venues worldwide and over 2,000 tickets and passes were donated to the military
* Performed with Destiny’s Child, Godsmack and KISS for 55,000 marines, sailors and families at Camp Pendleton’s Rockin’ the Corps
*Star of the hit VH1 reality TV show Supergroup

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The outdoorsman

The Nuge, Motor City Madman, Terrible Ted, Whackmaster and Uncle Ted are just a few of the names Ted Nugent has earned over the years. He’s earned these names because he’s tackled everything in his life with the "Spirit of the Wild" he was born with.

Ted was born in 1948, and is still going strong, partly thanks to venison – what he calls his wonder food. He began bowhunting at the ripe, young age of five and hasn’t slowed down one bit. While he’s often called a guitar hero, it’s because of his work with the National Rifle Association (NRA) and his advocacy for hunting, that he has earned the respect of hunters across North America. To the Nuge, hunting is not just a sport; it is a way of life.

Ted doesn’t just limit himself to music and hunting, he’s very outspoken when it come to other issues that hit close to home including politics, the Second Amendment and crime.

The sheer volume of Tedheads that attend both his shows and speaking engagements could be testament enough for Uncle Ted’s impact on the hunting and music communities, but Ted has also racked up a number of awards over the years.

He’s received the James Fenimore Cooper Award for his many accomplishments in the field of writing and for his amazing work promoting American hunting and outdoor heritage. His top rated show on OLN, Ted Nugent Spirit of the Wild, is the four-time winner of the People’s Choice Best Hunting Show Golden Moose Award. The North American Hunting Club named Ted the #1 Hunt Partner and he’s the winner of the first-ever ATV Image Award. It was presented to Ted by ATV Industry Magazine in 2004 for his commitment to outdoor life, hunting and recreation.

At 61, Ted has no plans of slowing down. He’ll embark on a tour this summer, Trample the Dead, Hurdle the Weak, that is sure to shock and amaze concert-goers because when he’s rockin’ out, Terrible Ted “takes no prisoners”. When he’s not rockin’, he’s huntin’ and he’ll also be appearing at several hunting events over the season.

Ted’s a loving husband to his wife Shemane and a devoted father to his daughters Starr and Sasha and sons Toby and Rocco.

As busy as he is, he’s doing what he loves. Ted said it best, “I really have the American dream licked.”

Ted’s accomplishments and accolades over the years include:

Writing Accomplishments

Author of New York Times-bestsellers:

Ted, White, and Blue: The Nugent Manifesto


Ted is also the editor and publisher of Ted Nugent Adventure Outdoors Magazine and is the winner of the coveted James Fenimore Cooper award for his numerous achievements in the field of writing and publishing.

Many of Ted's articles can be found in the following publications and sites:

  • American Hunter
  • Boar Hunter
  • Bowhunting.net
  • Buckmasters
  • HumanEvent.com
  • Hunting Illustrated
  • Journal of Texas Trophy Hunters
  • Mossy Oak Hunting the Country
  • Oregon Bowhunter
  • Safari Magazine
  • Sportsman's Guide
  • Texas Fish Game
  • Waco Tribune
  • Woods & Water News

TV and Radio Accomplishments

Star of the hit VH1 reality TV show, Supergroup.
Star of reality TV show, Wanted: Ted or Alive, the highest-rated original series on OLN.
Star of successful reality TV show, Surviving Nugent, on VH1 from 2003-2004.
Creator and producer of award-winning Ted Nugent Spirit of the Wild PBS video series that raised in excess of $3 million for PBS affiliates nationwide.
Host of the top-rated Ted Nugent Morning Show on WWBR in Motor City.
Creator and host of the Ted Nugent Commando Radio show in Detroit for 10 years.
Official rock ‘n’ roll, hunting and conservation representative of the Rush Limbaugh EIB Radio and Television Network.

Gun and Outdoors-Related Accomplishments

Ted’s on an outspoken pro-hunting media crusade, conducting at least five prime media interviews every week, impacting millions every day.

Designer of Nugent Blade Broadhead, Ted Nugent BloodBrother Bow and a signature line of hunting gear
Professional staff advisor for Sims Vibration Labs, Renegade Archery, Magnus, Medalist, Browning, GameTracker, Mossy Oak, LaCross
Appointed to the Board of Directors of the National Rifle Association (1995-present)
Appointed Ambassador for Big Brothers, Big Sisters and Pass It On! Outdoor Mentors Program
Appointed to the Michigan Year of the Family Council by Governor John Engler
Appointed to Michigan’s Hunting and Fishing Heritage Task Force
Appointee, Michigan State Parks Foundation
Named Michigan Conservationist of the Year in 1999
Named Man of the Year by Michigan Recreation and Parks Association
Named Archery Commissioner by Governor John Engler for the Great Lakes Stage Games
Two-time recipient of the Kentucky Colonel Award, on behalf of the Commonwealth of Kentucky
Inducted into the Native American Strongheart Society by the Lakota Sioux, Northern Cheyenne and Arapahoe Tribes
Nominee, Handgun Hunters Hall of Fame
Nominee, Outstanding American Handgunner Award
Active on National Steering Committee for Bush and Sportsmen for Bush in 2004
Director, Quality Deer Management Association of Michigan, Three Rivers Chapter
Board of Directors, Sheriff Deputy (1978-present)
Michigan County Sheriff Deputy (1978-present)
Keynote Speaker for 1995 Governor’s Symposium on North American Hunting Heritage, Green Bay, Wisconsin
Keynote Speaker for 1995 Native American Fish & Wildlife Society National Conference, Anchorage, Alaska
Guest speaker at International Law Enforcement Convention by invitation from Director of FBI, William Webster, Edwin Meese and President Ronald Reagan
Led aggressive campaign on lecture circuit promoting individualism through outdoor sports and conservation to the youth of America

Other Accomplishments

Named Father of the Year at his children’s school
Created highly successful teleconferencing program to school systems nationwide
Huron District Student Youth Counselor
Certified Hunter Safety Instructor and International Bowhunter Education Foundation Instructor

Spokesman for National Field Archers Association, Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD), Drug Abuse Resistance Education (D.A.R.E.), law enforcement program

Lifetime Member Of

The National Rifle Association (NRA), Michigan Bow Hunters, Citizen's Committee for the Right to Keep and Bear Arms, Second Amendment Foundation, Gun Owners of America, Gun Owners of California, Director Law Enforcement, Alliance of America, New York City Benevolent Policeman's Association, National Wildlife Federation, Ducks Unlimited, Michigan United Conservation Clubs, Michigan Big Game Hunters Association, Handgun Hunters International, Michigan Sheriff's Association, National Trappers Association, U.S. Sportsmen's Alliance, Wisconsin Bowhunters Association, Mississippi Bowhunters, Drug Abuse Resistance Education (DARE) Spokesman, Outdoor Writers Association of America, Coalition of Michigan Hunters, National Field Archers Association (NFAA), Director Canadian Outdoor Heritage Alliance (COHA), Putting People First, South Dakota Archery Association, Maryland Bowhunters Society, Arizona Bowhunter Society, United Bowhunters of Connecticut, Massachusetts Bowhunting Association, United Bowhunters of Pennsylvania, Ohio Society of Traditional Archers (OSTA), South Carolina Bowhunters, Director: Michigan Bowhunting Conference and Vice President: American Shooting Sports Council.

For information on how you can get involved with any of these organizations refer to the Involvement section of TedNugent.com

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