All Entries Tagged With: "NoCo hall of fame"
Music legend Michael McDonald helps launch Ferguson’s Wall of Fame
by Beth von Behren
Grammy-winning vocalist and Ferguson native Michael McDonald recently got a first look at his star on the Ferguson Wall of Fame from Peggy McDonald (no relation) of the Ferguson Historical Society.
Members of the Ferguson Historical Society and Ferguson Special Business District (FSBD) got a special treat Thursday night, July 22, when favorite son Michael McDonald stopped by for a quick photo shoot in Caboose Park, home of the under-construction Ferguson Wall of Fame. McDonald is one of the first 10 inductees into the Wall of Fame, which is the brainchild of Peggy McDonald, a Ferguson resident who came up with the idea during her time as president of the Ferguson Historical Society.
McDonald was in town to give a concert Friday night at the Touhill – a fundraiser for the local chapter of the National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Abuse (NCADA). McDonald’s lifelong friend and Ferguson native Dan Duncan is director of community services for NCADA’s St. Louis chapter, and this is the second time McDonald has stepped in to donate his time and talent to raise money for the agency.
He has a busy tour schedule and is not expected to be available to participate in the actual dedication, so he stopped by to have his photo taken with his plaque and then graciously stuck around to have quite a few more pictures taken, despite the heat.
The Historical Society and FSBD are joint sponsors of the Wall of Fame, which will honor individuals who have contributed significantly to American culture or history and were either born in Ferguson or lived in the city for a significant period of time. McDonald was born in 1952, grew up in Ferguson and attended McCluer High School. He performed locally with the Majestics and Jerry Jay and the Sheratons before moving to Los Angeles in 1970.
Known for performing with Steely Dan and the Doobie Brothers in the 1970s as well as his solo work, he was also a major songwriter in the 1980s for Aretha Franklin, Carly Simon, and Van Halen, among others, and has reunited in recent years with both the Doobie Brothers and Steely Dan. He is the recipient of five Grammy awards.
McDonald poses with members of the Ferguson Historical Society and Ferguson Special Business District
In addition to McDonald, the other Ferguson Wall of Fame inductees for this inaugural round are:
Mary Jo Bang, poet
Joanie Lum, broadcast reporter
Louis Maull, businessman, creator of Maull’s barbecue sauce
Susan Notorangelo, bicyclist
Dan O’Bannon, writer/director
Antoine Predock, architect
Mike Shannon, baseball player
Enos Slaughter, baseball player
Jeanne Trevor, singer
Construction on the Wall of Fame, which will be located at 220 S. Florissant Road, began last week. A dedication ceremony is in the planning stages.
___________________________________________________________
Beth von Behren is the Public Information Officer for the City of Kirkwood. She grew up in North County and is a Normandy HS alum. She is writing her Great American Novel and invites you to read her blog at http://bethstake.blogspot.com.
Bigfoot 4×4: A North County Original
Bigfoot #5, featuring ten-foot wheels from an Alaskan land train, is one of 17 Bigfoot monster trucks made by Bigfoot 4x4 of Hazelwood.
I have to be honest, motorsports are not my thing. I don’t follow NASCAR or know anything about drag racing or motocross. And up until recently, the whole idea of monster trucks seemed…well, kind of silly to me. But that was before I went to Bigfoot 4×4.
On a private tour of the Hazelwood headquarters that thousands of fans visit every year, I not only learned a lot about Bigfoot and gained a greater appreciation for the sport of monster truck racing. I also met some of the most talented and creative people in the automotive world.
From its familiar location at Lindbergh and 270, Bigfoot 4×4, Inc. has become the unrivaled leader in monster truck and four-wheel drive innovation on the planet, with many employees who are truly world-class experts in their field. A multi-million dollar enterprise founded right here in NoCo, the family-run company builds, customizes and continually repairs its small stable of monster trucks, participating in at least 700 races, car crushes and other events every year.
Since the early 1980s, Bigfoot vehicles have visited 17 countries, appeared in eight films and dozens of TV shows, and inspired one of the best-selling toys of all time. That’s why it’s hard to believe that prior to 1975 monster trucks didn’t even exist.
The birthplace of Bigfoot: 175 Paul Avenue in Ferguson
How it all Began
There aren’t many people who can say they invented a sport, but Bob Chandler is one of them. In the mid-1970s, after teaming with his friend Jim Kramer to open Midwest 4-Wheel Drive Center in Ferguson, he had an idea to create a rolling billboard for his business. Never imagining it would gain so much attention, he took a Ford F-250 truck and beefed it up with big tires, heavy-duty suspension and a high-performance engine, nicknaming it “Bigfoot” because of his own lead foot behind the wheel.
Before long, it was obvious that Chandler’s advertising gimmick had worked. As hoped, customers started clamoring for his 4×4 parts, but more than anything, they wanted to see Bigfoot in action. Chandler kept tweaking the design of his unique “monster truck,” eventually adding rear steering and numerous other modifications, until he finally landed his first paid Bigfoot gig at a Denver car show in 1979.
Two years later, on a lark, he drove Bigfoot over a few junk cars, which led to his first public car-crush in 1982. The rest, as they say, is history.
A marvel of modern automotive engineering, Bigfoot #16 (without its 66" tires)
Building an Industry
Over the years, Chandler has built 17 Bigfoots, each more high-tech than the last. While his early vehicles were stock trucks modified with parts from farm equipment and heavy machinery, today’s Bigfoots are fiberglass “shells” almost entirely created from scratch.
“There probably aren’t more than 10 parts on a truck that we don’t modify,” says Bryan Bertoletti, Bigfoot’s lead mechanic and jack of all trades. “The fans keep wanting bigger, faster, longer, so we’re always challenged to make the trucks better and stronger.”
Machining, painting, fabricating, even driving...Bryan Bertoletti does it all.
From a design standpoint, Bigfoot has been responsible for countless monster truck innovations, including advanced safety features and Chandler’s ground-breaking tube chassis, which made the trucks lighter and faster. But for Bertoletti and other crew members, most of their daily work revolves around a never-ending stream of maintenance issues.
“Broken axles, body repairs…there’s always something needing to be fixed,” he says, noting the inevitable damage caused by racing, jumping and sometimes rolling a five-ton truck. “Generally we work on seven trucks in a week, with just 2-3 days turnaround for each one, so we’re pretty much always busy.”
For safety, Bigfoot's headlights are just decals and its doors are fake too. To enter the vehicle, driver Dan Runte climbs up through a small hole in the truck floor.
The Driver’s Life
If the schedule is hectic at Bigfoot headquarters, it’s even more grueling for drivers on the road. Working 40 weekends a year, with at least 180 days away from home, the nine men and one woman who drive Bigfoot monster trucks for a living are also required to deal with myriad other tasks.
Before shows, they spend up to two hours just putting the wheels on their truck…then two hours afterward to get them off. Many times, they also sign autographs, pose for photos with fans, sell Bigfoot merchandise, drive the semi that carries their truck, and tend to any number of mechanical glitches and body repairs.
Driven by Amber Walker, Ms. Bigfoot was reintroduced in 2010 after an initial debut in 1985.
“Everybody thinks it’s great to be a driver, and it is, but a lot of guys give up after a month,” says Dan Runte, a 22-year Bigfoot veteran. “You have to have a wide mix of skills to do this, because most of the time it’s just you out there. You’re the driver and the PR person and the mechanic.”
To his credit, Runte hasn’t missed a single event in his career. A lifelong daredevil, magnetic people person and genuinely nice guy, he worked his way up from crewperson to driver and now holds three monster truck Guinness World Records, including one for which he jumped 202 feet over a 727 airplane!
When Runte first started as a driver, Bigfoot trucks won 95% of the races they entered. Today, with more and more companies (and individuals) creating their own vehicles, that figure is down to 80% or less.
“The whole world of monster trucks just keeps growing and evolving,” Runte says. “But Bigfoot is still the best out there. The innovation, the quality, the teamwork – that’s what makes us special.”
Bigfoot graphic designer Jeff Cook & VP Bob Trent show off the company's extensive array of merchandise, which is shipped all over the world.
At Home in Hazelwood
As for Chandler, the man who invented it all, there’s still more work to be done. In 1987, he co-founded the Monster Truck Racing Association, drafting rules and safety guidelines for the sport and designing several important safety features. Today, at age 69, he still comes to the office every day and spends much of his time thinking up ways to make monster trucks even stronger and safer. His wife, Marilyn, serves as Bigfoot’s CFO, working alongside their three children and five grandchildren.
“Bob is just a true innovator,” says Bob Trent, Bigfoot VP and Chandler’s son-in-law. “There’s a lot I love about my job, but the coolest thing is working with a guy who basically created an entire industry…and did it right here in North County.”
Runte agrees. “I don’t know what all of us would be doing if it weren’t for Bob, but I can guarantee you we wouldn’t be having this much fun!”
To meet Bob Chandler, Dan Runte and the rest of the very talented Bigfoot crew, head to Bigfoot 4×4 on Saturday, June 26, for the company’s annual Open House. Lindbergh and 270 in Hazelwood, 10am-4pm. Admission is free. For more info, visit the Bigfoot website or call (314) 731-2822.
NoCo Hall of Fame: DJ Lance Rock
North County native Lance Robertson is the star of Nick Jr.'s hit series Yo Gabba Gabba!
When Brad Pitt dresses up as you for Halloween and legions of crafters make artsy knick-knacks in your likeness, it’s safe to say that you’re officially a pop culture icon. That’s what happened this year to DJ Lance Rock (aka Lance Robertson), the star of Nick Jr.’s wildly popular kids show, Yo Gabba Gabba!…and yep, you guessed it, he’s a native North Countian.
Lance Robertson in his NoCo days. Photo: Hazelwood East
These days, Robertson sings and dances with a quirky cast of costumed characters, teaching kids about things like sharing and nutrition with the help of celebrity guests like Elijah Wood, Andy Samberg, indie band MGMT, and the hilarious Jack Black. But in 1983, he was just another Hazelwood East graduate, working at Streetside Records and Vintage Vinyl in the Delmar Loop.
In the early 90s, Robertson headed up the St. Louis techno band My Other Self, known for its dreamy, multimedia shows. He also ran the Loop record store Deep Grooves, specializing in dance music, and DJ’d at numerous parties and raves, some of which I attended.
Back then, DJ Lance was a colorful fixture in the local hipster/music scene, always present at cool shows and events. He seemed to know everyone, and everyone thought he was a super fun, talented guy.
DJ Lance: inspiring creativity in felt
Robertson moved to Los Angeles in the mid-90s, about the same time I did. (I saw him at concerts out there too.) After years of working retail, spinning records and playing in the L.A. band The Ray Makers, he was tapped in 2007 to be the host of Yo Gabba Gabba!, a silly, clever, musical kids show that feels like a hybrid of Pee Wee’s Playhouse and Sesame Street.
The show takes its name from the Ramones’ lyric “gabba gabba hey,” and it’s become such a huge hit (especially among Gen X parents) that Robertson and the rest of the cast are now on a nationwide concert tour. Will they come to St. Louis? I don’t know. But a 40-something man dressed in orange spandex, dancing with a monster, a dragon and a robot… Sounds like a classic NoCo character to me. Rock on, Lance!
NoCo Hall of Fame: John Cothran Jr.
Kinloch's very own Klingon: John Cothran Jr.
Trekkies, brace yourselves. North County gave birth to a Klingon!
John Cothran Jr., a Kinloch native and successful Hollywood actor, performed in not one, not two, but three Star Trek series. Twice he has played a Klingon.
Cothran has also appeared in numerous TV shows and well-known films, including Grey’s Anatomy, Medium, and Boyz in the Hood. He got his start acting in the spring musical at Holy Angels School in Kinloch, and now lives in Los Angeles.
Bravo, John! We’ll watch for you in your latest film, The Perfect Game, and send you lots of NoCo love!
Are you getting ready for the big day? NOCO is a proud sponsor of the 3rd annual Live Well Ferguson 5K