Michaels' return to fair another big hit for fans
FRANKLIN TWP — Thousands of fans came to see Butler native Bret Michaels when he performed at the Big Butler Fair Wednesday night for the second consecutive year.
“It's an honor to be back in my very hometown, being born right here in Lyndora in Butler, Pennsylvania, and I've got my family here,” he told the crowd shortly after taking the stage.
After being given the key to the city of Butler last year, Michaels was the one making a gift this year.
Before the show, Michaels presented Jack Cohen, president of Butler County Tourism and Convention Bureau, a check for $10,000 on behalf of his Bret Michaels Life Rocks Foundation to help restore and reopen the Kaufman House in Zelienople.
Michaels first rose to fame as the lead singer of the rock band Poison which released its first album in 1986. He has also toured and released music under his own name and is known for appearing on several television shows including the VH1 reality show “Rock of Love.”
Michaels and his band performed for about 90 minutes playing Poison hits including “Every Rose Has its Thorn” and “Nothin' but a Good Time.” They also did covers including Lynyrd Skynyrd's “Sweet Home Alabama” and Sublime's “What I Got” both of which were recorded for a recently released compilation album titled “True Grit.”
The visit Wednesday was a family affair for Michaels, who spent the day visiting with friends and relatives.
On stage, he thanked his supporters for helping to make him a success.
“I see a lot of people I've known a long time here. I want to thank you all sincerely for letting me do what I love to do, giving me the chance to go out and play music, party with you all and have a great time for a whole lot of years,” he said.
Like he did last year, he invited his father, Wally Sychak, to join him on stage during a performance of the Poison song “Something to Believe In,” which he dedicated to members of the armed forces.
Michaels was born in Butler in 1963 and lived here for less than a year before his family moved to Mechanicsburg, outside of Harrisburg.Despite moving away, Michaels regularly visited his grandparents and many aunts, uncles and cousins in the area, Sychak said backstage Wednesday.“He likes to say he is from Western PA. He's a Pirates fan and everything,” Sychak said.During his visits to the area, which were sometimes a week or two long, he also made plenty of friends, some of whom he is still in touch with today, he said.Michaels told the crowd that his donation to the Kaufman House project would create jobs for the community.The Kaufman House, a historic restaurant and boutique hotel, has been closed since 2011 after it was damaged in a fire. With help from the tourism bureau and state grant money it will eventually open under new ownership and will also be used by culinary arts students at Butler County Community College.Cohen said he spoke with Michaels' manager last year who said that he wanted to make a donation to a nonprofit organization when he came back. Michaels liked the idea of the Kaufman House project so they arranged for the donation this year.He said several times on stage that he plans to return to the fair again next year. When he does, he will make a donation to the Wounded Warrior Project to help veterans in Western Pennsylvania, he said.Some of Michaels' fans Wednesday said that they like him for his music and acknowledging his local roots.Sandra Macefe of Butler said she waited in front of the stage for five hours to see Michaels, but it was worth it.“I like the way he words things. He sings from his soul and his heart,” she said.Dawn Watson of West Sunbury said she was seeing Michaels for the third time.He is a great performer and also does a lot of good including supporting efforts to find a cure for diabetes, Watson said.
“He does so much for the community and it's really good to see rock stars doing that kind of thing,” she said.Kaila McKnight of Prospect said she attended the concert with her mother, who originally introduced her to Poison's music.“It was absolutely amazing. It gets better every year, I can't wait for next year,” she said.
