Ted Nugent

Nugent was married to Sandra Jezowski from 1970 to 1979. They had a son and a daughter, and Jezowski died in a single-car crash in 1982. Before his first marriage, Nugent fathered a boy and a girl who were adopted separately during infancy. Their identities became publicly known in 2010 after his daughter sought contact with him and their birth parents.

Nugent met television personality Shemane Deziel while he was a guest on Detroit radio station WLLZ-FM, where she worked on the news staff. They have been married since January 21, 1989, and have a son together. Nugent has six children with four women.

Nugent began performing with The Amboy Dukes in the 1960s while he was a student at St. Viator High School in Arlington Heights, Illinois. The band became known for psychedelic rock and hard rock, and its albums The Amboy Dukes (1967), Journey to the Center of the Mind (1968), and Migration (1969) sold moderately well. "Journey to the Center of the Mind" became one of the band's best-known songs.

He dropped The Amboy Dukes name in 1975 and signed with Epic Records. His first three solo albums, Ted Nugent (1975), Free-for-All (1976), and Cat Scratch Fever (1977), were certified multi-platinum in the United States. The albums produced songs including "Stranglehold," "Hey Baby," "Dog Eat Dog," and "Cat Scratch Fever," while the live album Double Live Gonzo! extended his reputation for energetic performances. Nugent played guitar and sometimes sang with Derek St. Holmes, Charlie Huhn, Brian Howe, and Meat Loaf before taking on more lead-vocal duties himself.

In 1989, Nugent joined Damn Yankees with Jack Blades of Night Ranger, Tommy Shaw of Styx, and drummer Michael Cartellone. The band's 1990 debut album, Damn Yankees, went double platinum in the United States, helped by the power ballad "High Enough." Its second album, Don't Tread, followed in 1992 and reached gold status before the group dissolved soon afterward.

Nugent returned to his solo career with Spirit of the Wild in 1995, an album that included the bowhunting song "Fred Bear" and featured the return of Derek St. Holmes to his studio band. Later releases included Craveman (2002), Love Grenade (2007), Shutup & Jam! (2014), The Music Made Me Do It (2018), and Detroit Muscle (2022). He announced the Adios Mofo Tour as a farewell tour in 2023, while also saying he would continue recording music.

Nugent hosted and starred in outdoor and reality programs including Ted Nugent Spirit of the Wild, Surviving Nugent, Wanted: Ted or Alive, and Runnin' Wild ... From Ted Nugent. Spirit of the Wild, which began in 2001, combined hunting instruction, wildlife pursuits, and discussions of hunting politics. In 2003, he was injured in a chainsaw accident while filming Surviving Nugent and required 40 stitches and a leg brace.

His acting and screen appearances included a villainous role on Miami Vice in 1986, appearances as himself on That '70s Show, Undeclared, and The Simpsons, and a role as Skunk in the 2008 film Beer for My Horses. He also appeared in Nickelback's "Rockstar" video and became a playable character in the 2008 video game Guitar Hero World Tour, where players could duel him to unlock "Stranglehold."

Since the 2000s, Nugent has drawn substantial attention for his support of the Republican Party, gun rights, and hunting rights. He served on the board of directors of the National Rifle Association and endorsed Mitt Romney, Donald Trump, and Joe Arpaio. He also served as treasurer and co-chairman of Sid Miller's 2014 campaign for Texas agriculture commissioner. Nugent performed at several Trump campaign events and visited the White House with Kid Rock and Sarah Palin in 2017.

Nugent's comments about Barack Obama led to a Secret Service investigation in 2012, and the Army canceled a scheduled performance at Fort Knox after his remarks. He later apologized for calling Obama a "subhuman mongrel," although he subsequently said he did not regret criticizing Obama. His statements on gun control, civil rights, animal rights, immigration, climate change, and public health have repeatedly prompted public criticism.

His advocacy of hunting has also led to legal disputes. After an episode of Spirit of the Wild showed him shooting a young deer with a bow, he pleaded guilty to two violations of California hunting law. In 2012, he pleaded guilty to transporting an illegally killed American black bear in Alaska. His sentence included probation, a temporary prohibition on hunting and fishing in Alaska and on U.S. Forest Service lands, and a required public-service announcement about hunters' responsibilities.