Issue link: https://read.dmtmag.com/i/776310
27 www.thunderpress.net THUNDER PRESS nFebruary 2017n dialed up Jacquie Mann and handed the phone over since Jacquie is always interested in supporting and meeting young artists. Just down the aisle sat Lee Bullock from Texas. Lee was voted 2016 artist of the year by Cycle Source magazine's readers after retir- ing as a 14-year tattoo artist and cross- ing over to watercolor painting. As the owner of a '42 Knuck, Bullock rides to various shows and does commissions. We quickly understood why he got the nod from the CS readership: he does some cool stuff. Kirk Taylor and wife Lisa from NorCal, Jason Cruz, and Jack Knight were among the other fea- tured artists who hung out to meet new friends. Sonny Boy, as usual, worked on the awards that were handed out to the top picks on the bike show. The builder spotlight shone this year on Mondo Porras from Reno, Nevada. Denver's Choppers has been around since 1967, though the shop has downsized considerably. As a mat- ter of fact, Mondo works alone these days but has recently dipped a toe in the promoting pool. Joining ranks with Les Covington out of Portland, Oregon, Mondo and Les produced two bike shows in 2016 and plans are in the works for future shows based on old-school builds. For this show, how- ever, Mondo seemed to enjoy himself while sitting on one of his bikes and visiting in the warm sun with the gath- ered crowds. Some of the other notable builders seen wandering the venue included Dalton Walker, Kirk Taylor, Mike Tomas and Bret Hatt. Musicians for the day included Hard Six and the Shari Puorto Band, as well as a couple of tunes by friends Steve "Beatnik" Werner and Jennifer Santolucito, before the Lynyrd Skynyrd tribute band, One From the Road, consumed the stage. Never before has the Chopperfest stage been crammed to capacity but the band's 10 musicians and singers made quite the presence as they rocked their hearts out. Lead singer Bob Vitti called Gene One More From the Road, a Lynyrd Skynyrd tribute band, rattled the proverbial rafters as attendees sang along to familiar favorites. The group invited Gene Odom, Ronnie Van Zant's personal body guard, to come up to be introduced to the crowd at the end of the show. Dave "Huggy Bear" Hansen, Jennifer Santolucito and Tory DuVarney congratulate Andrew Ursich on the big win for his little bike. Andrew's 1949 "Pink Panther" is turning heads everywhere, including a nod as the Best of Show for the 13th annual David Mann Chopperfest. See "David Mann," page 30, column 1