Cadillac Dreams with Bill Barnett – Ep538

We continue KISSmas in July with a trip back to 1975 in Cadillac, Michigan! Bill Barnett was a member of the Cadillac High School football team and was at ground zero for one of the most unique moments in KISStory as KISS visited Cadillac, Michigan.

If you’re unfamiliar with the history, we’ll quickly bring you up to speed. The 1974 Cadillac High School football team was in a slump. To motivate the team, assistant coach Jim Neff started playing KISS music in the weight room and locker room. To take things a step further, defensive formations were named after KISS songs. This unique approach would go on to fire up the squad and result in the team winning a title. Realizing what a unique story this was, Coach Neff contacted KISS’ management office and told them the story. The band and management seized on the unique story and agreed to come to Cadillac in 1975 during the school’s homecoming week. The band would perform a concert in the school gym, meet with city leaders the next morning and finish things off being featured in the homecoming parade downtown.

Cadillac Dreams

In this discussion, Bill Barnett shares his memories of being a player on that KISStoric football team, his memories of Gene, Paul, Ace, and Peter, and much more. The story of how the whole event came together has to be heard to be believed as well as the legacy it’s created. Bill also fills us in on different potential film projects that might be happening to document the event in the future; one of which involves a rock legend coming to Cadillac himself to research.

We hope you enjoy Cadillac Dreams with Bill Barnett and SHARE with a friend!

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