title: Velvet Sky

text: On April 6, 2019, at ROH G1 Supercard, Velvet Sky officially reunited with Angelina Love and formed a new heel stable with Mandy Leon as The Allure by attacking Kelly Klein, Jenny Rose, and Stella Grey. During Masters of the Craft (2019) on April 14, 2019, during the match between Nick Lendl and Amy Rose The Allure was seen with selfie sticks and phones out as they walked down the ramp to where the bell ringer was and kicked her out. After the match Mandy Leon was seen confronting Amy Rose followed by Sky spraying hairspray in her eyes. In October 2020, her profile was removed from the ROH website.


title: Velvet Sky

text: On March 23, 2021, Sky made her NWA debut as the show's new color commentator, working beside Joe Galli and Tim Storm.


title: Velvet Sky

text: She was featured on MTV's "Made" alongside A.J. Styles, Taylor Wilde, and Angelina Love. On January 24, 2009, she appeared as a soccerette on British television program "Soccer AM", along with Angelina Love. In November 2010 she was a contestant on an all TNA week of "Family Feud", teaming with Angelina Love, Christy Hemme, Lacey Von Erich and Tara against Jay Lethal, Matt Morgan, Mick Foley, Mr. Anderson and Rob Van Dam. In June 2012, she was featured in Montgomery Gentry's music video for their song "So Called Life". She has also made a cameo appearance in an episode of "Impractical Jokers".


title: Velvet Sky

text: Szantyr has Polish and Italian heritage in her family. In high school, Szantyr competed in cheerleading, softball, cross-country, football, and track.


title: Prey (2006 video game)

text: Prey is a first-person shooter video game developed by Human Head Studios, under contract for 3D Realms, and published by 2K Games, while the Xbox 360 version was ported by Venom Games. The game was initially released in North America and Europe on July 11, 2006. "Prey" uses a heavily modified version of id Tech 4 to use portals and variable gravity to create the environments the player explores.


title: Prey (2006 video game)

text: The game's story is focused on Cherokee Domasi "Tommy" Tawodi as he, his girlfriend, and grandfather are abducted aboard an alien spaceship known as The Sphere as it consumes material, both inanimate and living, from Earth in order to sustain itself. Tommy's Cherokee heritage allows him to let his spirit roam freely at times and come back to life after dying, which gives Tommy an edge in his battle against the Sphere.


title: Prey (2006 video game)

text: "Prey" had been in development in one form or another since 1995, and has had several major revisions. While the general approach to gameplay, including the use of portals, remained in the game, the story and setting changed several times. The game received generally positive reviews, with critics praising its graphics and gameplay but criticizing its multiplayer component for a lack of content.


title: Prey (2006 video game)

text: "Prey" was a commercial success, selling more than one million copies in the first two months of its release and leading to the abortive development of its sequel "Prey 2".


title: Prey (2006 video game)

text: The rights to "Prey" passed on to Bethesda Softworks, who released an unrelated game of the same name, developed by Arkane Studios, in 2017.


title: Prey (2006 video game)

text: "Prey" is a first-person shooter with the player in control of the protagonist Tommy as he explores the gigantic extraterrestrial craft Sphere and fights its inhabitants aboard. During the game, the player will collect a number of alien weapons, some comparable to typical first-person shooter archetypes, others more alien in behavior.


title: Prey (2006 video game)

text: The game's engine introduces two unique aspects to exploration. Portals in the game can transport the player from one area to another instantly; portals can be looked and shot through and can also be traveled in reverse. Unlike the later game "Portal", the player cannot create portals directly without the use of mods, and portals remain fixed in space. The game also features variable gravity. Special paths allow the player to walk along them, remaining upright regardless of orientation, though should the player fall or voluntarily jump off the path, gravity will reassert itself. Small planetoids inside The Sphere can also exhibit their own gravity fields, allowing the player to walk completely around the outside of it.


title: Prey (2006 video game)

text: The player can detach Tommy's spirit from his body, allowing the spirit to roam freely for a short time. The spirit has limited interaction with the environment, though it is able to activate control panels and can use a spirit bow to strike at foes. The spirit force is often used to solve environmental puzzles within the game as well as to locate paths that are not visible to mortal eyes. Although Tommy dies when his health is depleted, he is resurrected after a brief period during which his spirit can increase the health the revived body will have. Two vehicles make an appearance; one is a flying vehicle used frequently for travel and attacking (as well as puzzle solving), and one is only used for a short period near the end of the game.


title: Prey (2006 video game)

text: The bar that the game begins in is interactive, with usable restroom facilities, a TV with various channels (including a clip from "Duck and Cover"), a fully playable "Pac-Man"-style game called "Rune Man" (referring to a previous game by Human Head entitled "Rune"), several video casino machines (including blackjack, draw poker, and a slot machine), and a jukebox that plays a small selection of licensed songs.


title: Prey (2006 video game)

text: Domasi "Tommy" Tawodi (voiced by Michael Greyeyes) is a Cherokee mechanic and former United States Army soldier living on a Native American reservation in Oklahoma. The game begins with Tommy in a bar owned by his girlfriend, Jen. Tired of life on the reservation, Tommy tries to convince Jen to leave it with him, but she refuses. After a fight between the two, a fight erupts when two men at the bar will not leave. The building is lifted up by some kind of force into a green light above. Tommy, Jen, Tommy's grandfather Enisi, and other captives are transported to a massive alien starship called the Sphere. Tommy is freed in an explosion set off by a mysterious stranger, who, despite being a cybernetic being like most of the Sphere's inhabitants, appears to be working against the Sphere.


title: Prey (2006 video game)

text: Tommy witnesses Enisi's brutal death in an alien device. While attempting to find Jen, he has a near-death experience and travels to an afterlife known as the Land of The Ancients, where his grandfather bestows spiritual powers upon him. Tommy gains the ability to separate from his body to pass through obstacles, come back to life after being killed, and aid from his spirit guide, the ghost of his childhood pet hawk, Talon. Despite being entrusted by his ancestors with the mission to protect Earth from the Sphere, Tommy is only interested in rescuing Jen.


title: Prey (2006 video game)

text: Tommy finds Jen, whose torso has been surgically attached to a reptile-like creature that attempts to kill Tommy. Because Jen cannot control the beast she is attached to, Tommy is reluctantly forced to kill it, in the process also mercy-killing Jen. Tommy learns that the Sphere is an organic alien ship with the main goal of maintaining itself by preying on various alien races. The Sphere houses many of these alien races, which have become mindless drones in servitude of the Sphere. The Keepers of the Sphere, who appear to be responsible for its creation, plant life on other planets, and periodically return to harvest it. A small band of human rebels on the Sphere named the Hidden have not lost control of themselves. Led by Elhuit, the Hidden hope to destroy the Sphere and return to Earth.


title: Prey (2006 video game)

text: Tommy finds that the Keepers and their drones are controlled by the Mother (voiced by Tyne Turner), who communicates telepathically with him throughout the game. She reveals to Tommy that she was once human, too, and fought the previous Mother of the Sphere, who persuaded her to take its place as the new Mother. After Tommy defeats her, the Mother begs Tommy to take her place, acquiring god-like powers in the process, or else the Sphere will perish. While tempted, Enisi's spirit contacts Tommy, reminding him of his humanity and duty. Tommy heeds his grandfather's advice and drives the Sphere into the Sun, and ends up in the Land of the Ancients once more to see Enisi and Jen. Tommy returns to Earth, knowing that he will see them both again when it is his time to live in the Land of the Ancients.


title: Prey (2006 video game)

text: Six months later, Tommy has rebuilt the bar. The official story of the bar's disappearance is that the original building and the people within it at the time of its disappearance vanished due to an unknown natural phenomenon. Elhuit arrives in the bar and explains to Tommy that she and other Hidden escaped through a portal just before Tommy destroyed the Sphere, and tells Tommy that powerful beings elsewhere wish to meet him. Tommy steps through a portal made by Elhuit as the words "Prey will continue ..." appear on-screen.


title: Prey (2006 video game)

text: "Prey" has a long and storied development history that spans over a decade, starting in 1995. It went through several iterations of the game design and software technology before its eventual release in 2006.


title: Prey (2006 video game)

text: In 1995, the first incarnation of the game was announced. "Prey" was envisioned by 3D Realms as the first of a number of games to be running on unique, cutting edge game engine technology, developed in house. In this sense the project played the same role as "Unreal" did for Epic Games, and it would retain this role in the company's strategy throughout its development time in the 3D Realms studios.


title: Prey (2006 video game)

text: "Prey" as a game was to go through many different forms during this first development period. A rapid succession of different designs was outlined by Tom Hall (previously of id Software and later of Ion Storm), who was at that time fresh off the "Rise of the Triad" team at Apogee Software. After about a year's worth of work, however, Tom Hall abandoned the project and left the company to form Ion Storm with ex-id compatriot John Romero.


title: Prey (2006 video game)

text: At this point, 3D Realms brought on Paul Schuytema to begin the next phase in the game's development. The new team would go on to create a new game design. The alien abduction theme from Hall's work was retained, but now the game was to be set on a massive, ring-shaped artificial world called "Trocara", inhabited by four different alien races, one of them called "the Keepers". The player would take the role of a Native American hero, called Talon Brave.


title: Prey (2006 video game)

text: The game was the first in the genre to make use of moveable portal technology, a feature that allowed rips in space to be created, moved and reshaped in real time. This was to be a core feature of the gameplay, along with heavily destructible environments. It was also thought at the time this engine would be used for "Duke Nukem 5" (the game after "Duke Nukem Forever"). Demonstrations of these features drew widespread acclaim at the 1997 and 1998 E3 exhibitions – the television program Infinite MHz was able to capture exclusive footage of the game's private behind-closed-doors demo at both of the game's E3 showings. The public perception was very positive, the game looked impressive, and 3D Realms' name, fresh from the success of "Duke Nukem 3D" was a mark of quality.


title: Prey (2006 video game)

text: German industrial band KMFDM was to create the game's soundtrack. 3D Realms posted on their website in 1997 that they received a sample of the soundtrack from KMFDM and highly praised the music, described as "ambient industrial". On December 19, 1997, 3D Realms also released two KMFDM songs in MP3 format (that are not on the "Prey" soundtrack), "Inane" and "Megalomaniac".


title: Prey (2006 video game)

text: Seemingly insurmountable technical problems ground development to a near-halt, and this version of "Prey" too fell apart. Later, on an Internet discussion board head engineer William Scarboro would comment that "in hindsight, portal tricks such as these should be used as tricks, not as an engine paradigm."


title: Prey (2006 video game)

text: Shortly after the Schuytema variant of "Prey" disbanded, 3D Realms attempted again to revive the project by bringing on tech programmer Corrinne Yu in November 1998. Development of the game itself was not part of this effort, Yu was working by herself on the game engine exclusively.


title: Prey (2006 video game)

text: The title was put on indefinite hold (although never formally canceled, contrary to popular opinion). On March 8, 2000, "Prey.net" (an early Prey site with a section about KMFDM) released a RealAudio file of a third KMFDM song: "Missing Time", which was going to be part of the "Prey" soundtrack but was featured in the film "Heavy Metal 2000" instead (under the name MDFMK which is a side project of KMFDM members during their temporary break-up).


title: Prey (2006 video game)

text: The game was developed with a 30 person team. In 2001, 3D Realms began development on a new version of the title. This time, with the advantage of the necessary portal technology already being a stable and functional component of all modern game engines, 3D Realms was able to license the necessary technology instead of having to develop it. 3D Realms chose the id Tech 4 game engine from id Software, and "Rune" developer Human Head Studios was commissioned to develop the game using the previous designs as a base.


title: Prey (2006 video game)

text: Rumors of this new project leaked out to the public in 2002, through the website Evil Avatar, but were at that time denied in the 3D Realms forums by Joe Siegler. It was not until 2005, when the cryptic clue "Keep your eyes open for the unveiling of our next game very soon." appeared on the 3D Realms website that the previous rumors were confirmed in any way. This was followed by a CNN article by Chris Morris, claiming that "Prey" was not only in development, but that it would be shown at E3. Soon afterwards, the official "Prey" teaser site was launched, confirming the game's existence, and hinting that more would be revealed in the June issue of "PC Gamer", which indeed featured a seven-page article on "Prey".


title: Prey (2006 video game)

text: "Prey" was officially announced in a press release by 2K Games on April 26, 2005. On April 28, 2006, a July 10 release date was announced (although 3D Realms claims that is not the formal release date since it did not come from them or Human Head). On May 19, 2006, 3D Realms announced that a demo of "Prey" would be released on June 22, 2006—the PC demo was released on this date, but the Xbox 360 demo was delayed until June 30. On June 28, it was announced that "Prey" had officially gone gold. A playable single and multiplayer demo of the game was released on June 22, 2006, for Microsoft Windows, and a downloadable Xbox 360 demo was released on the Xbox Live Marketplace on June 30, 2006.


title: Prey (2006 video game)

text: The June 2005 issue of "PC Gamer" revealed that the game uses a heavily modified version of id Tech 4 capable of rendering "huge cavernous spaces as well as more traditional passages". The game also supports the dynamic portals that were seen in the 1997/1998 video clips, which are used by friends and foes alike. It also has the ability to change gravity in many parts of the game, via small items that need to be shot to become active, which is used to solve many puzzles throughout the game. Various landscapes in the game (large rocks, for example) have their own gravity that overrides the normal gravity in the game.


title: Prey (2006 video game)

text: Domasi (Tommy) Tawodi's background was chosen due to the amount of mythology in Cherokee oral tradition, which 3D Realms had planned to use for a number of games. When it was first revealed that the game's protagonist would be a Native American, the response was mixed due to concerns that he would be a stereotyped caricature, and that players would have difficulty identifying with a Native American character. Tommy is voiced by Michael Greyeyes, and Jen is voiced by Crystle Lightning, who are both Plains Cree. Greyeyes approved of the way that Tommy was depicted in the game, contrasting "Prey" to a film production:


title: Prey (2006 video game)

text: The game went gold on June 28, 2006, and was released in North America on July 11, 2006, and on July 14, 2006, in Europe. "Prey" was the only major title to utilize the new Triton distribution system, which went out of business months after the game's launch. Following the demise of Triton, "Prey" moved to distribution via Steam.


title: Prey (2006 video game)

text: "Prey" shipped in a Limited Collector's Edition for both PC and Xbox 360. It came with an embossed collector's tin, an upgrade to one DVD-ROM (as opposed to three CD-ROMs), two pewter figurines (Hunter and Tommy), "The Art of Prey" booklet, and a free soundtrack download from DirectSong. A third (Mutate) pewter figurine was available separately for purchase to complete the collection of three pewter figurines.


title: Prey (2006 video game)

text: On November 29, 2006, Aspyr Media announced a Mac port, which was shipped on January 15, 2007. On October 24, 2008, a Linux client for the Prey demo was released by Ryan C. Gordon, who had been working on porting the game for several months. Later that year, on December 7, 2008, the Linux client for the full retail version was made available.


title: Prey (2006 video game)

text: The soundtrack was composed by award-winning composer Jeremy Soule and his brother, Julian Soule. The "Prey" soundtrack was released in two volumes (nearly two hours of the game's three-hour score). The end credits feature the song "Take Me Home" by After Midnight Project.


title: Prey (2006 video game)

text: There are several jukeboxes in the game which allow the player to choose from a small selection of licensed songs. In addition, radio host Art Bell lends his voice to several fictional segments of his paranormal-themed radio show, Coast to Coast AM, that play from radios throughout the game. In the segments, he talks with many callers about the various alien phenomena that occur in the game.


title: Prey (2006 video game)

text: "Prey" has a Metacritic average of 83 and 79 out of 100 on the PC and Xbox 360, respectively. The game was highly praised for its graphics and gameplay. GameZone called the graphics "top notch", while "Play" magazine called them "incredible". GamerFeed lauded the gameplay system, calling it "nothing short of amazing", and concluding that ""Prey" has got everything anyone could want from a sci-fi shooter and more." However, there was criticism directed at the multiplayer component, especially the fact that it only had two game modes. GamesRadar opined that the multiplayer "could have been much better if only there were more than two modes [and] a couple of maps small enough to play with less than five players."


title: Prey (2006 video game)

text: In October 2006, 3D Realms CEO Scott Miller announced that the game was a commercial success on both PC and Xbox 360 with combined 1 million copies sold worldwide to date. "Prey" is ranked third on "Game Informer" list of The Top 10 Video Game Openings.


title: Prey (2006 video game)

text: The editors of "PC Gamer US" awarded "Prey" their 2006 "Best Action Game" and "Best Multiplayer Game" awards.


title: Prey (2006 video game)

text: Shortly after the game's release, 3D Realms' Scott Miller confirmed that a sequel named "Prey 2" was in development. On March 17, 2008, Miller's brand-management group Radar Group was launched, along with the announcement that it was managing "Prey 2", slated for release for PC and Xbox 360. The game was being developed in cooperation with Human Head Studios.


title: Prey (2006 video game)

text: "Prey Invasion" is a first-person shooter video game developed by MachineWorks, and published by Hands-On Mobile in cooperation with 3D Realms for iOS.


title: Prey (2006 video game)

text: In 2009, the rights to the franchise were acquired by Bethesda Softworks and id Software parent company ZeniMax Media. On October 30, 2014, during PAX Australia, Bethesda Softworks vice-president Pete Hines confirmed that "Prey 2" has subsequently been canceled. Pete Hines stated as follows, "it was a game we believed in, but we never felt that it got to where it needed to be – we never saw a path to success if we finished it. It wasn't up to our quality standard, and we decided to cancel it. It's no longer in development. That wasn't an easy decision, but it's one that won't surprise many folks given that we hadn't been talking about it. Human Head Studios is no longer working on it. It's a franchise we still believe we can do something with — we just need to see what that something is."


title: Prey (2006 video game)

text: During its 2016 E3 press conference, Bethesda announced "Prey" developed by Arkane Studios, for release in 2017 on Windows, PlayStation 4, and Xbox One. The new game is not connected to the previous game.


title: Prey (2006 video game)

text: Eventually, the team would come full circle after the 2019 closure of Human Head Studios shortly after the release of "Rune II" with most of the staff moving on to Bethesda-managed Roundhouse Studios.


title: Dusty Rhodes

text: Virgil Riley Runnels Jr. (October 11, 1945 – June 11, 2015), better known as "The American Dream" Dusty Rhodes, was an American professional wrestler, booker, and trainer who most notably worked for the National Wrestling Alliance, Jim Crockett Promotions, World Championship Wrestling, and the World Wrestling Federation, later known as the WWE. Rhodes is considered as one of the greatest wrestlers and talkers in the history of professional wrestling.


title: Dusty Rhodes

text: Rhodes was a three-time NWA World Heavyweight Champion, and during his time in Jim Crockett Promotions, later known as WCW, he was a United States Heavyweight Champion, and multi-time World Television, World Tag Team and World Six-Man Tag Team Champion. He also won many regional championships, and is one of seven men inducted into each of the WWE, WCW, Professional Wrestling, and "Wrestling Observer Newsletter" Halls of Fame. His sons, Dustin and Cody, both pursued careers in professional wrestling, currently performing for AEW and WWE, respectively.


title: Dusty Rhodes

text: Following his retirement from wrestling, he made occasional on-air appearances on WWE television and pay-per-views and worked as a backstage booker and producer in WWE's NXT developmental territory. Billed as "the son of a plumber", Rhodes did not have a typical wrestler's physique; his character was that of the "common man", known for the personality exhibited in his interviews. WWE chairman Vince McMahon remarked that no wrestler "personified the essence of charisma quite like Dusty Rhodes".


title: Dusty Rhodes

text: After graduating from Albert Sidney Johnston High School in Austin, Rhodes played baseball and football at West Texas State (now known as West Texas A&M University). Turning professional, Rhodes tried out for the American Football League's Boston Patriots, but was cut. He then played for the Hartford Charter Oaks in the Continental Football League until the team folded.


title: Dusty Rhodes

text: In 1967, Rhodes saw an advertisement in the newspaper for Tony Santos' professional wrestling promotion Big Time Wrestling, based in Boston. Rhodes drove to Boston, and despite not having any wrestling experience, bluffed his way into working for the company by using his real life friendships with Bobby Duncum and the Funk brothers. Billed as Dusty Runnels, one of his first matches was for the BTW World Heavyweight title against champion Frank Scarpa in the Boston Arena. Having little money, Rhodes slept in his car and spent Thanksgiving with Rufus R. Jones in a Boston soup kitchen.


title: Dusty Rhodes

text: Rhodes moved on to Fritz Von Erich's Texas territory World Class Championship Wrestling in 1968, at that time also called Big Time Wrestling. It was in Texas where Rhodes first adopted the ring name "Dusty Rhodes". Upon meeting Rhodes, Gary Hart suggested that he change his ring name to "Lonesome Rhodes", a character Andy Griffith portrayed in the film "A Face in the Crowd". Rhodes reportedly replied: "Well...I don't plan on being 'Lonesome'. I think I'll stick with Dusty." Hart took an immediate liking to Rhodes and convinced Von Erich of the young wrestler's potential. Rhodes became a rule-breaking heel with Hart as his manager, teaming with Don Jardine, better known as The Spoiler.


title: Dusty Rhodes

text: In 1968, Rhodes left Texas and entered the Kansas City territory, tagging with fellow Texan Dick Murdoch to form the tag team The Texas Outlaws. The team traveled both nationally and internationally, appearing in Big Time Wrestling (Texas), NWA Western States Sports (Texas), NWA Detroit, National Wrestling Federation (NWF), Championship Wrestling from Florida, World Championship Wrestling (Australia), Tri-State Wrestling, the American Wrestling Association (AWA), and International Wrestling Enterprise (Japan).


title: Dusty Rhodes

text: Rhodes did not have a typical wrestlers' physique, but he was well known for his personality, charisma and interviews. In 1974, Rhodes's character became a hero after tag team partner Pak Song and manager Gary Hart turned on him during a match in Florida against Eddie and Mike Graham. This led him to break out as a solo wrestler, primarily in Florida, referring to himself as the "American Dream", a working class hero, and aligning himself with Eddie Graham.


title: Dusty Rhodes

text: In 1977, Rhodes wrestled for Vince McMahon, Sr.'s World Wide Wrestling Federation (WWWF) on and off for lengthy periods of time until 1983. During that time, Rhodes main-evented twice in Madison Square Garden, both times challenging for the WWWF Heavyweight Championship against reigning champion Superstar Billy Graham. Rhodes won the first match on September 26 via countout, and lost the second, a Texas Death match, on October 24. Graham won after a mid-ring collision, falling on Rhodes for the three count.


title: Dusty Rhodes

text: He eventually began working as a booker and wrestler with Jim Crockett Promotions (JCP) in the Mid-Atlantic, which eventually purchased World Championship Wrestling (WCW), formerly Georgia Championship Wrestling. Rhodes also teamed with Magnum T. A. as "America's Team", who opposed the Four Horsemen and The Russian Team in 1985. They were one of the more dominant tag teams in the promotion until 1986, when Magnum's career was ended in a car accident. Subsequently, he teamed with Nikita Koloff as The Super Powers. Rhodes was also a two time World Six-Man Tag Team Champion with The Road Warriors.


title: Dusty Rhodes

text: Rhodes had feuds with Abdullah the Butcher, Pak Song, Terry Funk, Kevin Sullivan, Blackjack Mulligan, Nikita Koloff, Harley Race, Superstar Billy Graham, "Crippler" Ray Stevens and, most notably, The Four Horsemen (especially Ric Flair and Tully Blanchard). Rhodes, Flair and Race fought each other many times over the NWA World Heavyweight Championship. Rhodes won the NWA World Heavyweight Championship three times; twice by defeating Race and once by defeating Flair. In October 1985, during his feud with Flair, Rhodes gave an interview that became known as his "Hard Times" promo, arguably his most popular promo:


title: Dusty Rhodes

text: First of all, I would to thank the many, many fans throughout this country that wrote cards and letters to Dusty Rhodes, The American Dream, while I was down. Secondly, I want to thank Jim Crockett Promotions for waitin' and takin' the time 'cause I know how important it was, Starrcade '85 it is to the wrestling fans, it is to Jim Crockett promotions, and Dusty Rhodes The American Dream. With that wait, I got what I wanted, Ric Flair the World's Heavyweight Champion. I don’t have to say a whole lot more about the way I feel about Ric Flair; no respect, no honor. There is no honor amongst thieves in the first place.


title: Dusty Rhodes

text: He put hard times on Dusty Rhodes and his family. You don't know what hard times are, daddy. Hard times are when the textile workers around this country are out of work, they got four or five kids and can't pay their wages, can’t buy their food. Hard times are when the auto workers are out of work and they tell 'em to go home. And hard times are when a man has worked at a job for thirty years, thirty years, and they give him a watch, kick him in the butt and say "hey a computer took your place, daddy", that's hard times! That's hard times! And Ric Flair you put hard times on this country by takin' Dusty Rhodes out, that's hard times. And we all had hard times together, and I admit, I don’t look like the athlete of the day supposed to look. My belly's just a lil' big, my heiny's a lil' big, but brother, I am bad. And they know I'm bad.


title: Dusty Rhodes

text: There were two bad people... One was John Wayne and he's dead brother, and the other's right here. Nature Boy Ric Flair, the World's Heavyweight title belongs to these people. I’mma reach out right now, I want you at home to know my hand is touchin' your hand for the gathering of the biggest body of people in this country, in this universe, all over the world now, reachin’ out because the love that was given me and this time I will repay you now. Because I will be the next World's Heavyweight Champion of this hard time blues. Dusty Rhodes tour, '85.


title: Dusty Rhodes

text: And Ric Flair, Nature Boy... Let me leave you with this. One way to hurt Ric Flair, is to take what he cherishes more than anything in the world and that's the World's Heavyweight title. I'm gon' take it, I been there twice. This time when I take it daddy, I'm gon' take it for you. Let's gather for it. Don’t let me down now, 'cause I came back for you, for that man upstairs that died 10–12 years ago and never got the opportunity to see a real World's Champion. And I'm proud of you, thank God I have you, and I love you. Love ya!


title: Dusty Rhodes

text: The promo apparently resonated with wrestling fans so much that people came to him in arenas in tears to thank him for "honoring their plight". In 2015, an ESPN article referred to "Hard Times" as Rhodes' best interview, writing, "In just over three minutes, Rhodes fully encapsulated every ounce of his charm by endearing himself to blue-collar mid-America".


title: Dusty Rhodes

text: During his stint as booker, JCP were engulfed in aggressive competition with the World Wrestling Federation (WWF). When the WWF introduced Mike Jones as Ted DiBiase's bodyguard, Bobby Heenan suggested naming the character "Virgil" as an inside joke on Dusty's real name. Also in the late 1980s, Rhodes became synonymous with what would become known as the "Dusty finish", a trick ending in which a wrestler would win a match while the referee was knocked out, and the decision would be overturned.


title: Dusty Rhodes

text: Rhodes is often considered to be one of the most innovative and creative bookers in the history of professional wrestling. As previously mentioned, his work in the development of "supercards" and gimmick matches did much to enhance the quality of entertainment and move the industry forward, as evident by other major promotions following with their own major cards and gimmicks. At the same time, however, he and JCP had an "old school" philosophy that did not bode well with the changes that were brought with fast moving media such as cable TV, etc. The long-standing storylines and the frequent use of the aforementioned "Dusty finish", techniques that had worked well during the NWA's territorial days, had now started to leave many fans dissatisfied with the promotion's booking.


title: Dusty Rhodes

text: Rhodes was fired after Starrcade '88, because of a taboo on-screen bloodletting (laid down by the Turner Broadcasting System following their purchase of the company) during a November 26 altercation with The Road Warriors. Furious with the interference, Rhodes booked a storyline in which Road Warrior Animal pulled a spike out of his shoulder pad and jammed it in Rhodes' eye, causing a severe laceration. Rhodes was then fired from WCW.


title: Dusty Rhodes

text: Meanwhile in late 1988 during the acquisition of Jim Crockett Promotions the duo of Mike Graham and Steve Keirn were attempting to revive the dormant CWF Championship Wrestling from Florida territory. Once Dusty departed from WCW they reached out to him, and ultimately partnered to launch the new Professional Wrestling Federation in February 1989. Rhodes had larger visions for the fledgling regional territory, which included a name change from FCW to the non-regional PWF. The new startup promotion featured a raft of current and future stars, including Terry Funk, Dick Slater, Bam Bam Bigelow, Al Perez, The Nasty Boys, Scott Hall, Dustin Rhodes, Mike Awesome, Dallas Page and The Big Steel Man (who would become Tugboat in the WWF).


title: Dusty Rhodes

text: Dusty Rhodes made his debut for the company on March 4, 1989 at an event in Titusville, FL when he teamed with Steve Keirn to defeat the duo of The Big Steel Man and Dick Slaytor. A week later at the PWF Homecoming event in Tampa, FL he pinned Big Steel Man to become the first PWF Heavyweight Champion. Later that spring as the PWF began to grow Rhodes received a surprise backstage visit from Bobby Heenan, who inquired on the state of the company's business. Shortly thereafter Vince McMahon reached out to Rhodes and made an offer to acquire the PWF as a developmental territory and to bring Rhodes into the WWF. He refused, as his desire was to grow the territory into a national brand that could compete with WCW and the WWF. However the Professional Wrestling Federation's backers did not have a desire to fund the company at a level necessary to enhance the territory further. In May he decided to part ways with the PWF and join the World Wrestling Federation as a wrestler.


title: Dusty Rhodes

text: Before departing, Rhodes was defeated by The Big Steel Man on May 13, 1989 for the PWF title at an event in Sarasota, FL. His final match with the company was on May 20, where he wrestled Steel Man at an event in Fort Lauderdale.


title: Dusty Rhodes

text: Nine days after his final PWF match, Dusty Rhodes made his untelevised debut at a house show on May 29 in Montreal, Quebec. Substituting for Jake Roberts, he defeated Ted Dibiase. Promotional vignettes began airing, the first coming on the June 3rd edition of WWF Superstars of Wrestling with Rhodes appearing as the yellow polka-dotted "Common Man" Dusty Rhodes, a gimmick some felt was intended to humiliate him due to his synonymy with the rival JCP/WCW. Rhodes was introduced to WWF audiences through a series of vignettes in which he would gregariously and enthusiastically perform working class roles (including that of a plumber, butcher's apprentice, gas station attendant, taco cook, trash collector and pizza delivery man), eventually being recognized by others at the end of the skit ("Hey! Aren't you...?").


title: Dusty Rhodes

text: Rhodes continued to wrestle Dibiase on house shows that month and was undefeated. He was pinned however on June 6 in a dark match against Dibiase at a WWF Superstars taping in Madison, WI. Many years later, this match was included as part of the "WWE Unreleased: 1986–1995" DVD set. It was said that Rhodes was asked to lose in this match to test his willingness to put over other talent. Aside from this defeat, "The American Dream" remained undefeated against the upper-level heel. Rhodes made his televised appearance on the July 22nd edition of WWF Superstars; following a match between Big Bossman and Jim McPherson he intervened to prevent Bossman from using his nightstick against the defeated opponent. This transitioned Dusty into his first World Wrestling Federation feud.


title: Dusty Rhodes

text: Rhodes made his in-ring debut on the August 13th edition of Wrestling Challenge when he pinned Greg Valentine after his opponent was distracted by Ronnie Garvin. That month he began his house show series against Big Bossman and was dominant, defeating the rulebreaker in every encounter. Rhodes scored his first televised win against Bossman on the August 21 edition of Prime Time Wrestling. At SummerSlam 89 he appeared on his first-ever WWF PPV, defeating The Honky Tonk Man. Meanwhile on the road his dominance continued as he remained undefeated against the Bossman.


title: Dusty Rhodes

text: In October a Rhodes fan, Sapphire, began to be featured at ringside during his televised matches. Rhodes would eventually invite the woman to come in the ring and dance with her after a victory. She would become his manager and was named "Sapphire". As Dusty represented "The Common Man", she was intended to represent the "common woman". On November 23, 1989 at The Survivor Series he led a quartet dubbed The Dream Team composed of Brutus Beefcake, Tito Santana, and The Red Rooster to victory against The Enforcers (Big Bossman, The Honkytonk Man, Rick Martel, and Akeem). Rhodes would finish the year dispatching Bossman in house show matches around the country, sometimes in "ball and chain" encounters.


title: Dusty Rhodes

text: Having finished the year with just one untelevised loss, Dusty entered 1990 as a dominant force within the World Wrestling Federation. He competed in the 1990 Royal Rumble and eliminated Bret Hart before in turn being thrown over the top rope by Earthquake. After dispatching the Bossman, he next became embroiled in a heated storyline with "Macho King" Randy Savage and his manager/partner Sensational Queen Sherri, who in turn found a rival in Sapphire. Rhodes began facing the former WWF World Champion on the house show circuit. As with Bossman he was victorious in every encounter, although each would come by countout. On the March 25th, 1990 episode of WWF Superstars he finally faced Savage in a televised encounter; Rhodes won via disqualification after Queen Sherri interfered. After a confrontation between the two couples, Savage's ex-manager Miss Elizabeth allied herself with Rhodes and Sapphire and was instrumental in helping them win the WWF's first mixed tag-team match during WrestleMania VI.


title: Dusty Rhodes

text: Rhodes suffered a foot injury a few weeks later, leading to his temporary removal from the house show circuit and replacement by Roddy Piper. He returned on May 12 and resumed his house show series against Savage. This time his dominance was more profound as he started to defeat The Macho Man by pinfall around the country. This continued until June 3, 1990 when Dusty's lengthy undefeated streak was finally ended by Savage in West Palm Beach, FL. Rhodes began teaming with Sapphire to face Savage and Sherri on house shows, resuming his winning streak and remaining undefeated. Later that summer Sapphire began to receive gifts from an unnamed benefactor during Dusty's televised matches. At SummerSlam Sapphire no-showed her scheduled match with Queen Sherri. Later that night Dusty was scheduled to face Randy Savage in a one-on-one encounter; prior to the match Ted Dibiase announced that Sapphire had left Rhodes for The Million Dollar Man's money. Distracted and distraught, Rhodes was pinned by Savage.


title: Dusty Rhodes

text: Dusty immediately transitioned to a feud with The Million Dollar Man. Unlike his previous series with Bossman and Savage, this time Rhodes would come out on the losing end. He lost numerous house show matches after Virgil interfered on the behalf of Dibiase. That fall his son Dustin Rhodes began making televised appearances within the WWF; on the October 13th edition of WWF Superstars Dusty lost to Randy Savage by countout after being distracted by Dibiase attacking Dustin. Afterwards, Rhodes dropped the polka dot attire and adopted his traditional, Jim Crockett-esque attire. At the 1990 Survivor Series he led "The Dream Team" (himself, Bret Hart, Jim Neidhart, and Koko B Ware) against "The Million Dollar Team. Unlike last year's edition, the results were far different. Dibiase was teaming with Rhythm & Blues and a mystery partner, the latter who turned out to be the newly arrived Undertaker. The future Hall of Famer would dispatch Ware and later pin Rhodes, with Ted Dibiase ultimately remaining as the sole survivor.


title: Dusty Rhodes

text: Around this time in the fall Dusty Rhodes received an offer to return to World Championship Wrestling as its head booker. He now began to lose regularly, falling again in defeat to Ted Dibiase in house shows during December 1990 but also losing to Rick Martel, Virgil, and new top-heel Sgt. Slaughter. Some of the losses were under 1 minute as the WWF leveraged Rhodes departure. On December 28th, 1990 he teamed with Jim Duggan to face Slaughter and General Adnan at Madison Square Garden. The match, which would be televised on Prime Time Wrestling on January 7, 1991 ended when Rhodes submitted to Slaughter. The conclusion to the feud with Dibiase came at 1991 Royal Rumble, where Dusty teamed with his son Dustin against Virgil and Dibiase. The Rhodes Family was defeated in a match that saw Virgil turn face afterwards. This would mark the end of Dusty Rhodes' career as a full-time in-ring competitor.


title: Dusty Rhodes

text: Rhodes returned to WCW in 1991 as a member of WCW's booking committee, making his first appearance only 11 days after his last WWF appearance at the Royal Rumble. On the May 25th edition of World Championship Wrestling he launched an interview segment called "The Bull Drop Inn." Booking disagreements between Rhodes and Ric Flair led to the latter's departure to the WWF and the Big Gold Belt controversy. Rhodes also served as the on-screen manager of Ron Simmons from 1991 to 1992, first forming a relationship with the former All-American during the summer of 1991. In a match that was advertised on World Championship Wrestling, on October 12, 1991 Dusty served as the special guest referee in a match at the Omni in Atlanta, GA that saw Simmons & Barry Windham team up to defeat Mr. Hughes & Lex Luger. On the October 19th edition of World Championship Wrestling, Rhodes was announced as being in the corner of Ron Simmons when the latter was scheduled to face Lex Luger for the WCW World Heavyweight Championship at Halloween Havoc 91. Rhodes would go on to be Simmons cornerman that night, although Luger retained his championship.


title: Dusty Rhodes

text: Dusty Rhodes made his return to the ring after nearly a one year absence on January 4, 1992 at the WCW/New Japan Supershow II. Teaming with his son Dustin Rhodes once more, the duo defeated Kim Duk and Masa Saito in Tokyo, Japan. He began making house show appearances early in the year, usually in tag-team matches involving Dustin that saw Paul E. Dangerously tied to Dusty as part of the stipulation. On the May 16th, 1992 episode of WCW Worldwide he seconded Nikita Koloff in his match with Big Van Vader; he battled Vader's manager Harley Race to the backstage as the match began. Later that summer Dusty was again in the corner of Ron Simmons, this time on August 2, 1992 when he defeated Big Van Vader to win the WCW World Heavyweight Championship. He later joined the broadcast team, usually working with Tony Schiavone on "Saturday Night". He was paired with Schiavone and Bobby Heenan on pay-per-views.


title: Dusty Rhodes

text: On February 25 his son Dustin defeated Paul Orndorff to win the United States Championship, and after the match Dusty came out to the ring to celebrate. That led to a slowly simmering feud with The Assassin (Jody Hamilton), who continually challenged Rhodes. On the June 12th, 1993 edition of WCW Saturday Night the Assassin vowed to track down Dusty's mother if that is what it took to gain a response. On the October 30th edition of WCW Saturday Night the Assassin (now representing Paul Orndorff) again challenged Rhodes. A week later United States Champion Dustin Rhodes announced that his father would be in his corner in his upcoming defense against the Assassin's charge Paul Orndorff. Dustin successfully retained against Orndorff at Clash of the Champions XXV; Dusty became involved after the match and attempted to unmask the Assassin.


title: Dusty Rhodes

text: As 1994 progressed Dusty became involved in another angle with his son and The Stud Stable, offering commentary on the May 21, 1994 edition of WCW Saturday Night on Col. Robert Parker's efforts against Dustin. At a television taping on July 25, 1994 in Macon, GA he came to ringside and attacked Parker, before being overwhelmed by the manager and Bunkhouse Buck. After being rescued by Ricky Steamboat and Dustin, he made an appearance in Dustin's corner on the August 6th edition of WCW Saturday Night when his son faced Bunkhouse Buck. After delivering a bionic elbow to Buck when the referee was distracted, Dustin was able to gain the pinfall. This ultimately led to Dusty's second match since departing the WWF, where he would team with Dustin to defeated Terry Funk and Buckhouse Buck at Clash of the Champions XXVIII. After a vignette that saw Dusty travel to "The Scrap Bar" to recruit The Nasty Boys, he teamed with them and Dustin to defeat Buck, Arn Anderson, Terry Funk, and Rob Parker in a War Games match at . He returned to the ring for three more house show matches that fall, teaming with Dustin to defeat the Stud Stable. His last in-ring match for World Championship Wrestling in this run came on November 24, 1994 in Albany, GA, where Dusty and Dustin Rhodes defeated Arn Anderson and Bunkhouse Buck in a steel cage.


title: Dusty Rhodes

text: Through 1995 he was exclusively on commentary for WCW and did not participate in any in-ring angles. Dusty was originally on the side of WCW when its battle with the New World Order (nWo) began in 1996. At Souled Out 1998, Larry Zbyszko asked Rhodes, who was working the PPV broadcast, to accompany him to the ring for his match against Scott Hall. Zbyszko won the match by disqualification due to interference by Louie Spicolli. Rhodes entered the ring, delivering his trademark elbow smashes to Spicolli as Zbyszko stood and grabbed Hall. Rhodes went to elbow Hall, but seemingly inadvertently hit Zbyszko instead turning heel in the process. Hall then pointed to Rhodes as he revealed an nWo shirt. The three began to drop repeated elbows on Zbyszko before Rhodes announced "That's tradition, WCW! Bite this!". Announcer Tony Schiavone left the broadcast booth in shock, but later returned ripping Rhodes for his actions for most of the rest of the night. As a member of the nWo, Rhodes served as the manager of The Outsiders, Hall and Kevin Nash. This lasted until the November 30, 1998 episode of Monday Nitro, when Rhodes, who was guest refereeing a match between Barry Windham and Dean Malenko after being appointed by Eric Bischoff, defected back to WCW by disqualifying Windham and awarding the match to Malenko. Bischoff then fired Rhodes. On the December 28, 1998 edition of Monday Nitro, Ric Flair faced Eric Bischoff for control of the company for 30 days. After Flair submitted Bischoff, Dusty was amongst those who came out to the ring to celebrate with The Nature Boy.


title: Dusty Rhodes

text: He left WCW in 2000 and went to Extreme Championship Wrestling (ECW), making an appearance at the Guilty As Charged PPV on January 8, 2000 where he was attacked by former ECW World Champion, "King of Old School" Steve Corino. On January 28, 2000 he wrestled his first match in over five years, teaming with Tommy Dreamer to defeate Corino & Raven at a "ECW on TNN" episode that was taped in Fort Lauderdale, FL. On March 12, 2000 Dusty pinned Steve Corino in a singles match at the Living Dangerously PPV in Danbury, CT. He continued to remain undefeated until he put over Corino at the Cyberslam 2000 event on April 22 at the ECW Arena. His final appearance came at an ECW TV taping in Toledo, OH, where he accompanied The Sandman to ringside in his match against Rhino, who was seconded by Steve Corino.


title: Dusty Rhodes

text: Dusty then returned to WCW for a where he reignited feud once more with long-time nemesis Ric Flair. On the WCW Greed PPV on March 18, 2001 he entered a WCW ring for the final time, teaming with Dustin Rhodes to defeat Ric Flair & Jeff Jarrett. Following the purchase of WCW, the World Wrestling Federation allowed Turner South to continue to air classic matches on their "WCW Classics Program". Much like Heenan and Monsoon, Dusty Rhodes and Ric Flair hosted the program. The duo would bicker throughout the show, which lasted throughout the summer of 2001 and represented the last "original" programming of the old WCW.


title: Dusty Rhodes

text: After both WCW and ECW were bought by WWE (WWF), Rhodes went to compete in his own promotion, Turnbuckle Championship Wrestling with ex-WCW and ECW superstars in Georgia, Florida and Tennessee.


title: Dusty Rhodes

text: In 2002, Rhodes competed in Pro Pain Pro Wrestling based in Philadelphia feuding with Kevin Sullivan. This would lead to a Texas Bullrope match on November 23 in which Rhodes defeated Sullivan.


title: Dusty Rhodes

text: Rhodes began appearing with Total Nonstop Action Wrestling (TNA) in 2003, returning to the ring to feud against the villainous Sports Entertainment Xtreme faction. on the January 15 NWA-TNA PPV, Rhodes, Road Warriors and Jeff Jarrett lost to Vince Russo and Triple X. on the January 22 NWA-TNA PPV, Rhodes called out Nikita Koloff to reform the Superpowers, but Nikita turned on him. On the February 26 NWA-TNA PPV, Rhodes and Vader defeated Don and Ron Harris by disqualification. On the March 19 NWA-TNA PPV, Rhodes, Jeff Jarrett and D-Lo Brown defeated Erik Watts, Brian Lawler and David Flair in a six-man tag team match a week later Rhodes defeated David Flair in a Bunkhouse match. On the April 9 NWA-TNA PPV, Rhodes defeated Brian Lawler in a Ladder match. On the August 13 NWATNA PPV, Rhodes and America's Most Wanted defeated Glenn Gilbertti and Simon Diamond and Johnny Swinger the following week Rhodes lost a bullrope to Glen Gilbertti after Christopher Daniels interfered. On the October 1 NWA-TNA PPV, Rhodes and Jarrett defeated A.J. Styles and Russo. The following week Rhodes got a shot at the NWA title against Styles but lost when he passed out during the figure-4. On the October 15 NWA-TNA PPV, Rhodes and America's Most Wanted defeated Legend, Sonny Siaki and Ekmo Fatu. On the November 26 NWA-TNA PPV, Rhodes and Jarrett wrestled to a no contest in a Lumberjack Fan Strap match. After taking a few months off Rhodes returned on May 19, 2004 where he and James Storm defeated Dallas and Kid Kash in a "Bunkhouse Brawl" this led to the duo getting a shot at the NWA World Tag Team Championship on June 2 but they failed to win the titles. On the June 4 episode of Impact, Rhodes gave an interview with Mike Tenay but got punked out by NWA champ Jeff Jarrett. On the July 14 NWA-TNA PPV, Rhodes, Larry Zbyszko and 3Live Kru defeated Jarrett, Ken Shamrock, Hernandez, Chad Collyer and Onyx. On the August 25 NWATNA PPV, Russo suspended Rhodes from TNA and banned him from the Asylum a few days later on the August 27 episode of Impact, Rhodes showed up in the front row, and got attacked by Scott D’Amore and ejected again. On the September 1 NWA-TNA PPV, Rhodes under a mask billed as Midnight Rider teamed with Konnan and B.G. James to defeat Team Canada (Eric Young and Bobby Roode and Johnny Devine). On the September 8 NWA-TNA PPV, Rhodes defeated Scott D'Amore with Russo as the special guest referee. On the October 29 episode of Impact, Rhodes started his campaign to replace Vince Russo as the Director of Authority. Later, he became the Director of Authority at their November 7, 2004 pay-per-view, Victory Road. At the same time, Rhodes acted as head booker and writer. On the April 8, 2005 episode of Impact, Rhodes made the on-air decision to make all matches at Lockdown PPV in Six Sides of Steel. Then on the April 29 episode of Impact, Rhodes announced that MMA fighter Tito Ortiz will referee the World title match at Hard Justice (2005). In May 2005, TNA President Dixie Carter asked Rhodes to move onto a creative team, which included Jeremy Borash, Bill Banks, and Scott D'Amore. Rhodes resigned as booker, waiting out the rest of his contract with TNA, which expired soon after.


title: Dusty Rhodes

text: Rhodes made his first indy circuit appearance on April 12, 2003 for Ring of Honor (ROH), when he participated in the "I Quit Bunkhouse Riot" as a member of Homicide's team. On December 12, Rhodes defeated Jerry Lawler at an International Wrestling Cartel show that also featured Mick Foley as the special guest referee. Rhodes returned to ROH on March 13, 2004, where he competed alongside The Carnage Crew in a Scramble Cage match against Special K, which the Carnage Crew won.


title: Dusty Rhodes

text: On July 24, Rhodes returned to Full Impact Pro (FIP) and defeated Gangrel. In October, he appeared for Northeast Wrestling in a victory over Kamala. Later in the month, he appeared for IWA Mid-South in a tag team match with Ian Rotten in a victory over Chris Candido and Steve Stone. Rhodes made three appearances for the Japanese promotion HUSTLE in 2004, the first being on January 4 in a six-man tag team match with Steve Corino and Tom Howard against Mil Mascaras, Dos Caras, and Sicodelico Jr., which Rhodes' team lost. The second was on March 7, where he teamed with his son Dustin against Shinjiro Otani and Satoshi Kojima, which he also lost. The third was on May 8, where he defeated Corino.


title: Dusty Rhodes

text: Starting in December 2004, Rhodes made regular appearances for Carolina Championship Wrestling (CCW), where his first match for the promotion saw him team up with The Rock 'n' Roll Express to take on Dennis Condrey, Bobby Eaton, and Stan Lane, all three of the best-known members of the Midnight Express. He also briefly resurrected his feud with Tully Blanchard in CCW, earning two consecutive victories over him, the second being in a Bunkhouse Brawl. On April 9, 2005, Rhodes challenged Jeff Jarrett (who was still contracted to TNA, but due to TNA's then-affiliation with the NWA, he was allowed to appear for other affiliated promotions) for the NWA World Heavyweight Championship. In a match that featured Jimmy Valiant as the special guest referee, Jarrett retained the title after Terry Funk made a surprise appearance and interfered. This led to Rhodes challenging Funk to a Falls-Count-Anywhere Bunkhouse match, which Rhodes won. This would be Rhodes' final appearance with CCW until August, where he would team with his son Dustin against Phi Delta Slam.


title: Dusty Rhodes

text: On July 15, 2005, Rhodes participated in Ballpark Brawl IV in a victory over Kid Kash. Rhodes participated in the first WrestleReunion, competing in an eight-man tag team match with D'Lo Brown, The Blue Meanie, and Tom Prichard against Steve Corino, Andrew Martin, Evil Clown, and the Masked Superstar. Rhodes faced Tully Blanchard at a "Starrcade" Tribute Show on November 19, where he was managed by Magnum T. A. and where Blanchard was managed by J. J. Dillon. Rhodes ended up losing the match.


title: Dusty Rhodes

text: On December 3, 2005, Rhodes returned to Carolina Championship Wrestling for one night only to face Terry Funk in an "I Quit" match, which Rhodes won. Rhodes made his final major appearances on the independent circuit before returning full-time to WWE in mid-2006, defeating Jerry Lawler by disqualification at a Southern Championship Wrestling (SCW) show and also earning a victory over Steve Corino in a Texas Bullrope match for Big Time Wrestling.


title: Dusty Rhodes

text: In September 2005, Rhodes signed a WWE Legends deal and was brought onto the Creative Team as a creative consultant. He made an appearance on the October 3, 2005 "WWE Raw Homecoming" in which he, along with other legends, beat down Rob Conway, to whom Rhodes delivered a signature "Bionic Elbow".


title: Dusty Rhodes

text: Rhodes made an appearance on the June 19, 2006 episode of "Raw", appearing in a backstage segment with Vince McMahon where he promoted his new DVD, "The American Dream – The Dusty Rhodes Story". A few weeks before Survivor Series, Rhodes returned to WWE to be a part of Team WWE Legends, led by Flair. The team, which consisted of Sgt. Slaughter, Ron Simmons, and Arn Anderson (acting as manager) competed against The Spirit Squad at Survivor Series.


title: Dusty Rhodes

text: Rhodes was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame on March 31, 2007 by his two sons, Dustin and Cody. During his acceptance speech, Rhodes asked Ric Flair and Arn Anderson to hold up the "sign" and induct him and Harley Race into the Four Horsemen. He has also inducted several other people into the Hall of Fame, including his mentor Eddie Graham in 2008, The Funk Brothers (Terry and Dory Funk Jr.) in 2009, The Road Warriors in 2011, and longtime rivals The Four Horsemen in 2012.


title: Dusty Rhodes

text: A few weeks before WWE's 2007 broadcast of The Great American Bash, Rhodes returned to WWE television to feud with Randy Orton. At The Great American Bash, Orton defeated Rhodes in a Texas Bullrope match after hitting Rhodes with a cowbell. This would be Runnels' final WWE match, officially retiring for the first time soon after at age 61. The following night on "Raw", after Orton defeated Rhodes' son Cody, Orton delivered a kick to Rhodes' head while he was trying to tend to his son. On the December 10 episode of "Raw", Rhodes was at ringside to see Cody and Hardcore Holly defeat Lance Cade and Trevor Murdoch for the World Tag Team Championship.


title: Dusty Rhodes

text: On August 31, 2009, during the time Cody was part of The Legacy with Randy Orton and Ted DiBiase, Rhodes was the special guest host of "Raw" and booked a match between Cody and Orton for Orton's WWE Championship with John Cena as the special guest referee. It quickly turned out to be a ruse with Dusty's intention to allow Legacy to attack Cena, as well as D-Generation X (Triple H and Shawn Michaels) once they came to make the save. Despite the four standing tall together, Orton quickly gave an RKO to Rhodes, and though initially angered, Cody fell in line behind Orton.


title: Dusty Rhodes

text: On July 9, 2010, Rhodes briefly came out of retirement and wrestled the final match of his career at an FCW live event, where he teamed up with Cody and Goldust to defeat the team of Caylen Croft, Curt Hawkins, & Trent Barreta in a 6-man tag team match. He would again retire shortly after.


title: Dusty Rhodes

text: Rhodes was the head writer and creative director for the weekly "NXT Wrestling" television broadcast. On September 12, 2013, he was removed as NXT Commissioner. Rhodes made his return to "Raw" on September 16, 2013 after accepting a "business proposition" from Stephanie McMahon in an attempt for WWE to rehire both his sons Cody and Dustin. After learning that McMahon would only rehire one son of his choosing, Rhodes turned down the offer and was subsequently knocked out by Big Show on the orders of McMahon. Rhodes also appeared at Battleground in the corner of Cody and Goldust as they took on The Shield (Seth Rollins and Roman Reigns with Dean Ambrose at ringside) in a tag team match. The stipulation of the match would be that if the Rhodes Family won, Cody and Goldust got their jobs with the company back, but if they lose Dusty would be fired as an NXT trainer and none of them could appear on WWE programming ever again. The Rhodes brothers won the match, thus reinstating them to the roster and allowing Dusty to retain his position in NXT. During the match, Dusty got into an altercation with Ambrose and performed the "Bionic Elbow" on him.


title: Dusty Rhodes

text: Rhodes appeared on the February 16, 2015 episode of "Raw", in an effort to reunite Goldust and Stardust, who were engaged in a conflict. Rhodes appeared at Fastlane on February 22, in a backstage segment with Goldust. Rhodes' final appearance on WWE programming would be on March 28, when he appeared on the Hall of Fame: Live From the Red Carpet show.


title: Dusty Rhodes

text: Runnels was married to Sandra from 1965 to 1975. In 1978 he married Michelle Rubio; the couple were married for 37 years until his death in 2015. He had four children: Dustin, Kristin, Teil and Cody Runnels. He had six grandchildren; Dakota, the daughter of Dustin and his ex-wife, Terri Boatright, Dalton and Dylan, children of Kristin and her husband Don Ditto, Kellan and Maris, children of Teil and her husband Kevin Gergel, and Liberty, daughter of Cody and his wife Brandi. He also had a brother, Larry, and a sister, Connie.


title: Dusty Rhodes

text: On June 10, 2015, paramedics responded to Rhodes' home in Orlando, Florida, after getting a call reporting that he had fallen. They drove him to a nearby hospital, where he died the next day at the age of 69 from the effects of kidney failure. Rhodes was cremated after his death, and his ashes were spread in November 2015 by his son Dustin on a ranch that Rhodes loved to visit.


title: Dusty Rhodes

text: At the 2015 Money in the Bank pay-per-view event, a ten-bell salute was given in honor of Rhodes, with the entire WWE roster and the McMahon family on the entrance ramp. The next night on "Raw", they honored him with a video tribute and a special after Raw on the WWE Network. At the "NXT" tapings following his death, he was honored with another ten-bell salute.


title: Dusty Rhodes

text: Rhodes has been called one of the best wrestlers in history, praising his charisma and interview skills. His "Hard Times" promo has been labeled as one of the best interviews in pro wrestling. According to Jim Cornette, his NWA World title reigns were of short length since he wasn't what NWA was looking for in a champion, but not winning the title would hurt his credibility.


title: Dusty Rhodes

text: Since Rhodes worked as a backstage producer in WCW, he helped several wrestlers with their careers. Diamond Dallas Page, Missy Hyatt, had praised Rhodes' influence in their career. During his late years, he became trainer in WWE's development territory NXT, where several wrestlers like Kevin Owens, Becky Lynch, and the tag team FTR, praised his lessons.


title: Dusty Rhodes

text: In August 2015, WWE's NXT introduced the Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic, a tag team tournament in honor of Rhodes. The tournament has been held annually since, with a women's version added in 2021.


title: Dusty Rhodes

text: All Elite Wrestling named their "Go Position" (best known as the Gorilla Position), "The Dusty Position" after him on October 16, 2019.


title: Dusty Rhodes

text: In the promo room of the WWE Performance Center, where Rhodes would teach promo classes, there is a puppet of Rhodes hanging on the equipment, symbolizing that he is still there, watching the students.


title: The Great Outdoors (film)

text: The Great Outdoors is a 1988 American comedy film directed by Howard Deutch, written and produced by John Hughes, and starring Dan Aykroyd and John Candy with supporting roles done by Stephanie Faracy, Annette Bening (in her film debut), Chris Young, Lucy Deakins, and Robert Prosky. It tells the story of two families spending their week-long vacation at a lake resort in the fictional town of Pechoggin, Wisconsin with hilarious outcomes. Aykroyd, Candy, and Young reprise their roles from Hughes' previous film, "She's Having a Baby".


title: The Great Outdoors (film)

text: Chicagoan Chester "Chet" Ripley, his wife Connie, and their two sons Buckley "Buck" and Ben are spending a week vacationing at Wally and Juanita's Perk's Pine Lodge Resort in Pechoggin, Wisconsin, for the summer. They get a vacation cabin called The Loon's Nest from its owner Wally. All goes as planned until Connie's sister Kate, her investment broker husband Roman Craig, and their twin daughters Mara and Cara arrive uninvited.


title: The Great Outdoors (film)

text: Ghost stories after the family BBQ include one of a man-eating grizzly bear that Chet met directly when he was younger. Chet says that while he and Connie were honeymooning at the same lake, he was attacked by a giant grizzly bear. When he fired at it with a shotgun, the buckshot shaved the hair off the top of the bear's head and from then on, it was known as the "Bald-Headed Bear" of Clare County.


title: The Great Outdoors (film)

text: After Roman pulls Chet around Lake Potowotominimac on an impromptu water ski ride with his rented speedboat, tensions between the families erupt. Chet is ready to pack up and go home even as his teenage son Buck tries to romance a local girl named Cammie. The budding romance goes well until Chet is challenged to eat a 96-ounce steak called "the Old 96'er" at the restaurant "Paul Bunyan's Cupboard" which causes Buck to break their date. Buck tries to apologize to Cammie for being late, but Cammie refuses to speak to him.


title: The Great Outdoors (film)

text: Connie and Kate bond at a local bar when the conversation drifts to Kate's feelings of loneliness with Roman despite their wealth. Later, just at the peak of tension between families, Roman tells of the time at his and Kate's wedding when he overheard a conversation between Chet and their father-in-law describing how they think Roman is a crooked businessman. Roman then tells Chet why he came up to visit: to offer Chet a $25,000 investment opportunity. Feeling guilty from the wedding story, Chet is initially reluctant, but eventually agrees to write Roman a check for the whole amount.


title: The Great Outdoors (film)

text: The families say their goodbyes and Roman and his family head back to Chicago. On the car ride home, Kate praises Roman for including Chet in the investment, noting that $25,000 is a lot of money for Chet's family to part with. Now feeling guilty himself, Roman halts the car and returns to the cabin.


title: The Great Outdoors (film)

text: Upon his return, Roman confesses that the story about the wedding conversation never happened and that he is broke from some failed investments. His true intention for coming up to the lake was to solicit money from Chet to financially recover.


title: The Great Outdoors (film)

text: During a thunderstorm, Kate discovers the twins have gone missing. Chet and Roman find them at the bottom of an old mine shaft, but the claustrophobic Roman is afraid to descend into the tiny space. After some encouragement from Chet, Roman reluctantly climbs down into the mine, while Chet searches for a rope to pull them out. Upon realizing that the mine is stocked with old dynamite, Roman takes his daughters and escapes the shaft on his own.


title: The Great Outdoors (film)

text: Upon returning with the rope, Chet is horrified to discover the "Bald-Headed Bear" lurking in the mine. It chases him back to the cabin, smashes through the door, and rampages through the house. Wally bursts in with a loaded shotgun lamp while Roman tries to hold off the animal with a fireplace poker and an oar. Chet takes the shotgun lamp and shoots the bear, blowing the fur off its rear. Roaring in pain, the bear runs out of the house.


title: The Great Outdoors (film)

text: The next morning, the families part on amicable terms. Cammie accepts Buck's apologies and they end their brief romance. To Chet's dismay, Connie reveals that she invited the Craigs to stay with them until they can recover. The Ripleys return to Chicago as Chet plans to beat Roman to their house.


title: The Great Outdoors (film)

text: During the credits, a deleted scene shows Chet, Connie, Roman, Kate, and Wally in a bar dancing to "Land of a Thousand Dances".


title: The Great Outdoors (film)

text: In a post-credits scene, three members of the raccoon family (who rummaged through the trash cans throughout the film) talk in their language about "Jody" sitting in the lake. One of them learns about what happened and another one states that she is now "bald on both ends".


title: The Great Outdoors (film)

text: Additional voices by Catherine Battistone, Bill Capizzi, Steve Kramer, Luisa Leschin, Wendy Oates, Thomas White, Tom Williams, and Marcia Wolf.


title: The Great Outdoors (film)

text: The film was shot on location in Bass Lake, California, a small resort town near Sierra National Forest over three weeks in October 1987 where it portrayed the fictional Lake Potowotominimac. Ducey's Bass Lake Lodge, a rustic 1940s resort, was featured as "Wally and Juanita's Perk's Pine Lodge Resort". The Loon's Nest vacation cabin, built on the backlot at Universal Studios, was designed to match the style of Ducey's existing cabins.


title: The Great Outdoors (film)

text: The film was shot under the working title ""Big Country"", but was changed to avoid confusion with "Big" which was due to come out at the same time.


title: The Great Outdoors (film)

text: In the original John Hughes script, Roman's redemption came through a daring rescue of his twin girls who had caught a giant fish that towed them around the lake in a small rowboat. A mechanical fish was built for the film. But when it could not be made to work correctly, the script was re-written around the legend of the bald-headed bear and the chase in the final act.


title: The Great Outdoors (film)

text: "The Great Outdoors" earned a mixed response from critics. On Rotten Tomatoes, the film holds a rating of 41% from 17 reviews, with an average rating of 4.9/10. On Metacritic, the film has a score of 24 out of 100 based on 10 reviews, indicating "generally unfavorable reviews." Audiences polled by CinemaScore gave the film an average grade of "B+" on an A+ to F scale.


title: The Great Outdoors (film)

text: In her review in "The New York Times", Janet Maslin reported that the film did not have enough collective energy to light a campfire. Kevin Thomas of the "Los Angeles Times" called the film as "a crass, blah comedy about summer vacation perils" and said he was surprised the film got made at all. He described the end credits sequence where Aykroyd and Candy dance to Wilson Pickett's "Land of a Thousand Dances" as the only genuine fun and energy in the entire film. "Imagine that it's raining cats and dogs and you're locked in a north woods cabin for weeks with the people you like least, and you'll pretty much have a feel for what it's like to sit through this movie," said Hal Hinson of "The Washington Post".


title: The Great Outdoors (film)

text: The film grossed $6,121,115 in its opening weekend and ended up with a North American domestic box office gross of $41,455,230, and a worldwide gross of $43,455,230.


title: The Great Outdoors (film)

text: A soundtrack for the film was released by Atlantic Records in 1988 and featured many of the songs used in the film.


title: The Great Outdoors (film)

text: Before "The Great Outdoors" appeared in theaters, Dan Aykroyd, John Candy, and Chris Young portrayed their roles during the end credits of "She's Having a Baby" where they are among the people that pitch the idea names for the baby son of Jake and Kristy.


title: The Great Outdoors (film)

text: On April 27, 2017, Universal Pictures announced that a reboot of the film starring Kevin Hart and produced by Michael De Luca was in development.


title: The Great Outdoors (film)

text: In a November 2, 2021 interview with "The Hollywood Reporter", Aykroyd said that he was working on a sequel with Deutch titled "The Great Outlaws" that would "bring back Roman as a Ponzi scheme guy who victimizes a federal agent." In the interview, Aykroyd also said that he was "looking for the Candy figure" to cast in the film.


title: Corey Hart (singer)

text: Corey Mitchell Hart (born May 31, 1962) is a Canadian singer, musician and songwriter known for his hit singles "Sunglasses at Night", "Never Surrender" and the Canadian hit "It Ain't Enough". He has sold over 16 million records worldwide and recorded nine US "Billboard" Top 40 hits. In Canada, 30 of Hart's recordings have been Top 40 hits, including 11 in the Top 10, over the course of over 35 years in the music industry. Nominated for the Grammy Award for Best New Artist in 1984, Hart is an inductee of both Canada's Music Hall of Fame and Canada's Walk of Fame, and is also a multiple Juno award nominee and winner, including the Diamond Award for his best-selling album "Boy in the Box". He has also been honoured by the American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers (ASCAP) and the Society of Composers, Authors and Music Publishers of Canada (SOCAN).


title: Corey Hart (singer)

text: Hart was born on May 31, 1962, in Montreal, Quebec, the youngest of five children of Mina (née Weber) and Robert Hart, both Montreal natives. His paternal grandfather was a Ukrainian Jewish immigrant, while Corey's mother was from a Romanian Jewish family. Hart's parents separated when he was 10 years old. Hart then lived with his mother and older brother Robbie in Montreal. He had an especially close relationship with his mother, to whom his first album "First Offense" was dedicated. Hart had little contact with his father, and this is reflected in some of his compositions, such as the 1998 song "Reconcile".


title: Corey Hart (singer)

text: Hart's first experience as a performing artist came at age 11, when he sang "Ben" for Tom Jones in Miami. He also recorded songs with Paul Anka in Las Vegas during this time period. In 1980, Hart represented Canada in the World Popular Song Festival in Tokyo (along with singer Dan Hill), marking his first public performance of original material. Back in Canada, Hart reached out to Billy Joel who was on tour in the Montreal area at the time. Joel's backup band contacted him and Hart ended up recording several demos with them in Long Island, New York. Hart worked with several other Canadian studio musicians on demos before finally signing to the Aquarius Records label in 1982 at the age of 20. Several songs on his first album, including "The World Is Fire", reflect the rejections and difficulties Hart encountered along the path to getting a recording contract.


title: Corey Hart (singer)

text: Hart's debut album, "First Offense", was recorded at Revolution Recording Studios in Manchester, England, in the spring of 1982. It was produced by Jon Astley, then best known for his work with The Who, and Phil Chapman. Released in 1983, "First Offense" featured the US "Billboard" Top 10 hit song "Sunglasses at Night" (No. 7) and Top 20 follow-up single "It Ain't Enough" (No. 17). The album went platinum in the United States and quadruple platinum in Canada. "First Offense" initially received a modest response upon its Canadian release. It was only after garnering US success in the summer of 1984 that he became well known in his native Canada.


title: Corey Hart (singer)

text: Jon (Astley, producer) felt there was one song Eric Clapton would really like. So just out of the blue he sent him the song, and lo and behold Eric Clapton was on the phone saying he wanted to play on it and asking how I would mind if he did. I didn't. Eric was the classic gentleman. Here I was, this Canadian kid in England with big-time producers doing my first album and Clapton tells me, 'It's such a pretty song, so easy to play. The type of thing I'd write myself'.


title: Corey Hart (singer)

text: The Juno-award-winning video for "Sunglasses at Night" (directed by Rob Quartly), which featured a futuristic, Orwellian society, helped propel the popularity of the track.


title: Corey Hart (singer)

text: Hart toured the United States and Canada extensively in 1984 and early 1985, first as a supporting act for Culture Club, April Wine, Thomas Dolby, Hall & Oates and Rick Springfield, then later as a headline performer. "First Offense" was nominated for Best Album of the Year at that year's ADISQ Awards in Hart's native Quebec, where the singer was also nominated for Best New Artist. "First Offense" won the "Félix".


title: Corey Hart (singer)

text: Hart's second album was "Boy in the Box", released in June 1985, which reached Diamond status in Canada (one million copies sold) by February 1986. It was the second album by a Canadian artist to do so. The album featured the hit single "Never Surrender" which spent nine consecutive weeks at No. 1 in Canada and peaked at No. 3 on the US Billboard Hot 100, also earning Hart an ASCAP Award as one of the most played songs of 1985. "Never Surrender" was the No. 2 song in the year-end Canadian charts in 1985, finishing second to the Northern Lights charity single "Tears Are Not Enough" in which Hart had also participated, alongside veteran Canadian artists Gordon Lightfoot, Neil Young, Joni Mitchell and Bryan Adams. Subsequent singles all charted in the Canadian and US Top 40 ("Boy in the Box", "Everything in My Heart" and "Eurasian Eyes"). In the US, "Boy in the Box" peaked at No. 20 on the "Billboard" 200 albums chart and went platinum.


title: Corey Hart (singer)

text: "Boy in the Box" was nominated for a Juno Award as well as an ADISQ Award for Best Album, taking home a "Félix" for Hart in this category. "Never Surrender" won the Juno for Best Selling Single of 1985. Hart was also nominated for the Composer of the Year award at both the Junos and the ADISQ awards, winning a "Félix" in this field. He also received nods in the Juno categories of Best Video for "Never Surrender" and Best Male Vocalist of the Year, as well an ADISQ nomination for Concert of the Year. Hart also won the "Félix" for the Quebec artist achieving the most success outside Quebec in the Anglophone market, along with Best Male Artist. The following year Hart received Juno nominations for Composer of the Year and Best Selling Single for "Everything in My Heart".


title: Corey Hart (singer)

text: In 1984 and 1985 Hart toured extensively in North America and Japan in support of "Boy in the Box": Exhibition Stadium in Toronto, the Budokan in Tokyo, the Calgary Scotiabank Saddledome and the Forum in Montreal. He appeared frequently on "Good Rockin' Tonite" (Canada), "Friday Night Videos" and MTV (US), and "Music Life" (Japan), and toured Europe and Australasia.


title: Corey Hart (singer)

text: "Fields of Fire", Hart's third album release, came out in fall 1986 and went double platinum in Canada and achieved gold status in the US. It featured the US Top 20 hit single "I Am By Your Side", as well as the Canadian No. 1 single "Can't Help Falling in Love", originally performed by Elvis Presley. This was the first recorded cover version of a song Hart had released. The song was also a top 10 hit in the Philippines and Japan. Critics generally agreed that "Fields of Fire" displayed a new, more mature direction in Hart's songwriting.


title: Corey Hart (singer)

text: "Fields of Fire" earned Hart several nominations at the 1987 Juno Awards, in the categories of Best Male Vocalist of the Year, Best Album Graphics (done by Hart's partner Erika Gagnon), and Single of the Year for "Can't Help Falling in Love". The singer was also nominated for Best Male Artist and Album of the Year at that year's ADISQ Awards.


title: Corey Hart (singer)

text: Once more Hart launched a world tour in support of the record. He performed sold-out concerts in Japan and made promotional appearances in Europe from fall 1986 through mid-1987. However, Hart's tour had to be halted prematurely in July 1987 after the then 25-year-old singer collapsed backstage from exhaustion after a concert in Canada. After nearly four years of constant touring and recording, he took some time off for rest and recuperation.


title: Corey Hart (singer)

text: Hart returned to songwriting, leading to the singer's fourth album release, "Young Man Running". Featuring the US Top 40 hit "In Your Soul" (which reached No. 2 in Canada), The album included experienced backing musicians, in particular Ruby Turner, and was largely produced by Hart himself.


title: Corey Hart (singer)

text: Photographer Herb Ritts shot the cover and other photographs for the album. The video for "In Your Soul" featured location footage in New Mexico and Moab, Utah and was directed by Meiert Avis (U2, Bruce Springsteen).


title: Corey Hart (singer)

text: Hart toured extensively in Japan and the Philippines in 1988, as well as in Canada's East Coast and Quebec where he spoke mostly in French. Hart again sold out the Budokan in Tokyo as well as arenas in other Japanese cities and the Ultra, a 13,000 seat venue outside Manila. "Young Man Running" received an ADISQ nomination for Album of the Year.


title: Corey Hart (singer)

text: In early 1989 Hart returned to songwriting in preparation for what would be his final album with EMI America, "Bang!". Recorded in Los Angeles, the release debuted in early 1990 to positive reviews and airplay on MTV. "Bang!" shipped platinum in Canada and hit the Japanese Top 20 two weeks into its release. The first single, "A Little Love", hit the US Top 40 in early 1990 and featured another video by Meiert Avis. "Bang!" also reunited Hart with Ruby Turner and featured drummer Kenny Aronoff (John Cougar Mellencamp) on drums and percussion.


title: Corey Hart (singer)

text: Despite the success of the first single (a Top 10 hit in Canada), "Bang!" was less successful than previous albums in the US; EMI also failed to nominate Hart for any Juno Award categories that year. Hart was released from his contract with the company in August 1990. EMI later released a collection of Hart's singles on a compilation album, "Singles" in 1991. Hart did secure a nomination for Best Male Artist at the 1990 ADISQ awards.


title: Corey Hart (singer)

text: Sire Records co-founder Seymour Stein approached Hart at this juncture and eventually signed him to Sire shortly thereafter. What followed was Hart's sole album for the label, "Attitude & Virtue". Released in 1992, it appeared on the Top 40 in Canada, and featured several guest musicians including Jane Siberry, Duff McKagan of Guns N' Roses, Terence Trent D'Arby and the return of Ruby Turner. Three singles were released from the album: "Baby When I Call Your Name" (released in Canada and the United States), "92 Days of Rain" (released in Canada) and "Always" (released in Canada and the United States). All three singles charted in the Canadian Top 40. "Baby When I Call Your Name" and "92 Days of Rain" were accompanied by videos, the latter helmed by Hart's first director, Rob Quartly. The first song on the album, "Back in the Hand", summed up the prior decade in a celebration of feeling back in control of his musical career.


title: Corey Hart (singer)

text: Hart received a Juno nomination for 1992 Best Male Vocalist of the Year. He then took a break from writing and touring ("Jane Hawtin Live", 1997). He released one single, a cover of Edith Piaf's "Hymn to Love", in 1994.


title: Corey Hart (singer)

text: Hart presented an award at the Juno Awards of 1993 in Toronto with Julie Masse, a fellow nominee with two platinum selling albums in Quebec, "Julie Masse" and "À Contre Jour". Upon seeing them together, Masse's manager suggested that Hart work with her on a new English language album. Hart co-produced and wrote five songs for Masse's gold-selling "Circle of One", which was released in Canada in 1994 and marked the first time Hart had written and produced songs for an artist other than himself. This also led to their relationship as husband and wife and parents to four children. Hart was previously married to photographer/graphic designer Erika Gagnon from 1990 to 1994, and Masse to cinematographer Sylvain Brault from 1993 to 1994.


title: Corey Hart (singer)

text: Following his work with Masse, Hart signed a new contract with Sony Music Canada and in 1996 released an eponymous CD "Corey Hart". The album was co-produced by Humberto Gatica and contained some of Hart's most introspective work, spurred by his personal life changes. Sparked by the success of "Black Cloud Rain" which reached No. 2 on the Canadian Top 40, "Corey Hart" went platinum in Canada. The video for "Black Cloud Rain" was directed by Javier Aguilera, a young Mexican filmmaker. He toured across the country for the first time since the cancelled 1987 "Fields of Fire" tour, and subsequent singles from the album ("Tell Me", "Third of June" and "Someone") all reached the Canadian Top 40. "Corey Hart" also earned Hart more award nominations, including Juno nods for Best Male Vocalist of the Year and Best Producer for "Black Cloud Rain" and "Simplicity", a non-single album track, and Best Anglophone Quebec Artist at the ADISQ Awards.


title: Corey Hart (singer)

text: In 1997, fellow Canadian Celine Dion released her "Let's Talk About Love" album, which featured the theme from the film "Titanic", "My Heart Will Go On". Also on the album were two songs written and co-produced by Hart: the Canadian Top 40 hit "Miles to Go (Before I Sleep)" and "Where Is the Love". As documented in Dion's concert DVD "Au cœur du stade", Dion's team reached out to Hart based on the recent success of "Corey Hart" in Canada and asked if he would write and produce for the songstress. He was also nominated for the Juno Award for Best Producer for the Dion tracks. Later in 1999 Hart performed live in the US for the first time since the late 1980s as Dion's guest in St. Louis, Missouri and Ft. Lauderdale, Florida. Hart collaborated with Dion again on "Prayer", from her 2002 CD "A New Day Has Come".


title: Corey Hart (singer)

text: In 1998, Hart released a second album on Sony, "Jade", featuring a duet with partner Masse on the Jean-Jacques Goldman song "Là-bas". The lead-off single "So Visible (Easy to Miss)" and follow-up release "Break the Chain" both charted in the Canadian Top 40, the singer gained yet another Juno Award nomination (for Best Male Vocalist of the Year) and Hart once again toured Canada in support of the album. After enjoying a comeback in Canada in the late 1990s, Hart again came to a personal crossroads.


title: Corey Hart (singer)

text: All I had ever wanted or known since I was a boy was to be creating music. But I couldn't continue to record or tour if I aspired to be a 24/7 father to our children. The two worlds simply collide.


title: Corey Hart (singer)

text: At the end of the millennium, Hart once again fell largely silent as he and Masse married and relocated to Nassau, Bahamas, to focus on raising their young family. He returned to Montreal in late 2002 for a two-night stand of concerts with the Montreal Symphony Orchestra, performing songs from "Corey Hart" and "Jade" as well as older hits to the accompaniment of the MSO.<ref name="http://articles.cnn.com/2002-08-13/entertainment/people.watn.hart_1_new-album-pop-stardom-corey-hart?_s=PM:SHOWBIZ">'80s heartthrob Corey Hart making music, being a dad. Serena Kappes, "People", August 13, 2002.</ref>


title: Corey Hart (singer)

text: In 2002, Seymour Stein of Sire Records reconnected with Hart. Stein offered Hart a boutique label with Sire/Warner Music Canada, Siena Records. The label, formed in 2003, went through several years of development while Hart pursued a suitable debut artist. He collaborated sporadically on individual songs with French-Canadian artists Garou and Wilfred Le Bouthillier in the mid-2000s, and performed with others including Meggie Lagacé on Quebec television. After an associate sent Hart a demo MP3 by little-known performer Marie-Christine Depestre, the singer, a Montreal native of Haitian descent, became Siena's first official signing.


title: Corey Hart (singer)

text: In May 2011, Marie-Christine released her debut CD, "Walk in Beauty", in Canada on Hart's label. Hart executive produced the album and wrote the bulk of the CD's songs "Walk in Beauty" features a cameo performance by music legend Stevie Wonder on the cover track "Keep on Runnin'" as well as a modern reworking of Hart's "Sunglasses at Night", reworked as "Girl in Shades" for Marie-Christine. Hart had refrained from granting interpolation rights to the song for over 25 years, despite requests by Sean P. Diddy Combs and Nelly Furtado. The CD also featured original compositions by Marie-Christine and its debut single, "Totally Random", became a hit in her native Quebec during the summer of 2011. To mark the launch, she and Hart engaged the media on a short promotional tour of major Canadian markets in May 2011. A second single, "Silence", was released in January 2012 to Canadian radio and a third single from the album, "Port Au Prince", debuted in May 2012.


title: Corey Hart (singer)

text: Starting in 2011, Hart began to increase his visibility on social media, appeared in a variety of charity events, and launched an online store featuring previously unreleased recordings.<ref name="Tout partout en ville. Rodger Brulotte, Journal de Montreal, 09/07/2012.">Tout partout en ville. Rodger Brulotte, Journal de Montreal, July 9, 2012</ref>


title: Corey Hart (singer)

text: In 2012, Hart's 30th year in the music industry, he collaborated with Canadian DJ 1Love on a remix of the song "Truth Will Set You Free" from "Young Man Running." The single, "Truth Will Set U Free", was released globally to radio, and on Hart's website in June 2012 via Siena Records/Warner Music Canada. The song was Hart's first U.S. single in 20 years and Hart reunited with Meiert Avis for the video. "Truth" was originally penned for friends in the music business who were born gay, according to Hart, and disseminating the message of the song took on new resonance after 1Love approached him for permission to remix it.


title: Corey Hart (singer)

text: With the Canadian Top 40 success of "Truth Will Set You Free", Hart made appearances at Pride celebrations in Toronto and London over the summer of 2012. IN September 2012, Hart performed to about 1.000 people at the CHUM FM "Back in the Day Bash" held at Toronto's Masonic Temple. Hart and his daughter Dante also appeared on CTV's "Marilyn Denis" chat show, where the singer performed his hit single "It Ain't Enough" live in the studio.


title: Corey Hart (singer)

text: Hart later co-wrote and performed on a track from Canadian recording artist K-OS' album "BLack on BLonde". The song, "Like a Comet (We Rollin')", was the first time Hart has performed or written in the hip hop genre. He also reworked his 1984 hit, "Sunglasses at Night", into a new interpretation called "Night Visions" with Chicago-based DJ production team Papercha$er. The single was released in October 2013.


title: Corey Hart (singer)

text: In April 2014 Hart released an EP, "Ten Thousand Horses", on Tunes; the recording features duets with Jane Siberry and Masse, as well as previously unreleased tracks and a remake of the song "Without You" now called "Falling from Graceland".


title: Corey Hart (singer)

text: On June 3 that year Hart marked the 30th anniversary of the release of his first single "Sunglasses at Night" at a farewell concert, "One Night: Three Decades of Music" in Montreal, Canada at the Bell Centre. The concert was postponed several days because of an NHL playoff run at the time by the Montreal Canadiens. Also released at the Montreal show was Hart's autobiography, "Chasing the Sun: My Life in Music", which details behind-the-scenes stories of Hart's life and includes about 500 photos.


title: Corey Hart (singer)

text: Hart then put his career mostly on hold to focus on parenting and family. However, shortly thereafter he was invited by Shania Twain to appear as part of Prince Edward Island's August 30 Founder's Week celebration. This was Hart's first visit to that province. During the show Hart did a cover version of local favorite Stompin' Tom Connors' "Bud the Spud".


title: Corey Hart (singer)

text: Also in 2014 Hart released an acoustic version of "Face Brave", a song written for and performed by Jonathan Roy. Roy, the son of hockey player Patrick Roy, appeared onstage with Hart in PEI as well as at the June 3 farewell concert in Montreal. At a private fundraiser in Fort McMurray, Alberta in November 2014, Hart, Roy and backup singer Kim Richardson (along with Hart's band) recorded a live rehearsal performance of U2's 1992 single "One". The video was released on YouTube in November. Roy released an EP in Canada in 2016, "Mr. Optimist Blues", featuring several songs written by Hart.


title: Corey Hart (singer)

text: In 2016 Hart he performed in Quebec for a national television audience during celebrations on June 24 and again during a local comedy festival on June 26.


title: Corey Hart (singer)

text: In October 2016, Hart was honoured with a star on Canada's Walk of Fame. The induction ceremony gala was broadcast on CBC television, and in June 2017, Hart joined his fellow inductees including Jason Priestley and Darryl Sittler at the star unveiling in Toronto's Theatre District.


title: Corey Hart (singer)

text: In July 2017 Hart returned to Calgary as a performer at the Calgary Stampede, playing to a crowd of about 11,000 at Ft. Calgary's Oxford Stomp stage. He performed in Boston a day later at a private event for longtime fans. In August he performed at Atlantic Fest in Newfoundland, his first return to the province in nearly 30 years.


title: Corey Hart (singer)

text: A single, "Another December", was released on YouTube November 29, 2018. The song was focuses on Hart's mother and the accompanying video features photos of her with family interspersed among present-day footage of Hart walking through Montreal. The video was a preview for a new EP; the title track "Dreaming Time Again" was released January 16, 2019, with an accompanying video filmed in Havana, Cuba featuring Hart's teenage son, Rain. The EP was released in the spring that year in association with Warner Brothers Music Canada, and Hart set out on a cross-country tour, beginning in St. John's, Newfoundland on May 31.


title: Corey Hart (singer)

text: The Canadian Music Hall of Fame announced Hart's induction to its roster concomitant with the single release. Hart accepted the honour and performed live at the 2019 Juno Awards in London, Ontario, Canada on March 17, 2019. In the same year, he made a stunt appearance on the seventh season premiere of "La Voix", performing his own hit song "Everything in My Heart" as a blind auditioner; he became an honorary member of Éric Lapointe's team, and made a return appearance in the finale, but was not officially a competitor.


title: Corey Hart (singer)

text: In May 2020, Hart announced the release of a new version of his 1985 hit "Never Surrender", with the lyrics updated to reflect a message of resilience and hope during the COVID-19 pandemic.


title: Corey Hart (singer)

text: Hart was briefly considered for the role of Marty McFly in the 1985 film "Back to the Future". Producer Steven Spielberg sent Hart a copy of the script with an invitation for a screen test – a flattered Hart declined, preferring to focus on music instead of acting. Fellow Canadian Michael J. Fox eventually starred in the hit film.


title: Corey Hart (singer)

text: During the mid-1980s, Hart was approached to record several songs for films. He mostly declined, preferring to write and record his own material; however, he did record the song "Hold On", written for the soundtrack to 1987's "Beverly Hills Cop II". Hart's 1985 single, "Eurasian Eyes" (from "Boy in the Box"), was featured in the film "9½ Weeks" and the final track from "Fields of Fire", "Blind Faith", was featured in the January 16, 1987 episode of "Miami Vice" titled "Down for the Count, Pt. 2".


title: Corey Hart (singer)

text: In 2002, "Sunglasses at Night" was featured in the award-winning video game "" for the Sony PlayStation 2. The song title is also a clue to the mystery in Lior Samson's debut novel, "Bashert".


title: Corey Hart (singer)

text: Hart's hit single "Sunglasses at Night" was featured on the American horror/comedy show "Scream Queens" in 2015 and on the Netflix series "Stranger Things" in 2016. The song was also featured in a Gucci TV ad in 2017 and in the virtual showing of Balenciaga's SS 2021 collection. In 2019, "Never Surrender" was featured in Episode One, Season Three of "Stranger Things."


title: Corey Hart (singer)

text: Also in 2017, "Never Surrender" and "Sunglasses at Night", along with a storyline featuring Hart's 1985 concert tour, were featured in the Seth Rogen-produced comedy "Future Man", released on Hulu on November 14. Hart himself also made a brief cameo in one episode ("Prelude to an Apocalypse") performing "Wolf", an original song written for the show.


title: Tamia

text: Tamia Marilyn Washington Hill (born May 9, 1975) is a Canadian singer, songwriter, and producer. Born and raised in Windsor, Ontario, Tamia performed in various singing and dancing competitions as a child. In 1994, after signing a development deal with Warner Bros. Records, she was asked by veteran producer Quincy Jones to appear on his album "Q's Jook Joint" (1995), earning her Grammy Award nominations for their collaboration on "You Put a Move on My Heart" and "Slow Jams". Her self-titled debut album was released in 1998 and followed by a series of successful albums with Elektra Records, including "A Nu Day" (2000) and "More" (2004). Several songs from these albums became hit singles on the pop and R&B record charts, including "So Into You", "Stranger in My House" and "Imagination" as well as her collaborations "Into You", "Missing You" and "Spend My Life with You".


title: Tamia

text: Since her departure from Elektra, Tamia has released most of her projects independently on her own label Plus One Music Group, through ventures with Def Jam, eOne Music and others. In 2015, her sixth album "Love Life" debuted and peaked at number two on "Billboard"s Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums, becoming her highest-charting album on the chart. A NAACP Image Award recipient for her work with singer Eric Benét, Tamia is a six-time Grammy Award nominee and has been nominated for numerous other awards and accolades, including a Soul Train Music Award, a Source Award and four Juno Awards. She has been married to former basketball player Grant Hill since 1999; they have two daughters. Diagnosed with multiple sclerosis in 2003, Tamia is an advocate for the National Multiple Sclerosis Society (NMSS) on behalf of others affected by the disease.