CLINTON — Chief of the keyboards and Clinton native, Mike Kuk, will be back in town tonight, performing at the V’ue at 6:30 p.m. In 1967, the band Kuk was a part of, the Union Jacks, the band consisted of Dave Buelow, Joe Sanders, Ralph Mays and Tom Kurtz. This led Kuk to be a 2006 inductee of the 50-60s Rock ‘n’ Roll Hall of Fame as the Union Jacks’ organist.
Kuk stopped by Gary in the Morning, if you missed the interview you can listen by clicking play on the player below.
Kuk graduated from St. Mary High School in Clinton and, after graduation, was drafted into the Army. He was stationed at Ft. Polk, was assigned to the combat Fire Fighters from 1969 to 1971 and served in Vietnam. After serving in Vietnam, Kuk took the civil service exam and was appointed to the Clinton Fire Department. He was one of the first emergency medical technicians in the early ‘70s and served in Clinton for four years.
Kuk attended school at Texas A&M to take its industrial firefighting course and he returned to Clinton to teach others what he had learned. This was also about the time Mike began his solo career in music. His top-hat became a trademark for him and his music.
In 1975 Kuk was offered a job he could not refuse as a chemical plant fire chief in Louisiana. Kuk also started a volunteer fire department there. Kuk has served as fire chief in many places, From 1989 to 2000 he was at the Savana Army Depot in Savana, Illinois. From 2000 to 2004 he served at the Ft. Leavenworth, Kansas Prison. He returned to Ft. Polk in 2004 and worked to rebuild the department for a 21st century, anti-terrorism need.
Kuk retired as Ft. Polk Fire Chief in 2012 and now plays music full time, returning home occasionally to perform concerts.
