Mike Woodley’s career path includes stints as a broadcaster, voicing commercials, writing, editing, running LT Solutions Inc., “whatever it takes,” to support his family, he says. “You don’t just want to make a living, you want to challenge yourself.”
A single guy for most of his life, Woodley settled into the Lake Minnetonka area in 1991 and shortly after, a new life path began to unwind. Woodley married in 2003 at the age of 40, became stepfather to his wife Wendy’s two children, and then the two had another child of their own. Providing for and enjoying his family full-time, he also manages to carve out time for another endeavor that’s close to his heart. Woodley runs a project called Headliner, producing and promoting fundraising concerts in the community that feature iconic lead singers from the 1980s.
And just how did this hard-working family man fall in with rockstars? Through a close friendship that developed with Fergie Frederiksen, former lead singer of 80s band Toto and Woodley’s old neighbor from the lake area.
Through their friendship, Woodley met some of Fredrickson’s old musician buddies, an experience that both tickled him and fused connections that became pivotal for both Woodley and Frederiksen down the line. He began producing some benefit concerts in 2005, but didn’t spend much time on it until the summer of 2010 when he learned some saddening news about his new-found rocker friend: Fredrickson had terminal cancer.
First-Class Friends
“When Fergie was diagnosed with terminal cancer, I really just wanted to do something for him,” says Woodley. “I was in way over my head, but I just started calling his buddies.”
Woodley reached out to several singers whom were now acquaintances, wanting to get all of Fredrickson’s rockstar pals in town to raise money, and show their love and support for the ailing singer. He called Jimi Jamison (former Survivor frontman), Alex Ligertwood (Santana’s former lead singer), John Cafferty (John Cafferty & The Beaver Brow Band), Mike Reno (Loverboy)… and it went on and on.
“I was amazed. These guys, because I was a friend of Fergie’s, were a friend of mine,” he says. “They all came, and we ended up raising about $20,000 that he needed for medicine to try and save his life."
The benefit, held at the Bayview Event Center in July 2010, was called Friends for Fergie, and what true friends these singers turned out to be. Flying in to raise money for their old pal was just the beginning. The singers all said to Woodley that if he had something else coming up to let them know.
He has since taken them up on their offers, and has flown in several of them for concerts benefitting local causes or people. “They’ll come in and play, and it’s always amazing and fun,” says Woodley.
Many of the singers still tour, and sometimes fly directly from performing in another country, on a red-eye flight or on short notice, but they’re more than happy to help out for a good cause. Woodley can usually offer them a little bit of money, but it’s not a lot, he says—it seems raising money in the name of goodwill is not only Woodley’s main motivation in doing these shows, but the singers’ as well.
Community Collaboration
Many of the events Woodley puts on are held at the BayView Event Center in Excelsior. He credits not only them in aiding his benefits, but in creating a network of supporters that starts with Frederiksen. “This all really took off through him,” Woodley says. “And it continues with him.” (Frederiksen is still battling cancer, but sings whenever he can.)
Woodley also credits the community, the talent’s publicists, his local band that backs the concerts and the singers. From hometown to superstar support, Woodley has a good team, but he is the true bandleader. Conducting charitable fundraising “makes me feel like I’m kind of a star, in a way,” he says. “By looking back and seeing all the joy it brings, it makes you feel pretty good. Maybe I can’t sing, but I sure love being a part of this.”
Chart-topping Events
A couple past events that have seen awesome charitable success:
- Friends for Fergie (raised $20,000 for Fergie Frederiksen, battling cancer)
- Gifts for Seniors (collected gifts for more than 600 senior citizens, Christmas 2010.
Upcoming events to keep an ear out for:
- An event is in the works to raise money for Midwest Animal Rescue Services this summer (date undecided)
- Woodley is planing a big fundraiser for the Herb Brooks Foundation for a yet-to-be-determined date this summer.
Hits by Headliners’ Heavyweights
Fergie Frederiksen, lead singer, Toto
“Hold the Line”
“Africa”
“Rosanna”
John Cafferty & The Beaver Brown Band
“On the Dark Side”
Mike Reno, lead singer, Loverboy
“Working for the Weekend”
‘Turn Me Loose”
Jimi Jamison, lead singer, Survivor
“Eye of the Tiger”
“I Can’t Hold Back”
Alex Ligertwood, former lead singer, Santana
“Hold On”
“Winning”
