Ralph "Sonny" Barger
Ralph "Sonny" Barger
Barger with his horses Smokey and Goose
Barger with his dogs, Hannah and Freedom.
Ralph "Sonny" Barger
Ralph "Sonny" Barger
Ralph "Sonny" Barger
Ralph "Sonny" Barger
Ralph "Sonny" Barger
Ralph "Sonny" Barger
Ralph "Sonny" Barger
Ralph "Sonny" Barger
Sonny Barger riding with his Hells Angels brothers
Ralph "Sonny" Barger
Ralph "Sonny" Barger
Ralph "Sonny" Barger
Ralph "Sonny" Barger
Ralph "Sonny" Barger
Sonny Barger riding with his Hells Angels brothers
Ralph "Sonny" Barger
Ralph "Sonny" Barger
Ralph "Sonny" Barger
Ralph "Sonny" Barger
Ralph "Sonny" Barger
Barger with his horses Smokey and Goose
Barger with his dogs, Hannah and Freedom.
Ralph "Sonny" Barger
Ralph "Sonny" Barger with his ex-wife Sharon Gruhkle
Ralph "Sonny" Barger with his wife Zorana Barger
Keith Zimmerman
Kent Zimmerman
(This book is the autobiography - the dangerous life and w...)
This book is the autobiography - the dangerous life and wild times - of Sonny Barger, the legendary leader of the Hells Angels.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1841153354/ref=dbs_a_def_rwt_bibl_vppi_i6
2000
(Sonny Barger is the number-one spokesman for the motorcyc...)
Sonny Barger is the number-one spokesman for the motorcycle experience. In this book, he brings us rousing, moving, and wildly entertaining true stories of his renegade brothers and sisters in the relentless pursuit of liberty, individuality, and the "ultimate ride." And what stories he has to tell - freewheeling, bare-knuckle tales of brawls and battles, brotherhood, breathtaking adventures, crazy quests, and the inevitable classic scrapes with "John Law." The most colorful legends and unforgettable characters of biker lore come alive in this book. In addition, celebrities like Steve McQueen, Johnny Paycheck, and David Crosby thunder through these pages in a sensational collection of rebel tales that runs the gamut from poignant and inspiring to thrilling and utterly outrageous.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B002BD2UQG/ref=dbs_a_def_rwt_bibl_vppi_i2
2002
(Everett John "Patch" Kinkade just wants to be left alone....)
Everett John "Patch" Kinkade just wants to be left alone. The former president of the Infidelz, the most powerful motorcycle club in California, Patch has grown weary of the responsibilities and burdens that come with the mantle of leadership. He leaves California for Arizona, determined to start a new life and to put a few hundred miles between him and the tragedy that tore his family apart. But it isn't long before a new crisis pulls Patch back to his old stomping grounds. Tension between the Infidelz and a rival club, the 2Wheelers, erupts one night in a lethal free-for-all, littering a casino with the corpses of club members and ordinary citizens alike. The newspapers call it a war, and Patch knows he must return to help the club, either by making peace or by charging into battle. Now it's not just his life at stake, but the lives of the rest of the Infidelz as well, and Patch would fight the Grim Reaper himself to protect his brothers. Prepared to destroy any man who crosses his path, even if it means confronting the demons from his past, Patch gases up his Harley, sharpens his blade, and heads out on the highway for what could be his final ride.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0012OYBMQ/ref=dbs_a_def_rwt_bibl_vppi_i5
2003
(In Freedom, Sonny articulates many of the principles he e...)
In Freedom, Sonny articulates many of the principles he employs in his own life. Whether he is regarded as a leader, a rebel, a revolutionary, a criminal, or a soldier, Sonny's outlook has been influenced not just by the school but by the military, prison, and his experiences riding with the world's most notorious motorcycle club. It was on these various journeys that he learned the lessons that are most important in his life and the qualities he respects when he sees them in others: Independence Customize Yourself; Originals Don't Come Off an Assembly Line Toughness Temper the Steel to Forge a Strong Blade Fairness Treat Me Good, I'll Treat You Better; Treat Me Bad, I'll Treat You Worse Presented in the form of fifty credos, this book gives Sonny Barger's perspective on how to live a life that embodies the most fundamental of American virtues: freedom.
https://www.amazon.com/Freedom-Credos-Road-Sonny-Barger-ebook/dp/B0012OYBNU/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=Freedom%3A+Credos+from+the+Road&qid=1587122441&sr=8-1
2005
(In this second adventure from bestselling author Sonny Ba...)
In this second adventure from bestselling author Sonny Barger, hard-living antihero Patch Kinkade must find a way to bust into prison if he's going to figure out who is responsible for killing three of his brothers. Patch Kinkade, the notorious leader of the infamous and feared Infidelz motorcycle club, has faced down a wide array of bad guys in his day. But when three of his fellow club members show up dead in a meat locker - frozen stiff on their bikes, with counterfeit $100 bills stuffed in their mouths - and the funny money leads back to the Russian mob, Patch is ready to add some ex-Pinkos to his hit list. After shaking down a couple of Russian hooker/con artists, Patch learns that there's a new Russian crime family, the Shalinsky Cartel, trying to establish their turf, and the murdered Infidelz were unfortunate casualties in their ruthless campaign. The Russians' leader is awaiting trial in prison, and it seems that Patch won't be able to get to the bottom of things without going to extreme measures. Soon he's behind bars himself, after cooking up an ingenious scheme to get at the Russian godfather, where he hopes to send a clear message - don't mess with the brotherhood of the Infidels - with one well-placed shank. Now Patch's well-honed skills learned inside and outside of prison walls, must serve him well if he's to avenge his compatriots' deaths, and regain dominance for the Infidels once and for all.
https://www.amazon.com/Chambers-Bullet-Novel-Patch-Kinkade-ebook/dp/B00BOQGFIA/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=6+Chambers%2C+1+Bullet&qid=1587122661&sr=8-1
2006
(One of the founders and the most famous member of the inf...)
One of the founders and the most famous member of the infamous Hell’s Angels Motorcycle Club, Ralph “Sonny” Barger says, “Let’s Ride” with this ultimate guide to motorcycling. With expert co-author Darwin Holmstrom - former writer for Motorcyclist magazine and author of The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Motorcycles - Barger, “The archangel of all Hells Angels” is ready to take you on the ride of your life with this exhilarating and practical nuts-and-bolts master class in the fine art of freedom. So climb on, start it up, and… Let’s Ride!
https://www.amazon.com/Lets-Ride-Sonny-Bargers-Motorcycling-ebook/dp/B003M68YQG/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=Let%27s+Ride%3A+Sonny+Barger%27s+Guide+to+Motorcycling&qid=1587123154&s=digital-text&sr=1-1
2010
https://www.amazon.com/Hells-Angels-on-Wheels/dp/B01M7470C4/ref=sr_1_8?dchild=1&keywords=Hell%27s+Angels+on+Wheels&qid=1587041373&s=digital-text&sr=1-8-catcorr
1967
(Chuck and his brother Wes are wealthy siblings who plan t...)
Chuck and his brother Wes are wealthy siblings who plan to rob Caesar's Palace more for fun than profit.
https://www.amazon.com/Hells-Angels-69-Tom-Stern/dp/B00DKQNFG2/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=Hell%27s+Angels+%2769&qid=1587041484&s=digital-text&sr=1-1-catcorr
1969
(Called the greatest rock film ever made, this landmark do...)
Called the greatest rock film ever made, this landmark documentary follows the Rolling Stones on their notorious 1969 U.S. tour. When 300,000 members of the Love Generation collided with a few dozen Hells Angels at San Francisco's Altamont Speedway, Direct Cinema pioneers David and Albert Maysles and Charlotte Zwerin were there to immortalize the bloody slash that transformed a decade's dreams.
https://www.amazon.com/Gimme-Shelter-Rolling-Stones/dp/B00E5WWVE2/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=Gimme+Shelter+1970&qid=1587041687&s=instant-video&sr=1-1
1970
Ralph Barger was born on October 8, 1939, in Modesto, California, United States, to the family of Ralph Hubert Barger and Kathryn Carmella Barger. His mother had left him with his alcoholic father and an older sister when he was just four months old.
Ralph Barger was suspended from school several times for assaulting teachers, and he liked to fight other boys. However, in retrospect, Barger doesn't see himself as a bully or a delinquent. "I fought once a week in junior high school. For me, fighting was always a contest. There was always somebody to test, and a fight was a fight, I wasn't a bully; bullies beat up people just because they can. I fought everybody, younger, older, tougher, whatever. When a new kid came to school, we fought to see who was the toughest. This was part of growing up in East Oakland."
In 1955, Barger dropped out of high school at 16.
In 1955, Barger enlisted in the Army at age sixteen and was discharged 14 months later when it was discovered that he had forged his birth certificate in order to be able to join.
After his return from the Army, Barger drifted between menial jobs, looking for a purpose in life which ultimately became being a member of a motorcycle club. In 1957, 18-year-old Ralph "Sonny" Barger and some friends started a Hell's Angels club in Oakland, California.
Barger also worked as a master mechanic who's been a technical consultant on several biker films, including "Hell's Angels on Wheels" and "Hell's Angels '69."
In 2000, Sonny began his writing career. Ralph "Sonny" Barger is the author of five books: "Hell's Angel: The Life and Times of Sonny Barger and the Hell's Angels Motorcycle Club" (2000), "Dead in 5 Heartbeats" (2004), "Freedom: Credos from the Road" (2005), "6 Chambers, 1 Bullet" (2006), and "Let's Ride: Sonny Barger's Guide to Motorcycling" (2010). Moreover, he is the editor of the book "Ridin' High, Livin' Free: Hell-Raising Stories" (2003).
Barger's book "Hell's Angel: The Life and Times of Sonny Barger and the Hell's Angels Motorcycle Club" details his life and experiences with the notorious club. He gives details on the history and evolution of the Hell's Angels, stories about their run-ins with the law, and numerous other experiences they have encountered. "Barger paints an engrossing picture of a distinctive subculture that receives precious little literary attention," noted Mike Tribby in a Booklist review. Library Journal contributor Tim Delany described the work as an "intriguing and insightful look into the highly controversial, five-decade-old Hell's Angels Motorcycle Club."
In Sonny Barger's next book "Dead in 5 Heartbeats," the story follows the Infidelz MC's former President, Patch Kinkade, who has left his personal demons behind for the calm of desert life. When war erupts between his brothers he left behind and the rival Hooligans, Patch rides back into town to either make peace or do battle.
In "Freedom: Credos from the Road," Sonny articulates many of the principles he employs in his own life. Whether he is regarded as a leader, a rebel, a revolutionary, a criminal, or a soldier, Sonny's outlook has been influenced not just by the school but by the military, prison, and his experiences riding with the world's most notorious motorcycle club. It was on these various journeys that he learned the lessons that are most important in his life and the qualities he respects when he sees them in others: Independence, Toughness, Fairness. Presented in the form of credos, this book gives Sonny Barger's perspective on how to live a life that embodies the most fundamental of American virtues: freedom.
In his book "6 Chambers, 1 Bullet," Barger tells the story of hard-living antihero Patch Kinkade which must find a way to bust into prison if he's going to figure out who is responsible for killing three of his brothers.
Barger's 2010 book "Let's Ride: Sonny Barger's Guide to Motorcycling" is a nuts-and-bolts guide to mastering the art of motorcycling. From choosing the right bike to sharpening riding techniques, Sonny Barger mines his lifetime of experience to provide advice and wisdom that will help fellow riders - new and veteran alike - survive the dangers of motorcycling.
"Ridin' High, Livin' Free: Hell-raising Motorcycle Stories" contains thirty-eight stories Barger collected and revised from other Hell's Angels members. Included are stories about David Crosby, a member of Crosby, Stills and Nash; country singer Merle Haggard, and actor Steve McQueen. "The book works best when describing the simple pleasure of cruising through the American landscape at sunrise," concluded a Publishers Weekly reviewer.
Some of his books Barger co-authored with Keith and Kent Zimmerman. "That was really nice, 'cause they lived in Oakland and nobody had to fly anywhere. I would go over their house, we'd record. It was really convenient. And they were nice guys to work with... They had me tell them a lot. They asked specific questions. How it ended up? I don't know how they do it, but they did it," so describes Sonny Barger working with the Zimmerman twins.
Ralph "Sonny" Barger is also widely known as an actor. He starred in the films "Hell's Angels '69" (1969) and "Hell's Angels On Wheels" (1967). He also appeared in the "Sons of Anarchy" television show (2010-2012) as Lenny "The Pimp" Janowitz.
Barger is widely known as an actor, author of five books - "Hell's Angel: The Life and Times of Sonny Barger and the Hell's Angels Motorcycle Club," "Dead in 5 Heartbeats," "Freedom: Credos from the Road," "6 Chambers, 1 Bullet," "Let's Ride: Sonny Barger's Guide to Motorcycling" - and editor of the book "Ridin' High, Livin' Free: Hell-Raising Motorcycle Stories."
Sonny Barger is also the legendary founder of the Oakland chapter of the Hells Angels Motorcycle Club.
(In this second adventure from bestselling author Sonny Ba...)
2006(One of the founders and the most famous member of the inf...)
2010(This book is the autobiography - the dangerous life and w...)
2000(In Freedom, Sonny articulates many of the principles he e...)
2005(Sonny Barger is the number-one spokesman for the motorcyc...)
2002(Everett John "Patch" Kinkade just wants to be left alone....)
2003(Called the greatest rock film ever made, this landmark do...)
1970(Chuck and his brother Wes are wealthy siblings who plan t...)
1969Sonny Barger is not a religious man. But riding motorcycles is "as good a religion as any and probably better than most," says the Hells Angels icon.
Ralph "Sonny" Barger describes himself as a sort of apolitical.
In his book "Freedom: Credos from the Road," Sonny talks about the principles he lives by. He has had one helluva wild ride of a life, some would say a tough life, and he is a survivor. He mentions that motorcycles don't have a reverse gear and that in life, like in riding a motorcycle, you have to keep moving forward. He also says that few make it to the top by being ordinary: "Originals don't come off an assembly line."
In an interview about his book "Freedom," he was quoted as saying, "If you lie down and let somebody kick you, you're never going to get nowhere. You have to stand up. It's not like being out there and being bully and just jumping on everybody because you want to do it or because you're able to do it, but you can't lie down when people come on to see you; you have to stand up for your rights, too."
Quotations:
"I always look ahead, to the side, but never back."
"Find your speed, maintain your velocity, keep it up, keep it consistent, and stay in the pocket."
"The greatest thing that I have learned is probably the simplest thing any of us can learn: I am who I am."
"My most basic credo is: I never said freedom was cheap. And it ain't. Never will be. It's been the highest priced and most precious commodity in my life."
Ralph "Sonny" Barger has been a member of the Hell's Angels Motorcycle Club since 1957 when he formed the Oakland, California, chapter. He has also served as a technical consultant for films about the Hell's Angels Motorcycle Club, including "Hell's Angels on Wheels" and "Hell's Angels '69."
Ralph Barger is known as an outlaw biker and convicted felon. He is unrepentant about the past. "We are violent but I could swear on my patch (the Hell's Angels winged skull) that I have never hurt anyone who has not tried to hurt me or my friends." He says, "The old reputation dies hard. People still don't want the Angels at their table and the police are watchful wherever they go."
Barger has been convicted of multiple felonies dating to 1963 when he was convicted of felony possession of marijuana. He was last convicted - of participating in an interstate bombing conspiracy - in 1987. He was paroled in 1992. The last three pages of Barger’s memoir, Hell’s Angel, list his 21 brushes with the law.
Physical Characteristics:
In 1982, Barger was diagnosed with throat cancer. His vocal cords had to be removed, leaving Barger with a voice that supposedly sounds like Marlon Brando in The Godfather.
Barger's heavily tattooed body is a testament to his storied life. There's a dagger on his chest, a cross on his arm, a "death head" skull on his back and a right-shoulder inscription that reads "Hell's Angels Oakland."
Quotes from others about the person
Hunter S. Thompson described the most famous Hells Angel as follows: "...he was the coolest in the Club, lightning-fast and bad-ass when the shit hit the fan. Alternately he would be fanatic, a philosopher, rowdy, smart mediator and final conciliator."
Journalists John Strausbaugh and Don Gilbert about Barger: "Sonny Barger still looks like he was sculpted out of iron; is still putting thousands of miles a year on his bike; has the friendly, polite but absolutely no-bullshit demeanor of a man who's comfortable in the knowledge that if you transgress far enough with him he may simply have to fuck you up, no questions, no apologies. Like other mature Angels, he projects an equilibrium zone of guarded peace/potential action that must be what it felt like to hang with the samurai."
Ralph "Sonny" Barger has been married four times.
His first wife, Elsie, died.
His second wife, a beauty queen, and model called Sharon Gruhkle parted from him amicably after many years.
Barger's third wife Noel was a horse-breeder and friend of Sharon.
In 2005, he got married to Zorana Barger.
