Arizona Bike Week 2026 rolls into WestWorld of Scottsdale this week with a lineup that nods to its rock‑and‑country backbone. Songwriter/guitarist Ted Nugent leads the charge, loud and unapologetic — exactly what reminds longtime riders why they keep coming back.
Nugent, best known for his songs “Stranglehold,” “Wango Tango” and “Cat Scratch Fever,” shared a few words with AZ Big Media ahead of his Saturday, April 11, concert. Nugent’s assistant specifically asked us to preserve the spelling and grammar from his email. (We did step in to fix the proper names — even chaos has its limits.)
Recognized as the “Southwest’s biggest bike rally,” the 29th annual event is runningrthrough Sunday, April 12, 2026. The five-day festival is one of the best-attended cultural events on the national motorsports calendar, attracting an estimated 75,000 to 100,000 attendees.
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AZ Big Media: You last played Arizona Bike Week in 2015. What made you want to return to Scottsdale for the 2026 lineup?
Ted Nugent: My band and I crave unleashing our music on fellow musiclovers and the atmosphere at AZ BikeWeek is the ultimate place to do so! The audience is made up of the ultimate Nugent Spirit BloodBrothers for God, family, freedom and rockNroll FUN!
What stands out to you about Arizona crowds — especially the Bike Week audience — that keeps you coming back?
I started rockin’ AZ way back in the late 1960s and made great hunting friends everytime I returned — and that bond intensifies the spirit of my music and my American Dream outdoor lifestyle.
Do you think motorcycle culture and rock music still share the same rebellious DNA they did in the ’70s and ’80s?
Absolutely! Born to be wild, running free, pursuing our individual dreams and standing up for what we believe in is personified by the rugged individual biker lifestyle. Those are my people!
You’ve been performing for more than five decades. What still excites you about stepping onstage at events like this?
The Nugent American R&B Rock-N-Roll dream throttles on in that not so quiet night 70+ years later! Hallelujah and pass the freedom BBQ!! My musical origins of the ultimate fire-breathing soulful musical authority of Chuck Berry, Bo Diddley, Little Richard, Jerry Lee Lewis, Elvis, James Brown, Motown, Wilson Pickett, and all the masters are not only alive and well, but more powerful in my musical dreams than ever before. It happens every song, every gig, everytime we jam!
How has your relationship with the guitar evolved over the years — especially in a live setting?
I typically bring a dozen or so Gibson Byrdlands and a couple of PRS beasts for each gig. They all have a special touch, feel, tone and voice, and they’ve never sounded better! I am constantly jamming, tweaking amplifiers, exploring sonic soundscapes and pushing the limits of tonal dynamics that powerfully enhance my guitarmusic voicings. It’s never ending! The unbelievable intensity of my bandmates and fellow musiclovers each night would be more than enough to propel my concerts to godlike heights, but when you add a gathering of maniacal music adventure sonic BloodBrothers to the mix, you have scary spiritual liftoff that most musicians cannot imagine. If you look into the eyes of my audience, you witness the best of humanity! My music has a life of its own, no matter where, when or how it is unleashed, but I must admit that all outdoor gigs amplify the intensity. God help us all!
