Ask American Profile

Chicago, Bryant Gumble, Budweiser Clydesdales, Tamera Mowry, Jeff Bates

Whatever happened to my favorite 1970s group, Chicago? Are they still touring and recording?
—M. Barbera, Concord, Calif.

Absolutely. The band, featuring four of its seven original members, soon will hit the road for a summer tour with '80s rocker Huey Lewis. Chicago's new album, their 30th, is called simply XXX.

Whatever happened to Bryant Gumbel?
—Jo S., Hornbrook, Calif.

After hosting the Today program for 15 years, Gumbel joined CBS News in 1997 to anchor his own prime-time program, Public Eye, as well as the network's morning news program, The Early Show. He retired from major-network television in May 2002 but continues to host Real Sports With Bryant Gumbel, the HBO Sports cable-TV program that explores sports issues, controversies and personalities. In addition to several Emmy Awards for Real Sports, Gumbel has received the United Negro College Fund's highest honor, the Frederick D. Patterson Award, as well as the Martin Luther King Award from the Congress of Racial Equality, and three NAACP Image Awards.

How many Clydesdale horses does Budweiser have, and how much does each one weigh?
—Norman Humel, East Pembroke, N.Y.

Anheuser-Busch, the maker of Budweiser beer, has about 250 Clydesdales, descendants of Great Flemish workhorses from Scotland. The impressive animals have been part of the brewing company's culture since 1933, when the original hitch roared through downtown St. Louis carrying the brewery's first case of post-Prohibition beer. Physical requirements are strict: To qualify for one of Budweiser's five hitches, a Clydesdale must be a gelding at least four years of age, must stand 72 inches at the shoulder when fully mature, weigh between 1,800 and 2,300 pounds, be bay in color, have four white stocking feet, a blaze of white on the face, and a black mane and tail. Budweiser's Clydesdale herd is among the world's largest.

What can you tell me about Tamera Mowry on Strong Medicine? Was she one of the twins on the sitcom Sister, Sister several years ago?
—Laurie B., Mosordo, N.M.

Yes, Mowry, who plays Kayla Thornton on the Lifetime network's Strong Medicine, was one of the identical twins on Sister, Sister from 1994 to 1999. The show still airs on the Disney Channel. Born in West Germany and raised in Honolulu, Mowry began acting at the age of 12. She is a graduate of Pepperdine University and lives in Los Angeles with her dog, Malarno.

Jeff Bates Spreads the Love

On his second CD, Leave The Light On, Jeff Bates continues to show an honest approach to his music. "Good, bad or indifferent, in love, in pain, it's all right here in this record," the Mississippi native says. From the emotional "No Shame" and "One Second Chance" to the more upbeat "Good People" and "Hands On Man," Bates' smoky, seductive and deep voice is perfect for delivering his essential message: Love one another. "My goal is to make music that matters on a personal level to people," says the singer of the hits "Long Slow Kisses" and "The Love Song."

Upload Your Own Stories, Photos and Videos

Every week, American Profile magazine brings you stories that celebrate the people and places that make America great. Now we want to hear your stories and see your photos, videos and even audio.

 Start Uploading Now!

 

Discuss this Article