Walt Kulwicki

Walt Kulwicki was born in Baltimore, Maryland. Because his father worked in the paper box industry, however, the family was slightly nomadic. He’s called Massachusetts, New York City, New Jersey (twice), and Illinois home.

Walt took his first guitar lesson when he was eight years old and he’s had a guitar in his hands ever since. In the late 1960’s, while living in New Jersey, he jammed with a band that played in the house across the street from his. “I would go over and play along with ‘Gloria,’” says Walt, “That was the only song I could play with them.”

Shortly thereafter his family moved to the Quad Cities in Illinois. “It didn’t take me long to meet up with a drummer to just kind of jam,” he says, “Nothing real serious.” But four years later, Walt found himself in New Jersey again and it was during this time in New Jersey that his musical prowess began to take center stage in his life. He had the pleasure of opening for acts such as Southside Johnny & The Asbury Jukes, Three Dog Night, The Monkees, Cinderella, and John Cougar Mellencamp. A pretty impressive resume.

Walt’s two great passions are music and cars and, as much as he has become a musical staple in the Ancient City, it was the car business which first brought him to Florida in 1989. Walt says, “I didn’t tell anyone I was a musician but word just kind of got out.”