His business card reads: Youth Motivational Coach—Inspiring Youth to Be Champions in Life. But Jerry Trimble’s depth, character, and range cast a much wider net than those words suggest. While his current role is rallying young people to be champions in their day day existence, his own life tells the tale of being routinely victimized; striving to overcome torment; and the ensuing demons that accompanied his plight. Ultimately, triumph prevailed in the face of adversity. It was hell as a kid, says Trimble, of his upbringing in rural Newport, Kentucky. By his admission, he was secure, fearful, and constantly targeted by bullies.
“My goal has always been to make drums
that sound great at all dynamic levels”
Jazz great, Gabriel Mark Hasselbach, is among the local artists who have their music featured prominently on this Vancouver radio playlist. Hasselbach is heavy on musical accomplishments and honors, with gold and platinum jazz albums and charted Billboard hits. Local airplay, however, was scarce before the arrival of THE WAVE.
Canada has long been behind in the world —especially behind the US—regarding original-driven adult contemporary, jazz, and pop instrumental music and has fallen into the narrowly ned stock airplay formats that are corporate-directed and strictly sponsorship-driven, he says.
If I wasn’t bullied at home, I was bullied in school. I was so angry at myself and life that I contemplated suicide too many times to count, jumping off the bridge in Newport, Kentucky. I tried all the sports and quit them all because of the bullying and eventually ran away from home.
Fortunately, I found out about Bruce Lee. Inspired by the legendary martial artist and actor, Trimble immersed himself in martial arts at fourteen years old, training relentlessly, six days a week, four to six hours a day. Within just six months he was teaching the craft, and, at just fifteen years of age, Jerry Trimble earned the rank of first-degree black belt.
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He soon started competing in tournaments, where he became among the top teenage fighters in the United States. The International kickboxing media acknowledged his skill and called him the flashiest fighter and fastest kicker in the sport. With his trademark hook-kick, registered at 118 mph, Trimble was labeled Golden Boy and quickly gained world recognition with his flamboyant style of fighting. He soon became a crowd favorite, inspiring vindication for the hardship he endured as a youth.
He currently holds the rank of 6th Degree Black Belt and was inducted into the World Kickboxing League Hall of Fame. By 1990, Trimble retired from the ring with two World Championships. He moved to Hollywood to embark on an entertainment career, where his first two auditions resulted in leading roles. He has appeared in numerous film and TV roles, including Heat, alongside Al Pacino and Charlie’s Angels, among others, including a memorable fight scene with Tom Cruise in Mission: Impossible III.
Ironically, Trimble also appeared in The Green Hornet, a big-screen adaptation and remake of the classic 60s TV series that starred his boyhood hero, the late Bruce Lee.
By his admission, life had begun so troubling that he didn’t see his current age of 55 on the horizon, adding, “I thought I’d be long gone by now.” But life can turn itself around, and Trimble made certain of that. Today, Jerry Trimble is vegan, healthy, and happy and recently became a Canadian citizen, along with his wife, artist, author, and actor, Ami Dolenz, daughter of Micky Dolenz of the legendary 60s pop rock band, “The Monkees.” The couple enjoys life in their Kitsilano home
Reflective of his troubling past, and wanting to keep today’s generation on a path to personal victory, Trimble makes it his mission to motivate youth across the US and Canada. He currently mentors youth locally via the East End Boys Club, founded by Jimmy Crescenzo. “I speak to at-risk kids,” he says of his regular role. “That’s my audience. And when kids tell me that I’m helping, I ask them if they’re helping themselves by standing up to their fears and getting out of their
“And I try to encourage kids to be their best self every day of their life and it goes from everything physically, mentally and emotionally and spiritually.”
Above: Jerry Trimble relaxing withhis wife, Ami Dolenz; daughter of Micky Dolenz of The Monkees
comfort zone on a regular basis. And if not, I help them to get into that mindset with meditation, visualization, exercise and more. As the weeks go on they get it. “And I try to encourage kids to be their best self every day of their life and it goes from everything physically, mentally and emotionally and spiritually.
“There’s a quote that says: ‘To be the best, you have to believe in the best. You have to see it, feel it, hear it, nurture it and live it.” It has become the daily affirmation and personal mantra for the “Golden Boy.”
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