Born in Columbus, Ohio, it was there that Ralph saw his first Rock & Roll Show – Chuck Berry, Jerry Lee And Richie Valens were but a few of the headliners. According to Ralph, “It was just a great time to be young”. Every year he would head on down to the big indoor car show and check out the Kool Rides. It was there that he saw and bought his first Weirdo T-Shirt… the painter was Stanley Mouse. Stanley would go on to create great images for The Grateful Dead.

As Ralph recalls, “my parents always thought that I was upstairs doing homework but I, like a lot of kids, was deeply engrossed in “Hot Rod” or “Rod & Custom” instead.” Yes indeed Ralph, it was a great time.

Love that salt!

Ralph eventually headed off to art school and rather matter-of-factly now admits, “because I didn’t want to wear a tie”.

After graduation he went on to Leo Burnett Company in Chicago and was the executive art director for the original Virginia Slims campaign. Through the years he’s worked on many Fortune 500 companies products. In the early 80’s Ralph opened his own boutique agency where he received numerous national and international awards for broad-cast and print advertising. These included CA magazine, Addy, NY Art Directors and a couple of Clios just to mention a few. Articles about the agency’s creative excellence were reported often in both Adweek and Advertising Age.

It was in those days that he got reconnected to his hot rod roots (others might call it a mid life crisis) and went out and got the sweetest 40 Ford Deluxe Coupe. He put a 350 chevy in it with a 3″ dropped axle and boy was Ralph on his way to being “kool” again. But was he kool enough?

Apparently not… that’s why he sold the 40 and then put together a 27 Ford steel bodied pick up truck on 32 rails (Old School) powered by a built 350 Chevy engine with a Dyer Blower, Centerlines, Ricarro bucket seats, stainless exhaust, wheelie bars, chopped soft top and a louvered license plate that read “BURCH” and now… he was really kool. Although Ralph sez he couldn’t see too well around the blower or hear too well from all the exhaust noise – none-the-less, “I was too Kool!”

Through it all, art and cars have always been a big part of his life and he’s still busy every moment with both. Ralph’s art today covers all categories of lifestyle and interest. He licenses art to many of the largest manufacturers and art by “Ralph Burch” appears on dozens of products that are sold by many of the countries leading retailers.

Ralph's Restored T-Bird

Yes indeed Ralph, it was a great time – we think you’re so “kool” and… it sure beats wearing a tie!

–CS

You can browse Ralph’s Motorburg Shop in the Mall HERE.