Do you recognize this magical family? If not, read on and learn the full story…
The IBM RING 22 Magic Club has garnered high praise from fellow magicians and other magic clubs around the country, and although there are many factors that have helped to make our club as solid as it is today, the real secret behind the success of IBM RING 22 (“The DETROIT MAGIC CLUB”) is our highly talented and experienced membership – ranging from full-time internationally known professionals, well-known part-timers, avid hobbyists, and “kids” ages 9-90 (!) who are just getting started exploring the art of magic.
One of our most unique club members is KEN FOLEY, a masterful magician who for years has entertained audiences everywhere. A longtime professional automotive engineer, he has somehow managed to lead a very successful “double life” as a professional magician, and for decades he continues to entertain audiences large and small, young and old, with his unique brand of extraordinary and entertaining magic just about everywhere.
KEN grew up in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula, and without local magic shops nearby, he was often forced to pursue magic on his own, creating, developing, and constructing unique magic props and effects that he still uses to this very day.
Fortunately for RING 22, the FOLEY family now resides in nearby Sterling Heights, MI. He and his wife, Janice, are the proud parents of Bradley and Ryan, both of whom, as children, became prominent performers in a wonderful family magic troupe, FOLEY THE FABULOUS! As one might expect, KEN and the FOLEY TROUPE have garnered high praise and awards in various competitions over the years, with KEN winning 2nd place at Abbott’s Get Together, 2002, 1st place in Michigan Magic Day 2007, and 2nd place in Michigan Magic Day 2009. Along the way, both Bradley and Ryan have also won several prestigious magic awards (Brad notably winning 1st place in the Michigan Magic Day, 2002, and Ryan winning 1st place in the Michigan Magic Day 2009 – apparently beating his father!).
KEN is also part of a very elite group of magicians who have enjoyed membership in the INTERNATIONAL BROTHERHOOD OF MAGICIANS for more than 35 consecutive years (!), and he was recently honored for his milestone achievement by IBM this past year. He and his magical family have been featured in several local newspapers, and he is still going strong as a “magician’s magician”, performing professional magic in venues throughout the greater-Southeast Michigan area. You can contact him at ffmagic@comcast.net, and you can view him in action with the short video clip below. THANKS KEN for being an integral member of IBM RING 22!