Michelle Tallchief was locally famous as “Suzi Suzuki” during the 1970s in the Oklahoma City television commercial community. Wearing her signature red jumpsuit with white stripes, Michelle rode various motorcycles in commercials for an Edmond Suzuki dealership. The commercials were “beautifully designed” by Jon Spence of Spence and Associates advertising firm. “I loved feeling the wind in my hair and on my face as I rode behind the camera truck,” Michelle said. “I thought ‘this is so cool!’” Others thought so, too, as Michelle earned a following of viewers who saw her in other television commercial work, including First National Bank, Cutchall’s Men’s Wear, and Eckhardt Motors, among others.
Michelle began her career in radio as a disc jockey at KCSC (now KUCO) and later at KOFM (now Magic 104.1). She was named broadcaster of the year in 1968. Michelle earned a degree at Central State College (now the University of Central Oklahoma) in Speech and Hearing where she learned that her love in life was helping children. She went on to serve as a speech pathologist in public schools throughout Oklahoma, including Talihina, Durant, Moore, Pauls Valley, and Shawnee until her retirement in 1991. After retirement, Michelle went into ranching east of Shawnee, raising Registered Limousin and Angus cattle, miniature donkeys, and miniature horses with her late husband Tommy Brandon. On a trip to Sturgis Motorcycle Rally in South Dakota, she and Tommy bought their Big Dog K9 chopper to go along with their Volkswagen trike and later a Harley Davidson trike. Michelle currently lives in Shawnee where she enjoys spending time with her children, Amy and Russ Tallchief, and her grandchildren and dogs.
What an HONOR to welcome SUZI SUZUKI to the Ladies in Leather stage!
