A Case of the Good Life
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Listening to the sounds, and learning the songs of Marty Robbins, Elvis Presley, George Jones and other artists in the early seventies were some of the first musical influences Mike received.
Learning to play the guitar in his early teens was one of the first steps Mike Manuel took that would direct him onto the path he now pursues. Singing was a family tradition passed down from his father, Gerald Manuel. As a regional country music artist Gerald, who once performed on the same show as Elvis Presley, enjoyed success as a sought after club and bar band. That success led to the opening of the Tarkington Prairie Jamboree, a music theater featuring the music of Gerald Manuel. It was at that weekly Jamboree that Mike first performed before a live audience.
In the fall of 1971 a dramatic change came to the Manuel family with the salvation of the entire family at a little country church in Shepherd Texas. It was this foundational change that cultivated the pure country sound complete with wholesome lyrics that is so recognizable in Mike’s music today.
Like many country artists, Mike has a deep love for Inspirational music. He even traveled with his brothers as the Manuel Family Band where they received a warm reception from the Gospel market with three single radio releases that climbed to the Singing News top forty. They were also charted as number one in the Christian Country and Country Gospel market. The brothers traveled and sang their original Inspirational Country music in hundreds of churches and concert halls across the United States and several foreign countries.
The year of 1996 began with Mike Manuel relocating his family to Nashville Tennessee and entering a full time solo career with a progressive country sound and emphasis. What has followed is a succession of fifteen number one radio singles and over twenty awards from various music organizations, including the Country Gospel Music Association 1998 & 1999 National Entertainer of the Year, 1998 National Songwriter of the Year, 1999 CCMA Male Vocalist of the year. Mike has also performed at the ICM Awards along with many other well-known Country artists such as Wynona Judd, Josh Turner, and Diamond Rio where he recently picked up the coveted 2006 Songwriter of the Year award.
Along the way Mike and his wife Tish have involved themselves in humanitarian projects and raised a family. As active members of a local church in Franklin, TN, the Manuel’s continue to uphold a strong and wholesome lifestyle.
Today Mike Manuel travels weekly entertaining country music audiences with his traditional, progressive country sound. The early love he learned for music has grown into a deep respect for its power to invoke emotions and affect the lives of people in a positive manner.
