Hi everybody! My name is Mike, obviously. I am 42 years old and live in Edinburg, TX. I am an independent artist, singer/songwriter from Corpus Christi, Texas. I've been in the music business for some 20-odd years and have played professionally around Texas, California and the Southern United States. My early musical education came in the form of Ukelele, Violin and guitar lessons starting at age 10. At 14 I began serious guitar instruction and at age 21 moved to Hollywood, California to attend the Guitar Institute of Technology. Before moving, I had several music teachers, most notably of whom is Abel Garcia from McAllen, Texas, also an accomplished musician, writer and philosopher. He's on my friends list as clockworc. Much of my instruction also came in the form of playing music with other guitarists/musicians and being involved in High School/College Symphony and Jazz Bands and Choir. I'm finally writing music for an upcoming CD, which will be dedicated to my three boys who are also fledgling musicians in their own right. In the beginning (Jr. High, H.S.) I was I guess the typical metal head rocker. I was completely into Rush but also into Maiden, Priest, Ozzy, Triumph, Thin Lizzy, Nazareth, Kiss, Van Halen, Black Sabbath, Dio, and on and on. But secretely, I was also in to BB King, SRV, Lonnie Mack, Roy Buchanan, and other blues guys. Blues really struck a "chord" with me but also, it was easier to play at the time since I was just getting in to playing lead guitar. Soon, I broke down and got in to country music. Don't puke yet, metalheads, I believe there is something to learn from ALL music so don't get all righteous on me. Anyway, when I got in to country, I got totally in to Pete Anderson of Dwight Yoakum's band. Then came John Jorgenson of the Desert Rose Band. The guys from George Straits band also kick ass but I cant remember their names. Oh, and Willie's lead guitar player at the time, I think his name was Grady Martin. Damn that M/F was a badass. The older guy with the Les Paul. Then of course Roy Nichols of Merle Haggards band. Later I got in to Eric Johnson, Jeff Beck, and Satriani but I also got in to Jazz and Fusion players like Scott Henderson, Mike Stern, Alan Holdsworth, Tal Farlow, Kenny Burrell, George Benson, John Scofield and Al Dimeola among others. Anyway, all these guys played a roll in helping me come up with my own style. I also spent a year on the road playing Tejano music, which also had alot of lessons to teach. Mainly the incredible jazz influence that that music has. Just listen to Jay Perez or David Lee Garza. Some of the best damn musicians in ANY form of music I've ever heard. So my style of playing, both rhythm and lead is a mixture of all of the above. I still love metal and have passed that passion on to my kids. They are in to all the classic stuff, plus Shadows Fall, Disturbed, Killswitch, Lamb of God and others. Carry the torch!!!
Myspace Layouts at Pimp-My-Profile.com / Buddhism shiva god
