Member Since: 8/21/2007
Band Website: www.northernecho.ca
Band Members: Hurricane Mike Thompson: harp; pedal steel; lap steel; acoustic guitar; electric guitar; mandolin; resophonic squareneck guitar; resophonic roundneck guitar ( bottleslide), bass,..sings and writes. Presently playing in The Judy Kanyo Band and is on her latest CD, "Not What I Had In Mind'. Harmonica on, " Walking On The Blue-side" and lap steel on, "100% Pure Texan".
Influences: My guitar-playing is influenced by everyone from Brownie McGhee to Doc Watson. Mance Lipscombe and Fred McDowell are in there too. I'm a finger-style player so most of those influences have the same traits when it comes to guitar-playing. John Fahey was a huge influence along with Rev. Gary Davis...and Brownie McGhee, of course. I get shivers every time I see a photo of Brownie's D-18! I played it!. As for harmonica playing, the influences are many: Sonny Terry for sure. Mickey Raphael is another; Jimmie Fadden of The Nitty Gritty Dirt Band; Charlie McCoy; Little Walter; Big Walter; Lazy lester; Michael Pickett; Doctor Isaiah Ross; Paul Butterfield; John Sebastian. John Sebastian's "Night Owl Blues" was a jumping off point for my getting into electric harp. But any of the old classic bluesmen, rural and Chicago-style have had their work well-appreciated by myself at least. My bottleneck styles range from the influences of, Muddy Waters; Robert Johnson; Johnny Shines; Bukka White; Paul James; Mississippi Fred McDowell; Ken Hamm; John Hammond; Mark Selby; Gove Scrivenor; and David Rea. My resophonic influences come from all the great reso and dobro(R)-players: Josh Graves; Mike Auldridge; Jerry Douglas; Rob Ickes; Phil Leadbetter; Randy Kohrs; Sally Van Meter; Tut Taylor; Andy Hall; Andy Ruff; Martin Gross; Stacey Phillips; Josh Graves Jr; Tim Graves; Pete Kirby; Cliff Carlisle; Thumbs Carlisle; Jason La Prade and Dan Walsh. That's only a very few. Pedal steel and lap steel influences: Buddy Emmons; Lloyd Green; Ralph Mooney; Jeff Newman; Herb Remington; Buddy Charleton; Bud Isaacs; Reece Anderson; Al Perkins; Freddy Roulette; Sonny Rhodes; Cindy Cashdollar; Speedy West; Lucky Oceans; Doug Jernigan; Herby Wallace; Buddy Cage; Neil Flanz; Jimmy Day; Al Brisco; Doug Johnson; Bob Lucier; Paul Franklin; and most of all Paul Evans of Ambassador Records, who got me interested in becoming a steel-player in the first place.
Sounds Like: Some say it's more like Neil Young; others say John Prine; hard to say for sure,..hopefully sounds like an original.
Record Label: Heritage Music/ Condor
Type of Label: Indie