Age 10: Mike got his first guitar after parents finally caved.
-Then a few lessons from a folkie (he was the real deal) who showed up on his motor scooter with a guitar and banjo strapped on his back which led to church gigs at St. Edmonds Academy for Boys in Wilmington Delaware.High School: Unionville, Pennsylvania, Mike gets a banjo (later to be his downfall) and starts playing guitar/banjo and singing bluegrass music with his best friend Kenny Thompson and discovering the music of Doc Watson, Tony Rice and David Bromberg.
Also starts doing coffeehouse gigs that Kevin Roth was booking at the Kennett Friends Meeting House.A disasterous performance at a high school talent show sends Mike into hiding where he spends the next year practicing.
College: Penn State University performing with Rich Dodsen and Gary Goldberg in the "Magnificent Truckstop Band." Good Times!
Late 70’s:Salt Cellar in Tempe, AZ performing with Barb Smith.
Early 80's: A "Barnstormer" at the Windmill Dinner Theater in Scottsdale, AZ.
Mid 80's: Started playing electric guitar and learning country music...The Blue Hollar Band, Zombie Jamborie, The Darcie Deaville Band, The Normal Brothers, String Fever.
Late 80's early 90's: The Red River Opry, Way Out West and sideman duties with other local bands.Late 90's early 2000: Releasing Cd's, lots of writing, learning how to be a recording engineer, lots of country gigs, house concerts and festivals around the country.
2000 to present: First b bender telecaster which would eventually lead him to write and record a CD called “Mescal Mary and Other B Bender Guitar Instrumentals.†Another CD..."Apartment Living" with some DADGAD acoustic guitar stuff and lots of tv music, recording with Jessi Colter, Kate McDonnell, Sue Harris, Daisy Mallory, Doug Haywood, Keith Curtis, Back Ted N-Ted, Delcoa, Treasure Mammal and a bunch of other great artists.
Currently: Doing lot's of solo and band gigs, more tv work, sessions with some young, cool artists and desperately trying to stay relevant but not really succeeding...(must be the banjo).TV stuff:“Walker, Texas Ranger - Trial by Fire,†Discovery Channel’s “Sucking Amps,†A&E Biographies on Bruce Willis, Halle Berry, Will Smith, Cuba Gooding Jr, Kevin Costner, Kevin Kline, Leonardo Di Caprio, Owen Wilson and the soon to be airing on Public Television “Lassie’s Pet Vet,†NBCâ€s “America’s Got Talent†and TLC’s “Property Ladder,†“My First Home,†"The Discovery Channel’s “Clinically Wild - Alaska,†"ABC's Dance War: Bruno vs. Carrie Ann," "American Idol Rewind," "Wedding Central," "Farmer Wants A Wife" on the CW network, "Can You Duet" on CMT
and "Losing It, Tales From Fat Camp."
