Artist description Songwriter/guitarist Mike Lawson is often seen performing as a guest with other SF Bay Area artists such as Merl Saunders (as one of his funky friends). An occasional solo performance or participation in a psychedlic experimental show with Eugene Chabourne has been known to happen too. Mike's Sumertone Records CD release, Ticket to Fly, is getting wonderful reviews from the US to Canada to Holland and features a wide range of styles and musicians.

Music Style Electric Folk/Rock/Blues/Country

Musical Influences Grateful Dead, The Band, Bob Dylan, The Byrds, The Beatles

Similar Artists The Band, New Riders of the Purple Sage, Grateful Dead

Artist History For the past ten years, Mike has been performing both solo and with "dead influenced" performers around the US. Since the late 1980's, he's opened for acts like The Subdudes and Joe Louis Walker while sharing the stage with folks as diverse as Merl Saunders, The Memphis Pilgrims, Eugene Chadbourne Vassar Clements, Vince Welnick, Rob Wasserman and numerous others. He's also recorded and/or written with folks such as Dennis Robbins, Bob Welch, JLW, Jorma Kaukonen, Merl Saunders and Vassar Clements.

Instruments Mike primarily plays guitar and bass. The CD is a wonderful assortment of acoustic and electric guitar and bass, plus drums and percussion, piano and B-3 Organ, clarinet, saxophone and more.

Albums Ticket to Fly - Lawson & Friends Vol. I

Press Reviews Relix Magazine says: Mike Lawson is a singer-songwriter with more than a passing affinity for the music of the ’60s. In his debut album, Ticket To Fly (Sumertone), he reveals his considerable ability as a skilled songwriter with an abundance of excellent country-rockish songs that have a Dead-meets-NRPS flavor. There are also hints of Bob Dylan and the Byrds sprinkled liberally throughout. Lawson also has some heavy friends. Jorma Kaukonen, Merl Saunders, Joe Louis Walker and Bob Welch all contribute their talents to this unpretentious effort. Best cuts are the rolling melodic tones of "Songs Are Fine" and the Dead-influenced "Every Single Minute." The latter features an evocative vocal from Lawson that has a Garcia-like ambiance. The Dylan-ish growl of "Georgiana Starlington" and the moody, jazzy-blues texture of "Now I Got You" show the versatility of Lawson’s writing, while a stunning version of "And We Bid You Goodnight" closes the disc on a special note. - Mick Skidmore

Additional Info CD can be purchased from any site that sells CD's or from your local store. Sumertone Records Release #5110, distributed by Koch International

Location San Francisco, CA - USA

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