Artist description Haunting...That's how the St. Petersburg Times described the music of Michael Shaun Norton. With songs about ghosts, creepers, whiskey and "women that done me wrong", it could be argued that Michael's writing is not unlike that of the great Robert Johnson some 65 years ago.

Music Style Blues rock

Musical Influences Sonny Landreth, Johnny Winter, Zakk Wylde, Warren Haynes, Stevie Ray Vaughan, Cream

Similar Artists Govt. Mule, Johnny Winter, Cream, Stevie Ray Vaughan

Artist History Somewhat of an enigma, Michael draws from two distinctly different types of backgrounds. His slash and burn guitar style is drawn from the somewhat still uncivilized hills of the Ozark Mountains while his whiskey laced vocals is more akin to the hollerin' style of roadhouses lining the swamps of the deep south. A protege and close friend of legendary slide guitarist, Sonny Landreth, Michael made a name for himself in both the southern blues circuit of the United States as well as western Europe. Michael began his career as a session bass player in the Tampa Bay heavy metal scene of the early 90's Eventually he would steady work as a sound engineer, working for various colorful characters such as Jo-El Sonnier and Mel McDaniel. In early 1995, Michael was signed to Five Roses Records as the lead singer of the modestly succesful country band OZARK. After 5 Top 20 hits in Europe and South America, Ozark was nominated for the King Eagle Awards in Nashville, TN and began opening for acts such as Willie Nelson, Lyle Lovett, The Oak Ridge Boys and Wynonna. Upon leaving Ozark in early 1997, Michael returned to his roots in heavy metal and began doing both vocal work and guitar work in the Tampa Bay market again. Simultaneously, he began working on his first blues album, Spooky & The Blue Voodoo Tribe, which wouldn't be released until 2000. In early 1998, Michael met slide guitar phenom Sonny Landreth. The two struck up a friendship that endures today, with Michael closely studying Sonny's elusive technique of fingering behind the slide. To this day, Michael is considered one of the best practitioners of Sonny's technique in the world. In early 2000 Michael released Spooky & The Blue Voodoo Tribe, which was an eclectic collection of blues based rock songs which cemented Michael as one of the more aggressive and hard edged players in the blues genre. Fans would eventually label his style as "hellbily blues"...a label which has stuck to this day. By the time his second album came out in 2002, Michael was drawing comparisons to Zakk Wylde and Jeff Beck. One writer even labeled him one of the most devastating slide guitar players since Johnny Winter. To quote one fan at a show at Tampa's Skipper's Smokehouse, "If all you ever heard of this guy is one of his albums, you're gonna be shocked when you see him live. He's absolutely brutal with a slide. Its probably the single most awesome performance I've seen in years!"

Group Members Michael Shaun Norton on vocals, lead, and slide guitar. J.J. Nichols on drums.

Instruments Michael uses Gibson guitars & Guild Guitars, Marshall Amps, Crate Blue Voodoo Cabinets, Ibanez, Morley, Multivox and MXR effects. Michael also uses BIG HEART SLIDES (thanks Luther!!), D'Addario Strings, Dunlop & Ernie Ball Picks, and Ruby Tubes.

Albums Spooky & the Blue Voodoo Tribe, RED RUM, & White Trash

Press Reviews "Haunting slide solos..." - St. Petersburg Times "Michael Shaun Norton is the Rob Zombie of the Blues." - Garageband.com "Monster slide guitar player!" - Larry Lisk, WMNF 88.5 FM, Tampa, FL "Scraping, resonating vocals...sounding like a ghost's eerie cries over crunching chains of rhythym." - Dave Beehr, Weekly Planet "Phenomenal guitar player!" - Sonny Landreth

Additional Info Michael is represented by Iron Horse Management.

Location Clearwater, Florida - USA

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