Shelby the dog says,
"Sign up for our email about new music.
We promise to never share your email address with anyone. Ever."
For a limited time only, when you order 2 or more items and ship to the United States, Canada, and Mexico!
Songs and Samples
The Dopesick Blues
Broken Wheels
Staring At The Sun
Driftin' Blues
Was A Time
Lite It Was Yesterday
Time For Time
About Mike Mizwinski
"In June of 1993, I was nine years old, sitting in the 10th row of my first Grateful Dead concert with my Dad, it was then that I knew I wanted to play music for the rest of my life."
Mike learned his first song at the age of 7. By the age of twelve, he was writing his own music and playing well beyond his years. At sixteen he enjoyed the success of his first band, "The Appalachian Barnhouse Band," and even shared the stage with such talents as, Jimmy Herring (The Dead and Widespread Panic), Merle Saunders (Legion of Mary, The Jerry Garcia Band), George Wesley, Keller Williams, The Slip & The Recipe.
Mike's career was sidelined but ultimately enriched, by his recovery from a 5 year struggle with drug addiction. He brings all of the wisdom of that journey to his stunning and thought provoking lyrics. Now, performing solo and reuniting with his four piece jam/rock outfit "Morning Pride."
Mike's set lists include a wide range of original material covering a spectrum of musical genres. From the fast paced, cheerful, shred grass of "Was a Time" to soft, touching love songs such as "Broken Wheels" to the heart wrenching despair of the rock/reggae "Dopesick Blues," Mike's sets are like a musical novel unfolding real life experiences of the young singer/songwriters life. This material includes anything from solo compositions written at ages as young as 13, to a catalog of music he has written for his 4 piece rock band "Morning Pride." (Think Jimmy Herring meets Bob Dylan.)
Mike's fellows have also referred to him as "the human jukebox" playing ranges of covers from all walks of musical taste.
-Jackson Haden.
Madness Muzic Promotions
News and Reviews
Mizwinski Keeps it Real
By Alan K. Stout (Weekender editor) 7-11-07
Mike Mizwinski is a candid young man. Even if they aren't pretty topics, he talks openly about some of the experiences that inspired the songs on his new CD, "The Madness In My Mind." And he wants you to hear those songs.
. . . His new album was recorded at JL Studios in Wyoming and was produced, mixed and mastered by Joe Loftus.
. . . "My whole family are musicians," says Mizwinski. "My Aunt Mary and Uncle Paul play in the band Old Friends, and my father played guitar my whole life. He had me playing Eric Clapton tunes when I was seven years old, but it wasn't until I'd seen the Dead play that I actually new that that's what I wanted to do, to make a living out of it, and a life out of it."
The entire concert experience, he says, struck a deep chord in his heart and mind.
"I grew up listening to The Beatles, the Dead and The Allman Brothers, and just being there and being so close, and being so young, and all of these people in the crowd were so happy - there was just something really magical about it that really drew me in, especially seeing Jerry Garcia right there, 20 feet in front of me."
Mizwinski has also always been drawn to the musicianship, improvisation and free spirit of jam bands.
"My dad also used to take me to see The Allman Brothers a lot, and watching Dickey Betts and Warren Haynes improv guitar solos for five or ten minutes at a time - that really drew me in and got me listening to other bands like Phish and other jam bands."
As for his own songs, Mizwinski isn't afraid to get personal. Titles include "The Dopesick Blues," "Like It Was Yesterday" and "Broken Wheels."
"I like to think of my songs as little snippets of my life," he says. "I write very honest lyrics, and 99 percent of the time, they are about things that directly happened to me in my life. Dylan and some people, they make up characters and people and write stories in their songs. My songs are more directly about my own experiences."
Some of those experiences include Mizwinski's five-year battle with drug addiction, which he is quite honest about. He says that though his career was sidelined by the problem, it was also ultimately enriched.
"It's just something that happened to me, and a lot of people try to hide from it, but it's actually a reality that happens to a lot of people, and I'm fine talking about it," he says. "I'll have a year sober in two months. Obviously, it gave me a lot of things to write about. The music business and music in general gets this kind of stamp on it, that all musicians party really hard, and I just started partying at a very young age, and it just led to harder and harder drugs," he adds. "I eventually became addicted to some pretty hard substances. It helped me to grow a lot, and after I had enough and got sober and cleaned up, I realized that there's such a better life out there and there's so much more to do musically that has nothing to do with getting wasted. I enjoy playing music so much more sober."
Mizwinski hopes those that pick up the CD also get that same joy from his music.
"I hope they think it's different and unique. I'm obviously very influenced by jam bands, but the album is more song-oriented. If I can put a smile on somebody's face, that would be enough for me."