Hailing from Lovejoy, GA, Michael began his musical education while singing in the church choir. However, Michael’s greatest childhood aspiration was to be an Olympic athlete. He was well on his way, running track at Georgia Tech, until an injury sidelined his career and caused him to question what he wanted out of life. It was a regular night out, and a small concert that initiated Michael’s musical career drive. From his seat at the bar, he witnessed the pure and raw enjoyment one could experience from performing, and the effect of sharing music with an audience. From that moment, he immersed himself into everything music and began performing on street corners, in coffee shops, at the federal penitentiary, in bars, and he eventually traveled in his van all over the country, making friends and fans along the way. In 2001, a former band mate and then producer reached out to help Michael produce a raw demo. Together they went to Pop Rox production in New York with the raw demo, and a partnership was immediately formed. Pop Rox, under the guidance of hit producer Sam Hollander, signed Michael to a production deal and produced his first real demo. The demo was brought to several labels, and in 2002, Michael signed to Octone Records (now A&M/Octone). His debut album, I AM, is an inspired collection of songs and melodies that muse on life, love and social consciousness. “When I went out, it was me, my van, and my guitar. It was a reflective time in my life, wandering across the country in solitude, seeking mind-opening experiences. At times it was very humbling, and at other times it was very empowering.” This solitary creative pilgrimage ultimately became a time of self-discovery, inspiring many of the songs for the album. Michael saw modest success from I AM that continued to grow in a snowball effect. He has toured with Dave Matthews Band, Maroon 5, Gavin DeGraw, Collective Soul, G Love and the Special Sauce, Blues Traveler, Howie Day, Everclear, and more. Songs from the album were featured throughout hit movies and television shows including One Tree Hill, The Sopranos, and Scrubs. His prolific placements led to an ongoing partnership with Hilton Hotels Corp through their singer / songwriter music initiatives that helped launch the career of James Blunt. Hilton’s success with Michael led to his ultimate goal – The Olympic Dream. Hilton licensed Michael’s song, “Speed Feels Better” as the anthem for the 2008 Beijing Olympics. The song was featured throughout the Olympics and Hilton even brought him over to Beijing during the Olympics for an exclusive concert performance at the Great Wall of China. The momentum from the Olympics placed “Speed Feels Better” in a unique position to be a breakout single. Athletes lined up to appear in the Nigel Dick directed music video which features marquee athletes including: Olympic medalist in swimming, Amanda Beard; tennis player, Andy Roddick; Hall of Fame NFL player, Barry Sanders; World Figure Skating Champion, Kimmie Meissner; and MLB All Star, Rick Ankiel. Michael is currently touring while wrapping up in the studio with a star studded cast of major producers. |
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