Mike Mitchell — Singer, Songwriter, Fiddler
With his effortless vocals, distinctive songwriting, and instrumental prowess, Mike continues to capture audiences and carve out his own place in bluegrass. He is most influenced by 70’s J.D Crowe and The New South, Tony Rice, and Sam Bush. As a songwriter and recording artist, Mike has released 3 albums, the third of which, “Small Town” debuted on Billboard at # 2. His latest project, “Fathers & Sons” has enjoyed three chart-topping singles. The current one, “Making Hay,” is on the Bluegrass Unlimited National Blue-
grass chart at #8! Mike is fortunate to record and perform with some of the world’s finest and most accomplished musicians. Having cut records with the likes of Mark Schatz, Wyatt Rice, Sammy Shelor, Jarrod Walker and Jesse Brock, Mike knows how high the bar is set in top-level Bluegrass music, and strives to make it on every cut and at every show!
He is joined onstage by the following outstanding musicians: Jacob Wright, an amazing banjo picker from Virginia who has spent the past five years playing with Larry Sparks and the Lonesome Ramblers. Jeff Daugherty on mandolin was raised in a family of North Carolina pickers and singers. From a young age, he followed his uncle’s band, New River Gospel, to festivals throughout the Southeast. Watching his family perform on the same bill as first and second-generation bluegrass giants, he fell in love with the traditional bluegrass sound. Jared Houseman is an adept bassist on both upright and electric. At the age of 9, Jared began gigging in the Bluegrass rich region of Southwest Virginia, becoming a master of the style. His influences soon grew to include Jazz, Funk, Country, and everything in between, making him a versatile player on stage and in the studio. Ethan Ratliff is an exciting up-and-coming Bluegrass guitarist. Just 21 years old, he began his musical journey when he first picked up a guitar only 5 years ago at age 16. Born and raised in the heart of Appalachia in Russell County, Virginia to a musical family, his pedigree is not unlike so many others who have kept this form of music alive and thriving by receiving it from the generation before and expanding upon it, taking it to new heights.