Bio for Michael Browns on The Bluegrass Mix

Email Michael

Michael Browns was born in Davenport, Iowa (1955) along the Mississippi River and then raised in Southern Iowa not far from the Missouri state line... less than an hour from where Rhonda Vincent grew up.

Beginning at a very early age, music became a significant part of his life from his parents singing and teaching him how to harmonize to taking piano lessons from his Grandmother. Then one day, sometime during 4th grade, Michael rebelled and refused to take piano lessons and decided to learn the guitar on his own. While he was learning guitar, he became a John Denver fan.Through some of Denver's music that incorporated mandolin, fiddle and banjo, Michael began cultivating an interest in Bluegrass and Folk music. In addition to John Denver's music, Michael was also influenced by the television show "The Beverly Hillbillies" where "Flatt and Scruggs" were featured.... of course, the Bluegrass banjo signature song, "Foggy Mountain Breakdown" was the one song that influenced Michael's decision to learn the five string banjo.

Around 1973, Michael officially began his Bluegrass music career by joining a local band, "The Last Pony Mine" that was a family band lead by Dan Exline. Michael became their first banjo player.

Over the next several years, Michael learned to play the upright bass, mandolin, fiddle and the resophonic (Dobro) guitar. He played in several bands and performed at Bluegrass festivals around Iowa and Missouri nearly every weekend.

In 1978, Michael married his lovely wife Kathryn and continued to play as often as possible. However, with a change in jobs, weekends were no longer free to allow him to continue playing regularly with a band.

Then in 1983, Kathryn and Michael became proud parents with the birth of their son Christopher. Wanting to devote quality time to being a Dad and supportive husband, Michael stopped playing in Bluegrass bands for awhile.

In the early 90's, Michael joined a family band based near his home town of Centerville, Iowa. The band was called "Withrow Family and Friends" that involved two sisters, a brother and their Father and then their "friends". The sisters sang beautiful harmony, the brother played bass, their Father was an "old time fiddler". Another member of the band (Wayne) played guitar, fiddle and mandolin and sang. Michael played guitar and mandolin and sang as well. The band remained together until 2000 and played many community festivals and celebrations, corporate parties and churches. On a few occasions, Michael and Wayne would perform as a duo act from time to time. The most memorable performance was at the "What Cheer Opera House" in What Cheer, Iowa. Also, Wayne and Michael made several appearances at the Iowa State Fair "Old Time Fiddler's Contest" where Michael would accompany Wayne as he competed and placed in the top three several times.

Since 2000, Michael has not played in any Bluegrass band but still enjoys playing his guitar, mandolin and Dobro for personal enjoyment. He sold his banjo and fiddle several years ago.

For the past few years, Michael has played keyboard, piano and guitar for his local church praise band.

Michael also runs sound at his local church and has even run sound for several community events and was honored to run sound for a concert by Susie Luchsinger.

Michael's days of earning a living began with working for a farmer, then as a building maintenance engineer and supervisor. Next he became a grocery store clerk and manager, a factory worker, a carpenter, then a radio announcer and finally a professional photographer.

With owning and operating a professional portrait studio, there is not much free time to play music other than at church. So, being a volunteer DJ for Bluegrass Mix provides Michael with a weekly "fix" for his long standing Bluegrass music addiction.

Be sure to join Michael each Monday night from 10pm to Midnight (Eastern Time) for "Deep Cut Bluegrass" as he digs deep into the tracks of today's Bluegrass artists looking for great songs that normally don't make the charts or get much play but deserve to be heard. Michael also plays many of the current Bluegrass charted songs and some great traditional Bluegrass mixed in from time to time.