Mike Elliott (guitarist)
Encyclopedia
For other artists named Mike Elliott, see Mike Elliott (disambiguation)
Mike Elliott was an American jazz guitarist.
. His father was a studio musician and his mother a blues singer. He learned guitar at a young age and was playing professionally by the time he was 16. He had formed his own Jazz group and in 1964 he was on the road. He moved to Minneapolis in 1966 and in the seventies he had helped found the jazz fusion group Natural Life who's members included saxophonist Bob Rockwell
, bassist Billy Peterson, pianist Bobby Peterson and drummers Bill Berg and Eric Kamau Gravatt.
His long career included periods in the Twin Cities, where he played and recorded with Natural Life releasing an album with them titled Unnamed Land and in Nashville, where he had various roles as studio musician, producer/engineer and songwriter on hit country recordings. He was also with the Minnesota Orchestra and the as featured soloist with the Toronto Symphony.
In the period of the 1980s to the 1990s, he moved to Nashville, TN, and became manager of Gibson
Professional Musical Services. He held clinics with Les Paul
, Howard Roberts
and Elliot Easton
etc. His other roles included session work, engineering, producing, arranging and songwriting. He remained in Nashville until 1998. He worked with profile artists such as Johnny Cash
, playing on his Johnny Cash Is Coming To Town album, Chubby Checker
, Emmylou Harris
, Trisha Yearwood
and Joe Diffie
etc. Other artists he worked with were Earl Klugh
, Vic Damone
, Steve Earle
, Crystal Gayle
, Tennessee Ernie Ford
and more. He also co wrote a song that appeared on John Anderson
's triple-platinum selling album Seminole Wind
.
In 1996 he received the NAIRD award for his work as an engineer on Steve Earle
's Grammy-nominated album "Train A Comin."
He died on 14 September 2005 after being seriously ill following a heart attack.
There is now a Mike Elliott scholarship award for excellence in guitar.
1976 Natural Life - Unnamed Land - Celebration Records CB-5005
1977 Natural Life - Natural Life - Asi Records - ASI 5001
1981 Solo Guitar - Celebration Records CB-5881
1983 Diffusion - Celebration Records CB-5702 Pausa Records
PR 7139 - 1983 2001 Home Cookin (CD) - 2001
Mike Elliott was an American jazz guitarist.
Biography
Elliott born in Chicago and was raised in Colorado and where he later studied guitar with Johnny SmithJohnny Smith
Johnny Smith is an American cool jazz and mainstream jazz guitarist.-Early years:...
. His father was a studio musician and his mother a blues singer. He learned guitar at a young age and was playing professionally by the time he was 16. He had formed his own Jazz group and in 1964 he was on the road. He moved to Minneapolis in 1966 and in the seventies he had helped found the jazz fusion group Natural Life who's members included saxophonist Bob Rockwell
Bob Rockwell
Bob Rockwell is a jazz saxophonist. He was born in the United States but emigrated to Denmark in 1983, where he has lived since.-Biography:...
, bassist Billy Peterson, pianist Bobby Peterson and drummers Bill Berg and Eric Kamau Gravatt.
His long career included periods in the Twin Cities, where he played and recorded with Natural Life releasing an album with them titled Unnamed Land and in Nashville, where he had various roles as studio musician, producer/engineer and songwriter on hit country recordings. He was also with the Minnesota Orchestra and the as featured soloist with the Toronto Symphony.
In the period of the 1980s to the 1990s, he moved to Nashville, TN, and became manager of Gibson
Gibson
Gibson may refer to:* Gibson Amphitheatre* Gibson Appliance* Gibson Girl* Gibson Guitar Corporation* Gibson * Gibson Generating Station-Places:In the United States:* Gibson, Arkansas* Gibson, Georgia* Gibson, Iowa* Gibson, Louisiana...
Professional Musical Services. He held clinics with Les Paul
Les Paul
Lester William Polsfuss —known as Les Paul—was an American jazz and country guitarist, songwriter and inventor. He was a pioneer in the development of the solid-body electric guitar which made the sound of rock and roll possible. He is credited with many recording innovations...
, Howard Roberts
Howard Roberts
Howard Roberts was an American jazz guitarist, educator and session musician.-Biography:Roberts was born in Phoenix, Arizona, and began playing guitar at age 8. By the time he was 15 he was playing professionally locally....
and Elliot Easton
Elliot Easton
Elliot Easton plays lead guitar and sings backing vocals for The Cars. His guitar solos are integral part of the band's hit singles. He studied music at the Berklee College of Music...
etc. His other roles included session work, engineering, producing, arranging and songwriting. He remained in Nashville until 1998. He worked with profile artists such as Johnny Cash
Johnny Cash
John R. "Johnny" Cash was an American singer-songwriter, actor, and author, who has been called one of the most influential musicians of the 20th century...
, playing on his Johnny Cash Is Coming To Town album, Chubby Checker
Chubby Checker
Chubby Checker is an American singer-songwriter. He is widely known for popularizing the twist dance style, with his 1960 hit cover of Hank Ballard's R&B hit "The Twist"...
, Emmylou Harris
Emmylou Harris
Emmylou Harris is an American singer-songwriter and musician. In addition to her work as a solo artist and bandleader, both as an interpreter of other composers' works and as a singer-songwriter, she is a sought-after backing vocalist and duet partner, working with numerous other artists including...
, Trisha Yearwood
Trisha Yearwood
Patricia Lynn Yearwood, professionally known as Trisha Yearwood , is an American country music artist. She is best known for her ballads about vulnerable young women from a female perspective that have been described by some music critics as "strong" and "confident."Trisha Yearwood signed with MCA...
and Joe Diffie
Joe Diffie
Joe Logan Diffie is an American country music singer known for his ballads and novelty songs. Between 1990 and 2004, Diffie charted 35 cuts on the Billboard Hot Country Songs chart, including five number one singles: his debut release "Home", "If the Devil Danced ", "Third Rock from the Sun",...
etc. Other artists he worked with were Earl Klugh
Earl Klugh
Earl Klugh is an American smooth jazz/crossover jazz/jazz fusion guitarist and composer.At the age of 13, Klugh was captivated by the guitar playing of Chet Atkins when Atkins made an appearance on the Perry Como Show. Klugh was a performing guest on several of Atkins' albums...
, Vic Damone
Vic Damone
Vic Damone is an American singer and entertainer.- Early life :Damone was born Vito Rocco Farinola in Brooklyn, New York to French-Italian immigrants based in Bari, Italy—Rocco and Mamie Farinola. His father was an electrician; and his mother taught piano. His cousin was the actress and singer...
, Steve Earle
Steve Earle
Stephen Fain "Steve" Earle is an American singer-songwriter known for his rock and Texas Country as well as his political views. He is also a producer, author, a political activist, and an actor, and has written and directed a play....
, Crystal Gayle
Crystal Gayle
Crystal Gayle is an American country music singer best known for her 1977 country-pop hit, "Don't It Make My Brown Eyes Blue". An award-winning singer, she accumulated 18 number one country hits during the 1970s and 1980s...
, Tennessee Ernie Ford
Tennessee Ernie Ford
Ernest Jennings Ford , better known as Tennessee Ernie Ford, was an American recording artist and television host who enjoyed success in the country and Western, pop, and gospel musical genres...
and more. He also co wrote a song that appeared on John Anderson
John Anderson (musician)
John David Anderson is an American country music artist with a successful career that has lasted more than 30 years...
's triple-platinum selling album Seminole Wind
Seminole Wind
Seminole Wind is a studio album released in 1992 by American country music artist John Anderson. This is also known as his comeback album. It features the singles "Straight Tequila Night", "Let Go of the Stone", "When It Comes to You", and the title track, all of which reached the country top ten,...
.
In 1996 he received the NAIRD award for his work as an engineer on Steve Earle
Steve Earle
Stephen Fain "Steve" Earle is an American singer-songwriter known for his rock and Texas Country as well as his political views. He is also a producer, author, a political activist, and an actor, and has written and directed a play....
's Grammy-nominated album "Train A Comin."
He died on 14 September 2005 after being seriously ill following a heart attack.
There is now a Mike Elliott scholarship award for excellence in guitar.
Discography
- 1974
Pausa Records
Pausa Records was a jazz record label, active circa 1975-1986. The name was derived from the fact that it was the U.S.A. division of the Italian record company Produttori Associati In Italy Produttori Associati was also known for soundtrack albums of music from Italian films.Many of its releases...
PR 7139 - 1983