Johnny Bird, "Mighty" Morris McKnight, Fish, Keith Robertson,Rob Price, Steve Vines and Honorary Members, Buddy Miles, Mickey Jones and Bob Babbitt and Chris Tofield
Influences
Mike Bloomfield, Jimi Hendrix, Hollywood fats,Tal Farlow,MuddyWaters, Hubert Sumlin,
T-Bone Walker, Howard Roberts, The Three Kings( Albert, B.B.and Freddie)
Lightnin Hopkins, Little Milton,Winonie Harris, Cab Calloway, Louis Jordan, and all bluesmen that make it shake!!
Big Mike Griffin grew up in southern Oklahoma, where he was introduced to music at an early age. " My Dad played so there was always a guitar or fiddle laying around the house. It seems like I've been playing as long as I've been alive." Later, he began listening to blues artists like T-Bone Walker, Paul Butterfield, and Mike Bloomfield. His blues education was further enhanced by late night highway trips to Texas to catch legends like Freddie King, Albert King, and Albert Collins.
When the economy faltered in Oklahoma, Griffin set out for Nashville where he began playing wherever he could while finding players along the way who would make up the nucleus of the Unknown Blues Band. As their popularity grew, the band began to appear in front of larger audiences and to perform at such prestigious festivals as the King Biscuit Blues Festival and the W.C. Handy Festival. They also expanded their regular touring schedule, traveled to the East Coast and then out West. Big Mike was signed to Malaco Records in 1991 and released three albums under the Waldoxy Label ("Back on the streets", "Gimme What I got Comin" and "Sittin here with Nothin". After playing on his label mates records, and a W.C. Handy song of the year nomination for "Fifth of Whiskey and a case of the blues", he left Malaco in 1997 to start Chrome Link Records with long time friend, John Tubbs and has not looked back. Eight releases ( three on Malaco/ Waldoxy and five on Chrome Link) with thousands of Cd's sold have made him one of the most popular touring acts on the Blues Festival and Bike rally circuit. Some of the artists Big Mike has played with Ray Charles, Dickey Betts, the Swampers, David Allan Coe, Warren Haynes, Mickey Jones, Little Milton, Artie "Bluesboy" White, Bobby "Blue" Bland, Roy Buchannan, Denise LaSalle and Benny Latimore to name a few.
2007 finds Big Mike in the AWARD WINNING documentary " Iron City Blues" in which he wrote the original score and stars in. Check out www.ironcityblues.com or
go to www.bigmikegriffin for a complete discography and schedule.
Booking number is Chrome Link Entertainment (615) 202-6863
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Got my Iron City Blues in the post this morning, looked like real fun. Watched it after a morning ride with a lunchtime beer. You'd better write Monkey Tidwell Boogie first or I'll beat yah to it! All the best from deepest UK. TTFN Mal S
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.."TILL THE END!! JD.~E.D.
