Mike Lawrence
Biography
Of
Mike Lawrence
Mike Lawrence first started playing country music at the age of 12 on a $15.00 flat top guitar with a book of chords. He would learn songs my listening to the radio for hours and figuring out how to play those songs.
At 15, Mike joined his first band as a bass player. The band was called Yesterday’s Children and their song selection included the Beatles, the Rolling Stones, the Monkees, and Herman’s Hermits. It was a good learning experience and made Mike want to continue on with his music. He joined every choir class he could get into during his junior high and high school days. Through the coaching of an excellent choir director, Mike became a part of the Concert Choir in high school and performed at many different places, as his love for music and performing continued to grow.
After high school, Mike worked as a dockworker and truck driver until joining the United States Air Force. During his service in the Air Force, he was stationed in Tampa, Florida and Lakenheath, England. It seemed that there was always people around making music for a pastime and for the fun of it. But it was when he was stationed in England that Mike met a group of guys who wanted to form a band. So they did and they played on a regular basis at the base Rod and Gun Club. That led to playing at the local British village halls where they gained a local following. “It was a lot of fun to take American country music to the British people,” recalls Mike. “They really enjoyed it and we loved doing it.”
Mike left the Air Force and returned home in Portage, Michigan. A popular band there known as Country Roads asked him to join and Mike spent three years playing many clubs and private events. He made the decision to go solo when he became acquainted with the manager of a park in Angola, Indiana known as Buck Lake Ranch. Mike became the opening act for such artists as Conway Twitty, George Jones, Jack Greene, and Alabama when they performed at the park. “It was really exciting to work with all these people,” relates Mike. However, life sometimes gets in the way of what we really love to do and in Mike’s case, that was make music. “I went back to driving for the next 20 years to raise my three sons. Now that they are pretty well grown, I am returning to my first love of music. I am still an owner-operator and spend a lot of time on the road. You may see me rolling down the highway anywhere from Maryland to California. I’ve made a lot of friends on the road and really enjoy visiting as we go rolling along.”
Mike started singing at The Music Barn in Martin, Michigan the second Saturday of every month and at Faith Chapel in Kalamazoo, Michigan the third Saturday of the month. And he started writing and recording CDs. A move to Texas ended his performances, but not his music career.
“I still try to get back up there a couple of times a year to sing a few songs with old friends. I appreciate the support from the people in that area and will continue to cherish their friendship.”
Currently, his single, “Watching Freedom Ring” from the CD of the same name, is high on both the Mainstream and Country charts. Mike continues to record, make radio appearances and perform in concert.
For more information on Mike Lawrence and to hear more of his music, go to www.mike-lawrence.com.