Michael Gaither was raised on the Central California Coast and takes the “write what you know” idea to heart, crafting songs that showcase both the nostalgia of small-town life and the foibles of modern technology, with plenty of humor in the mix. He turned to songwriting after a background in journalism and a slight brush with standup comedy. (He sold jokes to Jay Leno. A long time ago. Back when Jay Leno was still funny.)
On “Hey Karma,” his latest (and fifth) release, Michael juggles his favorite themes of nostalgia, sarcasm and gratitude, taking on topics ranging from angels, to the zombie apocalypse to the nonsense world of corporate speak. Musically this is a minimalist record focusing on the lyrics, but he manages to fit in guitars, banjos, mandolins, ukulele, pedal steel, harmonica, and even accordion. "Hey Karma," released in May 2017 through Miracle Mile Records, is available at Michael's website, CD Baby and iTunes.
An advocate for other artists, Michael ran a local open mic and booked and hosted a local concert series for several years, was a showcase emcee at the American River Music Festival (2007-2016), and still books and hosts the occasional house concert out of his Watsonville home.
Offstage, Gaither also produces/hosts the ten-years-running “Songs and Stories” podcast, which features stories behind his songs and interviews with other independent songwriters. You can listen to "Songs and Stories" on Michael's web site, in iTunes and Stitcher, and weekly on Grateful Dread Public Radio and KC Cafe Radio.
Discography
On “Hey Karma,” his latest (and fifth) release, Michael juggles his favorite themes of nostalgia, sarcasm and gratitude, taking on topics ranging from angels, to the zombie apocalypse to the nonsense world of corporate speak. Musically this is a minimalist record focusing on the lyrics, but he manages to fit in guitars, banjos, mandolins, ukulele, pedal steel, harmonica, and even accordion. "Hey Karma," released in May 2017 through Miracle Mile Records, is available at Michael's website, CD Baby and iTunes.
An advocate for other artists, Michael ran a local open mic and booked and hosted a local concert series for several years, was a showcase emcee at the American River Music Festival (2007-2016), and still books and hosts the occasional house concert out of his Watsonville home.
Offstage, Gaither also produces/hosts the ten-years-running “Songs and Stories” podcast, which features stories behind his songs and interviews with other independent songwriters. You can listen to "Songs and Stories" on Michael's web site, in iTunes and Stitcher, and weekly on Grateful Dread Public Radio and KC Cafe Radio.
Discography
- Hey Karma (2017)
- Lump Of Coal (2014)
- Starlite Drive-In Saturday Night (2012)
- Dogspeed (2009)
- Spotted Mule And Other Tales (2006)
Michael Gaither - "Hey Karma" Press Release - Miracle Mile Records, Avail May 9, 2017
"Rootsy Americana from A-Z: Angels, zombies, guitars, banjos and mandolins. With a good dose of nostalgia, sarcasm and gratitude in the mix."
"Rootsy Americana from A-Z: Angels, zombies, guitars, banjos and mandolins. With a good dose of nostalgia, sarcasm and gratitude in the mix."
“Smartly written…lovingly bringing to life tunes about life, love and things in-between.”
– Tara Joan, thedailycountry.com
– Tara Joan, thedailycountry.com
On his fifth story collection, Americana songwriter Michael Gaither visits his three favorite topics (nostalgia, sarcasm, and gratitude. This project is also a song cycle. Taken start to finish, there’s a crush, a love story, a breakup, a journey, and one lone guitar player looking back at the end of it all.
The topics this time out include a couple of straight ahead love songs, encounters with angels, zombies, and karma, to a childhood visit to Graceland (“We hoped to see the King”). There are also a few swipes at the nonsense of corporate speak and the true tale of a real-live audience with Michael’s hero, funnyman Red Skelton.
The instrumentation is kept to a minimum – only four tracks feature a full band – allowing the stories and humor to shine. The record also includes a cover of Warren Zevon’s “Lawyers, Guns, and Money,” done here on clawhammer banjo, with an adjusted lyric to keep it radio friendly. All songs written by Michael Gaither except where indicated:
1. Mix Tape
2. Best of Breed Romance
3. Hey Karma (Gaither and John Cirillo)
4. Outside the Gates of Graceland (Gaither and Steve Kritzer)
5. Somewhere I Went Right (Gaither and John Cirillo)
6. Tuesday Nights At Eight (Song for Red Skelton)
7. Lawyers, Guns, and Money (Warren Zevon)
8. It's Nothing Personal (The Layoff Song)
9. Moving to Boise (Zombie Free) (Gaither and Glenn MacPherson)
10. On Saturday and Sunday (Gaither and Steve Kritzer)
11. Little Angels Everywhere (2:30)
2. Best of Breed Romance
3. Hey Karma (Gaither and John Cirillo)
4. Outside the Gates of Graceland (Gaither and Steve Kritzer)
5. Somewhere I Went Right (Gaither and John Cirillo)
6. Tuesday Nights At Eight (Song for Red Skelton)
7. Lawyers, Guns, and Money (Warren Zevon)
8. It's Nothing Personal (The Layoff Song)
9. Moving to Boise (Zombie Free) (Gaither and Glenn MacPherson)
10. On Saturday and Sunday (Gaither and Steve Kritzer)
11. Little Angels Everywhere (2:30)
Song Descriptions
1. Mix Tape (3:21): Full band, electric slide guitar. Up-tempo, folk-rock love song. Nostalgia piece for those of us old enough to remember vinyl and cassette.
2. Best of Breed Romance (3:54): Full band, harmonica. Humorous “He said/She said” office romance. Uses contemporary office speak to craft the story.
3. Outside the Gates of Graceland (4:11): Two acoustic guitars, male harmony. A childhood visit to Memphis, the connection to Michael’s Irish great grandfather, and wee bit of poetic license.
4. Hey Karma (2:29): Clawhammer banjo, ukulele. Karma’s a busy guy. This is Michael’s offer to help.
5. Somewhere I Went Right (4:09): Full band, accordion, banjo, female harmony). Straight ahead folk/love song.
6. Tuesday Nights at Eight Song for Red Skelton (3:51): Solo ukulele. True story of Michael’s meetup with his childhood hero.
7. It’s Nothing Personal (The Layoff Song) (5:15): Full band, pedal steel guitar, female harmony. Over the top country breakup song using corporate layoff euphemisms.
8 Lawyers Guns, and Money (3:13): Clawhammer banjo, mandolin. Sparse cover of the Warren Zevon classic. Radio friendly.
9. Moving to Boise (Zombie Free) (3:14): Clawhanmer/slide banjo, percussion. A metaphor for leaving a bad place behind, or…okay it’s really about zombies.
10. On Saturday and Sunday (3:56): Guitar, mandolin, male harmony. The similarities between playing in a bar on Saturday night and a church on Sunday morning.
11. Little Angels Everywhere (2:30): Guitar, electric slide guitar. Simple tune, simple idea: We’re not going through any of this alone.
A complete EPK for "Hey Karma," including lyrics and images, is at www.michaelgaither.com. For CDs and download requests, please email michael@michaelgaither.com.
