Call it Singer-Songwriter, Americana, or Folk. Michael Gaither is a storyteller.

A Santa Cruz CA native, he takes the “write what you know” idea to heart, crafting songs that alternate between the nostalgia of small-town life and the challenges of modern technology. Always with plenty of humorous takes on everyday life. (In a previous life, Michael had a narrow brush with standup comedy and even sold a few jokes to Jay Leno.)

Michael’s shows are a combination of his fun original tunes, stories with a backbeat and Americana with a local angle, along with songs by artists who’ve influenced him. He’s always entertaining with lots of audience engagement. Michael is available as a solo performer or as a duo/trio/full band with his “New Best Friends” ensemble. And as a supporting act, he’s opened for other artists including Steve Poltz, Eilen Jewell and Janiva Magness.

Offstage, Michael is a DJ with the legendary KPIG Radio, a music writer for The Santa Cruz Sentinel, and hosts two trivia nights in Santa Cruz County.

Recent Awards (more in Michael’s press kit)

  • Santa Cruz Sentinel 2023 Reader’s Choice Awards: Best Local Musician (2nd Place)
  • Roots Music Report’s Top 200 CDs of 2023, Americana: Welcome Back: A Collection (#111), Top 200 CDs of 2017: Hey Karma (#32)
  • Great American Song Contest two-time winner, seven-time finalist (assorted categories, 2019 through 2023)

Quotes

  • “Michael always chooses the music he plays to fit the venue, audience, and occasion, and strongly interacts with the audience. His own original compositions are witty, engaging, and observant of the foibles of our society. We are pleased to have had him play in our Ugly Mug acoustic music series many times over the last 18 years.”  – Dick Brundle, Fiddling Cricket Music
  • “Michael helped launch music at our winery and put it on the map during 2020 with a residency on Friday nights that ran into the next year, and then rebooted/grew our trivia nights which have been very successful and helped grow our business. His shows are a mix of great songs with nostalgic original stories and well-chosen covers done in his own style, with lots of humor and audience interaction thrown in. Highly recommended.” – Bob Prikazsky, Owner, El Vaquero Winery, Corralitos CA

Music Booking

Michael – solo or with His New Best Friends – is available for venues, festivals, wineries and breweries, and private events.

Trivia Booking

Michael is also available to host a custom trivia night for special events such as birthdays, anniversaries or company offsites. Learn more about that here.

Have an available date? Send Michael an email or call (831) 288-2226.