Michael Jerome Browne- Bio
Michael Jerome Browne
Acoustic Blues & Roots, where authenticity meets soul
Multi-instrumentalist, vocalist, songwriter, and living encyclopedia of American Roots music, Michael Jerome Browne is sure to serve up an evening of authenticity, mastery, heart, and soul.
“Browne is probably—if not positively—one of Canada’s most significant musical exports; a finger-picking stylist with a hugely talented and nuanced delivery.”
-Iain Patience, Elmore Magazine (USA)
-Three-time Canadian Folk Music Award winner (Traditional Singer & Solo Artist)-
-Recipient of the Blues With A Feeling Award at the 2020 Toronto Blues Society Maple Blues Awards (with 36 nominations in multiple categories since 1999)
-Six-time Juno Award Nominee in both the Roots/Traditional and Blues categories
-Kerrville (Texas) New Folk Finalist
“Michael Jerome Browne is probably one of the finest musicians when it comes to Roots, Americana, Blues, Cajun, you name it, Michael has got it under his belt in a big way and instruments in his backpack."
-Eric Bibb, interviewed by Holger Petersen in “Talking Music”
Born in South Bend, Indiana, Michael Jerome Browne’s home was filled with recordings of seminal blues and folk musicians. At eight years old, in his family’s adopted home of Montréal, his father started to take him to see foundational artists like Sonny Terry and Brownie McGhee. By age twelve Michael was bending a few blue notes on the harmonica and was teaching himself guitar when he saw Lightning Hopkins. That was when something clicked. He began to understand what was going on with blues guitar. Of course at that age he didn’t always understand the words, but the blues spoke to him in a profound and visceral way, and he knew this was something he needed to do.
By the age of fourteen, MJB was already a regular on the vibrant Montreal folk and coffee house scene, adding banjo, fiddle, and mandolin to his masterful command of guitars and harmonica, and delving into Old Time and Cajun music. From his first public performance until now his authenticity, integrity, and profound connection to the music comes through loud and clear. Whether he’s gliding a slide across his resonator guitar, amping up the intensity with his tremolo 12-string, or “hammering the claw” on his gourd banjo, Roots music lovers know from the first notes that they are in the room with an artist who has justifiably been heralded as an absolute treasure and one of the finest practitioners of traditional American Roots music.
“His originals reek of musty back porch Appalachian family jams. His proficiency on strings is exemplary.”
-Mike Greenblatt, Goldmine (USA)
Michael is in the early planning stages of a new album. A musician's musician, when he isn't performing his own concerts he is in demand backing up and recording with other artists, most notably Eric Bibb, whose 2017 Grammy nominated CD “Migration Blues” he co-produced, played and sang on. Among other projects, he currently plays fiddle in the Montreal-based Cajun/Creole band Grouyan Gombo.
“...a fine singer, his sturdy voice rings with authenticity... Browne makes dusty old blues sound effortless, lively and natural.” -Lynn Saxberg, Ottawa Citizen