Ain't Nothing Blue about Mike Finnigan

I had the opportunity to see Mike Finnigan jam with David Foster and the Mohegan Sun All Stars. I am sure you are familiar with Mike, he does "Mike's Blog Round Up" at Crooks and Liars.

He is such a talented man, who plays the keyboard and sings blues like no one else I know. I think that my husband was glad that I talked him into going too. We spent some time with Mike after the concert. I need to say, first he is extremely tall, my neck hurt looking up to him.

He told us that he played the piano when he was young but didn't think it was really cool, so he got interested in sports. But in high school he started to get a little serious and jammed with others, he said he liked the drums too. Mike went to Kansas U on a basketball scholarship but soon very soon realized that his love was music and literally left the ball on the court. "Though it was probably a big loss for basketball it a great win for the music industry." There are rumors around Kansas about Mike Finnigan:

Whenever his band Finnigan and Wood were playing a bar in Kansas, They drew such a huge crowd that the other bars for miles around would close up shop for the night and put a sign on their door that read -- "CLOSED - FINNIGAN AND WOOD IN TOWN - GO SEE THEM"

He moved around playing gigs with many prominent musicians. He said that they worked extremely long hours practicing but it was what they loved and Mike plays the meanest blues that can be seen.



Mike has played with Jim Hendrix, Dave Mason, Maria Muldaur, Dr. Hook, Allen Tousant, Dr. John, Big Brother & the Holding Company, Frampton, Bobby Lomack, Blood, Sweat & Tears, Eddy Money, Leonard Cohen, Santana, Fogelberg, Rod Stewart, B.B. King, Buddy Guy and it goes on and on...

Joe Walsh, Michael O’Donald, Taj Mahal, Billy Bob Thornton and Crosby, Stills, Nash, and Jackson Brown too.

He lives in California with his wife and they have been married for 35 years. They have 2 grown children. Our evening ended with Mike giving us some advice for our daughter, who seems to be adamant about playing the soprano sax. Well, Mike, it worked, she agreed.

Thanks Mike!