Michael's Refrain

My Journey: Music with a Mission

Music has been my constant companion since high school, but it has evolved into something much deeper than a hobby. Alongside a long career in IT — having contributed my skills to companies like Microsoft, Hewlett Packard, and Unisys — I have always nurtured a passion for creativity and connection. Today, I operate as a dynamic one-man band, dedicated to bringing high-quality, live musical experiences to audiences in the Seattle area. My repertoire spans genres and decades, allowing me to connect with each person in every performance—from high-energy sets to intimate acoustic sessions—responding to their unique energy.

Service Through Song

As a service disabled Army veteran, I believe in the power of music to heal and connect. It is a profound honor to perform for fellow veterans and their families at the Seattle VA Medical Center. My commitment to the veteran community extends into education through the national Guitars 4 Vets program, where I have the privilege of teaching guitar to disabled and combat veterans.

Cultivating Community

I am a firm believer that performance arts should be accessible to everyone. In addition to leading instructional jam sessions with Path with Art, I founded and organized the 2023 and 2024 Performing Arts Festivals in my neighborhood. These events were designed to bridge generations, providing a stage for both children and adults to showcase their talents and fostering a deeper appreciation for the local arts.

Life Changing Experiences

Each of us experiences moments that completely refocus our attention, gently layout a new path, and change who we are forever.

My first came when I volunteered for military service in the 1970s. During my time in the U.S. Army, I learned the true weight of discipline, dedication, and hard work—values that became the steady foundation for the rest of my life.

The second shift was the profound joy of welcoming our children and grandchildren into the world. Looking at each of them for the very first time, knowing I was holding the beautiful souls who would carry our legacy into the future, completely reshaped how I saw the world and deepened my love for mankind.

And most recently, I was given the sacred privilege of caring for my wife in our home as she lived out her final days with Alzheimer’s. Throughout our 52 years of marriage, she was my greatest teacher in kindness. In those final months, she gave me the bittersweet opportunity to return that gift—to pour all my deep love for her into keeping her safe, comfortable, and cherished as she slipped away from this life.

Losing her presence, navigating the heavy ache of her absence, and walking through this ongoing grief is a daily classroom. It is teaching me, in ways I never expected, just how vital it is to be gentle with myself, and to extend that same grace to the humanity that surrounds me.

Ultimately, kindness is the most valuable lesson we can ever learn, and the greatest gift we can pass along to our fellow travelers. As each of us searches for meaning in our lives and the paths we are meant to follow, it is kindness that lights the way.

My Musical Mission

Music is more than just background noise; it is a vital thread in the fabric of our lives. My mission is twofold: to provide exceptional live entertainment for my community and to help others discover—and embrace—the musical potential within themselves.

Let’s make something memorable together.

All my best,

Michael