Michael Kirkpatrick

Michael Kirkpatrick, Rocky Mountain-based vocalist and songwriter blends elements of acoustic fingerstyle and folk rock to cradle lush songscapes in a fuzzy paradoxical blanket of sunshine and fog. Obsessed by mandolin, guitar and groomed by bluegrass festival culture, Michael has carved a unique presence in the Colorado singer-songwriter, string band and rock scene. With a voice that ranges from a quiet rumble to powerful mountain-top exclamation, Michael’s passionate vocals bring to life lyrics about dreams, sensuality, and reverence for nature. 

“Michael Kirkpatrick has the voice of an anthropomorphic brontosaurus that has popped out of a children’s book to teach kids about the dangers of playing with matches” – The Scene Magazine

With over 30 years of experience on stage, Michael has toured extensively and won multiple awards for his songwriting, including the prestigious Telluride Troubadour award. His rich baritone voice, eclectic picking, and absurdly earnest storytelling have established Michael as an unconventionally entertaining live performer with a loyal audience. Michael currently tours as a soloist, as the front man for the Neo-psychedelic New-Wave Americana band Violet Pilot and the Grateful Dead tribute act Pickin’ On The Dead.

“Michael does things to a mandolin that shouldn’t be done to a mandolin” – Chris K, The Colorado Playlist

Michael’s latest record Away-O (released Jan 12, 2024) was recorded by Tyler Lindgren on a bright, snowy day in an empty house in the foothills of Colorado’s Front Range. The 12 songs for fingerstyle guitar and voice were captured with an organic, live approach, mimicking the vibe of Michael’s famous solo house concerts and “fun streams” that kept his audience entertained through the dark days of Ronassance.   

Michael’s acts on hiatus: Michael and the Honey Rider Band, The Holler! and The Good Time Travelers. When the conditions are right in the forest, like a mushroom, these acts may re-emerge to fruiting splendor. Throughout his career, Michael has shared the stage with some of the biggest names in music, including Zac Brown, Charlie Musselwhite, Sam Bush, Billy Valentine, Sonny Charles, Jim Belushi, Darol Anger, Greensky Bluegrass, Billy Strings, Brian Nova, Leftover Salmon, and many others. Michael has received numerous accolades for his music, including the “Best Colorado Folk/Singer-Songwriter Album of 2013” from the Colorado Sound Fan Poll for his album “Key to My Cage,” the 2014 Telluride Troubadour Award, and seven consecutive “Best Singer-Songwriter” awards from the Fort Collins Musicians Association. In 2019, he was honored with FoCoMA’s Lifetime Achievement Award. In 2022, Michael released the highly anticipated debut album by Neo-Psychedelic New-Wave Americana band: Violet Pilot, “Glad We Found You.”