Welcome Back (to the Land of the Living)
Learning to Fly (Tom Petty cover)
Forever Young (Bob Dylan cover)
Highway 17
Don't Let Us Get Sick (Warren Zevon cover)
Wedding proposal (Davenport CA)
In-store promotional event at Upwest (Santana Row, San Jose CA)
Wedding proposal (Santa Cruz CA)
Performing solo at El Vaquero Winery (Corralitos CA)
Wedding ceremony (San Juan Batista, CA)
Private party (Santa Cruz CA)
Performing solo at Don Quixote's Music Hall (Felton CA)
Performing solo at Don Quixote's Music Hall (Felton CA)
Michael & His New Best Friends
Live music makes a special event even more special. Michael brings your favorite songs (or an appropriate original or two) to a wedding, party, birthday celebration or even a wedding proposal. If it's a more solemn occasion, such as a celebration of life, ask him about his tribute song, "Good Souls".
With his background as a radio DJ, emcee and trivia host, he can also double as an announcer and work with your wedding coordinator or event person to help keep your event on track. A sliding-scale rate is available for any project/event.
10 reviews
Hailey W.
February 16, 2025Michael Gaither and Bill Walker were an absolute pleasure to have at Lonely Oak’s Grand Opening. Super easy to work with, totally professional, and they came ready to play. Their music was the perfect fit for our brewery, and our customers loved every second of their performance. If you’re looking for great live music, these are your guys!
Hired as: Guitarist, Singing Guitarist
Morgan S.
May 23, 2023Responsive; excellent communication pre-event; reliable & talented
Hired as: Singing Guitarist
Veronica C.
April 2, 2023Michael was so great to work with! Planning a memorial is a difficult thing to do so having a flexible and genuine musician who can work with you when you are having trouble knowing what you need is extremely precious. Thank you Michael!
Hired as: Singing Guitarist
Michael M.
February 15, 2023Michael went above and beyond for my engagement surprise! He spent a month learning an obscure new song, and then positioned himself on a hiking trail where we happened to run into this musician working on a new song - which of course was our favorite song. Excellent communication and execution throughout, he really cared about making it special and went out of his way to accommodate several special requests, even when I changed the venue on him last minute. Look no further, Michael is the man.
Hired as: Guitarist, Singing Guitarist
Carol T.
September 19, 2020Michael is a great entertainer and an all around nice and generous guy. His songs are fun and meaningful.
Hired as: Singing Guitarist
Price range: $100-$150 hour (sliding scale available)
Languages: English
Gig length: 20 - 240 minutes
Here are a few quotes from folks who regularly book Michael:
“Michael played for us again at Satori last weekend to an extremely happy full house. He mixed many of his wonderful original songs with classics from groups such as the Dead, Tom Petty, Neil Young and more. He played several requests and everyone had only great things to say. We can’t wait to have him back again soon!” (Tom at Satori Cellars, Gilroy CA)
“Michael was our introduction to the world of professional musicians when we opened Discretion Brewing, and nearly seven years later he remains a favorite. He is reliable, emotionally generous, observant, and melodic. His songs brim with gentle snark and keen wit, and his kind heart is always on display.”
(Kathleen Genco, Owner, Discretion Brewing, Capitola CA)
“You’ll want to invite this guy over to your house for drinks. Michael Gaither is a friend in an entertainer. His small talk during sets is charming. His musical talent is engaging. We enjoy his company at our wine bar. He is a delight to book!” (Ann Marie Conrad, Owner, Capitola Wine Bar & Merchants)
Probably best known as an award-winning songwriter, Michael was raised on the central California coast and takes the “write what you know” idea to heart, crafting songs that showcase both the nostalgia of small-town life and the foibles of modern technology. Always with plenty of humor in the mix. He turned to songwriting after a background in journalism and a narrow brush with standup comedy. (He even sold jokes to Jay Leno in a previous life. ) Michael has released five CDs of original material, all of which have received international airplay.
Whether you need an entertainer who can engage with your audience, or just some great background music that mixes covers and originals (and/or requests in advance), consider booking Michael for your next event. A sliding scale is available for all clients.
Thursday
Wedding Cocktail Hour
1:00pm - 3:00pm
•
Santa Cruz, CA
Saturday
Grand Opening
6:00pm - 9:00pm
•
Gilroy, CA
Friday
Surprise
12:30pm - 2:00pm
•
Carmel, CA
Saturday
Corporate Event
6:00pm - 8:30pm
•
Watsonville, CA
Saturday
Corporate Event
11:00am - 2:00pm
•
San Jose, CA
Saturday
Funeral/Memorial Service
1:00pm - 3:00pm
•
Ben Lomond, CA
Tuesday
Surprise
4:00pm - 5:30pm
•
Felton, CA
Sunday
Restaurant/Bar Event
12:00pm - 1:30pm
•
Watsonville, CA
Saturday
Wedding Reception
6:00pm - 9:00pm
•
Salinas, CA
Saturday
Steel Bonnet Brewing, Scotts Valley CA
5:00pm - 8:00pm
Sunday
House Party
2:00pm - 4:00pm
•
Santa Cruz, CA
Sunday
CSL Santa Cruz
11:00am - 12:00pm
Saturday
Vintage Wine Bar - Redding CA
7:00pm - 10:00pm
Sunday
A Taste of Morgan Hill
3:00pm - 5:00pm
Saturday
Octoberfest at Pacific Crest Apiaries
1:00pm - 4:00pm
Sunday
Kuumbwa Jazz Center
7:30pm - 10:00pm
Friday
American River Music Festival
7:00pm - 10:00pm
Sunday
Private House Concert - Alameda CA
1:00pm - 4:00pm
Thursday
Private House Concert - Stanley ID
7:00pm - 10:00pm
In addition to originals, here are some of the covers Michael typically performs:
"California Stars" (Wilco)
"Cruela de Ville" ("101 Dalmations" Soundtrack - Disney)
"Drive" (The Cars)
"Fly Me to the Moon" (Willie Nelson)
"Forever Young" (Bob Dylan)
"Heart of Gold" (Neil Young)
"Heroes" (David Bowie)
"I Wanna Be Like You" ("The Jungle Book" soundtrack - Disney)
"King of the Road" (Roger Miller)
"Lodi" (CCR)
"Man On the Moon" (REM)
"Mary Jane's Last Dance" (Tom Petty)
"Pancho and Lefty" (Willie Nelson)
"Purple Rain" (Prince)
"Ripple" (Grateful Dead)
"Tear Stained Eye" (Son Volt)
"Tupelo Honey" (Van Morrison)
"Under the Milky Way" (The Church)"
"Wagon Wheel" (Dylan, Old Crow Medicine Show, Darius Rucker)
"What's So Funny ('bout Peace, Love and Understanding)" (Elvis Costello)
"The Weight" (The Band)
"Who'll Stop the Rain" (CCR)
"Willin' (Little Feat)
"You're Sweet and Shiny Eyes" (Bonnie Raitt)
"You've Got a Friend In Me" ("Toy Story" soundtrack - Disney/Pixar)
And...LOTS of additional Bob Dylan, Neil Young and Tom Petty
Van Morrison, Tom Petty, Warren Zevon, Louden Wainwright III
Instrumentation: Michael primarily plays acoustic guitar, plus harmonica. He can also add a few cover tunes on banjo, for variety.
Power Requirements: Have PA, will travel. All you need to do is provide power. Or if your event is outside and a bit more rugged, Michael can either play completely unplugged or with a battery-powered amp and mic.
Singing Guitarist