Blues Rhythm
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Mike Dugan
40 years experience in Blues, Slide Guitar
Mike arrived on the New York City blues scene in the early eighties with his band that featured Howie Wyeth (Bob Dylan), John Siomos (Peter Frampton), and Wayne Hammond (Mick Taylor). As word spread of the band's intense performances, both fans and the music press began to notice Mike's talent as both a guitarist and songwriter. As word of Mike's guitar prowess spread, he was invited to sit in with the legendary Les Paul at his regular Monday night session in New York City. In 1985, he was named "Blues Guitarist of the Year" by the New York publication Show Business News, an honor that had been previously awarded to Roy Buchanan, Mike Bloomfield, and Eric Clapton. In 1987, Mike Dugan formed the Survival Band and the focus on original songwriting and recording began. Two years later, the band released an album titled Workin, which was nominated for the Best Contemporary Blues Recording award by the Philadelphia Music Foundation in 1990.
Mike then moved on to form the Blues Mission establishing his main base in Allentown, PA and developed original material and his own style of music, what has now become known as Rust Belt Blues. Since turning professional in the 70's, Mike has relentlessly toured the East Coast playing at a variety of festivals and clubs and sharing the stage with many blues and rock legends including Robert Cray, Kenny Neal, Little Charlie and the Nightcats, Leon Russell, Duke Robilard, Tinsley Ellis, Jimmy Thackery and Chris Cain. Mike has also opened for B.B. King numerous times and David Crosby. His various albums - Blues from the Rust Best, All My Blues and A Step Ahead of Trouble have become landmarks in blues recording, having earned critical success and great reviews from Blues Revue magazine and other blues periodicals. Mike's song There's No Talkin To Ya was also featured in a 1996 episode of the TV series Homicide.