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Meet Your Instructor...

Mike Leatherman  has been involved in the music and entertainment industry for over 40 years. He started playing the five string banjo when he was just 7 years old.  By the age of 9, he was performing on stage with his siblings in his family's Bluegrass Band.  Since then, he has performed with many original and cover bands in almost every performance situation imaginable... from home town clubs and festivals to huge concert arenas for crowds in upwards of 100,000 people. 


 

During his grammar, junior high, and high school years, Mike performed countless events, fairs, and festivals throughout California.  At age 21, he continued to pursue his passion for music playing nearly every country music venue in the California Bay Area and opening for several country music superstars. It was only natural that he would later make his way to Nashville, TN where he spent five years on tour playing banjo, keyboard, acoustic guitar, and electric guitar for country music superstar John Michael Montgomery. uring which he'd perform multiple times at the legendary Grand Ole Opry.  While in Nashville he also toured with female country recording artist Jo Dee Messina.  Mike's career has taken him many places allowing him the opportunity to meet and perform for notable figures such as President Bush, Keith Urban, Alan Jackson, Roy Clark, and Kelsey Grammer of the hit show "Frasier".

Mike Leatherman's early years were mainly centered around bluegrass and country music.  He later became extremely versatile in a wide variety of musical genres including Pop, Rock, R&B, and Hip Hop.  In addition to being a vocalist, Mike is skilled at playing multiple instruments including piano, keyboard, organ, electric guitar, acoustic guitar, bass, drums, banjo, violin, fiddle, and mandolin.

His abilities extend far beyond musical performance as he has experience with song writing and arranging, chord chart and tablature writing, and song transcription.  Additionally, he possesses technical knowledge owning and operating PA systems, various digital and analog music equipment, and Pro Tools recording software in his personal recording studio.
 
 
 

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