Solo

Mike Butler

Original Singer/songwriter/performer

Seems like everybody's switchin' careers these days. Most out of necessity, some by choice. I have always viewed my music career as a supplement. I remember reading about how the Carter family, while finding successs in the country music business, would not even consider giving up their day jobs, music is just a way to pass the time and way too fickle to be a serious way to make a living. Sheer folly it is! This was a time when ones standing in society mattered. This is my philosophy, although, I have occasionally been heckled, " don't quit your day job ".

I see too many folks who refuse to let life get in their way, so to speak, complaining about how hard it is to make it in the music business. Well, guess what, success is hard in any form. I'm somewhat guilty of this too from time to time. I mean, sure, I'd like to open an email from John Prine saying he ran across one of my songs out there in cyberspace, loves it, and would like to record it. While that would be very exciting I would not honestly feel any more successful than I do at this point in my life. Because.........................

when I'm am asked, " do you have day job" ?

That is the highest compliment. (as long as I'm not at my day job!) Look, if someone thinks I'm good enough to make a living playing music, I'm elated because it means I've done my job well.

And another thing: Waylon Jennings said, " Music should never be about competition, I agree.

I just have one more thought to share. This is a great country. The greatest. People call me and ask me to do some wood working for them or play some music. I do the best job I can and then they pay me money for that service. I bring that money home to my family and we spend it how we see fit. Food, clothing, education,shelter, leisure, charities, etc. That is the only way I can, in good conscience, participate in any type of redistribution of wealth.

Mike Butler

Please feel free to contact me anytime at.

mjbutler1@verizon.com

Folk City Greenwich Village, NY

The Channel Boston, Ma

Main Street Cafe Hyannis, Ma

Big Man's West Red Bank, NJ

Last Call Saloon Providence, RI

Stray Cat Romney, WV

Shellman's Bluff Cafe Sappalo Hammock, GA

Shepardstown College Shepardstown, WV

The Moose

Southport, NC

Hampton Beach Fair Hampton Beach, NH

Friendly Inn Ellicott City, Md

The Rockfish Eastport, MD

Suicide Bridge Inn Denton, MD

Stan & Joe's Annapolis, MD

Perry's Odenton, MD

Anne Arundel Co Fair Crownsville, MD

Killarney House Davidsonville, MD

“Choptank River Boys”

Muley got a wire dippin' net

Some string, a half dozen frozen chicken necks

Pop is on the porch wonderin’ how to get this knot untied

And catfish Charlie's on the pier

He ain't caught a keeper in a year

or heard a country song since country music died,

he said, “ya know, well it just died.”

Now they don't politics

and they don’t ever talk religion

Cause in God's country one child speaks for him

I see a dinghy on the river afloat

I feel the spirit of the old Nanticoke

thru a screen door a voice says " boy ya gonna stand there or come on in ?"

Choptank River boys, they roll on, they roll on

Choptank River boys, they keep rollin on

singing life's too short to try and live forever

It'll be alright if we all stick together

between these fields of corn and soy

Roll on choptank River boys

Now the junkman named little Joe

is a big boy and everybody knows

he can drink his weight at the picnic table any Sunday

Butter and salt on the cream of the crop

Ice cold beer and one more shot

Will he live long enough to die from it who can say?

Words and Music

Mike Butler 2006

Michael is a singer, songwriter and guitar player living in the Annapolis, Baltimore and Washington DC area.

Michael has been performing in the northeastern united states for over 30 years. Playing clubs and small shore

bars from Boston, Ma. to Southern Md. In this time he has honed and developed his own style of singing and

songwriting. Many of his original songs are reflective of the area. They are stories about life in those regions of

America.

One song stands out in particular. "Choptank River Boys" took Michael on journey all the way to a live competition

vying for a spot on "Mountain Stage" through the "New Song Festival" in '06 where he won 1st prize for this song.

He was competing with folks like Dave Kitchen and Ingrad Michaelson and a host of other performers.

Any port in the Storm

Charm City

Only man around the house

Seaside rhythm

Cry baby

Wash my hands

Katy

Happy Anniversary

Should've been by now

Boys will be boys

Think it's gonna rain?

All alone

Burn your bridges

New England girl

Thank you

I gott ago (or get left behind)

Sweet country singer

Take this act on the road

Patriotic woman

Somebody's gonna love me

Gem

The Butlers of Ormond

Take me back

Cosmic superstar