Mike Finazzo is not a renaissance man; he just makes a lot
of things.
When he was 12, Mike got his first guitar, and like any
other chubby, pubescent boy in 1997, he quickly became obsessed with the 3 B’s:
the blues, the Beatles, and Bob Dylan. This, coupled with multiple undiagnosed
mental health conditions such as anxiety and obsessive-compulsive disorder,
made Finazzo quite the hit among his middle school classmates and, obviously,
the girls.
After years of playing in local blues and rock bands as a
kind of child prodigy, Mike released his first album, a folk record titled Sunday
Morning, which sold dozens (if not hundreds) of copies to middle-aged
tastemakers across the East Coast. Playing local bars and colleges, along with
radio appearances, Finazzo enjoyed some regional success as a guitar player and
singer-songwriter.
The next two decades saw Finazzo wearing many hats as an
artist and performer. His love of film led him to write and direct the feature
films Pavement Tune (2009), Wits End (2016), and Bored in the
USA (2019). These films received critical acclaim and played at festivals
across the country. In between, Finazzo performed as a stand-up comedian and
storyteller, touring the country as both a headliner and an opener for comedy
legends such as Drew Carey, Kevin Pollak, and Brian Posehn. Finazzo’s ten-year
run as a stand-up comic made him a better writer and more confident performer.
It also helped him realize that his life wasn’t so bad after meeting hundreds
of comedians who were just as messed up (or even more damaged) than he was.
In 2020, a terrible thing happened that kept everyone stuck
at home. We don’t have to talk about that… but Mike used this as an excuse to
step back from comedy, spend time with his family, and rediscover his love for
making music. Listening to records and playing guitar nonstop, he reconnected
with his roots and began creating relatable and catchy folk and blues music, and
showcasing some damn good guitar playing.
The future is looking bright for Finazzo, who released his long-awaited second album, Stories to Tell, in the spring of 2025 and is already at work on a third LP, due out later this year. You can catch Mike sharing his signature blend of sad folk songs and amusing banter at a club, bar, or theater near you. Whether he's performing solo, as a duo with percussionist Jamie Miller, or fronting a loud bar band, you'll be watching him do what he does best: making stuff.
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