MIKE FULLER BAREFOOT MUSIC

There are many places to hear live music. Although the big shows are great experiences. Some of the best musical experiences can be in a small coffee shop or bar with just a few other listeners and a heart felt musician.

Anyone who has heard Mike Fuller knows he is a heart felt musician. That is one thing you can’t learn and can’t teach you either are or your not.

Seven years ago I saw Mike Fuller play for the first time. He came from Amarillo to Pampa to play The Coffee Shop- that is the name of the coffee shop, simple but sweet. He was the first musician I had seen play there. My friends and I went there on Friday nights religiously, that’s just what we did in Pampa. Get a lot of espresso in our systems and stay up for hours.

Hawaiian shirted and barefoot he played for us for a few hours. Playing select covers and originals he put passion in every song. I bought a copy of his CD Babies and related to the songwriting in a profound way, as profound as an 18 year old can. That impression has lasted a long time in my mind and planted a seed in me of what has become my life now.

I became a fan of my first “local” musician. Music in the small places where you can listen and hear every word can be an amazing musical encounter. If you are in need of a relaxed time to wind down and hear some excellent music I encourage you to go check out Mike Fuller at one of his shows. Or go out and find your own favorite local musician, find someone you love to hear! It can change your life, at least it changed mine.

I had a chance to interview Mike and here’s what he had to say.

THE INTERVIEW:

Most times I’ve seen you play you are barefoot, why?
I don’t like shoes.

Where were you born and raised?
Born in upstate New York; raised in New Mexico. We moved to Amarillo 14 years ago.

What is your first musical memory?
Listening to my mom’s record collection- Irish Rovers, Peter, Paul and Mary, the Doors, Patrick Sky, Martha and the Vandellas, Merle Haggard, Herb Alpert, Johnny Cash... I was fascinated with the cover art and credits. I loved the different labels on the records themselves.

What made you love music?
The diversity of the sounds of all these records. So many different styles. As a kid, I thought that everyone’s record collections were like that; I thought that was the norm. Years later, as an adult, I found out that my mom had picked up a box of records somewhere and hadn’t ever listened to them.

When did you begin performing?
I played the occasional talent show, etc in high school; then did a wedding every now and then for friends. I didn’t start playing out in restaurants, bars, etc until we moved here in 1993. O.H.M.S. was my first gig.

What brought you to begin performing?
1.The chance to play some of my songs as I was working on then,
2. The chance to get to play other people’s songs that I loved and,
3. The chance to make a little money.

What drives you in writing?
There’s no pattern or consistency to that, although I find it easier to write from personal experience than a story-telling type of song.

How is it different from then and now?
I have a better guitar, my voice is stronger, and it’s a bit more business than back then, but I love it just as much, if not more, now.

What is the best part of music for you?
The fact that 20 people sitting in a room listening to the same song can get 20 different things out of it.

What albums have you done?
I have 2 records under my own name- Babies and Barefoot Music. I also have a record out with 2 other local songwriters- Ronnie Fleming and Gary Thomason called Plainspoken. All 3 records were recorded here in Amarillo at Audio Refinery with local musicians.

Where are they available?
You can get them from me wherever I am playing. Barefoot music is also available on CD Baby (www.cdbaby.com).

Do you have any gigs coming up for June and on into the summer?
I have dates scheduled through the summer at Marty’s, Lincoln’s, o.h.m.s. and Ruby Tequila’s on Soncy.

What is your goal in music?
I’d love to have some of my songs record by other artists. I’m also pursuing TV and film soundtrack opportunities. On the home front, I’m happy to be able to continue to play a couple nights a week.

Do you have a website or anything else to promote?
I don’t have a website. We do send out a schedule via e-mail every couple of weeks. Anyone wanting to receive that can send us an e-mail at five_fullers@suddenlink.net and we’ll send it out to you. Don’t forget the underscore between five and fullers.

Anything else you’d like to add?
Yes- I’d like to thank the establishments and customers who support local music in Amarillo. You are greatly appreciated.