Band...
Michelle Schmitt
is a talented singer/songwriter who was born in Detroit and
started playing guitar and writing songs when she was 12 years
old. She moved to San Francisco in 1977. In 2005 Michelle was
asked to contribute a song on a record featuring 6 Grammy winners
and 2 Rock & Roll Hall of Famers (including Bonnie Raitt,
Kenny Loggins, Bill Medley, Roseanne and Johnny Cash, Rodney
Crowell, Beth Neilsen Chapman and John Denver). Michelle worked
with Robert Hayes (of Smash Mouth fame) at Sound Management
in San Jose before opening Lilysong Records in Marin County.
In 2006, Michelle opened the doors to her state of the art San Francisco studio, Harrison Street Records.
Michael Rodriguez
has worked as a recording engineer in the music industry for
the last 20 years. He has worked in LA, NYC and Nashville and
is known for his skill in working with women singers like Bonnie
Raitt & Beth Neilsen Chapman. He was the Sound Engineer
for Boz Scaggs at Meac Studio in San Francisco before joining
Michelle at Lilysong Records in Muir Beach and then Harrison
Street Records in San Francisco. He is the Master Sound Engineer
and Studio Manager. Michael engineered & mixed Boz’s
record, 'Come on Home', which was nominated in 1997 for a Grammy.
Michael is also an extraordinary piano and keyboard player.
He produced and arranged Michelle’s new record “Home”.
He attended Berklee School of Music in Boston.
Garrin Benfield
is an accomplished guitarist, songwriter and an exceptional
performer who has a strong following in San Francisco. He has
opened for and played with Boz Scaggs, Creedence Clearwater
Revival, Ricki Lee Jones, David Gray, Blues Traveler, Steve
Winwood & Norton Buffalo. He is a favorite at San Francisco’s
famed Great American Music Hall, Café DuNord and Mill
Valley’s Sweetwater. Check out www.garrin.com to learn more.
Ricky Fataar
is a South African musician and drummer. He is famed as a member
of The Rutles in South Africa. In 1968 the band moved to London
and began touring England. On one of their tours, a member of
The Beach Boys, Carl Wilson, spotted them. He was impressed
by their talent and offered to sign them to the Beach Boys new
record label Brother Records. The band moved to Los Angeles
and they recorded and released their 1970 album The Flame with
Carl Wilson producing. The Beach Boys then recruited Fataar
in 1971. Fataar has also been involved in film and television
scoring and produced the music for various films including The
Coca-Cola Kid. For the last twenty years, Fataar has been a
member of Bonnie Raitt's band.
Russ Gold
Our newest member joined the band in September and we are excited to get into rehearsals with the very talented Russ Gold. “Inventive”, and “an uncanny combination of power, drive, and delicate touch”, is how David Berkowitz of CBS Records describes the talent of drummer/percussionist. He has toured extensively throughout the US, Europe, and Asia., performing with jazz, rock, fusion, and theater groups. “His musicianship and timing were extraordinary”, wrote Joe Watts of the Montrose Voice in Houston, acclaiming Russ’ performance as solo multipercussionist with the American Repertory Theater. Russ’ performing experience includes work with musicians as diverse as Gary Lyons (producer of Rolling Stones, Grateful Dead) Johnny Colla of Huey Lewis and the News, Seth Justman of the J. Giles Band, CBS Fusion artists Full Circle, and jazz greats Sam Rivers, George Coleman, Dave Douglas, and Howard Johnson. During his tenure with Full Circle, the band won “Best Jazz Group” at the San Sebastian Jazz Festival, and garnered Boston Music Awards “Best Jazz Record on a Major Label”. His talent has also been recognized by endorsements of Sabian cymbals, Pro-Mark sticks, Fishman transducers, and Kurzweil synthesizers.Custom website design by ComBridges.
© 2007 Michelle Schmitt Music (ASCAP). All rights reserved.