Mike Zito is one of the most lauded artists in the contemporary blues arena today and rightfully
so, but for him, the thing that counts the most is maintaining his honesty, authenticity and
integrity. Those are the qualities that have steered Zito’s career since the beginning and
continue to define every effort he’s offered since.
“I have nothing to hide; it seems my honesty is what people relate to most,” he once told
Vintage Guitar magazine. “Anders (Osborne) told me early on, ‘If you don’t believe what you’re
singing, you’ll never be a good singer.’ I try not to write fluff; I try to make every word count.”...
read more
Mike Zito is one of the most lauded artists in the contemporary blues arena today and rightfully
so, but for him, the thing that counts the most is maintaining his honesty, authenticity and
integrity. Those are the qualities that have steered Zito’s career since the beginning and
continue to define every effort he’s offered since.
“I have nothing to hide; it seems my honesty is what people relate to most,” he once told
Vintage Guitar magazine. “Anders (Osborne) told me early on, ‘If you don’t believe what you’re
singing, you’ll never be a good singer.’ I try not to write fluff; I try to make every word count.”
Naturally, patience and perseverance have been Zito’s stock and trade since the beginning. He
began playing guitar at the age of five, and by the time he reached his late teens, he was
already a fixture on the local St. Louis music scene. He initially released his music independently and then signed with Eclecto Groove Records in 2008. “Pearl River,” the title
track of his 2009 album for the label, won Song of the Year at the Blues Music Awards and
marked his first collaboration with Cyril Neville, with whom he’d later work in the Royal Southern
Brotherhood. A steady succession of critically acclaimed albums followed, culminating in 2011’s
Greyhound, which was nominated for Best Rock Blues Album at that year’s Blue Music Awards
ceremony in Memphis. Two years later, he signed with Ruf Records and released Gone to
Texas, the story of how he gained his sobriety, offered an emotional homage to the state that
left an indelible imprint on his entire life. It also marked the debut of his band, The Wheel.
From 2010 to 2014, Zito also played an integral role in the super group of sorts, Royal Southern
Brotherhood. The group released two albums and a DVD, Songs from the Road – Live in
Germany, winner of the year’s Blues Music Award for Best DVD. He also made his mark behind
the boards by producing albums for Samantha Fish, Albert Castiglia, Ally Venable, Jeremiah
Johnson, Jimmy Carpenter, and many others.
Quarantine Blues, was recorded during the heart of the coronavirus pandemic and served as a
healing love letter to his fans around the world that heralded better days ahead if we’d all just
stick together
“I have songs in me and musical ideas all of the time,” volunteers Mike Zito about the new
album’s genesis. “I write what I can, when I can and try to save it all for posterity. Some of the
songs are just songs and they don’t always have meaning for me, and some of them become
very personal. For me to sing songs and feel them with real emotion, they need to be somewhat
personal. Even songs I did not write, I need to feel they explain a part of my thinking or how I
am feeling about love, sex, life, death, the world…. Resurrection is an album of feelings,
emotions, and is very personal. The title track is how I once almost lost my love, but it came
back stronger than ever. I have had this song in me for years, but it only makes sense now to
share it with the world. After the year we have had on planet Earth, I believe we all need a
rebirth. This rebirth has given me an opportunity to be who I want to be musically and
artistically.”
show less
