His work and his story…
Born and raised in Texas, Tomlinson has lived the last 15 years in Seattle. He spent a summer in Belize, exploring and writing, and a year in Whitefish, Montana, working at a ski resort and playing local clubs as his very first professional gigs. Then he lived a couple of years in Austin, Texas, performing in the famous clubs and halls of that musical city and refining his songwriting.
He moved to Seattle in 1983 after one of his unpublished songs found it’s way to a radio station that played it to such acclaim that it became the #1 song in the station’s history. With his first radio play and a brand new audience in the Northwest, Tomlinson decided to make Seattle his new home.
Throughout the late 80s and into the 90s, Michael released album after album to great response. Radio was experiencing a shake-up and there was once again an opening for singer-songwriters in a new format called NAC. (New Adult Contemporary) In city after city, at these stations, Michael’s music was heralded as a special event, his melodic songs were what radio was looking for and stations would often play nearly every song on his CDs. Wherever there was an NAC radio station, in LA, San Fransisco, Boston, Houston, Miami, Washington DC, Minneapolis, etc., he had an enthusiastic audience. One programmer at a station in Santa Fe, wrote him a letter saying, “Only twice in our history have we played every song on an album in heavy rotation; yours and The Beatles.”
It would seem a strange choice for an artist to turn and walk away from it all but that is what Michael Tomlinson did. Tired of the system of hit-making, corruption, 50-page contracts and constant turmoil with record companies, Michael left what he called “the music bidnis” in 1991. “I wanted to feel good about my life and my work and the longer I stayed in that system the more I realized that I couldn’t change it. It was going to change me instead and I just couldn’t let it do that.” For the next 5 years Michael watched as his records were pulled by his past record companies from stores all over the world and destroyed. “It was painful to watch all I had worked for disappear but I just knew it was a path I had to take.” It took him several years to regain ownership of his masters and artwork but with patience and determination, he did just that. It was an almost unheard-of accomplishment for an independent artist to beat the record companies at their own game and to once again own his music.
In 1995 he reformed his own small record label, Desert Rain Records, as a vehicle to get his own music out into the world. Michael’s self-run label, Desert Rain Records, is an umbrella for a number of endeavors he is involved in, concerts and recording, weekend retreats called, A Gathering of Friends, (focusing on creativity, community, friendship, laughter and spirituality) and the songwriters seminars he’s held in several cities.
Michael also publishes a newsletter for several thousand listeners around the country, humorously named The MT Page, and a friendly Website with stories and information about his music and life. (You can find the site at www.michaeltomlinson.com)
Known for his live performances, new audience members are often pleased by Michael’s ease onstage, his surprisingly funny stories and his practice of staying after every show to visit with the audience. He says, “There’s something about being able to see each other’s eyes and exchange a few words that makes this all the more gratifying.” And the fact that this artist is open and honest about his choices and experiences is not lost on his listeners. They come for the songs and funny stories but as you sit with them in the concert hall, you can tell that hey also come for the companionship of someone like themselves who believes there is a better way to live and is willing to work for it.
Now you can buy Michael Tomlinson music direct at his website, see more here.
Discography
House Of Sky
Desert Rain Records 2016
Tracks: Boulevard Rain, Wyoming Wind, Thanks For The Wind, Daddy O´, All This Water, Since You Came, House Of Sky, A Good Life, These Are Heaven, You Move Me, Over The Moon, Praire Dog Moon, Seeds Of Love, Winter Ride, My Wayward Friend & Breathe It In.
Musicians on the House Of Sky album: Michael Tomlinson and others.
Live In The Pacific Northwest
MT Records 2011
Tracks: Living Things, No Bad Dreams, Sunlight, All Is Clear, Valentine, Daddy O, I Knew You Well, Desert Rose, Wild Horses Run, Seattle Skies, Run Like The River Runs, A Good Life & Asphalt Dream.
Musicians on the Live in the Pacific Northwest album: Michael Tomlinson and others.
The Way Out West
Canadian Train Music 2008
Tracks: The Way Out West, Valentine, Wild Horses Run, One Way Through, Seattle Skies, Big Moon, Another Way To Love You, Things That i Don´t Know, Flag Of Human Kindness & One Breath.
Musicians on the Way Out West album: Michael Tomlinson and others.
Friendship And Goodwill
MT Records 2007
Tracks: No Bad Dreams, All Is Clear, Asphalt Dream, Let Us Dream, The Climb, I Will Not Pass You Buy, Kaley´s Mountain, By A Friend & Run Like The River Runs.
Musicians on the Friendship and Goodwill album: Michael Tomlinson and others.
Standing In Troublesome Creek (Acoustic)
MT Records 2004
Tracks: The Way Out West, The River In Your Eyes, One Way Through, Wild Horses Run, Somebody Said, Kaley's Mountain, The Beckoning Sea, Valentine I Never Sent, Big Moon & She's Like Falling Rain.
Musicians on the Standing In Troublesome Creek album: Michael Tomlinson and others.
Watching The Storm Roll In
Desert Rain Records 2000
Tracks: As the Morning Comes, Raining Away, You take a Stone Listen, Cherry Blossom Wine, Blink of an Eye, Barton Springs Listen, I Knew You Well, Desert Rose, No Bad Dreams, Write Me a Letter Listen, Here Without You, Run Like the River Runs, Faraway Places & One Breath Listen.
Musicians on the Watching The Storm Roll In album: Michael Tomlinson and others.
Trace The Sky
Desert Rain Records 1998
Tracks: Choices, The Big Secret, Trace The Sky, Blink Of An Eye, All These Songs, Desert Rose, Already Miss, Write Me A Letter, Another New Year & Stars.
Musicians on the Trace The Sky album: Michael Tomlinson, Steve Salamunovich, Dave Pascal, Michael Eads, Roger Treece, Scott Burnett, Richard Warner, Matt Talley & Bungee.
Calling Me Back To The Wild
Desert Rain Records 1995
Tracks: Lovers Eyes, In My Dream, Breathe In Again, River Alive, Beating Of My Heart, So Alive, Living Here, Why We're Here, Let Love In & All Love For Good.
Musicians on the Calling Me Back To The Wild album: Michael Tomlinson, Daniel Deardorff, Steve Salamunovich, Matt Talley & Richard Warner.
At Your House
Desert Rain Records 1993
Tracks: Hello, So Alive, Sunlight, All Is Clear, Humming, Asphalt Dream, Always, Warming Me, Waves, For Old Times, Let Us Dream, Littlefield, The Climb, Lover of the World, Yellow Windows, We Won't Ever Say Goodbye & Bye-Bye.
Musicians on the At Your House album: Michael Tomlinson and others.
Living Things
Mesa Records 1991
Tracks: Living Things, Take the Breath, Make It This Way, Angelenos, I Knew You Well, Live Again, Earth Roll On, I Might Be Dreaming, Things The Angels Say & For Old Times.
Musicians on the Living Things album: Michael Tomlinson, Dan Dean, John Morton, Mark Ivester, Nonda Tremis, Richard Warner, Kelly Harland, Ernie Watts, Tom Collier, Bent Carlson, Kai Ford, Mike Eads, Chuck Deardorf, Howard Roberts, Chris Middaugh, Mike Jaap & Nancy Rumbel.
Face Up In The Rain
Cypress Records 1989
Tracks: Gettin' Gone, Safe At Home, All Is Clear, I've Got Dreams, Rocks And Water, Always Warming Me, Everything We Need, Light For Tomorrow, Such Good Friends, Everything I've Learned Is Going To Change, Years & The Way We're Going.
Musicians on the Face Up In The Rain album: Michael Tomlinson, Dan Dean, Michael Eads, Ricky Lynn Johnson, Nick Moore, Brad Dutz, Dewey Marler, Danny Deardorff, Brad Allison, Bill Anthony, Bob Panerio, Jeff Ridley, Paul Elliot, David Lange, Murl Allen Sanders, Richard Warner, Scott Gavin & Kelly Harland.
Run This Forever
Cypress Records 1988
Tracks: Asphalt Dream, Raining Away, Blue Eyes, No Bad Dreams, Yellow Windows, Waves, By A Friend, I Will Not Pass You By & Run Like The River Runs.
Musicians on the Run This Forever album: Michael Tomlinson, David Lange, Chuck Ubben, Ricky Lynn Johnson, Daryl Redeker, Brian Dina, Mario Harris, Steve Allen, Doug Reid, Tag Henning, Carol Ashley, Mathew Horton, Eric Tingstad, Tony Le Donne.
Still Believe
Mesa Records 1987
Tracks: Dawning On A New Day, Highway Rain, Sunlight, Light Of Love, Still Believe, Rund With Me, Don´t Know When, Let Us Dream, So Long Garden Dream & Lover Of The World.
Musicians on the Still Believe album: Michael Tomlinson, Dan Dean, Ricky Lynn Johnson, Nick Moore, Michael Eads, Richard Warner, Brad Dutz, Carson Bishop, Michael Munniks, Dannu Deardoff, Rick Grant, Michael Buono, David Lange, Kelly Harland, Murt Allen Sanders, John Morton, David Knapp, Steven Adam Brown, Ashley Kristen, Kodo Araki & Paul Elliot.
Still Believe
Cypress Records 1987
Tracks: Dawning On A New Day, Highway Rain, Sunlight, Light Of Love, Still Believe, Rund With Me, Don´t Know When, Let Us Dream, So Long Garden Dream & Lover Of The World.
Musicians on the Still Believe album: Michael Tomlinson, Dan Dean, Ricky Lynn Johnson, Nick Moore, Michael Eads, Richard Warner, Brad Dutz, Carson Bishop, Michael Munniks, Dannu Deardoff, Rick Grant, Michael Buono, David Lange, Kelly Harland, Murt Allen Sanders, John Morton, David Knapp, Steven Adam Brown, Ashley Kristen, Kodo Araki & Paul Elliot.