Mike Whellans
Mike Whellans was born in Galashiels in the Scottish Borders a wee while ago (c1945). His father was a jazz drummer playing in local bands and Mike's first instrument, from a very early age, was his dad's kit. By age 14 Mike was playing in wedding and dance bands around the Borders.
Listen to
Mike Whellans
- Jammin' The Blues [2.15Mb]
- Jumpin In The Neighbourhood [3.68Mb]
- No Baby No [2.41Mb]
- Strange Love [3.74Mb]
While playing this local dance scene, Mike began to learn guitar as well as playing the kit. In 1969 he decided to turn professional and very soon released a first solo album. In the early 1970s, Mike was a member of the traditional Scots-Irish band, Boys of the Lough, and worked in a duo with fellow-Boy Aly Bain (now, of course, an internationally renowned fiddle player) for about three years.
The Whellans-Bain duo had a great reputation for American fiddle and guitar music which required great guitar flat-picking skill, a skill which Mike had in spades! Since then Mike has developed from that musical base into a veritable one-man live-wire blues-band featuring this crisp, fast, accurate flat-picking on acoustic and electric guitars, wild mouth-harp and his own highly idiosyncratic speciality, mouth percussion - and that really is something; and, oh, yes ... he sings and writes too!
In common with a number of Scottish acts, Mike Whellans has always worked extensively on the continent, especially in Denmark, and in the 1980s he settled there, having built up a sizable following for his own style of boogie, blues and humour.
For more information visit Mike Whellans's Website
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