News
Article from Ruidoso Daily News written by Lucina Sarber
There must be something in our water up here. Something that breeds strength and determination in people, strength to overcome the unimaginable . . . especially against overwhelming odds. That is certainly the case with Ruidoso-an Mike Kelly whose story of survival is nothing short of remarkable............
But we'll begin at the beginning. Mike was brought here at the age of one by his parents from Morrow Bay, California. Dad Bill is still an electrician in town and Mom Lynn is retired. After high school, Mike headed out for the west coast to make his mark as a musician. He had already spent his youth performing, as a drummer around Lincoln County with local punk bands, seemed he was following in the musical tracks of both his dad and grandfather who had been drummers.
The west coast brought opportunities and Mike toured and recorded with hardcore rock bands like Point of Recognition and Def Jam recording artists Letter Kills. But Mike was already feeling like he was at a musical fork in the road. . .the music of legendary artists like Billy Joe Shaver and Townes Van Zandt caused him to awaken to other musical genres. He eased away from drums, picked up the guitar and began writing and singing his own songs.
He ended up in Lubbock where he spent time fine-tuning his craft as a singer and songwriter at area coffeehouses. After a few years of polishing his performing skills, Mike moved to Tulsa, Oklahoma, put together a band and began to record what would become his debut EP Come Back to Tulsa.' His years on the live music circuit brought him many great friendships, among them no less than Dave Cook (of American Idol fame). In February, 2009, Mike began to feel sick, really sick - like the kind of 'bad flu - I can't lift an arm, I'm so sick.' Doctors in Tulsa just could not seem to find the cause. "I had no one to care for me here as sick as I was, so I just got in the car and headed home to Ruidoso. I drove 10 hours in an ice storm and just collapsed at my parent's house."
He was air lifted (by plane) to Albuquerque from the office of a cardiologist in Roswell who made clear the gravity of his situation. The cause: an infection in his heart so virulent, the doctor said, "you have vegetation growing in it that is destroying your valves. You're already in congestive heart failure." Mike was kept in the hospital and bombarded with super anti-biotics for a week before surgeons could even get in there and begin trying to reverse the damage. They also found the cause of the deadly heart infection - an abscessed tooth, one that had given Mike trouble for years.
organ donation/cadaver valve. "My heart and lungs stopped for 8 hours. I was kept alive by machines all that time, so to say that I live my life nowadays with attention to the good in life is a huge understatement."
In truth, Mike's years in Tulsa had been, "kind of a dark time. I was pretty depressed and drinking a lot. I just wasn't feeling fulfilled. I was so freaked out during that time in the hospital in Albuquerque that I just prayed 'please, I don't want to be scared anymore.' And my prayers were answered, I am very happy now and maybe it's 'cuz I live a selfless life now, not a selfish one like I did before."
What impressed Mike the most, during his month long hospital stay and recovery, was seeing how many folks from Ruidoso made the trek up to Albuquerque to see him and wish him well. Many asked him if he wasn't angry at God. No, he would tell them, in fact, he began to feel only joy. . . and to see people differently - to see people in their many dimensions, including himself. Rather than some of the club scene types he had encountered, he was now surrounded by family and friends and all that was the very definition of 'roots' . . .his illness showed him what was important in life.
But the experience had been vital to his art. He continues to receive kudos for his great music, in the words of his biographer, "It's country music that crackles with contemporary vitality yet is rooted through its rock-solid songwriting within feelings and experiences that everyday people know and can relate to thanks to Kelly's gifts for resonant melodies and eloquent lyrics that spin genuine artistry from the stuff of real life." And on May 16th, the Americana Music Times review: "Mike Kelly is a songwriter of distinction with a unique voice, and we can only hope that "Wake the Dead" is a start of something long lasting with more great records in the years to come."
There is no doubt that the club scene where Mike spent most of his time, lacks a level of purity and as Mike says, "It can be a dark place so that's why I live my life now keeping an eye out for the good. I search for the good things in life - it's just a day by day thing for me now. I can truthfully say I am not afraid. . . not one bit. I don't know when I'm gonna die but If I'm gonna go, I want to give back to life and do some good." His recent life experience rings out powerfully from the soulful lyrics of his CD "Wake the Dead." Get it. Listen to it. This is what 'good' sounds like.
Contact Mike at: www.officialmikekelly.com
Mike returns home to perform at the Billy's Sports Bar June 4th. . . let's show him some hometown love!