Rocky Michaels
Danville, California, United States | Established. Jan 01, 2019 | SELF
Music
Press
This is a beautiful song! One Step Back is a genuine expression of the struggles that come with marriage, and Rocky Michaels has poured his heart and soul into these lyrics. Raising a gentle flowing melody from an intensely emotional harmonic foundation, Rocky's sincere and heartfelt vocals encourage listeners to take One Step Back and appreciate the beauty that's all around us - before it passes us by.
The mix is pristine, and the instrumentals are rock solid and perfectly set the tone for such a personal tune. I really appreciate that nothing sounds canned or overly produced - the authenticity of Rocky's vocal and lyrical approach is mirrored by the quality of the track. Well done!
- Jon Wright is a classically trained multi-instrumentalist, vocalist and music educator with nearly twenty years of experience in the field. - RadioAirplay
Rocky Michaels - 'Somewhere'
Review by Brandon Watts & Staff
Rocky Michaels is a California born acoustic singer-songwriter. His folk-style has been influenced by many artists including The Eagles, James Taylor, John Mellencamp and John Mayer - to name a few. Rocky began playing piano at the young age of 5 and crafted his skills into songwriting throughout high school. After college, he played in rock n' roll bands and performed throughout the San Francisco Bay region. Rocky soon added guitar to his list of music skills, expanding his songwriting toolbox and sound. Rocky taps into his life experiences to offer honest lyrics and authentic storytelling for a music experience that is engaging and relatable. A great way to get acquainted with Rocky's appeal is through his uplifting song "Somewhere."
Through his song “Somewhere” Rocky Michaels spreads a positive message of hope and togetherness. The song opens with a softly strummed acoustic guitar and fullness added from electric guitar. Dexterous acoustic riffs fill in short gaps in the intro and work as a killer transition into the verse.
As Rocky enters, his warm and inviting, heartfelt vocals take the spotlight giving you goosebumps with his crisp timbre. Throughout the song, Rocky ebbs and flows through verse and chorus as he paints a picture of “somewhere,” a place of equality for all. Seamlessly transitioning from verse to chorus Rocky sings the poignant lyrics with down-to-earth expression and grace.
“Where you can shake your neighbor’s hand across those bridges And you can share a common view atop those ridges Where one plus one becomes more than two, and you can learn from them and they from you Someday I’m hoping there we’ll be Somewhere for you and me.”
As the song progresses, further additions of stellar guitar riffs and gentle vocal harmonies keep the energy building before ultimately breaking into a crunchy, melodic guitar solo. With its catchy melodies, great hook, and wholesome lyrics, “Somewhere” is a song we can easily relate to in these hard times. Offering a simply musical vision for a better future, Rocky Michaels neighborly song, "Somewhere", is a message of unity that uplifts the spirit, fills the soul with hope, and mends broken bridges. - Please Pass The Indie
Overall Impression:
Turning his musical mind toward the most prescient threat on the horizon, Rocky Micheals' Our Time Is Now is a gentle call to arms - asking listeners to set aside our quarrels and join forces in order to preserve the very planet that sustains us. Emotionally vulnerable and undeniably sincere, Our Time Is Now is anthemic and timely - and exactly the message we should be conveying.
Strongest Point(s):
I really like the lyrical combos in this one! Rhyming sweltering with melting works really nicely, and the line about Son, Father and Mother is really poetic - very impactful. Great sense of growth and decay, both in terms of musically dynamic expression and in lyrical content. The "Lai lai lai" chorus is very emotionally moving - allowing listeners to project their own thoughts and reflections into the space. Once again, the authenticity of your vocal delivery really nails the tone and adds a sincerity that transcends any production techniques. Great work, Rocky!
Target Audience Appeal:
The folk and country elements of Rocky Michaels' sound are enough to hook fans of those genres, but the viscerally impactful content and delivery of Our Time Is Now defies genre or classification. With lyrics that cut to the heart of the situation and a musicality that speaks for itself, Rocky Michaels has crafted a song from a place of honesty and compassion that should resonate with any and everyone - lest we ignore the fact that Our Time Is Now.
Thanks for submitting this one, Rocky. It carries the weight you've intended, and I'm honored to have the chance to listen in. Take care - Jon W.
Artist target suggestions:
Blake Shelton, Jason Aldean, John Mayer, George Strait, Alan Jackson, Brad Paisley, John Mellencamp, Luke Bryan, James Taylor
About the Reviewer:
Jon Wright is a classically trained multi-instrumentalist, vocalist, and music educator with nearly twenty years of experience in the field. Working with musicians and their individual sounds is his passion and profession, and he strives to interact with and understand every aspect of the production process - from theory and songwriting to recording and mastering. He continues to teach students of all ages and is currently collaborating with artists in a wide variety of genres. - RadioAiplay
We here at The Grey Eagle Radio show are proud to present our next honoree. We visit Danville CA and shine the spotlight on acoustic based singer songwriter Rocky Michaels! I am brand new to the Rocky bandwagon but from the moment I first heard his voice and his captivating song writing ability, it was a match made in listener heaven. He is so yesterday but so today all in the same breath. He reminds me of Simon and Garfunkle, of which their music I adored. Take a moment to seize the opportunity to listen to him speak to you through his music! Thank you Rocky, and congrats on your new perch a top our show here!! - Grey Eagle Radio Show
This tune feels like home. There’s not really a proper other way to describe it – for me, the tune contains a very basic emotion, feeling like the truth that our parents told us when we were young. “The 5 W’s” is not only a song, but also kind of life’s manual.
Done with a soft and defensive guitar setting, the track builds an environment that has a very genuine vibe attached. Blended with held back, almost country-ish elements, there’s a certain ‘majestic shimmer’ hovering above the melodies, only being enhanced by the soft and relatable vocals of Michaels. Singing straight from the heart, the multi-talented singer/songwriter knows exactly where to put emotion for the track not to feel shady nor overloaded with a ton of too much emotion. Done in this fashion, the message is delivered in a signature honest to the core style. This tune rather just offers you the message, instead of trying to sell it to you.
And in the end, that’s exactly what makes “The 5 W’s” so intriguing. In a world where we blended and tricked on every other corner, Michaels humbly offers honesty and passion for what he believes in. That is what it’s about in music, folks. - kms reviews
Discography
- Our Time is Now - Released 6/15/20, Copyright (C) 2020, RockyMichaelsMusic, ASCAP
- One Step Back - Released 4/9/20, Copyright © 2020 RockyMichaelsMusic. ASCAP.
- Somewhere - Released 3/19/20, Copyright © 2020 RockyMichaelsMusic. ASCAP.
- Hanalei - Released 3/5/20, Copyright © 2020 RockyMichaelsMusic. ASCAP.
- Burning Heart - Released 2/20/20, Copyright © 2020 RockyMichaelsMusic. ASCAP.
- The Great American Dream - Released 1/2/20, Copyright © 2020 RockyMichaelsMusic. ASCAP.
- Book of Memories - Released 12/19/19, Copyright © 2019 RockyMichaelsMusic. ASCAP.
- This is You, This is Me - Released 12/5/19, Copyright © 2019 RockyMichaelsMusic. ASCAP.
- What If - Released 6/9/20, Copyright (C) 2020 RockyMichaelsMusic. ASCAP
- Eagle - Released 7/28/20, Copyright (C) 2020 RockyMichaelsMusic. ASCAP
Photos
Bio
Rocky Michaels is a California born acoustic singer-songwriter. He began playing piano at age 5 and crafted his skills into songwriting throughout high school. His debut album, ‘The Great American Dream’ was released in August of 2020.
In May of 2021, Rocky was named as a finalist for "U.S. Male Rising Start of the Year" by the International Singer Songwriter's Association (https://issasongwriters.com/).
In December of 2020, Rocky was voted "Male Artist of the Year" by CFAB Music Realm Promotions.(https://www.facebook.com/groups/cfabmusicrealm/permalink/511042436493927/)
Also in 2020, Eagle’ won 1st place in the Online Music Singer/Songwriter Contest, Season 1, Brower Entertainment. (YouTube: https://youtu.be/VZiltv6jZBg )
With a number of new songs currently in the pipeline, Rocky is excited to continue tapping into his life experiences to offer honest lyrics in storytelling that audiences have found to be both engaging and relatable.
“Rocky Michaels for me is that guy who stands out as one of my favorite music discoveries of 2020!!” (Jon Sexauer, Owner and CEO at The Grey Eagle Radio Show.)
Band Members
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