As a multi-talented individual Micah Beverly has been a lead guitarist for hire, a guitar teacher, consulted for bands, produced for local artists, engineered live sound at small concerts, and recorded other musicians. As if that isn’t enough, his website, all graphic designs, recordings, videos, and CDs were created by him! He literally runs his career from front to back. “I love every aspect of music, from the business end to the creativity side of designing, writing, and performing. I will be somewhere in music, forever.”
After being involved in the Northern California Bay Area music scene for 15 years, Micah Beverly has started a Solo, Acoustic/Electric/Rock, Singer-Songwriter career and moved to Tempe, AZ. He left the Bay Area 212 copies of his first CD release a Limited Edition Acoustic CD. Only 300 were made and each CD was signed and individually numbered. Selling on average 10 CDs a show, they sold out quick and he has now sold #299 in Arizona. Micah plans on selling #300 in an auction to raise money for his next album "Half-Plugged" due out Fall of 2007. "I'm working on an aggressive internet marketing campaign. There are tons of Internet resources and books to help independent musicians launch a solo career and I'm taking advantage of them. The Internet is the best thing to happen to music since recording it to a fixed medium."
Micah is a self-taught musician having started guitar at age 15. After having played guitar for only two years he founded, wrote for, managed, and performed in the band Carpetroom -which was voted 1 of the top 3 best bands in the Bay Area in 2000 by the Metro, a local magazine. Later, he was hired by, then joined San Francisco-based rock band MiGGs who opened for Dishwalla, Aerosmith, Lifehouse, and Kid Rock.
Micah grew up with severe Asthma, a disease which can have fatal consequences. He knows this all too well having come close to death a couple of times as a child. He fought an uphill battle to become a Singer-Songwriter. “I’ve had to work harder than most to become a singer because of my Asthma as it restricts the release of air from the lungs. On any given day I’m only working with about 70% of my lung capacity.” From his early childhood of having to sleep every night inside medicine mist tents over his bed to being voted MVP as goalie for his high school water polo team, health, exercise, and getting the most out of life have been priorities. “I love a challenge and I love knowing myself and others better. When I'm reminded everyday that life is fragile, relationships aren’t something I take for granted.” In Micah’s lyrics you can hear his attention to life and the complex layers of relationships. “I grew up in an environment that constantly asked me how I felt, what I wanted, what I liked or needed and as a result I'm an intuitive and insightful individual. Sharing what I have learned about people and myself I hope helps others grow by learning new things about themselves. A good example is the song ‘Change’. I always found myself in a relationship with the same type of person. I figure I'm the constant factor in all those relationships, it must mean that if I don't change then the next will be like all the others. It's one of those songs that hits home for me. A lot of other people have said the same.” With more than songs about broken hearts, Micah delivers something different lyrically than what you hear in today’s top songs which is something that fans are welcoming with open ears and growing from.
Personal note from Micah about his live shows:
My live shows are fun. I promise. Even though I’m one guy with an acoustic guitar, I do something unique with it where I record the guitar live, on the spot creating layers of guitar parts, percussion with my acoustic guitar and harmonies with my voice. Imagine hearing one guitar part, then add a bass line, then drums, then vocals, then a big guitar solo! I write all my own music and do a couple of cover songs: VooDoo Child (by Jimi Hendrix), Collide (by Howie Day), and Hallelujah (by Leonard Cohen), are my crowd favorites. There is a video hopefully below (also on my myspace page) of the music layering I do in VooDoo Child so you can see what this crazy layering thing is I’m talking about.
