Monday’s Songwriter Showcase at Nietzsche’s is featuring another of Buffalo’s successful musical sons, this time LA guitarist Michael Campagna.
Jimi Hendrix once said, “The Blues is easy to play, but hard to feel.” It says a lot about Michael Campagna that he began playing the music that would take many a lifetime to learn at 16 years old, at the city’s most notorious blues club, the Governor’s Inn, with Jesse James and the Outlaws. Shortly thereafter, in a testament to Michael’s blossoming talent, Jesse handed Michael a ’62 Stratocaster and said, “This is for you.” Judging by his mastery of the instrument, you’d think he hasn’t stepped away from it since.
Now a veteran songwriter and guitarist (although you can still see that 16-year-old boy that loves the feel of the guitar in his hand peeking through), Michael has refused to stay stylistically pigeonholed. His accomplishments range from playing with seminal industrial band Psychic TV (and the equally notorious Genesis P. Orridge) to co-writing songs for Chaka Khan, Jennifer Holiday and Maxine Nightingale. Two years ago, he was voted one of 2005’s Top 100 Unsigned Artists in a Music Connection Magazine poll.
Raised in Buffalo, Michael’s career at the Governor’s Inn included being exposed to the likes of Buddy Guy, Howlin’ Wolf, and Muddy Waters, to name a few. After high school, played with blues man Elmo Witherspoon in the early 70’s, and went to UB , where he roomed with sax player Jay Beckenstein, who would later go on to found the fusion group Spyro Gyra. Michael also met his former wife and songwriting partner, Deborah Ash, in Buffalo. The two headed west in 1975 as a team, and penned “Father He Said” and “Nothing’s Gonna Take You Away”, which were recorded by Chaka Khan in the early ‘80s, among many others.
More recently, Campagna served as a musical consultant on a live recording by the late reggae star Peter Tosh; Live at the One Love Peace Concert, which was released on the Jad label, focuses on an historic concert that was held in Kingston, Jamaica in 1978. These days, he leads and composes for funk-rock band the Average Johnsons, whose other members have included Mauex Luv on organ and vocals, Chet West on bass and Brian Head on drums. Photo by Helene Barbara.
Monday, April 9, 9 – 10:30 PM (Followed by Buffalo’s Longest Running Open Mic with Michael Meldrum)
Free, donations encouraged
Nietzsche’s
248 Allen Street, Buffalo, 14201, 716.886.8539
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