Mike Vernon has produced albums for some of the most famous artists in British Rock and Blues including John Mayall’s Bluesbreakers (with Eric Clapton, Peter Green, Mick Taylor), David Bowie, Ten Years After, Savoy Brown, Fleetwood Mac (with Peter Green, Danny Kirwan and Christine McVie), Chicken Shack, Focus, Freddie King, Climax Blues Band, Level 42 and Roachford.
Beyond The Blue Horizon features tough, energising and tuneful rocking slabs of R&B in the vein of Fats Domino, Wynonie Harris, Little Richard and Louis Jordan
“To be fronting my own R&B outfit has always been a dream but the right moment to make that transition never appeared until now,” says Mike Vernon.
“The year is 1956 and Little Richard and his totally outrageous song Tutti Frutti hit the #1 spot on the U.S. Pop Charts. Fats Domino had similar success with When My Dreamboat Comes Home and ‘Blueberry Hill’ that same year whilst Chuck Berry introduced us to his unique rocking Rhythm & Blues style with Roll Over Beethoven. Four slabs of musical genius that were to totally change my life.”
“Fast forward sixty-one years to 2018 and the ‘with my own band’ debut album Beyond The Blue Horizon features tough, energising and tuneful rocking slabs of R&B in the vein of Fats Domino, Wynonie Harris, Little Richard and Louis Jordan ,” continues Mike. “Twelve titles in all including nine new self-penned originals and three covers from the catalogues of Brook Benton, Mose Allison and Clarence Henry.”
In 2013 he was awarded the BASCA Gold Badge Award in recognition of his unique contribution to music.
Mike is best known as the founder of the Blues record label Blue Horizon (Peter Green, Rory Gallagher, Paul Kossoff, Christine McVie) – a major ‘ground breaker’ in its time and still revered to this very day.
Maybe not quite so well-known is Mike’s ‘other’ job – that of vocalist. In the 1970s and early 1980s Mike was not only a member of The Olympic Runners but also the baritone singer with Rocky Sharpe & The Replays.
Watch his EPK and read more here. The album is available worldwide from Manhaton Records now.
"A joy from start to finish as the legendary Mike Vernon lets his hair down in the company of five sensational musicians. There’s so much fire in Mike Vernon’s belly this show should come with a fire hazard warning. The audience was jumping for joy as a British blues legend let the good times roll with his all mighty combo."Stephen Foster, New Wolsey Theatre Concert