Mike Hartman & 104 Country Band

Designed to please easy listening, dance, just a good time

While his other classmates were busy collecting spiders and baseball cards, a young Michael Shawn was busy jamming. The Singer Songwriter, and Musician, who News Blaze hails as “The next Johnny Cash,” began playing guitar at the young age of 9 years old. A second generation guitar player, music and a guitar was literally handed down to the young, future performer, growing up with his mother–also a singer and songwriter– performing on stage. With a guitar always in the corner, his older brother, who also played guitar, would tell him to pick up the instrument, and teach him how to play. “You’ll know you get it right,” his older brother told him, “When all of your fingers are bleeding!” Flash Forward to 2017: Michael was invited to play a benefit concert back in 2010, and by this time had written 65 songs of his own. He later called up his old bass player, and the rest is–history. Just an hour drive from Niagara Falls, Michael Shawn was raised in the country– and raised on country. Citing Elvis, Johnny Cash, Willie Nelson, George Strait, Dolly Parton, and Merle Haggard among some of his favorite singers and influences, Michael Shawn’s roots go deep, and one can hear his genuine soul and power in each song.

“A lot of my songs, are about emotions.” He says, admitting, that “We can have fun and make fun of people without hurting them.” he explains, “We don’t have to be the person that is evil. (My songs are) all about emotion, usually husband and wife stuff– heartfelt stuff, that we can be a good person.” He goes on, “The Stars on the Wall” song, was written for the veterans, the unnamed stars like on the CIA wall,” explaining that he wrote for the veterans, adding, “My father was a Veteran in WWII, in the navy USS Boston.” When asked what his life philosophy is, Michael admits, “My philosophy is don’t take advantage of people, and be comfortable with everything around me. I try be the fairest I can to everybody.” He adds, “Country music makes me happy when I hear it. It makes me feel good. I want to do the same for people. I want to make people happy and feel good with my music!” Mission accomplished.

Simplicity is what we are