I first met Michael back in the mid70's in San Anselmo when Michael still ran his near legendary night club in my town San Anselmo, The Lion's Share. He seemed to be an interesting character riding his clunker bicycle back and forth between his Night Club up on the Miracle Mile and Juniper Junction this historic and dilapidated old building long since torn down by Yolanda Station where he apparently lived and kept a number of pinball machines in operation and teenagers would go to pass some time there.

  After the nightclub shut down in the 70's he picked up his guitar and had a really strong band called Thunder Road. Country Rock. Read his bio on his website. Michael told me of his young days serving in the Navy and how he not only set up a radio station that served his entire fleet but had a Rock and Roll Band called 'The Little Rockers' that's another story though it opens the door to the thought... does anyone else know of any other rock bands formed by members of the military while in service that played for the troops?

  This video clip is from the August 27, show in The San Anselmo Art Commission's Music in the Park series. Michael opened up for Vikki Lee and the Pinecones. It was a good set with David Nelson sitting in on guitar in Michael's band du Jour. However Michael was not feeling well that set and as he told me that was the only time in his performing career he declined an encore.

  David Nelson for those who don't know was the original guitarist in the near legendary New Riders of the Purple Sage a band who came into the public's eye back around 1970 as the opening band for The Grateful Dead. That was an amazing time and amazing music and I was very fortunate to have been able to see and hear that band when Jerry was still the pedal steel guitarist and as I have mentioned somewhere before on this site (I think). Garcia was an awesome pedal steel player. He was not pretty good. He was not just a student. I think I read that Jerry says he put the instrument down because he was not good enough or something along those lines. Forget that ... Listen To 'Teach Your Children' by Crosby Stills and Nash or dig out 'The Wheel' from the Garcia album his first solo project, amazingly graceful and powerful  or all that marvelous work on the First New Riders of the Purple Sage Album but anyways as usual I digress...
 
  This courtesy of Michael Hunt and David Nelson is one beautiful little tune that might evoke some memories for the touch of grey set and maybe you younger generation might might find some grounds for some poetic appreciation and inspiration from the great Rock lyricist Robert Hunter. Ripple.
 
  Tip of the hat for the really fine vocal from David as well as tasty guitar also smooth work by our local bedrock brothers Tim Bush and Brian Fischer back there on the rhythm section... well done. 

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