Michael Johnathon

At 19 years old, he moved to the Mexican border town of Laredo, Texas and found a job working as a late night DJ on KLAR-FM. One night, he played "Turn, Turn, Turn" by the 60's folkrock group The Byrds. As the song played, he recalled seeing folk artists like Pete Seeger and Harry Chapin performing in his Dutchess county hometown in New York. By the time the three-minute song ended, Michael Johnathon had decided to leave Laredo and pursue a career as a folksinger.

Johnathon began performing concerts at hundreds of colleges, schools and fairs. He performed Earth Concerts, performed benefits for the homeless, farm families, and played for shelters helping battered women and children. In all, he sang to over two million people in one four-year stretch. Billboard Magazine headlined him as an "UnSung Hero." He has been featured on CNN, TNN, AP, Headline News, NPR, the Bravo Movie Channel and several syndicated radio shows.

A few years ago, Michael created his own record company, PoetMan Records USA. The first official release was his first book and CD gift set called WoodSongs. Literary reviewers have described the book series as "Walden meets Mother Earth News meets USA Today meets MAD Magazine." The book included the 16-song, all-acoustic WoodSongs compact disc. The musical highlight of the album is a duet of a mountain song titled New Wood that Michael sings with the legendary Odetta and an eight peice cello section. Other featured musicians on the CD include Grammy winning banjo master JD Crowe, Appalachian icon Jean Ritchie, mountain musician Homer Ledford and others.

The success of that project eventually resulted in the creation of radio's only live audience program dedicated to brilliant but unknown artists. The show, called the WoodSongs Old-Time Radio Hour (which Michael Johnathon writes and hosts each week) is now broadcast on over 400 radio stations in 32 countries across the USA and around the globe. The show became the first multi-camera weekly series to broadcast on the Internet. It is now broadcast on several PBS/Public TV stations and a national cable channel, Blue Highways TV.

Walden: The Earth Song Collection An eleven song album is an acoustic song cycle of Henry David Thoreau’s stay in his cabin at Walden Pond, full of guitars, mandolins, cellos, string quartets and flutes. Educational liner notes are written by Jeff Cramer of the Thoreau Institute. This album is manufactured in a secure, recycled chip board eco-pak and includes a 20 page booklet. The CD is companion piece to the theatrical play, "Walden: The Ballad of Thoreau," written by folksinger and tree hugger Michael Johnathon, and is being performed in colleges, theaters and schools worldwide in recognition of Earth Day. CD Price: $14.97

Michael Johnathon and the Folkboy Orchestra-Live! 'To say Michael Johnathon loves American folk music would be an understatement. You can hear it in his earthy baritone and in the passion of his music and poetry. He has devoted his life to folk music, and in this live CD that passion and love are quite evident. Throughout the performance, Michael keeps his audience riveted, changing speeds and flavors nicely, even amusingly at times, as his gorgeous song "Winter's Eve" shifts into the irreverent "Already Gone" and back again into "WaterFall." Altogether a very enjoyable experience, one that makes me wish I could take in the real thing, live and close up.' Joe Falletta, music critic - Bluegrass Now Magazine - January 2005 CD Price: $14.97

Homestead Michael is joined by some of the finest musicians in folk and bluegrass, including seven time IBMA mandolin champion Ronnie McCoury, IBMA Dobro Player of the Year Rob Ickes, IBMA Fiddle Player of the Year, Michael Cleveland, Grammy award winning banjo master JD Crowe, founding member of Exile, JP Pennington, traditional musician Homer Ledford, the legendary Sam Bush, vocalist and founding member of New Grass Revival, John Cowan, the great eastern Kentucky musician Don Rigsby and many others. CD Price: $14.97

The ROAD An all acoustic CD of 15 original and traditional songs. It is an Americana release with a mixture of folk and bluegrass recorded with a host of accomplished and talented musicians including Don Rigsby of The Lonesome River Band and Phil Leadbetter of J. D. Crowe and the New South. Finding his musical and songwriting inspiration from events in his own life as well as in favorite literature and movies, The Road is Michael's tribute to the father he never knew and his legacy for his newborn son. CD Price: $14.97