MIKE WEST

Mike West started out as the lopsided-fringed frontman of whimsical Manchester indie band, The Man from Delmonte. But in 1993 he emigrated to the US, where he worked the French Quarter bars of New Orleans, singing his entertaining but disarmingly honest songs to unwitting tourists. During this time, Mike released ten solo albums with Louisiana label, Binky Records. He was awarded  a Big Easy Entertainment award for "Best Country/Folk Artist" and received several Best of the Beat awards from OffBeat Magazine.  It was in New Orleans also that Mike began his career as a record producer, founding The 9th Ward Pickin' Parlor recording studio  in the infamous Lower 9th Ward of New Orleans.   In 2003 he began a twenty year collaboration with Katie Euliss (aka Katie West), forming the popular alt-country duo, Truckstop Honeymoon. Truckstop Honeymoon toured across three continents and released ten albums. In 2005, hurricane Katrina wiped out Mike and Katie's neighborhood and they relocated to the Mid West music Mecca of Lawrence, Kansas. The duo continued to tour and build a loyal following. Mike reopened his recording studio in Kansas, producing many bluegrass, old tyme and americana artists. Katie and Mike also founded the Lawrence Mardi Gras Parade, which still marches every year. The City of Lawrence awarded them both the prestigious Phoenix Award for Lifetime Contribution to the Arts. In 2019 Mike and family emigrated from Kansas to North Wales. Mike continues to tour with Truckskstop Honeymoon and other artists, whilst also playing solo shows. He runs Our Lady Studio in Borth, Wales and produces songwriters and bands, including many Welsh language artists.