Mike Cappo began his musical journey in the small town of Flushing, Michigan. Like many kids, he dreamed of becoming a professional baseball player. That all changed when his brother played a Rush album before his 16th birthday, altering the course of his life. He received his first drum set in May of 1993 and immediately began practicing three hours a day. His first gig was two months later at a frat party. Mike forgot a rug to stabilize the drums, and the house had wood floors, causing his drum to slide away from him the entire evening. At one point, he was doing the splits to keep playing. Shortly thereafter, he invested in a rug and within weeks he was playing regularly at Churchills in downtown Flint. He was hooked as soon as he felt the thrill of performing in front live audiences and the path of his career was set. Mike has been working as a live musician for the past 27 years.

After graduating from Flushing High School, Mike attended The University Of Michigan in Flint, where he received his degree in percussion. He studied marimba, drum set, concert percussion, and played in countless jazz combos, wind symphonies, and pit orchestras. During his freshman year, he began playing the piano and singing Elton John, Billy Joel, and The Beatles. He soon realized he’d found his true medium in piano and vocal performance.

Upon graduation, Mike started playing all-request and dueling piano shows in Flint, Lansing, and Detroit. He kept the discarded request slips, and learned all of the songs he didn’t already know. As a result, Mike developed a vast command of popular music. He knows thousands of songs from memory and deftly arranges all styles of music for piano and voice. His vocals are diverse, powerful, and soulful. Mike’s three octave range allows for stunning interpretations of both male and female hits, usually in the original key. It’s common for Mike to sing Johnny Cash, Stevie Wonder, Elvis, Michael Crawford and Lizzo in the same set.

After honing his skills in Michigan, Mike made his way to beautiful Boulder, Colorado. He played at The Reef and picked up a monthly gig at nearby club that showcased local musicians called Nissi’s, where he met his beautiful wife, Sarah. Shortly thereafter she introduced him to her small pack of dogs and they have been a family ever since. When The Reef closed, Mike played and sang in multiple Colorado bands, ultimately taking a full time position at Sing Sing in Denver. For two years, Mike entertained drunk college kids and drunker Colorado Rockies fans until the club closed in 2012.

At that point, Mike hit the road and became a freelance dueler known for performing at divergent piano bars without a set list. He crafted the ability to pull a musically thrilling show out of thin air for diverse audiences from all walks of life. His general interest in improvisational comedy, governed by the "yes and" principle, enabled him to play with any partner and create an instant rapport on stage. Mike’s burgeoning reputation for being amicable, talented, and easy to work with, shot him to the top of the first-call list.

Mike’s unequaled reputation and work ethic have paved the way for him to perform across the country. He’s played over 200 live shows a year for the last ten years, with extended gigs in San Diego, the Los Angeles area, Phoenix, Cheyenne, Omaha, Lincoln, and many other wonderful small towns you’ve never heard of.

Mike’s home away from home, and the place where his heart will always reside, is New Orleans. In 2015, he moved from Boulder to the Crescent City where he worked at Ticklers Piano Bar on Bourbon Street. He performed five to six nights per week, sometimes two shifts a day. It was on Bourbon Street that he honed his ability to entertain diverse crowds from across the globe. He and Sarah lived in the Marigny and French Quarter and explored all that the city has to offer, while developing lifelong bonds with his colleagues and fans of the show. Mike and Sarah gained friendships and life experiences that can only happen in the extraordinary musical and cultural environment that makes up New Orleans. His immersion in this culture permeated his playing, and consequently his personality, with the styles of Dr. John, Professor Longhair, and of course, Fats Domino.

Mike is a lifelong student, studying jazz, classical, blues, and many other musical styles. He continues to dedicate his time to studying music with some of the best in the industry, never assuming that he’s learned enough. He studied jazz with Rubisa Patrol’s Grammy-Nominated pianist, Art Lande for several years in Boulder. He also studied classical piano in New Orleans, with Dr. Chia-Hsing Lin, a fantastic teacher and winner of multiple piano competitions. He is currently takes online lessons with Carlos Campos, a brilliant Los Angeles based teacher who has taught at Berklee, Musicians Institute and New England Conservatory.

Mike draws from his diverse music education and this is reflected in his teaching and performance ability. Given his vast knowledge of percussion, keyboard, singing and popular music, Mike can help students solve musical problems from several different angles. He’s able to draw up examples instantaneously in order to reinforce and clarify lesson concepts. He can uncannily reference popular musical examples from Van Halen to Van Beethoven to bring scales, arpeggios, and music theory to life. This approach makes lessons fun, inspiring, and give students a truly enjoyable direction. Mike understands that every student is unique, has different goals, and people learn best by HAVING FUN.