MIKE ZITO Source: Lake Sun Leader Date: 07/2008 Writer: n/a

Mike Zito to jam at Dog Days Aug. 3
Lake of the Ozarks, Mo.

On Aug. 3, Dog Days will jam with the sounds of Mike Zito, a musician with Missouri roots who’s been described as a gutsy, “blazing guitarist with an expressive vocal style.” Mike Zito grew up in St. Louis, and now calls Southeast Texas his home. Growing up in St. Louis, Zito was immersed in the gritty sounds of the south side that would become the groundwork of his future in music. Music coursed through his veins from the early age of five, when he began singing and performing. It didn’t take long for him to discover his instrument of choice – electric guitar – after receiving a Van Halen record for his birthday. His education and journey were just starting – little did he know he would find himself among legendary musicians at a local guitar shop just out of high school. “Everyone from Chuck Berry to Bennie Smith came in that store,” Zito shares of his experience. “I soaked up the sounds of that store and began building my own style.” Zito’s journey took off at the age of 19, when he broke into the local St. Louis music scene, developing his sound even further from the stage. His first independent release arrived in 1996, titled Blue Room which included raw and funky songs “Hollywood” and “Pull the Trigger.” His songwriting experience would break through on his sophomore release titled America’s Most Wanted in 1999. This album shares his pop sensibilities and intense guitar work. “Crazy People,” “Deal Me In” and his own rendition of Elton John’s “Rocket Man” all set the pace to bring him into a national audience. His touring schedule found him crisscrossing the country as well as performing a regular dose of six nights a week in and around St. Louis when not on the road. He would also have the opportunity to play overseas for the USO during that same time period. With such a crazed schedule and lifestyle, drugs and alcohol took their effect on him. Zito was sliding downhill fast. Walter Trout pulled Zito aside one night after a show and explained to him that he had been down that path himself, and that it was no good. He told Zito about the responsibility he had to the music and to the people to perform honestly and unaffected. His abilities suffered and he drifted around the country a bit lost and confused, ending up in Southeast Texas. Zito fell in love with his now wife and found the love and support to help him clean up and refocus on his career. With a clean slate and real world experiences to include in his songwriting, Zito released Slow it Down in 2004. Including songs like “Long Dark Road,” “Change My Ways” and the title track, “Slow it Down” Zito shared what life experiences had taught him. He formed a solid new band and began again playing full-time across the country with over 250 shows in 2005. “Music can change everything…how you feel, how you see and what you believe,” Zito explains. He found his true sound from all his experiences, new and old, and released his fourth album, Superman in 2006. Touted as “Soulful pop” by critics, Zito’s formative influences blend with musical heroes and legends including Prince, Van Halen, Jimi Hendrix, Eric Clapton, SRV, Walter Trout, B.B. King, Buddy Guy, Danny Gatton, and John Mayer. Zito’s journey has lead him to sharing the stage with artists such as Chuck Berry, Fabulous Thunderbirds, Tab Benoit, Walter Trout, Bernard Allison, Coco Montoya, Joe Bonamassa and many more.