This little bundle of joy above is my new daughter, Melody Grace Clifford ! 

My fiance Annie and I are ecstatic about this life-changing gift, and I can already tell that little Melody is going to be a handful ! (just like her Dad lol)

I've cut back the gig schedule over the next few months, to make time for the baby. 

But be sure to check my schedule, come out to one of my shows and buy me a congratulatory drink !!

mc

 Hard to believe 2007 has come and gone already!  It's been quite a year for ol' MC, both professionally and personally.  2007 started off with a bang, with a Texas Music Awards nomination for The Mike Clifford Band (Record Of The Year), which we were both honored and proud to receive.  I was fortunate to be able to play 170 (paid LOL) shows in 2007, including cool gigs with Larry Gatlin, Chris Young, Ryan Turner, and many others.  My band was greatly improved in early 2007 with the addition of J.C. Burt on steel guitar/electric guitar, a major-leage talent from Lubbock, TX of all places!   As the new year begins, The Mike Clifford Band has never sounded better. 

Most importantly of all, I met the love of my life,  Anne Mason,  this year... we will be getting married and expecting our first child in 2008!  I can't tell you how excited I am, and what a great year it's been.  I feel truly blessed and thankful for all the great things that have happened.  

Special thanks to the many fanz who have come out to our gigs, bought our CDs, and supported us throughout the year.  Look for a new Mike Clifford Band album in 2008 !

mc

Howdy y'all, just thought I'd post the "agenda" for the Dec cruise with Chris Young!

Dec 1 Saturday: Get Onboard With Mike! Don't miss the 2PM departure from Galveston, and once you're onboard, feel free to join Mike and buy him a Tequila shot (or two) in the Lido Deck Bar! Saturday night Mike will be taking requests of your favorite song (provided your favorite song is one of the 7 songs Mike knows how to play). $20 is such a small price to pay for hearing a heartfelt acoustic rendition of your favorite tune, and for $50 Mike will play ANY song, regardless of whether he knows how to play it or not!

Dec 2 Sunday: Fun Day at Sea! Don't miss Mike's 5-minute opening set during the Chris Young concert! Mike will be playing one or two of his best songs live! Then after the Chris Young concert, don't forget to stop by Mike's table at the meet and greet from 8:15 – 8:17 PM, after which you can join him in the Lido Deck Bar!

Dec 3 Monday: Gift Day! Why not pick up a gift for Mike in Cozumel (no knick-knacks please) or in one of 47 conveniently located gift shops onboard the Carnival Ecstasy? Early December is the perfect time for Christmas shopping, and if you can't decide on anything, just remember that nothing makes a better gift for Mike than your cold hard cash! (all denominations and currencies accepted)

Dec 4 Tuesday: "Buy Mike A Beer" Day! It's time to slow down a bit and switch from tequila to beer… don't miss the chance to buy Mike his favorite brand of beer (i.e. whatever's on tap). 7AM – Midnight in the Lido Deck Bar.

Dec 5 Wednesday: CD Special Day! All day Wednesday, you can pick up any of Mike's critically acclaimed and reasonably-priced CDs for just $11.99 each (a savings of one cent over the website price, and you don't have to pay for shipping, unless of course you really want to!).

Dec 6 Thursday: All Good Things must come to an end, but you'll have plenty of fond memories and overpriced Mike Clifford merchandise to remind you of the all good times you had with Mike at the Lido Deck Bar!


mc

Howdy everyone, just wanted to let y'all know that I've been invited to be an opening act for RCA Nashville recording artist Chris Young, on his December cruise to Mexico!  Best of all, I didn't even have to pay him anything!! 

This will be a weeklong party, cruising to Cozumel, Progresso, and "beyond".   There'll be numerous acoustic and electric shows, scheduled and impromptu, and of course Chris and I will be dueting live on "Wind Beneath My Wings" (just kidding on that last part!) Also joining Chris will be Billy Yates, a really cool artist!!

Chris Young was the winner of the 2006 Nashville Star competition, and his RCA debut has sold impressively and drawn rave revues!   More importantly, Chris is a great, down-to-earth guy with a growing legion of screaming female fanz! Check him out at http://www.chrisyoungcountry.com/

The Carnival Cruise ship Ecstasy departs out of Galveston on Dec 1, and you can reserve yer cabin and get more info by clicking this link for Vickie's Travel. 
http://www.vickiestravel.com/

Don't miss this chance to cruise the high seas with a true country Texas-Nashville tandem!

Book by August 10th for the best prices, only thru Vickie's Travel!

Yeah Baby !

mc

Mike Clifford Nominated for Texas Music Awards - Record Of The Year

"It's All Texas Music To Me" receives nomination after 15-week run on Texas Chart in 2006

Austin recording artist Mike Clifford and The Academy of Texas Music announced today that Clifford's song "It's All Texas Music To Me" has been nominated in the category of Record Of The Year for the 2007 Texas Music Awards.

The song broke onto the Texas Music Chart in the summer of 2006 and remained there for nearly four months. "It's All Texas Music To Me" celebrates the diversity of Texas music over a Waylon Jennings – style back beat and features The Mike Clifford Band, as well as Texas artist Pauline Reese on backing vocals.   Reese has garnered nominations of her own in this year's award process.  The 2007 nomination is the 2^nd for Clifford, who was also nominated for Male Vocalist of the Year in 2005.

Clifford, who not only sings the song but also provides the signature slide guitar on the track, is excited about the nomination and the recognition the song has received.  "I initially started writing the song as sort of a of a tongue-in-cheek dig at certain radio stations who refuse to play anything that doesn't fit their narrowly-defined format.  But as the song took shape, it became more of a statement of what makes Texas music great… its incredibly broad range and diversity, just like the state of Texas itself."  

The Texas Music Awards honor outstanding achievements by Texas artists across all genres including country, rock, blues, folk, bluegrass, and other styles.   Lucky Boyd, co-founder of the Academy of Texas Music, had this to say about Clifford's nomination:  "Amid all the masterful tracks on Mike Clifford's current CD 'The Heartbreak Grill And Bar', there is a true diamond, 'It's All Texas Music To Me'.  It is being talked up as an unofficial anthem to Texas musicians, and we're proud to have Mike's song nominated in the Record Of The Year category."  The Texas Music Awards will take place Saturday, March 24th, 2007 in Linden, Texas., where the final awards will be announced to the public. 

Mike Clifford and Pauline Reese will be performing together at a unique double show this Valentine's day in Austin, at the Saxon Pub and The Broken Spoke.  Clifford will sit in with Reese's band at the Saxon Pub from 6PM-8PM Wednesday February 14, then Reese will return the favor, performing with The Mike Clifford Band at The Broken Spoke later that evening.  "It's All Texas Music To Me" will be on the set list as will their current duet single "My Heart's Got A Mind Of It's Own". 

For more information about the Texas Music Awards, including information on previous nominees such as Jason Allen, John Arthur Martinez, Jarrod Birmingham, Hayes Carll, Shy Blakeman, and Wade Bowen visit www.texasmusicawards.org

Howdy y'all, sorry I ain't been bloggin' in awhile... this will be a GREAT show with lots of publicity around, so come on out to the Saxon and the Spoke on Valentine's !

mc 

Mike Clifford and Pauline Reese Announce Double Valentine's Show

February 14 Saxon Pub/Broken Spoke shows will be promoted on KVET-FM 98.1, Fox7TV

Austin recording artists Mike Clifford and Pauline Reese announced today a unique dual show they will be playing together on Valentine's Day, February 14 2007 at the Saxon Pub and the Broken Spoke in south Austin.  Clifford will sit in with Pauline Reese's band at the Saxon Pub from 6PM – 8PM, then Reese will return the favor, singing with Clifford's band at the Broken Spoke later that evening.  Austin Country Station KVET-FM 98.1 will be running 90 ads promoting the event during the week leading up to Valentine's Day.  Clifford will also be appearing on the Fox7-TV morning show Tuesday, February 13. 

Pauline Reese, who sang with Clifford on his band's recent CD "The Heartbreak Grill and Bar", is excited about the event and the promotion it will be receiving.  "As far as I know, this is the first time something like this has ever been done at these two legendary Austin venues.  But they're right up the street from each other, so really it makes a lot of sense."

Clifford added "Fans will get to see two very different shows in the same evening without having to pay an arm and a leg.  The Saxon Pub is a nice intimate singer-songwriter venue whereas The Broken Spoke is a classic Texas dancehall.  Be sure to bring your dancing shoes/boots!"

Both artists will be performing each other's original songs as well as some classic country standards.  Reese's radio hit "One Last Honky-Tonk In Texas" is certain to be on the set list as is Clifford's "It's All Texas Music To Me", a Texas music anthem which broke onto the Texas Top 50 this year and stayed there for 14 weeks.   The Clifford/Reese duet "My Heart's Got A Mind Of It's Own" will also be performed and will be featured in the KVET radio ads as well. 

Reese and Clifford have both had a busy 2006, logging almost 400 live shows between them.  Reese performed at Willie Nelson's annual July 4^th picnic and then kicked off the Farm Aid 2006 event in late September, dueting with Nelson on "America The Beautiful".  That show also featured live performances by Neil Young, John Mellencamp, and Dave Matthews, among others.  

Clifford has stayed busy touring behind his band's "The Heartbreak Grill And Bar" CD, which received stellar reviews in the Dallas Morning News, Killeen Daily Herald, Roots Music Report, Best In Texas Magazine, and a number of other print and online publications.   

Whew, I just finished a busy 10 days where I played 10 gigs... and that isn't like when Dwight Yoakum plays 10 shows in 10 days.... these were mostly 4 hour shows, setting up and tearing down PA systems at each gig, with lots of driving in between.  One of these daze I may have to get me a personal assistant/roadie! 

Anyway, the band kicked ass throughout and we totally rawked a number of venues and festivals, including the Mason Rodeo this past Saturday night, where over 1000 people turned out to watch the Mike Clifford Band!  We've posted some new photos from the last several gigs here on Myspace, hope y'all like 'em !!

mc

FINALLY - we are seeing some upward movement for the last single, "It's All Texas Music to Me", from my 'Heartbreak Grill & Bar' album.

Up to Number 42 this week, from Number 50... one of the big movers on the Texas Chart http://www.texasmusicchart.com/PDFs/Bubbling.pdf

AND we picked up our first ClearChannel station of the campaign, KKCN in San Angelo came in for a few spins this week!   It is always a plus when a CC station will give an indie artist some spins. Thanks to ALL the stations that have been spinning the song. 

When I released my previous singles it took far less spins to hit the Top 50 than it does now, so I appreciate every station who is playing "It's All Texas Music to Me".

We also have done super on the Roots Music Report, Number 9 last week. I got an email that they were going to review the 'Heartbreak Grill & Bar' CD next week - we are keeping our fingers crossed for a good review as a lot of people visit their site.

mc