Michael Roach

"Roach's voice and guitar never ring more true" Washington Post

Michael Roach, one of thirteen children born to Ted and Sadie Roach of Washington, D.C., USA, sings and plays guitar in an East Coast style of blues first popularized in the early recordings of the 1920’s. After spending many years learning directly from master musicians such as John Jackson, John Cephas and Jerry Ricks, Michael has developed his own unique style, and blends that with his exceptional performance skills to entertain and delight audiences wherever he goes.

Over the past 30 years, Michael has played at more than 100 blues festivals around the world and conducted dozens of workshops throughout the USA and Europe. As a cultural arts performer, Michael has promoted African American culture through the medium of blues music. Among his many scholarly achievements, he has lectured for the Smithsonian Institute (USA), Oxford University (UK) and more recently at the University of Metz (France). In July 2004, he participated in the organization of a conference held at the University of Gloucestershire (UK) called ‘Overseas Blues–European Perspectives on African American Music’. The University Press of Mississippi published the papers from the conference in 2007.

It is said that a measure of a man is not who he knows, but who knows him. Michael Roach is a name that just about every blues aficionado and blues player of note is familiar with.

Discography

2019 Tryin' Times

2006 I Betcha!

2003 Cypress Grove

2000 Good News Blues

1997 The Blinds of Life 

1993 Ain't Got Me No Home