Alabama Mike

Alabama Mike is a hard-driving Chicago-style blues singer with the ability to make you feel as if you’ve revisited the early CHESS RECORDS days. He's a force on the microphone with a first rate, church house tenor’, that he was blessed with. He has a sound that will remind you of a young BB King or Buddy Guy, Elmore James and Little Johnny Taylor.
Alabama Mike was born Michael Benjamin in Talladega Alabama in 1964. This was where he spent all of his formative years. Early on, he was musically influenced by his father Joseph Benjamin. Joseph was a very talented quartet, tenor vocalist from whom he inherited that soulful, gospel drenched approach to his vocal style. He sings low down blues or uptown soul with the style and finesse of a vocal master.

He has been nominated for by the Blues Foundation for Traditional Blues Artist Of The Year 2011 and Traditional Blues Band Of The Year 2014 with The Hound Kings . He won Traditional Blues Artist Of The year 2010 by the Bay Area Blues Society. In addition, he has played major festivals, both domestically and internationally. He has to date released several solo projects that are available on most digital platforms. The most recent releases being, “Upset The Status Quo” which includes the hits MISSISSIPPI and Restraining Order and also a Big Tone Records release entitled “Hip You To My Blues”. He has collaborated and shared the stage with many industry giants including, Kid Andersen, D’Mar Martin, Anson Funderburgh & The Rockets, Bob Corritore, Rick Estrin & The Nightcats, Toni Tone Tony, Big Jon Atkinson, Jim Pugh, Jerry Jemmott, Bob Corritore , Kim Wilson and many others. In his latest tour, Alabama Mike joined the Andy T Band featuring Anson Funderburgh. Alabama’s works locally with, The Mighty Regulators, includes Ronnie Smith (Drums), AJ Joyce (Bass), Bernard Anderson (Sax) and Bobby Young (Guitar) who are all bringing great music to the San Francisco Bay area blues scene.

Event Venue & Nearby Stays

The Sound Room, 3022 Broadway, Oakland, United States