HEADLINERS 2022
MICHAEL CLEVELAND and Flamekeeper
Indiana-born Michael Cleveland was dealt a menu of anatomical challenges that could have put him on an entirely different trajectory . Thankfully , for music lovers , he was shown a different way .
by JOE MACK
“ M y parents and grandparents introduced me to bluegrass music at a young age , and the music was always there ,” Cleveland said in a recent OIBF exclusive interview , “ but they weren ’ t pushy at all . My grandparents hosted the biggest bluegrass show in the area in Henryville , where I was born , and people would come from all over to play . The show would go from 7-11 p . m ., with 30 minute slots for bands , and there were nights not all the bands would get to perform on stage . There ’ d be bands tuning up in the basement , bands jamming in the parking lot , just music everywhere . I look back at what we had and what we were in the middle of , and realize now how good we had it back then .”
Cleveland , now known as one of the top fiddle players in the world , wasn ’ t born with enhanced musical genetics either .
“ None of my family ever played at all . My grandma was interested in music , but just never got the opportunity to pursue it . I don ’ t know what really got my grandparents into bluegrass , but I ’ m glad they did ,” Cleveland reflects . “ When I was seven years old , my dad said , ‘ son , you can do this as long as you want to ; don ’ t think that you have to do it .’ I see parents get excited because their kid is talented , and the parents try to live out their dreams and fantasies through their kids . If a kid gets to choose that musical path , that ’ s great , but kids
sometimes don ’ t get to be kids as a result of their parents pushing them .”
Nowadays , the only thing Cleveland is pushing is the envelope . Oklahoma ’ s own musical treasure Vince Gill took note of the fiddling phenom years ago .
“ He plays fearless and it ’ s intoxicating to play with him , because he makes you play fearless . It ’ s wicked to see how much music he pulls out of a bow . He ’ s untouchable ,” Gill said .
Banjo savant Bela Fleck also took note of Cleveland ’ s mastery of the fiddle , and recently employed Michael ’ s talents in the studio during the making of My Bluegrass Heart , a double album featuring over a dozen of the best players in the genre . A massive tour of rotating cast members has ensued since COVID-19 has waned , and Cleveland has been on board for most of the dates . “ He ’ s on the A-team ,” Fleck mused .
“ I learned a couple Bela tunes for this big jam in Nashville , then we get to the jam , and we ’ re taping … and we never played them ,” Cleveland laughed . “ When it was over and we were all about to leave I went up to him and told him I ’ d learned those tunes , and could we play them before we left that night . He said , ‘ Oh , you learned those !?’ We laughed , then he obliged to play through them with me .”
“ I write some pretty hard stuff sometimes , but I ’ m working on some new stuff that I think you ’ d
OKLAHOMA ’ S INTERNATIONAL BLUEGRASS FESTIVAL 2022 / 3