Hailing from the piney woods of southern Mississippi, Michael Hays grew up roaming the countryside and making up songs. From a very young age, Hays showed great promise at pretending to be a musician, a trait that inevitably led him to the guitar. Adolescent jam-box recordings gave way to high-school cover bands, finally transmuting across the divide and into the future.

Hays' move to Austin, Tx in the late 90's was steeped in music, performing and arranging experimental jazz fusion, workin...