Micah Kesselring has performed blues music since he was 14 years old. Raised in the Appalachia foothills of southeastern Ohio, Kesselring quickly made his way onto the Columbus blues music scene after playing smaller hometown shows, and became acquainted with the Columbus Blues Alliance. He soon made his way down to Memphis, TN for the International Blues Challenge, representing the Columbus Blues Alliance in the Youth Showcase category. Following a performance at the Blues City Cafe on Beale Street, he was awarded the inaugural Generation Blues scholarship at the age of 15 to the Centrum Port Townsend Acoustic Blues Festival & Workshop in Port Townsend, Washington, which was presented to him by Cassie Taylor at the IBC band finals. Micah later went on to perform as a special guest with the Otis Taylor Band at the Blues Music Awards in May of 2009, and performed at numerous festivals, including the Heritage Music Bluesfest in Wheeling, WV, the Traditional Acoustic Blues Festival in Worthington, OH, the Grey Skies Blues Fest in Tacoma, WA, Creekside Blues & Jazz Festival in Gahanna, OH and the Big Bend Blues Bash in Pomeroy, OH throughout the next couple of years.
Micah represented the Kentucky Blues Society and The Pomeroy Blues and Jazz Society, at the 2010, and 2011 International Blues Challenges, respectively, and advanced to the semi finals both times. Micah had the honor of performing with Hubert Sumlin and Bob Margolin in January of 2011 for the Dayton Blues Society Winter Blues Showcase at Gilly's Jazz Club, and later that spring completed a 3-week tour of Florida as a member of the Sean Carney Band (2007 IBC Band Champion). He has since performed many shows with Sean, and established a strong mentorship with him as well. Micah was awarded the highly coveted John Cephas Scholarship in both 2011 and 2012, returning again to the Port Townsend Acoustic Blues Festival.
In 2012, Micah won the Columbus Blues Alliance Blues Challenge and represented the CBA at the 2013 International Blues Challenge, where he was once again a semi-finalist. While in Memphis, Micah appeared and performed on WREG's Live at 9 Morning Show, which was broadcast live on CBS and aired during the IBC. Three months later, Micah was a recipient of the Blues Foundation's Generation Blues Scholarship, and once again returned to the Port Townsend Acoustic Blues Festival and Workshop.
On August 17th, Micah performed at the 2013 Project Blues Review, and had the pleasure of meeting and performing with Keb' Mo'. Soon after, he picked up an endorsement from Ernie Ball. In October, he released his debut album, Log Cabin Blues, and traveled up to Cleveland for the Cleveland Blues Society's Blues Challenge, where he was the solo/duo champion. Micah represented the CBS at the 2014 International Blues Challenge in late January, where he advanced to the semi-finals.
2014 has been a busy year for Micah, opening up for the likes of legendary blues man Roy Book Binder and Juno Award-winning artist Ray Bonneville and completing two tours of Washington. "Preachin' the Blues," a track featured on 'Log Cabin Blues,' has gained significant airplay on SiriusXM's B.B. King's Bluesville. Micah was a special guest on the Dany Franchi Band's (from Genoa, Italy) brand new CD 'I Believe', performing slide guitar on the title track. Micah returned to the Port Townsend Acoustic Blues Festival in July, and a successful tour followed afterwards, including an appearance on Marlee Walker's Blues To Do TV and Jonathon 'Oogie' Richards Might Mouth Blues Radio Show. On August 29th, two days after Micah's 21st birthday, he traveled outside of the USA for the first time, headlining the 10-day Cali Blues & Folk Festival in Colombia, South America. There, Micah traveled to four different cites (Cali, Buga, Pereira, Palmira), performing blues music in historic theatres and auditoriums and teaching about the history of pre-war blues (alongside Dorrian Neymour, from St. Louis, MO) at different universities, schools, and activity centers. Heading immediately to Washington after Colombia, Micah retreated for a week to write for his new album, followed by a performance at the Leavenworth Music Festival. The 'Log Cabin Blues Live: In Washington EP' was released on November 18, compiling tracks performed at 88 Keys in Seattle, WA (from Marlee Walker's Blues to Do TV and Oogie's Mighty Mouth Radio Blues Show) and the Leavenworth Music Festival. In November, Micah performed at the world-famous Buddy Guy's Legends Club in Chicago, IL, and, in December, won a Blues411 Jimi Award in the Comin' Up Youth category. "Chef" Jimi Patricola added "Our winner so impressed me at the IBC’s last year and is burning up the road touring and playing."
Micah released his second album, entitled 'Cabin Fever Blues' on June 2nd, 2015. Self recording, producing, engineering, mixing, and mastering the album at home,Cabin Fever Blues features seven original compositions, and re-workings of four Delta blues classics. The album was completed in less than two weeks. 2015 has been a busy year, with festival bookings, teaching at the Port Townsend Acoustic Blues Festival, and the debut of the Micah Kesselring Band.
In 2016, Micah made the finals at the 32nd International Blues Challenge in Memphis, TN, placing in the Top 8 out of nearly 300 acts worldwide.
Micah is proud to endorse Ernie Ball and the Rock Slide. Check out their products at http://www.ernieball.com/ & http://www.therockslide.com/
