Musician, Artist, Singer/Songwriter

Michele's passion for music began at an early age. Born in Taylor, Michigan in 1961 she started singing in city choirs and writing songs. Moving north to Alpena, Michigan while in junior high school, she took up piano and accordion and at age 14 started performing in her uncle's family bar. Her first official song was written at age 12, and she picked up a guitar and her harmonicas to sing her way into a duo in the late 70's while in high school called Season's Change, (easy rock).

After school her family moved west, and Michele heading east to follow her music passion for a summer in Wildwood, NJ where she played for tips on the boardwalk. With unexpected health issues she followed her family to Portland, Oregon and spent the next year getting well. Regrouping she continued writing and playing occasional performances. For 30+ years Michele enjoyed the Northwest local music scene, playing a variety of genres during her time in Portland. From country to blues in the late 90's she eventually moved to her favorite genre “folk” performing as Crystal Moon, where she was joined by a variety of musicians throughout the years, as well as a performing as a solo artist accompanying herself with guitar, piano, harmonicas and vocals.

Singing in a smooth, clear and often haunting vocal, Michele's distinctive style of story telling encompasses her songs and reflect her deep compassion and empathy for the world we live in. With a relocation in 2014 to North Bend, Washington she continues to be inspired by the great Northwest and her new material is a reflection of that. Playing locally while continuing her artistic efforts as a songwriter and performer, she launches her long overdue debut EP “With You Now” in March 2016 and continues to work on her second album due sometime in the summer of 2016.

With five singles released in late fall of 2015, her only instrumental “Leaves Fall Down” was picked up by a publisher in Jan 2016. Her new album “With You Now” is a collection of songs from the past and songs of today, with her latest song "Home", reflecting in the beauty of the Northwest allowing you to feel inspired and even sense the love of community in which she calls home.

In hopes to offer monetary support to the "NW Fire Fund", Michele’s 2015 release of "Washington Is Burning" is dedicated to the Firefighters, EMT's, Police and "many others" who risked their lives during the tragic state fires. A portion of each download goes to support the NW Fire Fund and Red Cross for local natural disaster recovery.
 
Some of Michele's influences have been over the years and would include the likes of Sarah McLaughlin, Natalie Merchant, Nanci Griffith, The Civil War, Lucinda Williams, Rosie Ledet, Carole King, The Indigo Girls, The Guess Who, Dan Fogelberg, Shawn Colvin and Tracy Chapman.

For more information on this artist: www.michelemcnany.com