Mike Maimone

Piano-playing singer/songwriter and producer from Ashtabula, OH. Chicago was home for 12 years, 3 in Nashville, located in Los Angeles since 2022.

CAREER HIGHLIGHTS:
- 100,000+ followers across socials
- Averaged over 100 tour dates/year since 2005 as a solo artist, with his band, his trio Mutts, and as a session keyboardist, including legendary venues like the Fillmore in San Francisco, Cain’s Ballroom in Tulsa, the Troubador in LA, to the Bowery Ballroom in NYC
- Played Lollapolooza, Riot Fest, Sasquatch!, Forecastle, Summer Camp, and other festivals
- Performed on stage with Stevie Wonder
- 56 independent releases since 2008, including 13 albums, which have sold out of several vinyl and CD pressings
- Toured supporting Plain White T’s, Blues Traveler, OK Go, Murder By Death, opened for Imagine Dragons, Weezer, Blink 182, JD McPherson, and more
- Catalog contains 200 published original songs, including film/TV placements
- Following the loss of his husband in 2023, Mike released a critically praised tribute album of covers that sold out venues in LA, NYC, and Chicago.
- Named an artist of the week in Feb 2020 by Lightning 100FM in Nashville

PRESS QUOTES:
"Mike Maimone is a multifaceted and innovative artist artist whose music defies categorization. Equal parts moody piano man, emotional bartender, and armchair psychologist, he brings an infectious blend of groove, introspection, and atmosphere." - LA Weekly

"Maimone plays the blues, but with a swampy New Orleans-influenced sound reminiscent of Dr. John or Leon Russell." - Jenn White, NPR

BIO:
Mike Maimone is a singer-songwriter, pianist, and producer whose music and life story are defined by resilience, passion, and authenticity. Born and raised in Ashtabula, Ohio, he grew up as an all-state athlete, even playing basketball against LeBron James, while also studying classical piano. After earning a business degree, he briefly worked as an accountant before leaving the corporate world behind to pursue music full-time.

A deep well of life experience informs his songwriting, which blends raw storytelling with an electrifying performance style. The Windy City Times described his raucous piano style as a mix of Fats Waller and Jerry Lee Lewis, while his growling, soulful vocals recall the likes of Tom Waits and Warren Zevon.

In January 2020, Maimone moved to Nashville and quickly immersed himself in the city’s vibrant music scene. Within weeks, he was named a Lightning 100 FM Local Artist of the Week. When the COVID-19 pandemic put an abrupt halt to live performances, he shifted gears, creating the visual album isolation:001: the movie, which was accepted into multiple film festivals.

As live music returned, he released Broke, Not Broken in June 2021, an album recorded with his band in Chicago before the pandemic. Just as it was set to debut, he was hospitalized with pericarditis and forced to cancel his tour. True to his relentless work ethic, he filmed a music video for “F.M.L.” from his hospital bed, using only Instagram Stories to capture the footage in 14-second clips. Shortly after recovering, his seven-year relationship ended, marking yet another major turning point.

A year later, Maimone met renowned PR guru Howard Bragman, and the two quickly became inseparable. Over the next year, they split their time between Nashville and Los Angeles while Maimone released six singles in anticipation of Mookie’s Big Gay Mixtape. Their relationship deepened, and they were engaged in February 2023, when Bragman was diagnosed with acute monocytic leukemia. They married in the hospital on February 10, and the following evening, Bragman passed away. His final request was for Maimone to perform “The Best” at his memorial—a wish he honored, following a performance of “God Bless the Child” with Stevie Wonder.

In the wake of his loss, Maimone postponed promotion of Mookie’s Big Gay Mixtape and instead channeled his grief into a tribute album. Borrowed Tunes, Vol. 2: Songs for You featured covers of songs that held deep personal meaning for him and Bragman. The album was released in August 2023, followed by three sold-out release shows in Los Angeles, New York City, and Chicago, with all revenue going to the Trevor Project. The final performance was recorded and later released as a live album in February 2024.

On top of being a prolific recording artist, Maimone has averaged over 100 tour dates per year since 2005. Whether performing as a solo artist, fronting his trio Mutts, or playing keys for acts like Company of Thieves and Los Colognes, he has taken the stage at legendary venues such as The Fillmore in San Francisco and the Hammerstein Ballroom in New York City, as well as festivals including Lollapalooza, Sasquatch!, Summer Camp, Forecastle, and Riot Fest. He has opened for Blink-182, Weezer, and Imagine Dragons and has toured with OK Go, Plain White T’s, Blues Traveler, Murder By Death, and The Hold Steady.

His music has also made its way into pop culture, with “God, Country, Grave” featured in an HBO Max Banshee sex scene and “Let’s Go” added to the Chicago Cubs’ Wrigley Field playlist.

Beyond music, Maimone has completed his first book, a memoir chronicling his whirlwind year of love, loss, and healing.