Thank you for visiting my site. Here you will find lots of blog posts and photos describing my work in nature conservation as well as links and vids to the catalogue of music that I have created.
I’m kind of obsessed with tunes I guess. There has always been one floating around in my head. Might be a new one of mine, or it might be someone else’s that I love. I’m naturally nervous and the tune generator in my head seems to be a by product of that. Picking up the guitar is an important way of channeling complex emotions in ways I’ve never been able, or even wanted to do with words. Which is why I love creating instrumental music.
So I’m very fortunate to be able to describe myself as an award-winning multi-instrumentalist and composer. For example my album “Lichens” won the One World Music Award for Best Instrumental Album in 2015. Prior to that, in 2009, I was gobsmacked to be signed to the Real Music/Myndstream label with whom I released 4 albums. I now enjoy complete independence and creative freedom as an artist, but I am grateful to those that have helped me along the way.
I’m so lucky and grateful that my music has been played 60 million times on streaming platforms like Pandora and Spotify during that time. It ranges from solo acoustic guitar to melodic, cinematic sounds drawn from folk, jazz, new age and rock.
Some more kind quotes from music reviewers…
“The beauty of Mike Howe’s music does not come from an exhilarating execution that will take your breath away. Instead he produces melodies that will allow you to take a deep breath and forget about the worries that each and every day brings”.
“…..It is difficult to classify Howe’s music, but his simple, straightforward songs reflect folk traditions with a contemporary sensibility. More than anything, this music is humble, heartfelt, and strikingly beautiful”.
Thank you for dropping by. If you’ve any questions my contact details are on the contact page on this site.
Awards:
2015: WINNER: One World Music Radio Awards: Best Acoustic Instrumental Album – Lichens
2015: Nomination: Hollywood Music and Media Awards: Best Instrumental Composition -“Remember” from the album “Lichens”
2011: Nomination: ZMR Awards: Best Instrumental Album – Island of Anywhere
2010: Nomination: ZMR Awards: Best Instrumental Album – Round River
2009: Nomination: ZMR Awards: Best New Artist – Time Stands Still
Mike Howe 
Enjoy your peaceful compositions and playing style.
I’ve been playing guitar every day for more than 40 years, and this is wonderful music. Thank you for putting it out there.
Thank you!
Thank you Doug I’m glad you like it, great to know from a fellow guitarist!
nothing is said….all is heard…..river keeps flowing……into the silence Thank you
Hi Soundeagle, thank so much for your great comments. Your essays look very interesting and inspiring, congratulations! Keep up the great work and thank you so much for your kind comments 🙂 Best wishes, Mike
Dear Mike,
I am delighted by your reply, and I would like to inform you that when you visit my blog, it is preferrable to use a desktop or laptop computer with a large screen to view the rich multimedia contents available for heightening your multisensory enjoyment at my blog, which could be too powerful and feature-rich for iPad, iPhone, tablet or other portable devices to handle properly or adequately.
Furthermore, since my intricate blog contains advanced styling and multimedia components plus dynamic animations, it is advisable to avoid viewing the contents of my blog using the WordPress Reader, which cannot show many of the advanced features and animations in my posts and pages. It is best to read the posts and pages directly in my blog so that you will be able to savour and relish all of the refined and glorious details plus animations.
I look forward to reading your forthcoming comment submitted to my said post entitled “We have Paleolithic Emotions; Medieval Institutions; and God-like Technology“.
Happy February to you very soon!
Yours sincerely,
SoundEagle
I am grieving the loss of my 21 year old son to a seizure. Your music reaches that place of deep hurt but also of bittersweet love and hope. From a momma’s heart…thank you Sweet Friend.
I’m so sorry for your loss. I can’t even imagine what you’re going through. Please accept my deepest sympathy, I’m so sorry x
Love your music Mike! It is so good to hear you are very much involved with ecology and preserving the natural environment, for future generations to enjoy as well! Thank you!
Thank you Kathy that’s really kind of you!
Hi Mike,your special,deep and beautiful music touch me in a way that easily connet me with my heart and make me feel happy to be alive and have appreciation for every day…..I never get tired of it.
Mike, you have an inmense God talent and with your music you make this world a beautiful and peaceful place to be; I can keep going on and on …..just today, tears of joy and gratitude came out my eyes listening to your unique music and reading the expresive post that people had done. THANK YOU ! from the bottom of my heart!
Manuel Yaconi
Manuel thank you very much, your words are so kind, I appreciate them very much. I do hope you continue to enjoy my music. I have a new single release in July, I hope you’ll enjoy that too. All the best and thank you again, Mike
I’m really enjoying the 4 songs that stream on the “Mike Howe radio” feature of your website. Was wondering how you selected these particular songs? Are they personal favorites of yours? My favorite is “Clouds.” So peaceful and beautiful :))
Thanks I seleceted them a few years ago and haven’t changed it since. I should probably add some more or maybe delete the widget as you can hear lots more tracks on the listen to music tab on the toolbar. Thanks for commenting!
Hi Mike, Want you to know how glad I am to have found your beautiful music with no lyrics to take my mind away from the beauty… Found you and your albums through Pandora – enjoying Lichens as we speak!
Hi thanks so much for your kind words, I’m so glad you like it 😃
Is this mike home from metal church?
Hi Jason, no I’m a different Mike Howe, but I wrote about the late great Mike Howe of Metal Church here…https://mikehowe.com/2021/08/03/sadness-for-the-real-mike-howe/
Mike,
Today Spotify has introduced me to your music for the first time and quickly aroused my curiosity about you which led me to your site here. What a treasure I’ve found. I totally agree with you your music is quite complete without lyrics. I’ve been listening all day to your various albums after downloading them and it amazes me how your ecology background comes flowing through load and clear. You have quite the talent. I have been a musician wannabe for many many years and yes with very similar interests in music and ecology. But I’ve found it necessary in my case that in order to pay the bills I had to pursue other careers. I’m so thankful there are folks out there though that carry on such good and important work and are able to share it with the rest of the world. Please keep the music coming!
Hi Jerry
Thanks so much for such kind comments and thoughts. Firstly I’m thrilled that you like my music and can identify with it so warmly. It means a lot to me to hear that. I’ve been very lucky to work for most of my life in the conservation field and, even though I love making music, I wouldn’t ever want to stop, I getvfar too much pleasure and satisfaction from the beautiful places I help conserve. I never stop learning about nature, there’s simply too much to learn, and it’s a privilege to be able to apply that knowledge and experience on a daily basis to wonderful landscapes here in Wales.
I’d be glad to know more about your ecological interests too sometime, and I’m intruiged when you say musician wannabe?
Thanks again for taking the trouble to comment.
Mike,
I just discovered your site.
I began listening to music from your album ‘Lichens’; gradually became conscious that my heart-rate was slowing; and a warm feeling of peace has settled in.
Wonderful way to begin my day. Thank you !! John
Hi John
I’m so glad to hear that the music on Lichens had such a positive effect upon you, and thank you for taking the trouble to let me know.
That’s a very fine name you have there by the way 😉
Hello Mike, i’ve started listening to your music a few months ago and i like it a lot. you’re a fine artist, my little baby girl stays listening to your songs while i’m rocking her in my arms. thanks for sharing your inner inspiration and your love for nature, Keep on giving us great music.
Regards from Peru.
Miguel that is such a lovely message thank you so much. It is such a nice feeling to know that you and your baby girl are enjoying my music so far away from me in Peru! Thank you for taking the time to tell me, I am very grateful.
Best wishes
Mike
Greetings Mike: the other day I stumbled upon you and your exquisite music for the first time. It stopped me in my tracks and took my breath away — I just went quiet inside, into a place of peace and rhythm that then let itself be carried by your many songs that are now joyfully having their way with me. I find it astonishing how the breadth and depth of your consciousness can be felt through the distinctive signature and healing/awakening presence of your music. As you know well, to discover music that one has a profound recognition of and resonance with is rare, a gift beyond measure. Just had to introduce myself and, most of all, say a gracious thank you for your evident well-seasoned life journey that is remarkably infused into each of your unique pieces; for your gift of hearing and following and capturing the presence of sound and allowing it to take you wherever it wants; and for the immense and embracing quiet you carry which I experince infused into all your songs — in what I interpret as a honorable serenade of reverence to the finest in ourselves and the life all around us. I’m grateful for the real pleasure of crossing and now sharing paths, Mike.
Be well, Gavin Frye
Hi Gavin, thank you so much for your incredibly kind words, I genuinely appreciate the the thought and time you’ve taken to say such nice things. All I can say is that I am extremely flattered and touched to know that you have connected with my music in this way. I can tell from your blogs that we share a love for nature, and especially forests! You have the finest forests in the world in California – I’ve been lucky enough to visit them twice in the past – and I am green with envy that you can go visit them and take in their awesome beauty 🙂 Say hello to the magnificent trees for me next time you go! All the best, Mike
Just stumbled into your site Mike and already finding it fascinating.
Hi Rebecca, thank you for looking in on me I hope you like what you see/hear 🙂
I don’t know why I haven’t left a comment here before. You might have noticed that instrumentals are my favourite kind of music. It feels so good to browse through your site again, Mike.
Thanks Paula I always really appreciate your kind words 🙂
You’ve answered my questions. 🙂 Now I need to have a listen. 🙂 🙂
I’m honored Jo, I really hope you like what you hear 🙂
I did 🙂
Mike, you’re clearly doing what you’re meant to do. Those landscapes talk. Lovely palette.
Thanks Rufus much appreciated 🙂
Were you first an ecologist and then a composer/recording artist? I am very interested in knowing how this all came to be? I think your music is very beautiful and impacting. And Ecology is such an amazing field!
Hi Silem, I was an ecologist before I started composing music, but I’ve been playing music since I was very young because I’ve always loved it. Having the ability to translate how I feel into original music was a dream that came true 🙂
Wow. That’s pretty admirable. Keep up the good work!