Mike Cross is a veteran touring musical storyteller who has wowed audiences with his guitar, fiddle playing, and friendly persona. Mike also plays Delta blues on a 12-string guitar, sings original songs and even performs a mean Irish jig. His backwoods humor and intimate communication with audiences are his trademarks. In many ways Mike is a disciple of his old friend, the late Gamble Rogers.
Mike was born in Marysville, Tennessee in 1946 and he grew up in the Appalachian Mountains, a region well known for producing storytelling folk artists. Mike was a promising golfer on a scholarship, but a funny thing happened on the way to college – he met a girl. He gave up his golf scholarship and sold his clubs. That’s when he learned a few chords on the guitar from a friend. From there, he knew he had found his calling in life.
Thirteen albums later and after logging thousands of miles on the road, Mike became a homebody to tend to his kids. Now that they are pursuing the higher learning he left behind, he is free to tour with his wife as his sound engineer. EU caught up with Mike to learn more about his life and times.
“Well, I’m now in a position to return to a full schedule of touring. The kids are off in college so my wife Cindy and I are free to travel. I haven’t recorded a studio album in five years, but I’ve released two new CDs At Large in the World and Michael’s Magic Music Box, which is a collection of songs I wrote after taking my eldest son to school each day. I guess you could call Music Box a family album.”
He gladly reminisced about his times with Gamble.
“I can’t recall any specific milestones, but I do have fond memories of clubs I’ve played in Florida and, of course, my memories of my traveling buddies Gamble Rogers and Utah Philips. My contact with Gamble was mostly up in Canada where I’d share bills with him and Utah Philips. I was a rookie, but Gamble always treated me with respect and was always ready to share his knowledge of guitar. I learned a lot from Gamble about life and performing.”
Although Florida native Gamble Rogers has long been a local hero, he was also something of a nationally known celebrity before his untimely death saving a drowning man at Flagler Beach in 1991. As the front man for the Serendipity Singers, he appeared on the Ed Sullivan Show and the Tonight Show, making his face familiar to people all over the world. After leaving The Singers, he went on to gain prominence in his own right by touring the country with his folk music and famous storytelling skills. A true modern bard.
“Now, everywhere I go, people of my age talk about Gamble being their friend, although I know that they probably only saw him play live. But that’s a tribute to Gamble. He treated everyone like a friend. To know him or see him play was to be his friend. He was warm and attentive when people talked to him. Gamble was a generous person with his time and his craft. He always considered himself a part of the human experience, and never put himself above anyone. He considered himself a country boy who played music,” said Cross.
Gamble left his family’s tradition of being an architect to bring his stories of the fictional Oklawaha County, Florida to his fans all over the world. A regular on various National Public Radio programs, especially All Things Considered, he had many friends through American and Canadian public broadcasters. Robin and Linda Williams were featured in the movie A Prairie Home Companion, and they were friends with Gamble. They will be joining Cross at the Gamble Rogers Folk Festival, so you can expect plenty of heartwarming stories about this phenomenal man.
Due to his act of heroism, a park in Flagler Beach was dedicated to him and now there is even a St. Augustine Middle School that bears his name. In death he is an inspiration to many, but in life he was a real influence on musicians such as Jimmy Buffet and Mike Cross. Buffet even dedicated his album, Fruitcakes, to Gamble shortly after Gamble’s death.
“Interestingly, the way he died was most fitting and proved his giving nature. He drowned trying to save two complete strangers. When I heard how he died, I thought that if there was a perfect way for Gamble to go out, that was it. Gamble’s prime directive was communicating to audiences through his stories with humor and musical excellence. He truly cared about people,” said Cross.
Although Cross has been influenced by Gamble, his act is a show of his own and not an extension of Gamble’s work.
“As I traveled around, I considered Gamble an influence, but I developed a unique act that includes playing fiddle and reaching people on an emotional level. That’s why I love the Gamble Rogers Folk Festival. It’s not only a fitting tribute to Gamble but it brings families together in RVs and tents to sit around the campfire and sing songs and tell stories. I feel blessed to be a part of that scene. These festivals are true Americana, and will never go out of style. As long as I can still play and perform, I will be touring the festivals and clubs doing my thing.”
The 13th annual three day Gamble Fest happens on May 2nd, 3rd, and 4th, 2008. In years past the festival has always been held at the St. Augustine Amphitheatre, but the directors of the festival decided this year that the St. John’s County Fairgrounds would be a more conducive atmosphere to multiple stages, multiple events, and family camping. With six stages loaded with performances by everyone from The Carolina Chocolate Drops, who did the soundtrack for Oprah’s recent motion picture The Great Debaters, to master guitarist Stevie Coyle, there will be plenty of great performances staged throughout the weekend. Go to gamblefest.com for a complete schedule or visit gamblerogers.com for more information about Gamble Rogers.
Article Published in the April 2008 Issue of EU Jacksonville
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