ABOUT
Detroit singer-songwriter Mike Ward is known for his lyrically-centric, vocally-charged folk songs. Born in the 50’s, he grew up through the conscious-raising 60’s, where a new awareness of the world was colliding around him (for both good and bad). Mike sat in at sit-ins, marched, volunteered, ran for student government, sang protest songs - even wrote a few - and was always involved when the rights of others were at stake. He took influence from the likes of Bob Dylan, Jackson Browne, Marvin Gaye and Joan Baez, with his own songs offering a dose of self-deprecating humor in the vein of John Prine, Louden Wainwright III and Christine Lavin.
Mike has an intimate songwriting style that reflects family, community and the world that surrounds us. His own fear of leaving that world without making a difference in the lives of others is part of what drives him. How can any of us rest with so much work to be done?
Ward brings a unique perspective to his songwriting after having spent 40 years working in the advertising industry while continuing a lifelong passion for hockey, which resulted in his infamous nickname “PsychoWard.” His debut album, We Wonder, released in 2018, was named “Best Folk Album of 2019” by Phil Maq of 89.3-FM (WHFR).
In 2019, Ward immersed himself into the songwriting community in Detroit as well as Folk Alliance Region Midwest (FARM) and several online groups. This led to an association with David Roof of Rooftop Recording as well as collaborations with some of Michigan’s finest songwriters and musicians who would contribute mightily on his future projects.
Ward released his second album in 2021, “The Darkness and The Light”, as a thoughtful way to highlight past struggles, including regret and loss, and champion the need for hope in a changing world. The album landed at #33 on the Folk Alliance International (FAI) folk charts in March 2021.
A year later, Ward dropped “Particles to Pearls”, which explores the love of family and the passage of time. In addition to multiple Detroit Music Award recognitions, he received an honorable mention in the Great River Folk Fest Songwriting Contest for the song “Letting Go.”
In Spring 2023, Mike released his fourth album “Love Never Rests”, featuring 11 introspective tracks that examine observations about life, love and loss along with relationships of the past, present and future. That same year, Mike was named a finalist in the Rocky Mountain Songwriting Contest for the song "Currency of Forgiveness" . In August of 2024, Mike released a new six-song project titled "Still Troubled" containing two new songs and four previously released songs all dedicated to the social fabric of the country.
In 2025, Mike released two singles, “The Heart Must Pay The Price” & “Transistor Dreams”. And on July1, a 12 song album, titled "The Time That Remains".
TOURING
Mike performs across the state of Michigan and has been hosted at small venues and house shows from Milwaukee to Kansas City, Colorado, New Mexico, Ohio and New York. Some notable venues are Wheatland Folk Festival, Blissfest, Forest Trail Festival, FARM DJ Showcase, Thumbfest, HollerFest, Thunder Bay Folk Fest, Trinity House Theatre, Wiltsie’s, Michigan State Fair, Columbus Folk Society, FolkNet and Look About Lodge (Cleveland MetroParks) Cleveland OH, On The Tracks Series-Chelsea Depot, Coffee House Milwaukee, Pete’s Candy Store, Brooklyn, NY, Over Yonder House Concerts, Wesley’s Place, LaGrange, IL, Music at The Gazebo House Concert Series, Farmhouse Folk, PJ’s Lager House, North Star Lounge, Ann Arbor, MI, The Clover Room, Kalamazoo, MI, The Starlight Room, Muskegon, MI, Fitzgerald’s Side Bar, Berwyn, IL, Two Way Street, Downers Grove, IL and WFMT FolkStage, Chicago, IL
RECOGNITIONS
2025 1st Alternate Finalist Songwriter Showcase Rocky Mountain Folks Festival
2025 Finalist Michigan Music Awards "Songwriter of the Year"
2024 Finalist Rocky Mountain Songwriting Contest
2023 Honorable Mention Telluride Troubadour Songwriting Competition
2023 Finalist - Detroit Music Awards Outstanding Americana Recording & Songwriter
2022 DJ Showcase Folk Alliance Region Midwest (FARM) introduced by Marilyn Rae Beyer,
The Midnight Special WFMT 98.7FM
2022 Finalist & Honorable Mention - Great River Folk Festival Songwriting Contest
The Darkness and The Light reached #31 on FAI Folk DJ Charts | Detroit Music Awards Finalist for Vocalist and Songwriter
"Philby Awards"by Phil Maq of WHFR 89.3FM "Particles to Pearls" Best Male Folk Album 2022,
"Our Turn To Shine" Song of the Year 2022 and "We Wonder" - Best Folk Album 2019
RADIO, STREAMING & PODCASTS
Music My Mother Would Not Like (Bruce Swan and Louise Baker), Folk Project New Jersey, Ron Olesko’s Folk Music Notebook Shelter in Place Showcase, Jon Stein’s Hootenanny Cafe Showcase, John Bommarito’s Acoustic Alternatives, Charlie’s Open Mic Acoustic Showcase with Charlie Mosbrook and The Stratton Setlist