BIO - FULL

Award-winning 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). After beginning in church choirs and listening to countless Irish songs of rebellion, he took influences from the likes

of Dylan, Jackson Browne and Joan Baez and blended a dose of self-deprecating humor in the vein of John Prine, Louden Wainwright III and Christine Lavin.

 

Mike employs an intimate songwriting style deeply rooted in family, community and the world

that surrounds us. His fear of leaving the world without making a difference in the lives of others,

is part of what drives him. He asks,”how can any of us rest with so much work to be done?” In fact, he gives back often with proceeds from recordings and live shows going to organizations who serve the homeless and stand up for democracy.

 

Ward brings a unique perspective to his songwriting after having spent 40 years working in the creative side of advertising crafting TV ads for brands such as Chiquita Bananas and La-Z-Boy.  A lifelong passion for hockey gave him the nickname “PsychoWard”, thus Psychosongs was born.

 

Throughout his first two albums, (We Wonder and The Darkness & The Light), Mike found thoughtful ways to highlight past struggles, regret, joy, yearning and the need for hope in a changing world. 

 

The next project was born out of the pandemic where Mike (like many) found that songwriting helped him passionately cope with what was happening everywhere around him. The end product resulted in three albums (Particles to Pearls, Love Never Rests and Still Troubled) which explored the need for connections, love and loss, the passage of time (from someone with more miles behind than in front of him) and the issues facing the hearts and spines of our country. He is extremely proud that several of these songs were recognized by songwriting competitions.

 

On July1, 2025 a 12 song album titled The Time That Remains was released. Bookended by two songs that are contemporary hymns for our time, the album is a collection of prayers, parables and pet peeves. The song "Paul" garnered Mike a first alternate in the 2025 Rocky Mountain Folks Festival Songwriting Competition.While the album landed at #13 on the Folk DJ International charts and songs “Instrument for Good” came in at #8 and “Why Not” came in at #12.

 

Most recently Mike co-wrote and released the single,Walk Up This Hill with award-winning songwriter, Dave Boutette in a collaborative with Annie Bacon, Kristi Davis and Jim Latini called Big Sky Company.

 

Throughout all the releases and recordings, Mike continues to bring his heartfelt stories, wry sense of humor , energy and tender melodies to audiences across the state of Michigan, the Midwest and beyond. 

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DISCOGRAPHY

Walk Up This Hill 2026 (single as part of Big Sky Company)

Welcome Home 2025 (single)

The Time That Remains 2025 (For the month of July, the album landed at #13 on the top 50 Folk DJ International charts. Plus, the song “Instrument for Good” came in at #8 and “Why Not” came in at #12. Mike was also #16 for top artist.)

Still Troubled 2024 (includes Troubled Times)

Love Never Rests 2023

Particles to Pearls 2022  |  The Darkness and The Light 2021   

Career Advice Single 2021  |  We Wonder 2018 

 

RECOGNITIONS

2026 Honorable Mention Telluride Troubedour Songwriter Contest "Somebody's Home"

2025 1st Alternate Finalist Songwriter Showcase Rocky Mountain Folks Festival "Paul"

2025 Finalist Great River Folk Fest Songwriter Contest "Currency of Frogiveness"

2025 The Time That Remains reach #13 on Folk DJ Charts (with Instrument for Good at #8 and Why Not at #12)

2025 Finalist Michigan Music Awards "Songwriter of the Year"

2024 Finalist Rocky Mountain Songwriting Contest "Currency of Forgiveness"

2023 Honorable Mention Telluride Troubadour Songwriting Competition

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 "Letting Go"

The Darkness and The Light reached #31 on FAI Folk DJ Charts | Detroit Music Awards Finalist for Vocalist and Songwriter

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NOTABLE VENUES

Wheatland Folk Festival, Blissfest, FARM DJ Showcase, Nor East'r Music Festival, ThumbFest, HollerFest, Forest Trail Festival, River & Rhythm Festival, Thunder Bay Folk Fest, Trinity House Theatre, 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, Farmhouse Folk, PJ's Lager House, Ghost Light, Hamtramck, MI, North Star Lounge, Ann Arbor, MI, The Stray, Grand Rapids, MI,The Clover Room, Kalamazoo, MI, Fitzgerald's Side Bar, Berwyn, IL, Two Way Street, Downers Grove, IL, The Robin Theatre (support by Ten Pound Fiddle) Lansing, MI, Deer Creek Coffeehouse Darlington, MD and WFMT FolkStage, Chicago, IL

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RADIO, STREAMING & PODCASTS

Folk Festival with Lilli Kuzma WDCB FM, 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