Michael Capella: Bio

Michael Capella's songs and musical style began to evolve with his mother's love of music. At a young age she introduced him to the Weavers; Simon & Garfunkel; Glen Campell; Bob Dylan; Mammas & Pappas, Peter, Paul & Mary; and eventually the Beatles, Rolling Stones, Led Zeppelin and many others. Michael started playing acoustic guitar at the age of fourteen so he could accompany himself on songs by artists such as James Taylor, Arlo Guthrie, Neil Young; Crosby, Stills & Nash; John Prine, and Cat Stevens. As a fourth generation Californian growing up in greater Sacramento area, Michael spent many evenings singing around beach and camp fires in northern California camp grounds such as MacKerricher Beach in Fort Bragg and Folsom Lake.

In his early twenties he fell in love with the sound of pedal steel guitar in Elton John's "Country Comfort" and CSN&Y's "Teach Your Children". He found a pedal steel guitar book by Winnie Winston in a used book store, and after reading it decided to buy his first pedal steel (MSA double neck) and hide out in the spare room for over a year learning how to play it. Over the past twenty-five years Michael has played steel with a number of Santa Cruz and Santa Rosa area bands and artists including: Change of Pace, Joe Richie, The Sedans, Bob Reid and the Dads, Jessie Chishom, Ginny Mitchell, Hot Spur, Almost Cut My Hair, and Joe Valley.

He has performed his songs in Northern California as a solo artist, in the duo Capella & Jones, with Late Harvest and most recently Under the Radar (dobro & acoustic guitar). His most recent projects are the Roadhouse Ramblers (pedal steel & guitar), and a Linda Ronstat tribute band in Santa Cruz area. He has been co-writing and performing with Jaclyn Steele, a talented Atlanta based artist, since 2012.

Although he wrote and co-wrote a few songs back in the late 70's and early 80's, he hadn't written a song in over fifteen years when a close friend's wedding inspired him to craft "The Space was Empty". Once that spring was tapped a steady river of songs has begun to flow, typically drawn from life's experiences, his and those around him.

"These Days", Michael's first CD of original songs, was released in 2006. "Test of Time", his second CD of original music, was released in 2007. Under the Radar released "Beyond the Niche", containing 4 Capella originals, in 2009. Jaclyn Steele's 2014 self-titled EP is comprised of four Capella-Steele co-writes and two Capella originals.