Today we’d like to introduce you to Michael Rix.
Michael , we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
Michael Rix “Ricks” is an American banjo country artist and author in Nashville. He is best known for his skills as a banjo player and is recognized throughout the country. Ricks is the author of the book From Cult to Country: An Asthmatic’s Journey to Find More Air.
You’ve probably seen him in the Bank of America National marketing campaign of Ken Burns PBS “Country Music” (currently airing).
Spend five minutes with Michael Rix and two things become clear: He is no stranger to hardship and hard work. And, he is the most unique banjo player in country music today. Many words describe him. Take your pick: Country Songwriter. Gifted vocalist.
Multi- instrumentalist. Cult survivor. Actor.
Author. Banjo enthusiast. Mentor. Proud American. He has become well known in Nashville music circles since here a little over 10 years ago. He chuckles at the occasional quizzical looks he receives from listeners not accustomed to seeing a black banjo player performing country music. * knew I was different when I arrived in town,” he states.
“No one else playing the local bars and songwriter’s rounds looked or sounded like me. Banjo players are hard to come by and typically aren’t the lead instrument”. Lots of prayer and gut instinct told him he was home; and, that it was time to bring the banjo out of the shadows to center stage.
In 1990 a teenaged Michael Rix watched in silent horror as his baby brother was allowed to die by cult member parents who believed modern medicine was of the devil. His life had become increasingly bizarre since his parents withdrew from society and carried their children with them. In addition to eschewing all modern conveniences, Michael and his siblings performed manual labor around their secluded farm. Prayer was the only medication allowed, and Michael struggled to breathe daily due to having a severe case of asthma. Realizing he could suffer a similar fate to his baby brother, he mustered up the courage to tell his father he would leave one day and never return. When that day finally came, he stepped out on faith into a life of freedom, and never looked back!
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
“Country music has taught me that I was really a storyteller.
“A lot of what I was using music for was to escape the disappointment and pain that I was experiencing,” Rix says. “Music became a way for me to heal and kind of give me a way out of what I was experiencing.”
He started discovering artists like Susan Ashton, Amy Grant, Michael W. Smith, Kirk Franklin and Fred Hammond. He took songwriting inspiration from Wayne Kirkpatrick and Dan Huff. After attending college, Rix was selling cars in Ohio in 2007 when Nashville songwriter Wendell Mobley came onto the lot looking to buy a car for his parents. They talked about all of the artists Rix had mentioned and Mobley bought the car and left. But something about that interaction stuck with Rix.
“I just remember sitting in my office desk after that, staring out the window like, why in the heck did he come up here from Nashville and buy this car from me, know all those people that I had been reading about, and like, what was that?,” Rix recalls thinking.
“Three months later, they downsized all of us out of our jobs, and the economy crashed. A little over nine months later, I’m in Nashville, visiting a friend here that had got a record deal. We’re in Cool Springs in Franklin, my brakes go out, I get stranded here, and I can’t go back to Ohio. … That was my sign to stay here and work in country music. And little by little, I started making a path to work in country music.”
While driving for Uber during the day and playing songwriters rounds in the evenings to pay his bills, he came home to find his landlord had kicked him out. He ended up homeless for almost a whole year in 2016. He found help through GraceWorks and Pastor Kevin Riggs at the time, and now he serves on the board for the Williamson County Homeless Alliance.
“What humility to have after thinking well, you know, I’m college educated. I went to private schools; I had good parents, despite the fact that there was a little bit of a cult story there. I thought I was above being homeless. And I got tested very quick and learned that I was kind of prideful. And so, it gave me a heart for the homeless. … With the high cost of inflation and prices going up as cities like Franklin and Nashville become highly sought after locations to move to. It’s a big deal, maintaining your residence and especially being a creative freelancer, as I am, as a music artist.”
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
Around 2016, I bought his first banjo and watched lessons on YouTube to learn how to play. Now, Recording King Banjos Nashville endorses him.
“I kind of created my own combination of like flailing, finger picking and claw hammer kind of combination of playing,” Rix says. “I moved between those three styles, and so I really got excited about writing country music.”
Professional credits
Michael James Ricks II, known professionally as Michael Rix, is an American banjo-driven country artist, author, actor, and trauma survivor. Known for blending traditional country and bluegrass with deeply personal storytelling, Rix has appeared on national television, in international fashion events, and on the stages of major music festivals. His memoir, From Cult to Country: An Asthmatic’s Journey to Find More Air, recounts his upbringing in a cult and his path to healing through music.
Early Life and Background
Michael Rix was born in Toledo, Ohio, the eldest of nine children. Raised in a highly controlling religious cult led by Hobart Freeman, he endured emotional, psychological, and physical abuse. The group’s denial of modern medicine contributed to over 100 preventable deaths.
At age 12, Rix turned a wooden paddle used for punishment into a makeshift guitar. That act marked the beginning of his musical journey. He credits music with helping him survive trauma and anxiety and eventually reclaim his life.
Discography and Notable Releases
2024 – I Can See The Sun (Album)
Michael Rix’s breakout banjo-driven country album I Can See The Sun was released in 2024. The project combines contemporary country themes with bluegrass influence, spotlighting Rix’s signature banjo style. The album received 24 million streams across all platforms.
“Sounds Like Summertime” – Lead single, released in 2024
This summer anthem became a fan favorite, amassing 22 million streams across digital platforms.
2024 – A Very Banjo Christmas (EP)
A festive holiday EP showcasing banjo arrangements of Christmas classics and original material. A Very Banjo Christmas solidified Rix’s versatility as both a soloist and arranger, delivering spirited acoustic holiday cheer with a country twist.
2024 – I Believe in Love (Single)
A heartfelt, roots-inspired single released in 2024. The track continues Rix’s tradition of blending emotional storytelling with virtuosic banjo instrumentation.
2024 – Fighting for Their Day (Commissioned Song)
Commissioned by the City of Franklin Downtown Business Association, this original song was written and performed by Rix in honor of the United States Colored Troops (U.S.C.T.). & The Fuller Story project.
The project was part of a historic fundraising initiative to support the building of U.S.C.T. soldier monuments in Franklin, Tennessee, and Clarksville, Tennessee.
The song blends historical reverence with musical tribute, further embedding Rix’s music into civic and cultural legacy work.
Musical Career Notable Performances
Grand Ole Opry – Opry Community Day (2025)
Pilgrimage Festival – 2022 & 2023 (opened in 2023 before 60,000 fans)
London Fashion Week (2023) – Burlington Arcade with Jeff Garner’s Prophetik
ChangeNOW Summit (Paris, 2025) – Opening musical act for international sustainability conference
Juneteenth Franklin TN (2025) – Main stage performance
Frequent shows at Kimbro’s Pickin’ Parlor, Fox & Locke, and other Nashville-area venues
Style and Endorsement
Rix is known for a banjo-forward sound blending country, soul, and bluegrass. He is endorsed by Recording King for his banjo work.
Media and Television Appearances
RFD-TV – Special Cowboy Moments – interview and story about his book
PBS / Bank of America Campaign – national appearance for Country Music by Ken Burns
CMT’s Still the King – appearance with Billy Ray Cyrus
ABC/CMT’s Nashville – performance segment
Pepsi x Nintendo Switch Ad – broadcast during 2017 CMT Award
Publications
From Cult to Country: An Asthmatic’s Journey to Find More Air (2022) – Memoir detailing his childhood in a cult, trauma recovery, and healing through music
Recognition and Media Coverage
People Magazine (2023 & 2024) – Featured at Pilgrimage Festival in the Stetson Portrait Series
Williamson Scene (2025) – Profiled in “The People Issue”
Williamson Herald (2025) – Juneteenth performance coverage
Bethany Writes – In-depth story on his cult upbringing and redemption
Movies and Documentaries
Film and Animation
Walk in the Light (2025) – Musician on the soundtrack
song “I Can See the Sun”; NAACP Image Award nominated film
Hav Faith (2016) – Appeared as a classroom student (Tubi)
Documentaries and Streaming
Let Them Be Naked (2024) – Actor/Musician; premiered at ChangeNOW Paris; won 12 international film awards showing around the world.
AmericArt (2019) – Actor/Musician; streaming on Amazon Prime
Our Story, Our Song – Episode 3 (2023) – Actor/Musician; produced by Root and Vine
Studio Recording and Session Work
The War and Treaty – Plus One (2025)
Played banjo on the album released by Universal Music Group
FAME Studios (Muscle Shoals, AL) – Recorded sessions in January and May 2024
Touring and Major Performances
Performed as a featured banjo player with The War and Treaty on tour:
Zach Bryan’s Quittin’ Time Tour – Crypto.com Arena (2 nights; 20,000 fans per night)
Red Rocks Amphitheatre – Played alongside Ian Munsick (10,000 fans)
Carolina Country Fest (2024) – Performed for 5,000 fans
CMA Fest (2024) – Performed before 70,000 fans; aired on ABC and streamed on Hulu
Live Performances and Festival Appearances
Sold-Out Shows
Pilgrimage Festival – 2022 & 2023 (opened 2023 main stage)
Kimbro’s Pickin’ Parlor – Sold out (Feb 4, 2022)
Puckett’s (Fox & Locke) – Sold out (2021)
Grand Ole Opry Community Day – Sold out (2022)
Blackberry Jam Festival – Sold out (2022 & 2023; 2,000 in attendance)
Porchfest Westhaven – Sold out (2023; with Sister Hazel and David Ryan Harris)
Green’s Grocery – Sold out (played by Sheryl Crow and Keb’ Mo’)
Performers for Paws at Nashville Palace – Sold out (Feb 2025; with Craig Campbell, Craig Wayne Boyd, Anthony Smith)
International Appearances
London Fashion Week (2023) – First country artist to play Burlington Arcade with Jeff Garner
ChangeNOW Paris (2025) – Opened global sustainability summit
New York Fashion Week (2025) – Closing performer for Jeff Garner show at FIT
Outer Banks Film Festival (2025) – Performed at event hosted by Michelle Lewis; featured in Let Them Be Naked
Personal Life and Advocacy
Michael Rix is a strong advocate for trauma survivors, the unhoused, and medical access for underserved communities.
Board Member – Williamson County Homeless Alliance
Artist Advocate – MAP International (2019–2022); encouraged donations for medical aid during concerts
Advocates through music for:
Cult trauma healing
Anxiety recovery
Music as therapy
Ethical fashion with Jeff Garner
Housing security
He resides in Nashville, Tennessee, where he continues performing, mentoring, and sharing his story..
Any big plans?
I’m excited for the future continuing to work with my band
Working on some new bluegrass opportunities.
We have additional touring plans coming up this summer, which will be announced on my social media pages. You will have to stay tuned.
I am releasing my book From Cult to Country (An Asmatics Journey to Find More Air )
a revised autobiography on Ingram Sparks | Heartland Publishing available everywhere books are sold June/July 2026
Photos by Joel Quimby
Contact Info:
- Website: http://www.michaelrix.com
- Instagram: http://www.instagram.com/michaelrixbanjo
- Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/michaelrixbanjo
- Twitter: http://www.x.com/iammichaelrix
- Youtube: http://www.YouTube..com/@michaelrixbanjo
