Rising Stars: Meet Mike Gronsky

Today we’d like to introduce you to Mike Gronsky.

Hi Mike, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
I grew up in Bethel Park, PA – a south suburb of Pittsburgh, and my parents got me my first guitar at age 10. I was totally hooked on my dad’s classic rock CD collection that he kept in the driver-side, fold-down sun visor of his 2004 Dodge Ram. AC/DC, Skynyrd, Zeppelin…all the staples. Sometimes in the same car ride, we’d switch between those artists and a disco/boogie hour on a local radio station that would come on at 9 pm. I slipped into a heavy phase of blues music around age 12, studying the greats like B.B. King, Hendrix & Stevie Ray Vaughan, joined a band in high school, and also was a part of my school jazz band. Formative years.

When I got to college, Indiana University in Bloomington, that’s when my life totally changed. I joined a group called the IU Soul Revue. It was an auditioned band AND class through the African American Arts Institute. Here, we studied, discussed, rehearsed, and performed Black popular music from the 1920s – the present day. Dr. Tyron Cooper was the Director when I joined the group. He is one of the most gifted musicians I have ever had the joy of knowing. A talent I had never seen or heard…and of course, he was a guitarist (amongst other things). He took me under his wing for a year – I was neck deep in traditions and styles of Black American Music. Funk, Soul, Jazz, R&B, Hip Hop, etc. I fell in love. My professor became my mentor. My peers became my family. This is where I met the people who I started my first “real” (post-high school) band with – Huckleberry Funk. We played hundreds of shows over the three or four years that I was in the band, made countless friends along the road, and worked tirelessly to hone our craft as a group and as individuals.

A few months before graduating from college, I met a girl named Addison Agen. She had just gotten off The Voice (Season 13), and she asked me to play guitar for her at a show only 8 days after we met. A year of performing together went by, and we started dating in April 2019. Touring and recording with her are one of my main commitments as a musician these days – she writes the most beautiful, cutting, honest songs, and she’s got a voice that will make time stand still. She seeks the truth in music and in life – something that takes true boldness. It’s one of the great honors of my life to play music alongside her.

All of these people and experiences led me to where and who I am today – pursuing my dreams as a soul & funk artist. I owe my growth, passion, and success to Black American Music, its contributors, and its teachers. This is the backbone of my musical identity, and I intend to treat it with deep love, gentleness, and reverence for the people and stories that it derives from. The pandemic created a perfect concoction of boredom, inspiration, longing for love and community, and presence. I started writing soul tunes while substitute teaching in the city schools in Fort Wayne and decided to pull the trigger on finally recording my own music.

I specifically lacked confidence in my singing ability, but I pushed through my own fear and ego because I had to know what was on the other side. I assembled a team of my closest friends, and we recorded my debut soul EP, “When The Phone Starts Ringin'”. In short, I’m extremely proud of this work, but it’s just the beginning.

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?
Yes and no. I want to first acknowledge my privilege, because I’ve had endless support from my family over the years, and I’ve not experienced a lot of the pain and struggle that many have. My parents are happily married, I grew up in a fortunate household, and I’m surrounded by an amazing community of friends and colleagues.

With that being said, I think the most challenging part of my musical journey has been managing relationships with others and myself. Leaving Huckleberry Funk crushed some of my greatest friendships. Through their eyes, I was walking out on a dream that we built together. How do you tell someone you love them, but you don’t believe in the dream anymore? It took several years for me to make amends, and I’m sure I made a lot of mistakes along the way. I don’t regret my decision, but it taught me that brutal honesty and believing in myself is the only way to approach a difficult situation. This doesn’t make it easier, but it brought clarity over time, rather than confusion.

Working alongside your partner can be taxing as well. Communication is vital to success, and I constantly remind myself that I am SUPPORTING Addison’s career and creative journey. Ultimately, I don’t call the shots, which can actually be a freeing feeling. Also, it can be easy to feel less important and in the background, but I know that when people compliment Addison, that means I’m doing my job. I’ve got a big ego – I think most of us do, frankly – but self-work and people that I love deeply have taught me how to check it at the door. It’s daily work – it will probably never end, and that’s okay.

I also fight with the narrative of being a substitute teacher. It’s not a glamorous job, yet I learn so much. The kids can be really tough some days, but I hold some of my most valuable experiences because of them. As cool as it would be to say I’m a full-time musician, I think teaching fuels inspiration for music and visa-versa. It’s not the hand I asked for, but for now, I’m taking it in stride. I am more than one thing, and that should be celebrated (something I have to constantly remind myself of).

Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
My friends could probably answer this question better than I will.

I’ve got a lot of energy. Do you ever feel like doing a cannonball off the moon into the arctic ocean and wrestling with a polar bear underwater all while playing an insane guitar solo? That’s what I’m working with some days.

I love funk and soul music. Anything that grooves HARD, I’m IN! I love playing rhythm guitar – some of my friends and summer camp students call me Funkle Mike. Shoutout, Bobby Davis & Camp S.O.U.L.

I’d like to think my music is laced with love, acceptance, and encouragement. That’s what I stand for as a person, so I hope it comes through when you hear my work.

I am most proud of my friends. There are two people in particular who I would consider musical soulmates. Colin Boyd & Tiffany Johns. Everything I do has their hands on it. Colin Boyd will be a household name for drummers and percussionists all over the world in the same way that we think of people like Nate Smith, Steve Jordan, Bernard Purdie, James Gadson, etc. He works out of his home studio in Fort Wayne, Indiana, and has a profound respect for every song he touches. He has an expansive musical vocabulary, an unbelievable amount of self-discipline, and communication skills that make every project exponentially better. Whatever success I see in my life, I want to share it with him. He has a heart of gold and it never skips a beat. Check out his work on IG: @boydiggity

Tiffany is a paint palette that holds every color in my imagination. There are no limits, no dream is too small, and it is all fueled by a deep passion for the oddities and specifics of our world. She’s a brass player, synthesist, composer, and arranger based in LA. She’s one of my very best friends, and will absolutely DUNK on any song you throw her way. I fully trust her decisions as an artist, and I rarely give her detailed direction. Deep trust is the secret sauce in my music. Why would I micromanage an expert? – Instagram (@finetales).

My friends fuel me and I hope to do the same for them. I love them so deeply, and I cannot overstate that.

While we’re at it, go check out @anthonygiraldi, @smilehighmusic, and @stansifurious on IG – those are my people, and their art radiates with intense beauty and mastery.

We’d love to hear about any fond memories you have from when you were growing up.
Spending time at my family’s cabin in the woods. Fishing and swimming in the beautiful Northern Pennsylvania Allegheny River. Climbing around in the mountains, building things, making bonfires as tall as my dad, throwing giant parties there, and watching my mom and dad work through life’s ups and downs while still being awe-struck by the beauty of our surroundings.

Nature is all-powerful. Equally beautiful and dangerous. Always more to learn. It is a perfect metaphor for life.

Pricing:

• Purchase “When The Phone Starts Ringin'” on Translucent Pink Vinyl – $30 – www.mikegronsky.com

Contact Info:

• Website: www.mikegronsky.com
• Instagram: @mikegronskymusic

Image Credits
Caleb North, Colin Boyd, and Matt Plett