In the year dot and long before his move to Spain, Vernon produced landmark blues-based records on the legendary Blue Horizon label. But Mike was also a singer and here he is in later years fronting his own blues group of very experienced players…

Manhaton Records are delighted to announce the Friday 7th September 2018 release the debut album ‘Beyond The Blue Horizon’ from Blues legend Mike Vernon and his band The Mighty Combo.

Mike’s produced albums for some of the most famous artists in British Rock and Blues including John Mayall’s Bluesbreakers (with Eric Clapton, Peter Green, Mick Taylor), David Bowie, Ten Years After, Savoy Brown, Fleetwood Mac (with Peter Green, Danny Kirwan and Christine McVie), Chicken Shack, Focus, Freddie King, Climax Blues Band, Level 42 and Roachford.

In 2013 he was awarded the BASCA Gold Badge Award in recognition of his unique contribution to music.

Mike is best known as the founder of the Blues record label Blue Horizon (Peter Green, Rory Gallagher, Paul Kossoff, Christine McVie) – a major ‘ground breaker’ in its time and still revered to this very day.

Maybe not quite so well-known is Mike’s ‘other’ job – that of vocalist. In the 1970s and early 1980s Mike was not only a member of The Olympic Runners but also the baritone singer with Rocky Sharpe & The Replays.

“To be fronting my own R&B outfit has always been a dream but the right moment to make that transition never appeared until now,” says Mike.

Continues Mike – “The year is 1956 and Little Richard and his totally outrageous song Tutti Frutti hit the #1 spot on the U.S. Pop Charts. Fats Domino had similar success with When My Dreamboat Comes Home and ‘Blueberry Hill’ that same year whilst Chuck Berry introduced us to his unique rocking Rhythm & Blues style with Roll Over Beethoven. Four slabs of musical genius that were to totally change my life.”

“Fast forward sixty-one years to 2018 and the ‘with my own band’ debut album Beyond The Blue Horizon features tough, energising and tuneful rocking slabs of R&B in the vein of Fats Domino, Wynonie Harris, Little Richard and Louis Jordan ,” continues Mike. “Twelve titles in all including nine new self-penned originals and three covers from the catalogues of Brook Benton, Mose Allison and Clarence Henry.”

Alongside this release there will be a full-scale European Tour where Mike Vernon & The Mighty Combo will have the audiences dancing in the aisles and hopefully in the street. Expect full-on 100% goodtime music guaranteed to put smiles on face.

The Mighty Combo features Kid Carlos; an outstanding young guitar player from Spain (is this the new Peter Green?); Ian Jennings (upright bass), Matt Little (keyboards), Paul Tasker (saxophone) and Mike Hellier (drums).

‘Beyond The Blue’ Album Tracklisting

1. We’re Gonna Rock The Joint (4:17)
2. Kiddio (3:41)
3. Heart & Soul (3:52)
4. I Can Fix It (3:31)
5. (I Don’t Know Why I Love You) But I Do (4:04)
6. Be On That Train (4:16)
7. Your Mind Is On Vacation (4:18)
8. Old Man Dreams (6:28)
9. Jump Up (4:21)
10. Red Letter Day (3:51)
11. A Love Affair With The Blues (3:56)
12. Hate To Leave (Hate To Say Goodbye) (3:34)

Pete Sargeant