Michael Fracasso

It's a long way from the steel mills of Ohio to the wide-open plains of Texas, especially if you get there via New York City. But that's exactly the circuitous route taken by singer/songwriter Michael Fracasso and it has worked quite well for him. Fracasso grew up amidst Italian, Polish, and Irish immigrants working for a better life in the mills of Mingo Junction, OH. The town's main claim to fame is that The Deer Hunter was filmed there, but with any luck, Fracasso will put it on the map in association with his career. Naturally outgrowing his roots, he ventured off to Washington State to finish college and eventually made his way to New York in 1979 to be a songwriter. For 12 years, Fracasso honed his craft by participating in open-mic nights and songwriter groups. His first stop was the Cornelia Street Café in Greenwich Village, which, at the time, was the chosen hangout for folks like Suzanne Vega, the Roches, and Steve Forbert. Fracasso dove right in, contributing tunes to various compilations. By 1990, things were shifting in the New York folk scene, so Fracasso felt a change was in order. Once again, he packed up and headed out to find his place in the world. Next stop: Austin, TX. With his high lonesome voice and urban sensibilities, Austin was a pretty good fit. Soon enough, Fracasso carved out a niche for himself and within a year was voted Best New Artist in the Music City Texas poll of local musicians. His first official release of Love & Trust came in 1992, along with tours of both coasts and abroad. And there he was, alongside Lyle Lovett, Joe Ely, Hal Ketchum, and others in a television special highlighting the Austin music scene. Founding Bohemia Beat Records with some fellow musicians, Fracasso issued When I Lived in the Wild in 1995. Being very well...