The Better Half

Mike Collins

- Mike plays a mean Ode banjo and Summit mandolin. He started his musical career early withsuch notable instruments as the accordion and guitar, then found his first true love - the 5-string banjo! With no teachers readily available in Phoenix, Mike taught himself the intricacies of 3-finger style banjo picking and mandolin while wearing out hundreds of bluegrass records for reference. He and his guitar playing brother performed regularly in Arizona and then Utah as both went to college together. It was there Mike and Julie met. A new band known as Barbed Wire was formed with the help of a guitar and bass player and they performed several times a week throughout Utah and Idaho. They then were asked to join the Rocky Mt. Folklore Association and toured throughout Europe two years in a row as their touring band. Mike and Julie have had the opportunity to live and play in a number of states, including Northern California with a band called Rolling Grass that became a standard among its fans along the North Coast, Arizona and of all places, Tennessee! It was quite a treat for them to live in the South among all the musicians they had grown up listening to. Now, they are back in Utah and love playing again with the Nelson's in their current band,
The Better Half!

			Mike Collins - Mike plays a mean Ode banjo and Summit mandolin. He started his musical career early withsuch notable instruments as the accordion and guitar, then found his first true love - the 5-string banjo! With no teachers readily available in Phoenix, Mike taught himself the intricacies of 3-finger style banjo picking and mandolin while wearing out hundreds of bluegrass records for reference. He and his guitar playing brother performed regularly in Arizona and then Utah as both went to college together. It was there Mike and Julie met. A new band known as Barbed Wire was formed with the help of a guitar and bass player and they performed several times a week throughout Utah and Idaho. They then were asked to join the Rocky Mt. Folklore Association and toured throughout Europe two years in a row as their touring band. Mike and Julie have had the opportunity to live and play in a number of states, including Northern California with a band called Rolling Grass that became a standard among its fans along the North Coast, Arizona and of all places, Tennessee! It was quite a treat for them to live in the South among all the musicians they had grown up listening to. Now, they are back in Utah and love playing again with the Nelson's in their current band, The Better Half!


	i4c Mike's Business (industrial design)