bio

Mike Bauer

Mike grew up enjoying a view of the Atlantic Ocean in a small town on Long Island. By the age of 9 he was playing guitar. Mike says, "I used to dress up like KISS, paint my face, and jump up and down on my mom's car. My mom said that if I would stop jumping on her car and give my sister's tights back, she'd get me guitar lessons."

It wasn't too long before Mike was forming rock groups and playing local parties, church halls and of course, a couple of "battle of the bands." By high school he had long since taken off the KISS make-up and traded up for the styles of Carlos Santana and Eddie Van Halen. In college, Mike studied classical guitar for two years before he transferred to the University of Miami where he discovered the styles and sounds of Pat Metheny and Mike Stern. It was while in Florida that he auditioned for and became part of the Miami-based blues band IKO-IKO. He also grew in his commitment to Christ during his college years, and discovered a stirring in his heart to someday use his music to the glory of God.

Meanwhile Mike met Kristin at a music school Bible study in 1990 and they married in 1992. During Mike's four years with IKO-IKO, he and Kristin began a jazz duo of their own (guitar/voice) and played around the Miami area. Mike graduated from the University of Miami with a Bachelor's Degree in Music Education with a jazz guitar emphasis.

In l998 Mike and Kristin moved to Nashville. Since that time, Mike has traveled around the world with Christian and worship artists as well as playing for several Nashville country stars. Mike is currently the guitar clinician for Integrity Music's Seminar Worship Program and has been with them since 2000.