Mike Gangi

THE STORY

 

Mike Gangi's foray into music started at a young age. Born to a father of the same name, he was surrounded by music at home and at work. through his teen years. He spent many nights in his youth watching as his father performed lounge standards at his Italian Restaurant, Cafe Roma in Raleigh, NC. He listened to his father's albums and CD collections for two decades before picking up an acoustic guitar and learning. Trained by ear and textbooks, he groomed his skill as he made his way through college at UNC-Wilmington in the late 90's. He was influenced by artists such as Eric Clapton, Led Zeppelin, Jonny Lang, Tom Petty, Dave Matthews Band, Hootie & the Blowfish, Gin Blossoms, The Lemonheads, Vertical Horizon, Pearl Jam, Edwin McCain, Sister Hazel, and a plethora of other Southern-based pop-rock bands of the outstanding 1990s.

 

The turn of the century brought his foray into live performance with the band Catching Red. Formed in late 2000, Wilmington musicians Mike Gangi and Wes Sayer met at an open mic in downtown Wilmington, NC. They quickly became brothers of song pumping out over 50 original songs within 2 years. They quickly became a hit on the local college circuit. With a sizeable grassroots fan base, Catching Red was a staple of the Wilmington music scene despite never having released a studio album. Catching Red shared the stage with such acts as Sister Hazel, Pat McGee Band, Guster, Edwin McCain, Shawn Mullins, Cravin' Melon, the Blue Dogs, Hobex, Weekend Excursion, Mike Corrado Band, Travis Allison Band, Agents of Good Roots, Feel Love Fury, Runaway Cab., and more.

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Shortly after Catching Red disbanded, Gangi served 4 years in the US Navy experiencing the culture of countries such as Turkey, Greenland, France, Seychelles, Portugal, and Italy. His songbook grew as he traveled the country serving and protecting. Gangi has been working "behind the scenes" in the live event production industry at premier venues in cities such as Orlando, Austin, and San Diego. He currently resides in Raleigh, NC. He works full-time as a Region Director of Venue Services.

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Gangi performs solo throughout North Carolina, South Carolina, Virginia, Tennessee, and Georgia. He is known for his carefully crafted and relevant setlists, provocative and memorable vocals, and rhythmic and energetic playing style. Often, you never know who will join him on stage. He plays with other area musicians including Dan Culbreth, Billy Tillitt, Nick Genge, and Keith Goldstein in various formats and always with the same enthusiasm. He and his longtime colleague, Wes Sayer of Catching Red have been diligently working toward releasing the first Catching Red EP. Their newest tracks: "Best Left", "God Forbid", and "Searchlight Smile" have been impressively popular cuts during his local live performances.

 

Mike is also available for charity events, fundraising opportunities, private parties, and more. Please inquire on the CONTACT page.