Michael Tomlinson

Born and raised in Amarillo, Texas, Michael Tomlinson later relocated to Austin in pursuit of the state's central music scene. During the mid-'80s one of his compositions, "The Climb," achieved the highest ranking in the history of a Seattle, Washington radio station, prompting him to relocate there and establish residence in 2001, seventeen years afterward. At the peak of his rising profile in the early '90s, Tomlinson withdrew from the conventional recording industry after headlining prominent stages including the Greek Amphitheater in L.A., the Paramount in Denver, and Wolftrap in Washington, D.C. Although his tracks received airplay on NAC and AAA stations, he grew uneasy about impending corporate consolidation within radio and record labels, along with the burden of lengthy fifty-page contracts and repeated attorney consultations, ultimately choosing to depart entirely.

In a distinctive step, he secured ownership of his entire catalog and returned to Seattle to launch the independent Desert Rain label. From that point he reshaped his path to align with the understated themes and sincere spirit that define his work. Beginning in 1993, while concentrating on fresh songwriting, he inaugurated semiannual weekend gatherings titled A Gathering of Friends, employing his performances to foster camaraderie, humor, and goodwill. Participants traveling from across the United States and Europe twice yearly board a ferry across Puget Sound to convene in a modest, rustic settlement on the Olympic Peninsula for shared storytelling and connection.

Tomlinson issued his eighth album, Watching the Storm Roll In, in 2000; the release marked his second solo acoustic project for Desert Rain. The following year he prepared his debut book, a volume of personal anecdotes drawn from his experiences in music and life. He sustained his recording activity well into the new century with the 2008 album The Way Out West and the 2016 release House of Sky.