BIO
Michel Griffin was born near Oxford, in England. All attempts to give him a musical education came to a grinding halt when, at the age of 7, he had to abandon piano lessons because, as he put it - "It made my brain ache to have to simultaneously do something different with each of my hands!"
He took up the guitar at the age of 14. Self-taught, he started playing regularly in folk-clubs and wine-bars as a student, and inspired by artists like Bob Dylan, Leonard Cohen, Paul Simon, and Joni Mitchell, he started writing his own songs. After a spell performing weekly on BBC radio (where one of his songs was a Pick of the Week), his career took him to Paris, New York and Switzerland.
He finally settled in the Lot valley in SW France, in 2000 and since 2008 has been organising the critically acclaimed Cahors Folk Club, which he co-founded.
He performs at venues all over the area, a tune of his was featured in the American film Married Men, and he has recorded 9 albums.
He has made a number of appearances on radio in France - here is an interview on Radio Totem:
Griffin's lyrics share stories and insights, and his accomplished finger-picking is a perfect foil for his smoky, evocative voice.
You can read some reviews of his work on the Press page.
