SongVault Artist Profile

When Mike Perlowin FIREBIRD SUITE CD was first released, Joe Gore, Sr. editor and reviewer for Guitar Player magazine, (at the time) wrote that his version of "Prelude to the Afternoon of a Faun": ”One of the most transcendentally gorgeous guitar transcriptions I’ve ever heard.” (July 1997 issue)

Since then Perlowin has recorded two more CDs; WEST SIDE STORY and SPANISH STEEL, featuring what is perhaps the most mysterious and misunderstood instrument ever invented: the Pedal Steel Guitar. Because the steel is used primarily in country and western music, it is considered by many to be strictly a C&W instrument, but the truth is that the it is capable of playing many different styles of music including rock and jazz.

Mike Perlowin has taken the instrument into the realm of classical music.

Starting out as a folk singer during the 60s, Perlowin soon discovered that he was a far more talented guitarist than a singer, and turned his talents to accompanying others, Eventually he succumbed to the lire of rock and roll and played lead guitar in several local bands. In 1975, a twist of fate saw Mike working in a country band, at the time he knew nothing about country music, but with his background in both folk and rock music, he instinctively knew what to play. Says Mike “The first time I ever heard country music, I was on stage playing it.”

One thing led to another and before long Perlowin began the study of the pedal steel guitar and became a fixture on the Southern California country circuit. But after a few years, although he developed a love affair with the pedal steel, his interesting in country music waned. At the same time he became enamored with classical music. It was perhaps inevitable that he would take this expressively beautiful, but relatively unknown instrument, and use it in a genre where it has never been used before.