Biography

The Early Years

Mike McCurlie has been telling stories and writing songs for as long as he can remember. Raised in the orbit of Hamilton, Ontario — a city of steel, grit, and surprising beauty — Mike developed an ear for the everyday poetry of working life, the kind of stories that don't make headlines but stay with you long after the last note fades.
His musical journey began in earnest in the 1970s, when he started performing across the region, honing a style that blended folk, country, and rock with a distinctly Canadian sensibility. Over a career spanning more than five decades, Mike has performed in clubs, theatres, festivals, and living rooms — anywhere people gather to listen.

The Songs

Mike's original songs are rooted in place and character. From the rollicking energy of "Diesel Buggy Boogie" to the wistful "Oh To Be Sailing Away," his writing captures the texture of life in the Hamilton area — its humour, its contradictions, and its stubborn heart.
Some of his songs have become genuine community anthems. "You Can't Toboggan in The Hammer Anymore," co-written with Laura Cole, became a rallying cry against a city bylaw banning tobogganing — and the song helped change the law. "Don't Need No LRT in Hamilton" took aim at what Mike called a goofy, expensive political project, channelling community frustration into a protest song with a grin.
His music is available on SoundCloud, where 18+ original tracks showcase the breadth of his songwriting — from boogie-woogie barn-burners to quiet, reflective ballads.

Daniel Lanois & The Duo Years

Among the many chapters of Mike's career, one of the most storied is his early musical partnership with Daniel Lanois — the Hamilton-born producer who would go on to shape the sound of U2, Bob Dylan, Peter Gabriel, and Emmylou Harris. Before Lanois became one of the most celebrated record producers in the world, he and Mike performed together as a duo, playing the local circuit and developing the musical instincts that would define both of their careers.
That connection to one of Canada's greatest musical minds speaks to the depth of Hamilton's musical community — and to Mike's place within it.

Banned From Heaven

Mike is the founding force behind Banned From Heaven, a band whose name perfectly captures their spirit — irreverent, energetic, and impossible to ignore. The band's debut album features 10 original songs, including crowd favourites like "She's an Amusement Park," "Hell in a Handbasket," and "Sounds Like Trouble." 
With a sound that draws on classic rock, country, and blues, Banned From Heaven brings Mike's songwriting to life with full-band energy. The band has performed at venues and festivals across the region, earning a devoted following among fans who appreciate music that doesn't take itself too seriously — but takes the craft very seriously indeed.

Hamilton Originals

In 2020, Mike created and hosted Hamilton Originals — an intimate interview series held at The Westdale Theatre in Hamilton. Over 30 episodes, Mike sat down with some of the most celebrated musicians to emerge from the Hamilton area, drawing out stories, memories, and live performances in a format that was part conversation, part concert, part community celebration.
Guests included his former duo partner Daniel Lanois, Rik Emmett of Triumph, Red Green (Steve Smith), Ronnie Hawkins, Tom Wilson, HPO Conductor Boris Brott, Terra Lightfoot, Steve Strongman, and many more. All 30 episodes are available to watch on this site — a remarkable archive of Hamilton's musical heritage.

A Night with The Gordon Lightfoot Band

On September 21, 2023, Mike was honoured to take the stage at The Westdale Theatre in Hamilton, backed by the original Gordon Lightfoot Band and the extraordinary Jacob Moon. It was a stellar night — one that will live forever in his memory.
Mike performed several Lightfoot and Dylan songs, including "If You Could Read My Mind," "All Along the Watchtower," and "The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald" — songs he had been playing and loving his whole life. His connection to Gordon Lightfoot runs deep: he still remembers the winter of 1969, when a young Gord Lightfoot played in the gym at Ancaster High School. Bob Doidge and Daniel Lanois were both there that night too — a remarkable gathering of musical talent in a small-town gym, none of them yet knowing what lay ahead.
Lightfoot was one of Canada's most legendary songwriters, and Mike spent a lifetime playing his songs. To perform them on a proper stage, backed by the very musicians who had played alongside Gord himself, was a full-circle moment — a tribute to a man whose music shaped a generation of Canadian artists, Mike McCurlie very much among them.

Voice Artist

Mike's warm, distinctive voice has made him a sought-after voice artist for commercials, narrations, and broadcast work. His credits include work for the History Channel, and he is represented for voice bookings by Performance Network Agency (PNA Agency) in Toronto — one of Canada's leading talent agencies.
His demo reels — spanning commercial, narration, and character work — are available on this site and through PNA Agency's roster. Whether it's a 30-second spot or a long-form documentary narration, Mike brings the same quality to his voice work that he brings to his music: authenticity, warmth, and a story well told.

The Philosophy

Mike lives in the woods of Ancaster — the quieter, greener side of Hamilton — where the pace of life still allows for the kind of reflection that good songwriting requires. He approaches his work with a philosophy borrowed from Marcus Aurelius: "The obstacle is the way."
After more than 50 years of performing, writing, hosting, and lending his voice to stories that matter, Mike McCurlie remains exactly what he's always been: a storyteller who happens to sing, a singer who happens to tell stories, and a genuine original from the heart of Hamilton.