Search
Biography Of Mike Clinton
Some musicians are lucky enough to have found out what their favourite instrument is at a very young age; Mike Clinton is one of those. One must admit though, that if your father used to be Claude François’s bass player and your mother, one of his background singers, your path is pretty much mapped out!

Mike’s started out in mainland France. Of Gabonese and Guadeloupian descent, he has been immersed in a musical and multicultural environment from a very young age. His parents introduced him to the music of legendary jazz and soul figures such as Otis Redding, Stevie Wonder, Marvin Gaye and Miles Davis.

When he was 11, Mike went to live in Guadeloupe and, influenced by famous bass players - Marcus Miller, Guy Nsangué, Étienne Mbappé, Richard Bona, Pino Palladino, Michel Alibo, Georges Décimus, Thierry Fanfant and Frédéric Caracas - he quickly took an interest in playing the bass. This interest soon turned into a passion or rather, an obsession which lead him to practice bass playing for hours on end.

He displayed so much determination that he was only 14 when he got his first paid gig. But a year later, feeling that he needed to broaden his horizons, Mike flew back to mainland France and settled in Saint-Denis. Once there, he kept working as a professional musician while attending school and the conservatoire of music in order to perfect his skills.

Back then, it’s Michel Alibo who helped him meet with several rap bands with which Mike got to play.

Over time and encounters the band C’Kans was formed and won recognition touring in the French West Indies for three years and giving Mike his first tour experience.

When he was 20, the great singer Edith Lefel noticed him and offered him to play with her band at the prestigious Olympia in Paris. Turning down such an opportunity was of course out of the question, and this collaboration opened the doors to several international tours and album recordings.

He worked with many artists among whom Salif Keita, Kassav, Tania St Val, Jean-Michel Rotin, Dédé St Prix, Saian Supa Crew, Les Nubians, Julia Migenes, Arthur H, Laurent Wolf, St Germain, Micky Green, 50 Cent, The Black Eyed Peas, Raul Midón, Nicole Scherzinger, Stephen Bishop…

Despite his numerous years of stage experience and with more than five hundred album recordings, Mike Clinton hasn’t quenched his thirst for new musical projects.

His career has only just started and his dearest artistic goals are far from being reached.

You’re not done hearing about him…

Version en Francais:

Bio et CV de Mike Clinton:

Certains musiciens ont la chance de trouver leur instrument de prédilection à un très jeune âge. C’estle cas pour Mike Clinton. Il faut dire que lorsqu’on a un père qui a été le bassiste de Claude Françoiset une mère qui en a été la choriste, la route est quasiment toute tracée.

Son parcours commence en France métropolitaine. Né de parents Gabonais et Guadeloupéens, Mikeest dès sa plus tendre enfance baigné dans une atmosphère musicale et multiculturelle. Ses parentsl’initient aux artistes incontournables du jazz et de la soul tels que Otis Redding, Stevie Wonder,Marvin Gaye et Miles Davis.

A 11 ans il part vivre aux Antilles et, influencé par Marcus Miller, Guy Nsangue, Etienne Mbappe,Richard Bona ou Pino Palladino, il commence à s'intéresser à la basse. Très vite cette passiondevient une obsession et il s’attèle à pratiquer son instrument plusieurs heures par jour. Sonacharnement est tel qu’à 14 ans il touche son premier cachet. Néanmoins, peu de temps après, à 15ans, il ressent le besoin d’élargir son horizon. Il retourne alors vivre à St Denis, où il continue à jouerprofessionnellement tout en allant à l’école et au conservatoire.

A l’époque, il est épaulé par Michel Alibo qui l’aide à trouver pour plusieurs groupes de Rap aveclesquels il travaillera. Au fur et à mesure des rencontres naîtra le groupe C’Kans et ce sera laconsécration dans son pays d'origine. Se suivront alors plusieurs années de tournées et depromotion dans les DOM TOM.

A seulement 20 ans, il est remarqué par la grande Edith Lefel qui lui propose de faire l’Olympia, offrequ’il ne pourra bien-sûr pas refuser. Par la suite il enchainera les tournées internationales et lesenregistrements d’albums.

Parmi ses collaborations ont peut compter Salif Keita, Princess Lover, Les Nubians, Kassav, JuliaMigenes, Alan Stivel, Arthur H, Gerald Toto, Edith Lefel, Stephen Bishop, Rimshot, Karl the Voice,Laurent Wolf, Soel "St Germain", Soha, Slai, Eric Badie, Jocelyne Labylle, Sonia Dersion, Le SaianSupa Crew, Nomads, Jean-Michel Rotin, Ali Angel, Thierry Cham, Sandy Cosset, Thierry Marthely,Marc Chery, Cabo Verde Show, Medhy Custos, Christophe Rime, Toups Bebey, Gospel so cool,Yvan Voice, Princesse Lover, Talina, Sly Johnson (Saian supa crew), Roger"senegal", El Sikameya,Bizness, Yannick Cabrion, Elie Semoun, Hugues Darvay, Section Zouk, Mike Ibrahim, Rene Cabral,Manu Lima, Tony Chasseur, Claudine Pennont, Eddy Francisque, Tania St Val, Dede Saint-Prix, SalifKeïta, la Tournée du Jamel Comedy Club avec entre autres 50 Cents, The Black Eyed Peas, RaulMidón, Micky Green, Nicole Scherzinger

(tu garderas ce que tu veux) et bien d’autres.

Malgré toutes ses années d'expérience scénique et avec plus de 500 enregistrements d’album à sonactif, Mike Clinton n’a pas fini de faire parler de lui. Son ascension ne fait que commencer et sesrêves ne sont certainement pas tous atteints.
Close

Press esc to close.
Close
Press esc to close.
Close

Connecting to your webcam.

You may be prompted by your browser for permission.