Michael Lee Firkins (born May 19, 1967) is an American electric guitar player whose music fuses bluegrass, country, blues, and jazz elements into a distorted rock sound.
[citation needed] Learning the songs of the time, Firkins was influenced by the guitar styles of Lynyrd Skynyrd, Led Zeppelin, AC/DC, and Black Sabbath.
[citation needed] With the help of an international advertising campaign from Yamaha guitars to promote the company's Pacifica models, Firkins's first release sold more than 100,000 copies.
[1] His sound went on to incorporate more music styles, specifically jazz, as shown in a cover of Duke Ellington's "The Mooche" on Firkins' third album, Chapter Eleven.
[citation needed] The album was composed of covers, with Firkins paying tribute to some of his earlier influences, such as Lynyrd Skynyrd, Johnny Winter, and Jimi Hendrix.