# Mike Ledbetter

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{{Short description|American singer and guitarist (1985–2019)}}

{{Infobox musical artist
| name            = Mike Ledbetter
| image           = Mike-ledbetter_DSC03747.jpg
| caption         = Blues Heaven (2018 Denmark)<br>Photo Hreinn Gudlaugsson
| image_size      = 260px
| birth_name      = Michael David Ledbetter
| alias           =
| birth_date      = {{Birth date|1985|04|27}}
| birth_place     =
| origin          = [Elgin, Illinois](/source/Elgin%2C_Illinois), United States
| death_date      = {{Death date and age|2019|01|21|1985|04|27}}
| death_place     = Elgin, Illinois, United States
| instrument      =
| genre           = [Chicago blues](/source/Chicago_blues)
| occupation      = Singer, guitarist
| years_active    = 2000s-2019
| label           = [Delta Groove Productions](/source/Delta_Groove_Productions)
| website         = {{URL|mikeledbetterbluesoul.com/}}
}}

'''Michael David Ledbetter''' (April 27, 1985 &ndash; January 21, 2019) was an American [blues](/source/blues) singer and guitarist.

==Biography==
A distant relative of [Lead Belly](/source/Lead_Belly) (Huddie Ledbetter), he grew up in [Elgin, Illinois](/source/Elgin%2C_Illinois), United States, and attended [Elgin High School](/source/Elgin_High_School_(Illinois)).  He trained as an [opera](/source/opera) singer, but was influenced by blues musicians such as [Otis Rush](/source/Otis_Rush) and [Buddy Guy](/source/Buddy_Guy), and began singing in clubs in and around [Chicago](/source/Chicago).  He joined the [Nick Moss Band](/source/Nick_Moss) in 2010, and performed and recorded with the band for the next seven years, touring around the US and Europe.<ref name=tribune>[https://chicago.suntimes.com/news/blues-musician-mike-ledbetter-dies-33/ Maureen O'Donnell, "Blues musician Mike Ledbetter dies at 33"], ''[Chicago Sun Times](/source/Chicago_Sun_Times)'', January 23, 2019. Retrieved February 3, 2019</ref><ref name=bluesrss>[http://www.bluesrss.eu/soulful-blues-star-mike-ledbetter-has-died/  Jo Nash, "Soulful Blues Star Mike Ledbetter Has Died"], ''Bluesrss.edu'', January 22, 2019. Retrieved February 3, 2019</ref>

In 2017, he started performing with the guitarist [Monster Mike Welch](/source/Monster_Mike_Welch), recording the album ''Right Place Right Time'' for which they won a [Blues Music Award](/source/Blues_Music_Award) for best traditional blues album. Welch stated "... from the first time I heard Mike, I knew he was the kind of singer I've always been trying to play like." Ledbetter countered, "The way we played off each other was beautiful to me... Everything just fit perfectly."<ref name="Elmore">{{cite web|url=http://www.elmoremagazine.com/2017/04/reviews/albums/monster-mike-welch-mike-ledbetter|title=Monster Mike Welch & Mike Ledbetter|date=April 21, 2017|website=Elmoremagazine.com|accessdate=May 25, 2018}}</ref> ''Right Time Right Place'' was released by [Delta Groove Productions](/source/Delta_Groove_Productions), and its track listing included a number of original songs and several cover versions.  These latterly comprise the album's opening track, a cover of [Elmore James](/source/Elmore_James)' "Cry for Me Baby"; the [Willie Dixon](/source/Willie_Dixon) penned "[I Can't Stop Baby](/source/I_Can't_Quit_You_Baby)"; alongside a reworking of the [Jerry Leiber](/source/Jerry_Leiber) and [Artie Butler](/source/Artie_Butler) song "Down Home Girl"; plus "Cryin' Won't Help You", which was an old [B.B. King](/source/B.B._King) song.<ref name="Chicago">{{cite web|url=http://www.chicagobluesguide.com/reviews/cd-reviews/monster-mike-welch-mike-ledbetter-cd/monster-mike-welch-mike-ledbetter-cd_page.html|title=Monster Mike Welch and Mike Ledbetter, Right Place, Right Time, Delta Groove Music, blues CD review by Steve Jones|website=Chicagobluesguide.com|accessdate=May 25, 2018}}</ref>

He formed a band with Welch, the Welch-Ledbetter Connection.  The band was nominated for a 2019 Blues Music Award for band of the year, and Ledbetter was nominated as vocalist of the year and "B.B. King Entertainer."<ref name=tribune/><ref name=bluesrss/>  On May 9, 2019, he won both individual awards, along with band of the year.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.commercialappeal.com/story/news/2019/05/10/memphis-blues-music-awards-2019-ledbetter-copeland-gibbons-winners/1132728001/|title=The late Michael Ledbetter, Shemekia Copeland among big winners at Blues Music Awards|newspaper=[The Commercial Appeal](/source/The_Commercial_Appeal)|accessdate=11 May 2019}}</ref>

Ledbetter died at home in Elgin in January 2019, aged 33, as a result of a "sudden medical emergency",<ref name=bluesrss/> which was later confirmed as complications from [epilepsy](/source/epilepsy).<ref>{{cite web|url=http://chicagobluesnews.com/michaelledbetter.html|title=MichaelLedbetter|website=Chicagobluesnews.com|accessdate=5 February 2019}}</ref>

==References==
{{Reflist}}

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Ledbetter, Mike}}
Category:1985 births
Category:2019 deaths
Category:American blues singers
Category:American male singers
Category:American blues guitarists
Category:Chicago blues musicians
Category:People from Elgin, Illinois
Category:Blues musicians from Illinois
Category:Neurological disease deaths in Illinois
Category:Deaths from epilepsy
Category:People with epilepsy

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Mike Ledbetter](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mike_Ledbetter) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mike_Ledbetter?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.