Biography
Michele grew up in a small town in southern Utah. Music has always been a big part of her life. She started singing when she was five and hasn't stopped since. All she ever dreamed of was becoming a singer, and her family encouraged her to follow that dream. Her mother was classically trained; so Michele grew up listening to her mother sing. When she was a kid, Michele and her sisters would make up their own songs and sing their hearts out, determined to be the next Wilson Phillips. Little did she know that, someday, her dreams would come true…
Michele was born in Fayetteville, North Carolina in 1981. With her family's ties to the military, they moved around a lot, from North Carolina to Alabama, Georgia, Alaska, Montana, and finally Utah. Michele's family settled in southern Utah in 1991. It didn't take long before they fell in love with the fresh country air, mountains, people, and country living. Being in the country afforded Michele the opportunity to learn what "country living" was all about. She grew up hauling hay, working in the family garden, training horses, hiking in the mountains, and even worked on an asparagus farm. "My family was always big on the work ethic thing," says Michele. "My parents taught me the importance of knowing how to work and that you have to work hard for what you want. I am grateful for that. It has helped me become who I am today." It was here, amidst the alfalfa fields and dirt roads, that she was introduced to country music.
From the time she was little, Michele has taken every opportunity to she could find to sing. Local organizations, karaoke contests, church, school, and pageants gave her the opportunity to perform around her hometown. During high school, Michele spent her sophomore year and part of her junior year being home schooled. In that year and a half she started singing competitively and became very involved with 4-H. Her first vocal competition was for a 4-H state qualifier. She sang Teri Clark's "When Boy Meets Girl" and went to the state level two years in a row. She also competed on the state 4-H level on the livestock judging team and wildlife habitat judging team. Michele returned to public school for her senior year of high school and became involved with cheerleading and pageants. She served with the Sevier County royalty and Miss Mountain Lands royalty in '99-'00. "It was a fun experience," she says with a smile. "I was able to perform quite a bit and meet a lot of new people."
She wasn't kidding about meeting people. Michele met Alan Crisp in January of 2000. They soon became inseparable and were married in the fall of that same year. Their first child was welcomed into the world two and a half years later.
The past few months have been a busy time for Michele. She has recorded her first album and shot her first music video. She was put in touch with multi-award winning, Legends Hall of Fame producer Mr. Robert Metzgar in mid-January 2005 and things have been falling in place ever since. "Robert has been so good to take me under his wing, show me the ropes, and surround me with a great team. He is so professional, and he sincerely cares about his artists. I don't know if he will ever know what an incredible experience this has been, and none of it would have happened without him. It's like I'm in a dream. I just hope no one pinches me," she says.
Michele has been writing songs since she was twelve years old and wrote all the songs on her upcoming debut album. "Writing songs has been a great creative outlet for me, and this has been such a fun project. I carry a notebook around with me all the time just in case a phrase or something pops into my head. People have asked me where I get my inspiration and to me it's simple. Life, family, emotion; you don't have to look far. Inspiration is all around you. Each day can bring a new song. Two of the songs on the album, 'Chasing Shadows', and 'It's In the Cards', were some of the first songs I ever wrote. The title cut is one of my favorite songs on the album. 'Lighthouse' can mean a lot of different things to people. When I wrote it I was thinking about what a lighthouse does and how we all have lighthouses in our own lives. It can be family, faith, dreams, and whole lot of other things. It's whatever keeps you moving forward and helps you find your way. 'Hometown Memories' was another favorite. It's almost autobiographical. It describes how life was when I was growing up. We all have hometown memories and this song celebrates that." Is she still writing? "You bet. I don't think I will ever stop writing. There are a lot more songs inside of me that can't wait to come out."
Michele was paired with Mr. Tony Migliore, who did all of the musical arrangements for the album. "This has been one of the most incredible experiences in my life," says Michele. "Tony is a musical genius and a great person. I can't say enough about him. He is so much fun to work with. He has a lighter side that keep things upbeat and relaxed. His professionalism, talent, and attention to detail are what make him so good. I can't think of anyone I'd rather have leading the music sessions." Michele also had the opportunity to work with some of the best session musicians in the business. When asked about her first studio experience, Michele had this to say: "The musicians were sooooo good. After I heard them play, I had to scoop my jaw up off the floor. They are awesome. Everyone at Chelsea Studio is so neat to work with. They made me feel right at home. I was a little nervous going into studio after I heard whom they had worked with, but they were so nice. We had a lot of fun, and I think it shows when you listen to the record. So guys, I can't thank you enough. You are the best!"
"I don't know what the future holds, but I look forward to each new day. Life moves so quickly and I don't want to forget to enjoy the ride. To me, music is about sending a message and I want to send something that is positive and something that people can have fun with. I try to leave a little of myself in every song I write, and I hope that my music will touch the hearts of those who hear it. Our lives move to music and I truly hope that people will find some of my music in their own personal soundtrack."