Michael Sherwood

Biography

Michael Sherwood comes from a musical family which includes his father Bobby Sherwood, who was an actor, musician, and big band leader, his mother Phyllis and younger brother Billy. His father got him his first keyboard when he was 4.

Michael (keys, vocals) formed the band Lodgic with Jimmy Haun on guitar in 1977, while growing up in Las Vegas. Also in the band were Mark and Tom Fletcher, and Gary Starns on drums. The band would later include Guy Allison on keyboards (from 1979) and brother Billy (bass, later also vocals). Billy was originally recruited to play less "busy" bass parts than their then bass player. The band covered Return to Forever, Peter Frampton, Frank Zappa and Yes. They eventually moved the band to Los Angeles in 1980, managed by Barry Morgan, and around the same time began writing their own material. The band met Jeff Porcaro, who mentored them, and other members of Toto.

After many years of trying to get things together, they recorded their debut album Nomadic Sands, released in 1986. The album was to be produced by David Paich and David Foster, then by Paich and James Newton Howard, before eventually it was produced by Paich and Steve Porcaro. Michael Sherwood worked with Toto keyboardist Steve Porcaro during this period; one of their co-writes is on Michael Jackson's Thriller 25 album.

Michael Sherwood and Jimmy Haun then worked with Air Supply.

After Lodgic, Michael did session work, including backing vocals on the Anderson/Bruford/Wakeman/Howe songs on Yes's Union album (on which brother Billy also performed, but on different tracks).

A solo album, Tangletown, was released in 1998, largely written with Julius Robinson, and included artists Steve McCormick (guitars and vocals), the late Jamie Chez (drums and vocals), Tom Felicetta (long-haired bass), and Dorian Crozier (drums on "Angry as I Am" and "The Censor"). Guests included Christian Nesmith, who co-produced with drummer Jamie Chez and bassist Tom Felicetta, brother Billy, Jimmy Haun, Greg Ellis, and Yes engineer Tom Fletcher.

Michael also appeared on Ted Jacobs' 2000 album The Days Gone By, while he and Robinson worked on music for the 2001 film Angel Eyes. In 2004, Michael joined Conspiracy, Billy's band with Yes bassist Chris Squire, to record a live-in-the-studio DVD, released in 2006. Michael has also worked with the Gluey Brothers, Jack Russell, Lisa Loeb, Steve Porcaro, Air Supply, Jonathan Elias, and Circa, and further with Julius Robinson and Christian Nesmith. He has done music for TV shows and adverts, including work for Elias Associates.

Sherwood co-wrote, co-produced and sings on Steve Porcaro's debut solo album "Someday/Somehow", released 2016, as well as co-writing material for Toto XIV.