Michelle Schmitt

Career

Schmitt began playing guitar and writing songs when she was 12 years old. She moved to San Francisco in 1977. Gifted with a soulful voice, the ability to express her feelings through her heartfelt songwriting and a talented band, Michelle delivers songs that stand the test of time. A modern 70’s vibe best describes her sound, beautiful harmonies, strong, honest and intelligent lyrics. Growing up in Detroit, Michelle was exposed to great music and credits artists like Joni Mitchell, Etta James, Aretha Franklin, Tina Turner, Carole King, Eva Cassidy, Bonnie Raitt, Buffe St. Marie and Emmylou Harris for her inspiration. In 2005 Michelle was invited to contribute a song on a record featuring six Grammy winners and two Rock & Roll Hall of Famers (including Bonnie Raitt, Kenny Loggins, Bill Medley, Roseanne Cash, Johnny Cash, Rodney Crowell, Beth Neilsen Chapman and Mike & the Mechanics). Michelle worked at Sound Management in San Jose, California in the early 2000s before opening Lilysong Records in Marin County. In 2006, Michelle opened the doors to her state of the art San Francisco studio, Harrison Street Records, and opened Pine Mountain Studio (designed by the renowned studio designer, Wes Lachot) in Alexander Valley in 2008. In 2015 Michelle purchased a new Sausalito location to spend more time doing what she loves; songwriting. Michelle is committed to giving back what has so generously been given to her and records for and performs at numerous benefit concerts, helping organizations that assist homeless adults and youth in San Francisco and Marin County, the LGBT communities both in San Francisco & Marin County, Meals on Wheels SF, ExtraFood.org, SF/Marin Food Bank, Shanti Project in San Francisco, Anti-Bullying organizations and various youth drug prevention programs. 100% proceeds of every record Michelle produces go to causes that she cares about. Michelle produces her own records and also works and co-produces music with her friend and music partner, Ricky Fataar and writes with her great friend Bonnie Hayes on projects as well. Michelle has worked with musicians from Los Angeles, Nashville, New York and all over the Bay Area. Her band includes Ricky Fataar, George Marinelli, Marc Levine, Michael Bluestein, Michael Spriggs, Lewis Patzner, Billy Shaddox, Graham Patzner, Papa Bear & Anton Patzner. She goes to Paris to perform annually. Michelle & her band do a benefit concert every December in San Francisco and Marin County to raise money for the hungry in those communities. The recipient of the concert is an organization near & dear to her heart, ExtraFood Marin.

Fearless Hearts (2004)

Label: Hoffman Institute Foundation, Marin County, California

Track List

1. Happy Girl
2. Fearless Love
3. I’ll Be Here With You Til Then
4. The Rose (Michelle is featured)
5. The Bus Ride
6. There Isn’t Any Word For Love
7. You Won’t Be There
8. Conviction Of The Heart
9. September When It Comes
10. I Know Love Is All I Need

Faith, Love and Detroit (2004)

Label: Red Rooster Studio, Berkeley California

Track List

1. Promises
2. Don’t Worry
3. The Rose
4. Motoring
5. Lord, is it Mine?
6. Clear Eyes, Clear Heart
7. Devil in his Pants
8. You Say
9. Stairway to Heaven
10. Somebody to Love
11. Did I Give You Everything You Need?

Promises (2005)

Label: Lilysong Records

Track List

1. Promises
2. Way Up in Heaven
3. As I Hold You in My heart
4. What Do I Do?
5. Clear Eyes, Clear Heart
6. Hey Maybe
7. I think
8. For You
9. I Have Found Everything In You

Home (2007)

Label: Harrison Street Records

Track List

1. Lying In This Bed
2. Home
3. You’re the one I Love
4. Start All Over
5. Tears
6. Heidi’s Song
7. Missing
8. I Hope God Is Listening
9. Holding On Tight
10. You can’t break My Heart

Another Winter (2008)

Label: Harrison Street Records

Track List

1. Where To Turn
2. Morning Light
3. These Little Pills
4. I see You
5. Tonight
6. We’re Both Trying
7. Your Words
8. You’ll Know
9. Shadows
10. Another Winter
11. As You Sleep

Christmas on Pine Mountain (2009)

Label: Harrison Street Records

Track List

1. By The Fire
2. Song For a Winter’s Night
3. A Lonely Christmas Night
4. Winter Song
5. Breath of Heaven
6. I Believe In Love
7. What Child Is This
8. Don’t Let Go of Me
9. The First Noel
10. Maybe This Christmas
11. Angels In Trees
12. Christmas In Killarney
13. Pine Mountain Lullaby

Being Here (2010)

Label: Harrison Street Records

Track List

1. Being Here
2. Love
3. Tumblin’ Down
4. Can’t Live Without You
5. Pretty Words
6. We Keep Missing Each Other
7. Trying Too Hard
8. Anywhere With You
9. If I knew
10. Hurricane
11. Are You Still There

Covering Life (2011)

Label: Harrison Street Records

Track List

1. Fall Apart Again
2. Love Hurst
3. Goodbye
4. Helplessly Hoping
5. Until I Die
6. Long Ride Home
7. Circle Game
8. I Want You Back
9. Love Ain't For Keeping
10. State Of Mind

Late Tonight (2012)

Label: Harrison Street Records

Track List

1. Late Tonight
2. Let Go
3. More For You
4. Paris
5. Knowing You
6. Looking Out
7. Nothing
8. Still Called Love
9. Settled
10. Time Is Speaking

Messages (2013)

Label: Harrison Street Records

Track List

1. Messages
2. Before It Breaks
3. Portrait
4. Falling Forward
5. Last Night of the Year
6. Life for Me
7. Running
8. Don't Want To
9. Gone
10. This Too Shall Pass
11. Tread Softly
12. When I Get Up

To Remember You (2014)

Label: Harrison Street Records

Track List

1. Christmas Eve
2. Calling On Mary
3. I Heard The Bells
4. River
5. Green Grows The Holly
6. Under A Beautiful Moon
7. Memories
8. The Heartache Can Wait
9. Silent Night
10. To Remember You
11. Run Run Rudolph

Another Christmas Story(2015)

Label: Harrison Street Records

Track List

1. Mistletoe
2. Midnight Clear
3. Love Is Christmas
4. With Me
5. Another Christmas Story
6. St. Germain
7. A Change At Christmas
8. Christmas for Two
9. I'll Be Home for Christmas
10. Silent Night, Holy Night
11. Santa Claus Is Coming to Town
12. Boogie Woogie Santa Claus
13. Season of My Memory
14. Do You Remember?

Detroit Girl (2016)

Label: Harrison Street Records

Track List

1. I Can’t Stand the Rain
2. Some Kind of Wonderful
3. Let It Rock
4. I Can Only Give You Everything
5. Not a Love Song
6. Talking in Your Sleep
7. In the Cold Cold Night
8. Hula Hoop
9. Harvest for the World
10. Detroit City

San Francisco AM Sessions (2016)

Label: Harrison Street Records

Track List

1. Morning Light
2. You're the One I Love
3. You Can't Break My Heart
4. I See You
5. Tread Softly
6. As You Sleep
7. Nothing
8. Pretty Words
9. Tears
10. Tonight
11. Another Winter

San Francisco PM Sessions (2016)

Label: Harrison Street Records

Track List

1. Being Here
2. Tumblin' Down
3. Late Tonight
4. Home
5. Your Words
6. Trying Too Hard
7. Hula Hoop
8. Love
9. Running
10. These Little Pills
11. Detroit City

Christmas Gifts (2016)

Label: Harrison Street Records

Track List

1. At Christmas Time
2. 2000 Miles
3. Something About December
4. It Really Is a Wonderful Life
5. Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree
6. Hey Guys, It's Christmas Time
7. Christmas Gifts
8. Finally Home
9. Only You
10. Papa Noel

Personal life

Michelle lives in Marin County, California and has been married to Henry Schmitt since 1984. She has two sons, Eric (born 1987) and Alexander (born 1988). She also has a daughter-in-law, Kim Schmitt, married to Eric and a granddaughter (born 2015) as well as a son-in-law, Todd Stallings-Schmitt, married to Alex.