Michael David Hinton (May 4, 1956 – August 1, 2013) was an American guitarist, residing in the San Francisco Bay Area. During his career, he played with numerous bands, including Norton Buffalo and the Knockouts, High Noon, Merl Saunders & the Rainforest Band, to name a few. He appeared on several albums with the Rainforest Band and other Merl Saunders projects, including It's In The Air, Fiesta Amazonica, Still Having Fun, Merl Saunders With His Funky Friends - Live, and Still Groovin' .
Hinton played with Country Joe and Friends, and recorded with Rick Danko on A Tribute To Jerry Garcia: Deadhead Festival in Tokyo, Japan, 1997. He was also on the Roky Erickson albums, Don't Slander Me and You're Gonna Miss Me: The Best Of Roky Erickson. Among his other credits are his involvement in the Mickey Hart and Merl Saunders band, High Noon, and Freddie Roulette and Friends. He co-wrote the music for the films Stacy's Knights (1982) and Eddie Macon's Run (1983), and played on the score for the 1980s remake of the television program, The Twilight Zone with Jerry Garcia, John Cipollina, David Grisman and others. Hinton also co-wrote several songs with the late Norton Buffalo, world-renowned harmonica player, as well as playing lead guitar in Norton's band for approximately seven years, beginning in late 1980.
Hinton played several Merl Saunders tributes since the keyboardist's death in October 2008. A re-launch of the Rainforest Band as a tribute to Saunders took place at the 29th Starwood Festival on July 25, 2009, the site of their last performance, featuring Saunder's son and bassist Tony Saunders, Hinton, Sikiru Adepoju and other members of the Rainforest Band and other Saunders' projects.
Grateful Dead: Jerry Garcia, Bob Weir, Phil Lesh, Brent Mydland, Tom Constanten, Vince Welnick, Mickey Hart, Bill KreutzmannQuicksilver Messenger Service: John Cippolina, David FriebergJefferson Airplane/Jefferson Starship: Jack Casady, Don Baldwin, Pete SearsSantana: Jose "Chepito" Areas, Michael CarabelloCountry Joe and the Fish / Country Joe McDonald and Friends: Joe McDonald, Barry MeltonRainforest Band: Merl Saunders, Muruga Booker, Vince Littleton, Michael Warren, Tony SaundersJohnnie Johnson and UnrealMax Gail BandHigh Noon: Mickey Hart, Jim McPherson (Copperhead), Bobby Vega (Etta James)Norton Buffalo and the KnockoutsSchellville Southside Blues BandZero: Greg Anton, Chip Roland, Steve KimockSons of Champlin: Geoffrey Palmer, Jim PrestonBarry Melton BandPeter Albin (Big Brother and the Holding Company)Byron Allred (Steve Miller Band)Trey Anastasio (Phish)Maya AngelouBabatunde OlatunjiJoan BaezJohn Barbata (The Dinosaurs)Elvin BishopBobby BlackVernon Black (Mariah Carey)Ed BogasO'Teal Burbage (Allman Brothers)Paul ButterfieldRay Chew (Showtime at the Apollo)Vassar Clements (Old and in the Way)The CoastersLacy J. DaltonRick Danko (The Band)John Dawson (New Riders of the Purple Sage)Austin de LoneLance Dickerson (Commander Cody)Greg Douglass (Steve Miller Band)Roky Erickson (13th Floor Elevators)Steve Erquiaga (Andy Narell)Greg ErricoMimi Farina (Bread and Roses)Billy C. Farlow (Commander Cody)Martin Fiero (Legion of Mary)Mic Gillette (Tower of Power)Nate Ginsberg (Herbie Hancock)Bill GrahamNick Gravenites (Electric Flag)Rusty Gauthier (New Riders of the Purple Sage)David GrismanBilly Hart (Herbie Hancock)Edwin Hawkins SingersMark IshamDr. JohnMatt Kelly (Kingfish)Kronos QuartetLowell "Banana" Levinger (The Youngbloods)Huey LewisCarl Lockett (Jimmy Smith)Harvey MandelMel MartinScott MathewsJohn McFee (Clover/Doobie Brothers)Buddy Miles (Electric Flag/Jimi Hendrix)Steve MillerZiggy ModelisteEddie Moore (Woody Shaw)Maria MuldaurCharlie MusselwhiteMark Naftalin (Butterfield Blues Band)OdettaSammy Piazza (Hot Tuna)John Popper (Blues Traveler)Jimmy Pugh (Robert Cray Band)Chuck Rainey (Steely Dan)Vicki Randle (George Benson/Tonight Show)Brett Rasmussen (Merl Saunders)Roy RogersFreddie RouletteJohn Schneider (Dukes of Hazzard)Melvin Seals (Jerry Garcia Band)Ron Stallings (Reconstruction/Elvin Bishop)Luther Tucker (Little Walter Jacobs)Bill Vitt (Saunders-Garcia Band)Narada Michael Walden"Bishop" Norman WilliamsKate Wolf"Q" for KQED (Merl Saunders and the Rainforest Band live)KGO Curethon (Merl Saunders and the Rainforest Band live)Tales From The Crypt (TV series) (HBO) "On A Dead Man's Chest" Directed by William Friedkin (The Exorcist)Rediscovering The Amazon - Filmed on the Amazon River (Documentary for Moondragon Pictures)The Twilight Zone (CBS) "The Girl That I Married" (with John Cippolina), "Shelter Skelter", "Joy Ride", "The Junction" (with David Grisman), "Dead Run" (with Bob Weir, Brent Mydland)Studio Cafe (Norton Buffalo and Michael Hinton duo live)Norton Buffalo and the Knockouts live (KRCB)Sports America (Abe Lemons and Eddie Sutton — NCAA Basketball Coaches)"Revenge Of The Insects" (for PBS with Barry Melton and Mickey Hart)I Ain't No Angel - Lindy Gravelle (1982)Don't Slander Me - Roky Erickson (1986) Restless RecordsYou're Gonna Miss Me: The Best Of Roky Erickson (1991) Restless RecordsIt's In The Air - Merl Saunders & the Rainforest Band (1993) Summertone RecordsStill Having Fun - Merl Saunders (1995) Summertone RecordsFiesta Amazonica - Merl Saunders (& the Rainforest Band) (1998) Summertone RecordsMerl Saunders With His Funky Friends - Live (1998) Summertone RecordsStill Groovin - Merl Saunders (2004) Summertone RecordsSan Francisco After Dark - Merl SaundersA Promise Kept - Jim McPherson (2009)Keystone Revisited - Tony Saunders, Michael Hinton, Bill Vitt, Steve Abramson, Jeff Pevar (2013)Sonoma Soundtrack - Schellville Southside Blues BandJoan Baez (unreleased tracks) - Produced by Mickey Hart (Featuring members of the Grateful Dead and High Noon) (2001)Stacy's Knights (1982) (with Kevin Costner) co-wrote the music with Norton Buffalo and performed, Crown International PicturesEddie Macon's Run (1983) (with Kirk Douglas, John Schneider) co-wrote with Norton Buffalo and performed soundtrack, Universal Pictures/ MCASaunders & Friends by John Metzger - The Music Box November 1998, Volume 5, #11Chet Helms: Tribal Stomp (with Country Joe McDonald and Friends)2B1 MultimediaA Tribute To Jerry Garcia: Deadhead Festival in Tokyo, Japan, 1997 (1997/8) Japanese Laser Disc NTSC - VAP Video Super Rock series VPLR-70650