Mickey Spain Bio: 

Mickey Spain is a 2nd generation folk singer and songwriter from the mill town of Manchester

NH. Although he grew up in a household steeped in music and musicians, Mickey did not

actually begin to play music until his mid twenties. While laid up with injuries from an automobile

accident, his father gave him a guitar and with an uncontrollable fervor, Mickey went to work

learning three chords. The rumors that he never learned another are completely inaccurate. He

has indeed learned a few more, and though he’s not sure what they’re called, he is not hesitant

to throw them into a song when he thinks they’ll fit...most often they don’t. Over a three week

period, Mickey worked tirelessly honing his craft. He partnered with his brother Liam and they

began performing Irish and American folk songs as The Spain Brothers.

The Makem and Spain Brothers

It was during this time as a duo, that Mickey and Liam met another set of brothers; The Makem

Brothers. Shane, Conor and Rory Makem, sons of the legendary Irish folk singer Tommy

Makem, grew up in a small mill town not far from Mickey and Liam. It was while the Spain boys

were performing in a Dover NH pub that the two sets of brothers met and developed a friendship

based on a shared love of folk music. It wasn’t long before this friendship blossomed into a

partnership and Mickey and Liam joined forces with Shane, Conor and Rory to form the

internationally touring Irish folk band The Makem and Spain Brothers. This “Band of

Brothers”recorded several CD’s, a DVD and highlighted stages across the USA, Canada and

Ireland. Additionally, they appeared on PBS specials as well as television programs in Ireland.

They have shared the stage and recorded with some notable names in folk music including,

Jonathan Edwards, Noel Paul Stookey of Peter, Paul and Mary, Roger McGuinn of The

Byrds and Tom Paxton to name a few.

Mickey Spain Solo Performer

Over the years the lineup changed, leaving Mickey, Liam and Rory to tour as the folk trio,

Makem and Spain. Recently, the band decided to part ways leaving Mickey to perform as a

solo artist as well as with his brother, Liam. Mickey recorded his first solo CD in 2019 at WVIA

Studios in Pittston PA. Titled Villains & Thugs, the CD contains nine original songs.