Mike Ward: PsychoSongs

Detroit singer-songwriter Mike Ward is known for his lyrically-centric, vocally-charged folk songs. Born in the 50’s, he grew up through the conscious-raising 60’s, where a new awareness of the world was colliding around him (for both good and bad). Mike sat in at sit-ins, marched, volunteered, ran for student government, sang protest songs - even wrote a few - and was always involved when the rights of others were at stake. He took influence from the likes of Bob Dylan, Jackson Browne, Marvin Gaye and Joan Baez, with his own songs offering a dose of self-deprecating humor in the vein of John Prine, Louden Wainwright III and Christine Lavin.

Mike has an intimate songwriting style that reflects family, community and the world that surrounds us. His own fear of leaving that world without making a difference in the lives of others is part of what drives him. How can any of us rest with so much work to be done?

Mike has released the following music, “We Wonder” (2018) ,“The Darkness and The Light” (2021), “Career Advice” single (2021),“Particles to Pearls” (June 2022), “Love Never Rests” (April 2023), “Still Troubled” (2024) “The Heart Must Pay The Price” & “Transistor Dreams” singles (2025). “The Time That Remains” releasing July 1, 2025.
His songs were finalists for the Rocky Mountain Songwriting Contest, honorable mention 2023 Telluride Troubadour Songwriting Competition and 2022 Great River Songwriting Competition
Why Psychosongs? Well, his nickname as a hockey player is “PsychoWard”. Enough said.

Outside of his releases, Ward performs regularly at small venues, clubs and house shows throughout Michigan, the Midwest and the East Coast. Some notable venues include : Wheatland Folk Festival, Blissfest, FARM DJ Showcase, Thumbfest, HollerFest, Thunder Bay Folk Fest, Trinity House Theatre, Wiltsie's, Michigan State Fair, Columbus Folk Society, FolkNet and Look About Lodge (Cleveland MetroParks) Cleveland OH, On The Tracks Series-Chelsea Depot, Coffee House Milwaukee, Pete's Candy Store, Brooklyn, NY, Over Yonder House Concerts, Wesley's Place, LaGrange, IL, Music at The Gazebo House Concert Series, Farmhouse Folk, PJ's Lager House, North Star Lounge, Ann Arbor, MI, The Clover Room, Kalamazoo, MI, The Starlight Room, Muskegon, MI, Fitzgerald's Side Bar, Berwyn, IL, Two Way Street, Downers Grove, IL and WFMT FolkStage, Chicago, IL

Finally, Ward has been featured on several radio, podcast and streaming shows such as Folk Festival with Lilli Kuzma WDCB FM, Music My Mother Would Not Like (Bruce Swan and Louise Baker), Folk Project New Jersey, Ron Olesko’s Folk Music Notebook Shelter in Place Showcase, Jon Stein’s Hootenanny Cafe Showcase, John Bommarito's Acoustic Alternatives, Charlie's Open Mic Acoustic Showcase with Charlie Mosbrook and The Stratton Setlist.

“Mike Ward has the gift, the grit, and he puts in the time to really shape a strong song.” -Marilyn Rea Beyer, Host of The Midnight Special on 98.7-FM (WFMT)

“I’m so excited about Mike Ward’s upcoming music because his songwriting gets better with each release. He surrounds himself with great collaborators and it brings out the best in his music and live performances. We’re pleased to have Mike perform on the Trinity House stage.” - Bill Keith | Concert Coordinator | Trinity House Theatre

“Anchored by his rich strumming, lightly sanded vocals and philosophical lyrics, this is music by grownups, about grownups, for grownups.” -Darryl Sterdan of Tinnitist

www.psychosongs.com