Michael De Jong

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Michael De Jong (January 22, 1945 – March 10, 2018) was a Dutch‑American blues guitarist, singer-songwriter, and writer. His life spanned the United States and Europe, and his music reflected a restless, adventurous career.

Early life
De Jong was born in Fontenay-le-Comte, France. His Dutch father fled World War II, and after the war the family moved to the United States in 1950. He grew up in Grand Rapids, Michigan, where he sang in church from a young age. He learned to play guitar at thirteen after seeing Johnny Cash in concert. By his late teens he formed The Nightwalkers, a band that backed Bobby Bare for a time.

Career in the United States
In 1967 De Jong moved to Detroit and soon became a regular at major blues scenes, including John Sinclair’s Ann Arbor Blues Festival. He spent much of the early 1970s traveling across the United States, and he spent about a year playing in New Orleans’ Bourbon Street clubs. He later moved to California, where he shared stages with legends like Jerry Garcia, Paul Butterfield, Albert Collins, John Lee Hooker, Maria Muldaur and others. He also played with or supported Jimmy Reed, and he is said to have discovered Reed’s body after his death.

In 1981 De Jong released his first album, All Night Long, produced by Nick Gravenites and featuring members of the Steve Miller Band. The album drew attention in San Francisco, where a music critic praised its mix of country‑leaning ballads and rockers. After a few intense years in the United States, De Jong decided to return to Europe to be closer to his roots. He traveled through Paris, London and Bremen before settling in Copenhagen from 1985 to 1988, then faced legal trouble and stayed elsewhere in Europe.

By the early 1990s De Jong lived in Amsterdam, where he faced personal challenges. In 1992 he was diagnosed HIV‑positive and, a year later, moved to Dordrecht in the Netherlands, where he stayed for the rest of his life. He continued making music, finding new audiences in Europe and beyond.

European career and later life
De Jong released his first European album, Fugitive Love Songs, on Tombstone Records, followed by Who’s Foolin’ Who on Munich Records. He recorded several more albums throughout the 1990s and 2000s, often in a session‑by‑session style. In 2000 he learned he had a tumor on his vocal cords, which was removed by laser surgery, after which he relearned how to sing.

Style and philosophy
De Jong was known for his distinctive, self‑taught guitar style and a voice with a rough edge. He once said he never took a guitar lesson in his life, playing from what he felt and what he had lived through. He believed his blues came from the heroes he admired and the lives he had seen, and he cared more about touching people than achieving mainstream success.

Discography highlights
- All Night Long (1981)
- Fugitive Love Songs (1993)
- Who’s Foolin’ Who (1996)
- Alive (1997)
- Grown Man Moan (1998)
- The Waiting Game (1999)
- Immaculate Deception (2000)
- Park Bench Serenade (2001)
- Last Chance Romance (2002)
- 23 Rue Boyer (2004)
- Imaginary Conversation (2004)
- Echo From The Mountain (2005)
- The Great Illusion (2006)
- For Madmen Only (2009)
- Life in D-Minor (2012)
- Lone Wolf Howling (Live Tour 2012)
- Michael De Jong Band Live (2013)
- Something For The Pain (2014)
- Requiem For The Lonely (2016)

Legacy
Michael De Jong left a lasting mark as a fearless blues artist who lived in both the American and European music worlds. He wrote about life, love, and society, always staying true to his voice and his experiences. He passed away in Dordrecht, Netherlands, in 2012018, leaving behind a diverse body of work that continues to inspire fans of blues and roots music.