Michael Sheahan Biography

Mike was born in Chicago but didn't stay long. His family settled in Phoenix Arizona some sixty years ago. While growing up he was into baseball following the Yankees and playing the game at higher levels as he grew.  His baseball interest was suddenly redirected on February 9th, 1964 when The Beatles performed for the first of several shows on the Ed Sullivan "shew". Mike was so struck by the drummer Ringo he decided right then and there to be a drummer. Ringo was having fun playing the drums and of course, it looked cool.

Mike’s parents were very supportive and started him with private lessons with a local jazz drummer.  He has forever been thankful for his folks support in those early years giving him the important musical foundation required to be a better than average musician.

Forward to age sixteen young Mike finds himself in his first band. The band was made up of forty something guys who played the old country and western music around the Phoenix metro area.  This gig continued for the next four years as Mike's playing with other musicians greatly improved his musicality.

When Mike reached twenty years old and having the exposure to the music industry at the local level he decided that a "real job" might be a smart idea. His then girlfriend's father spoke to the advantages of a job with a pension. He convinced him to look into public safety work. Mike settled on law enforcement deciding to set his sights on the Phoenix Police Department. After going to junior college learning about the criminal justice system, he was about to turn twenty-one when the police department called asking if he was still interested in joining. A long and exciting career as a police officer began consuming a great deal of his time. This caused Mike to stop playing music and focus on his new career.

When Mike finished twenty years of service, he was eligible for retirement and a pension. Even though he continued to work, putting in another eight years, he began planning for life after chasing bad guys. So for the next eight years he began taking private lessons, six total years from two professional drummers relearning to the basics and reading charts.

Towards the end of a great career he began jamming with guys doing the garage band thing. In 2000 Mike began playing with bands performing in all kinds of venues. For the last twenty-two years he played in sixteen-piece swing bands, small group jazz bands, a polka band (that was more fun than he could ever have imagined) and several rock and country bands.

In 2014 he began playing for The Hallelujah Blues Band, serving up the gospel of Jesus Christ our savior in music. After two years he developed carpal tunnel syndrome in both wrists' thereby necessitating corrective surgery which absorbed the next six months causing Mike to excuse himself from the band. Fast forward to September 2022 and Mike passed the audition a second time. He is now back to familiar music secular and gospel and loving every minute of it.  The Hallelujah Blues Band is even better than when I joined in 2014.

Music has provided Mike a great deal of personal satisfaction after retirement especially with Patrick Veit as the band manager, spokesperson, web designer, booking agent, great guitar player and singer. Their collaboration in music will be fun and spiritually satisfying while giving those who are hungry a chance to absorb the Spirit of the loving heavenly Father through the lyrics created by Pat Veit and delivered through the vessel called the Hallelujah Blues Band. Mike is very happy to be a part of this great band. He looks forward to a long and satisfying run in The Hallelujah Blues Band.