Michael Fields

Who is Michael Fields?

Michael Fields is a British/American musician - conductor, composer and guitar, lute, theorbo and ukulele player.

He was born in Honolulu, Hawaii, the son of an American father and an Australian mother who had met in Melbourne, Australia during World War II. Michael Fields lived in Hawaii until 1955, then in Marin County, California until 1961, Santa Cruz County until 1971, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia 1971-74, and has been resident in England since 1974.

Fields showed an early aptitude for music: his first instrument was a Kamaka ukulele bought by his mother when he was born. After the family moved to California, he learned the "tonette", then he soon graduated to clarinet, which he played in the Capitola Elementary School Band. He began to play the guitar and piano at age 12, playing folk, rock and jazz music, and was soon leading his first band, "Piccadilly Circus", which performed at school dances. Other bands followed, the most successful being "The Back Door" in Santa Cruz, California and "Heritage" in Melbourne. During 1973-74, Fields led the backing band for "The Young Australians" - a group formed by Athol Guy of The Seekers.