Mike Zito
Mike Zito
Mike Zito (born November 19, 1970) is an American guitarist, singer, producer, and songwriter from St. Louis, Missouri. He is a co-founder of the Royal Southern Brotherhood which features Cyril Neville, Devon Allman, Charlie Wooton, and Yonrico Scott.
Zito started singing at the age of five and by his late teens, he had begun his career in the St Louis area music scene. In 2008, Zito made his international debut on the Eclecto Groove label.
Zito released records on his own label he toured regionally and performed on some national dates until signing with Eclecto Groove Records in 2008. In 2008 Eclecto Groove Records released "Today".
In 2009, Eclecto Groove released his second CD "Pearl River". Zito and Cyril Neville collaborated on the title track. At the 2010 Blues Music Awards, "Pearl River" won "Song of the Year". "Pearl River" was recorded in New Orleans, Louisiana at Piety Street Studios
In 2011, Zito fulfilled his recording contract with Delta/Eclecto Groove with the release of "Greyhound", which was nominated for "Best Rock Blues Album" at the 2011 Blues Music Awards in Memphis, Tennessee.
Zito met Devon Allman while working together at the Guitar Center in St. Louis. The two would be reunited again through manager Rueben Williams, who managed Neville and Zito prior to signing Allman.
With Jim Gaines as producer (Carlos Santana, Stevie Ray, The Steve Miller Band) Royal Southern Brotherhood recorded the band's debut album at Dockside Recording Studio in Maurice, Los Angeles. Allman, Neville, and Zito share lead vocals for the new album creating Zito and Allman play twin guitar leads is one reminder of the band's related sound to the dual guitar leads played by Allman's uncle, Duane, and Dickey Betts in the Allman Brothers Band.
In 2012, Zito debuted his new band, 'The Wheel'. In 2014, Mike Zito and the Wheel's album, "Gone To Texas", was nominated for a Blues Music Award in the 'Rock Blues Album of the Year' category.
(Mike Zito at Riverfront Blues Festival 2004 & 2010)