Mike Eagan: PRESS

Mike Eagan and the art of the cover song
BRIAN KELLY • bkelly@pnj.com • September 19, 2008

For the last three decades, singer/songwriter Mike Eagan has been a staple when it comes to entertaining crowds from Pensacola to Pleasure Island. But Eagan, a Pensacola resident, isn't necessarily known by his own original compositions. Rather, he is known as an entertainer with one of the largest selections of cover songs to his repertoire.

"I've always been a songwriter. I generally write in the traditional country vein, but I also write blues and folk," Eagan said. "I have a song bank of about 1,000 songs, 900 covers and 100 originals. The main reason I like being a solo act is being fast on my feet. I don't do intros or instrumental breaks, all rapid-fire favorites. Most acts will do 10 to 12 songs per set, I do 20 to 25. If I don't know your favorite song, chances are I will next time you see me."
Eagan says his inspiration comes from many of the writers he's met at the Frank Brown Songwriters' Festival.

"I just love playing this town," he said.

His repertoire of cover songs runs the gamut of Classic rock and acoustic guitar, and Jimmy Buffet to CCR, Eagles, Dave Mathews. When you request a song, chances are good that Eagan can interpret it. While he loves covering his own musical heroes, Eagan admits that he's a songwriter at heart.
"Knowing and performing a variety of covers also helps me a lot in my songwriting," he says. "Just learning how lyric and melody are combined to create a memorable and loved song is important. Hopefully, I'll have people singing some of my tunes one day."
In addition to a hundred original compositions, Eagan's recording credits include the CD, "Perfect Day" released in 2001, a collection of 10 original cuts. Eagan's "Night Watchman," is a song that has "kicked off the festival" for the last six Frank Brown Songwriters' Festivals. Until this year's FBISF in November, Mike Eagan will be holding down crowds at various juke joints, watering holes and other live music venues with his arsenal of cover songs, gigging from Destin to Orange Beach.

"I'm very happy being considered a good cover artist. There is no better way to tug at a listener's heart than do one of their favorite songs (or a whole bunch of them). I try real hard to do songs just like the original artist recorded them, so those memories associated with the tune come back loud and clear. We can all associate pivotal moments in our lives with certain tunes, it's the sound track to our life."

Visit Mike Eagan on the Web at http://mikeeaganmusic.com. Eagan appears at The Purple Parrot Tiki Bar every Sat & Sun. Check Live and Local to see where else he appears.