When the 2-meter giant steps onto the stage, plays his old resonator guitar with a slide, and sings with his warm, rich voice about life’s ups and downs, coffee, good food, and love, genre boundaries simply don’t matter. MvM is a “songster” who travels from town to town, performing his songs as the soundtrack to a night in clubs, bars, pubs, festivals, and living rooms.

Songsters like Mississippi John Hurt, Big Bill Broonzy, or Lead Belly played for every kind of audience and always had the right sound for every occasion. In their tradition stands Michael van Merwyk: he performs for blues aficionados, at singer-songwriter festivals, and in pubs, adjusting his repertoire however he sees fit. Nothing here is over-styled or optimized. It’s about the music — and about bringing it to the people.

Dr. John or Johnny Cash singing songs by Judas Priest and The Clash, with John Lee Hooker or Blind Willie Johnson on guitar — that’s what it might sound like: a little offbeat, but full of fun. Michael van Merwyk developed his style where songsters usually are: on the road. “My schooling was in pubs, clubs, and parties. For more than 35 years, I’ve been singing songs and telling stories. I mostly play my own compositions, but also songs by other musicians in very personal versions. A good song is a good song.”

He tours regularly throughout Europe — from Norway to the Mediterranean coast, from the Atlantic coast to Moscow. Since 1984, Michael van Merwyk has been performing successfully on the international scene. He has received multiple awards, including “Best Blues Singer” and “Best Blues Guitarist” at the German Blues Awards. He won the German Blues Challenge and, with his band, became the first European act to take second place at the International Blues Challenge in Memphis, USA, where the quartet stood out with their distinctive Euro style among 124 acts from 16 countries. In 2024, MvM was once again honored with the Blues Award as Best Solo Artist.