Mike Aiken Wayward Troubadour

Of the eight original songs on the album, six are co-writes. Two Lane Highway was penned with Henry Paul (Outlaws, BlackHawk) who also lent his talents to mandolin and vocals on this timeless, sweet track. Nashville Skyline, written with Chris P James (Burrito Brothers), covers the troubadour s view of Nashville as seen from any highway leading in to town . Mike included two very different songs he wrote with Paul Jefferson, the cooking Bob Wills-esque, Everything Changed, and the intense song about not being judgmental, Hard Working Working Girl. Longtime friend and co-writer, Tim Buppert and Mike created the more tongue-in-cheek offerings with Hangover Helper and the Gypsy Jazz flavored, A Little Lazy In Your Life. The three covers were chosen for their content and the songwriters, rather than audience familiarity: Real Mean Dog (Robbin Thompson, Gregg Wetzel) for Robbin, longtime friend, fellow sailor and songwriter; Dead Man Runs Before He Walks (Mark Collie, Shawn Camp) for an interesting twist on a somber story; and Penelope (Christopher Hynes) for its reminder that the grass is not always greener elsewhere. The self-penned songs Travelin Bone and Chesapeake give an autobiographical peek into Mike Aiken. Wayward, by definition, is difficult to control, unpredictable, non-conforming.