outside or the eastside
From his childhood in St. Louis to the global blues-rock circuit, Mike Zito has always kept it real. He began playing guitar at age five and by his late teens was a fixture on the St. Louis music scene. For Zito, honesty, authenticity, and integrity aren’t just part of the brand, they’re the foundation. “I have nothing to hide; it seems my honesty is what people relate to most,” he once told Vintage Guitar.
Zito is a powerhouse in modern blues rock. He’s an artist whose gritty guitar work, deeply human songwriting, and magnetic stage presence have made him a defining force in the genre. From smoke-filled bars in East St. Louis to major festival stages around the world, Mike has built a career on emotional honesty, fearless playing, and an unshakable commitment to the song.
In 2025, Zito claimed the Blues Music Award for Blues Rock Album of the Year with Life Is Hard, a deeply personal and sonically bold record that cements his place among the genre’s elite. The win followed his 2024 sweep, where he was honored with Blues Rock Album of the Year and Blues Rock Artist of the Year, reflecting both his creative output and his relentless touring schedule.
A lifelong road warrior, Zito has spent decades sharpening his craft onstage, blending classic blues, rock, soul, and Americana into something unmistakably his own. His live shows are equal parts fire and heart: searing guitar work, powerhouse grooves, and storytelling that invites audiences straight into his world.
Offstage, Zito is a respected producer and co-founder of Gulf Coast Records, championing fellow artists and helping shape some of the most exciting new music in today’s blues landscape.
Onstage and on record, Zito currently moves through three distinct but connected lanes. Under his own name, Mike Zito delivers the raw, personal, guitar-driven blues rock that fans across the world have come to love. He also co-leads Blood Brothers with Albert Castiglia—a high-energy, guitar-slinging band built on friendship, shared history, and a near-telepathic musical connection. Their chemistry has earned praise from some of the biggest names in blues: as Joe Bonamassa put it, “Mike and Albert have a special chemistry together when they plug in and play that few have. They finish each other’s sentences musically… Great tunes, great people, great hang!”
Albert adds his own perspective: “Mike is the hardest working man in show business and a force as a singer, guitarist, producer, and songwriter. There’s nothing the man can’t do. He’s also got a heart of gold, raising money for countless causes. He’s a credit to the blues rock genre!”
And then there’s Bill Murray & His Blood Brothers, a more theatrical, humor-driven extension of the Blood Brothers universe that allows Zito and the band to lean into joy, storytelling, and over-the-top rock ’n’ roll while staying anchored in the same serious musical fire.
Whether he’s fronting his own band, locking in with Albert in Blood Brothers, or steering the joyful chaos of Bill Murray & His Blood Brothers, Mike Zito is always chasing the same thing: real connection. The songs are honest, the guitar is loud, and the heart is wide open and that’s exactly how he intends to keep it.
