Over the past year, singer/songwriter Mike Rufo has been leading his songs out into the shores of light, most derived from his brilliant upcoming album, living is… due out on March 7th 2025. The latest is a rambling redemption song called “New Day,” that just made The Bluegrass Situation’s BGS Class of 2025 January playlist.
“To my total surprise, the uplifting gospel-tinged, bluegrass chorus for ‘New Day’ was playing in my head when I woke up one morning after months of deep grief and sadness after losing my parents,” admits Rufo. “I had always been an incurable optimist but I had been laid low by grief. Somehow, that part of me appeared again through that chorus like an old friend. Fearing it might leave at any moment, I ran downstairs to my guitar and recorded it immediately. I knew the verses had to be about hitting rock bottom with the grief and how the love of friends and family, and the music itself, pulled me back to who I was, though now, also forever changed.”
“New Day” is accompanied by a high spirited VIDEO featuring interspersed rehearsal footage with Rufo’s best travelin’ man portrayal.
As for the album, living is… is Mike’s 4th full length effort. The album’s first focus track, “The Reckoning,” a song that speaks to the poignancy and power of humanity facing itself, and the climate crisis, aptly dropped on Earth Day 2024. In addition to music making, Rufo is also a well-known and highly regarded energy-climate policy consultant. He is a national expert in many areas, including policy assessment, cost effectiveness, forecasting, evaluation, best practices, and strategic planning. Rufo is also a board member of Music Declares Emergency (MDE) US. So, it makes sense that, through much of his music, there is a mandate to conjoin social advocacy with music. This is further explored in a June 2024 article about Mike in the East Bay Times.
living is… follows his well-received 2021-22 release, Helsinki. (NACC Top Folk Add, week of April 26, 2022). NPR Tiny Desk Winner, Gaelynn Lea, said of the album, "The part of my musical consciousness that was nurtured by the likes of Simon & Garfunkel, Flatt & Scruggs, and even Leo Kottke donned a warm smile while listening to Mike Rufo’s recent album, ‘Helsinki’. The melodies are lovely, the lyrics straightforward and honest, and the guitar rings true - beautiful, clear, and unpretentious.”
For friends, family, fans and other curious folk residing in the Bay Area, Mike Rufo will be playing a show to celebrate the forthcoming release of living is… at The Back Room in Berkeley on Saturday, February 8th at 8pm along with Sarah Larkin (the Real Sarahs) along w/special guests. Tickets can be purchased HERE or by visiting www.backroommusic.com.
Music Declares Emergency is a group of artists, music industry professionals and organizations that stand together to declare a climate and ecological emergency and call for an immediate governmental response to protect all life on Earth. We believe in the power of music to promote the cultural change needed to create a better future.
For more information, please visit www.mikerufomusic.com
