Grammy Award-winner and 5X Native American Music Awards Hall of Fame Lifetime Achievement-winner MICKI FREE and Santana vocalist Ray Greene take viewers inside the Neon Boneyard in Las Vegas to illuminate the newly unveiled video for “When The Devil’s At Your Door.” Watch it streaming below or via MICKI’s YouTube HERE.
FREE’s incendiary guitar lines and Greene’s soulful vocals light up this wickedly groove-laden track from MICKI’s new EP DREAMCATCHER via Bungalo Records / Universal Music Group. The Jack Banks-directed video was filmed in Las Vegas, NV, where MICKI resides, at the acclaimed Neon Boneyard—an outdoor exhibition space which contains more than 250 reilluminated iconic neon signs from Vegas’ dazzling past. “We chose the Neon Boneyard as it references Las Vegas…Sin City,” states MICKI. “With all the temptation in Vegas I thought it was perfect for the song. Even when you’re trying to toe the line, the devil’s always at your door.”
“‘When The Devil’s At Your Door’ is a reflection on past things I may have done in my life,” says MICKI, “knowing that if I wanted to ‘soar with the angels’ I need to make atonement for my past deeds.” He elaborates. “It’s like saying what you reap, you will sow...but I wanted the groove to be sinfully suggestive, so I added killer vocals from Ray Greene, the lead singer of Santana.”
MICKI shared how he came to enlist Greene, saying: “While at dinner with Cindy & Carlos (Santana), we were discussing who I should get to play bass on my EP. Carlos suggested Benny, his bassist in Santana, and Cindy agreed. After Benny was on board, I reached out to Ray Greene, Santana’s lead vocalist, and asked him to perform on ‘When The Devil’s At Your Door’ and he was on board as well! I'm so happy with the outcome of this project and my friendship with Carlos Santana, and his band...his guidance and advice were truly inspiring.”
Written, produced, and arranged by MICKI (who performed all guitars, lead and background vocals, and Native American flute), DREAMCATCHER was recorded between Rio Grande Studios in New Mexico with producer Ken Riley and Studio A Las Vegas with producer Myles Martin (The Weeknd, SZA, Travis Scott). For the studio sessions, MICKI enlisted members of Santana’s band including Cindy Blackman Santana (drums), Benny Rietveld (bass) and Ray Greene (vocals). The EP also includes guest appearances from bassist Rhonda Smith (Prince, Jeff Beck) and Mark “Muggie Do” Leach on Hammond organ and piano.
MICKI’s monthly residency at Backstage Bar & Billiards in downtown Vegas--“An Evening With Micki Free: Songs and Stories From A Life In Music”—will take place on Thursday, September 26.
ABOUT MICKI FREE:
FREE has been on the cutting-edge of the music industry from the start of his career. Having been signed to a management deal with Gene Simmons and Diana Ross that launched his career, FREE joined the legendary R&B group Shalamar where he became friends with Prince. After his departure in the early 90’s, FREE continued his solo career appearing on both the stage and in the studio with iconic artists including Carlos Santana, Janet Jackson, KISS, Little Steven Van Zandt, Aerosmith, Neil Young and Bill Wyman, just to name a few
His most recent album, TURQUOISE BLUE, was released via the Dark Idol Music label distributed by Burnside Distribution / The Orchard / Sony and features guest musicians including Gary Clark Jr., Steve Stevens, Christone “Kingfish” Ingram and Cindy Blackman Santana. FREE released an alternative version of the album’s single “World On Fire (Warrior Remix)” with Blackman Santana and her fellow Santana band members Karl Perazzo and Andy Vargas.
Born mixed blood Cherokee/Comanche Native American and Irish descent, FREE has mastered the Native American flute and in addition to his guitar-driven blues rock albums has recorded five flute music albums. He has used his platform to advocate for the Native American community and created the Native Music Rocks program, which gives Native American musicians performance opportunities and also founded the first Native American record company (Native Music Rocks Records).
