Mike Lawlor Banned

Lawlor attended and graduated from the Musicians Institute in Hollywood, California in 1990, returned to New Jersey soon after, and played in various projects ranging from heavy metal to bluegrass. Lawlor’s playing has been described as fluid, singing legato lines with an undeniable blues basis, and jazzy undertones.
Lawlor’s versatile playing style sets him apart from his peers, most notably in a few prestigious guitar competitions. In 1993, he became a finalist in the “Guitar Player From Hell” competition-more recently, his victory in the national Guitarmageddon contest garnered him further fame. Lawlor defeated over 2,500 entrants from all over the country before a panel of industry judges in a live competition to win the coveted spot known as “Best Unsigned Guitarist in the Nation.” In a contest that judged originality, technique, and stage presence, his win allowed him to open up for Stone Temple Pilots at the Avalon Ballroom in Boston, as well as a flight out to the Fender Custom Shop in California. There, he designed a one-of-a-kind Custom Shop Master Built Stratocaster that he proudly plays at many of his current gigs.