Mike McAbee a professional musician and standup comic, a sensitive “American Idol”
Editor's note I wrote this a few years ago but I think this pretty well sums up an artist who I think is one of our region's own great performers

Mike McAbee sings and tells jokes in bars, at private parties and on stages throughout the upper Mississippi River Valley. He claims two towns as home, Waukon Iowa and Stevens Point WI. Born in Dodgeville, WI he is the son of Roger and SuAnn Mcabee. He has one sister, Dawn and a son, Abe.

He is a “professional” musician and comic, meaning he has made the deliberate and, as he defines it, “pragmatic” decision to give up his career as a trucker and to put on shows three times a week. McAbee, an accomplished songwriter, puts on quite a different show than anything presented so far on this ON STAGE page. He likes to play what he describes as lyrically driven songs.

Mike has been gifted with a beautiful singing voice, and emulates famous songs by a host of known artists from Johnny Cash to Lynyrd Skynyrd to Billy Joel. He, in fact, shows up to his performances with a set list of over 200 songs from a genre he describes as “real folk music.” Mike’s true and most charming talent is his ability to convincingly and interestingly sing and tell a story as he is playing. His skill to play a favorite song and then hilariously drop a one-liner about something or someone in the crowd during the same song will make even the most serious at heart giggle out loud. This guy will do anything in his performance from walking outside onto the front porch of the bar if that is what the lyrics at the time dictates, to walking atop the bar playing his guitar, stepping over drinks, dodging overhead light fixtures, greeting guests, singing his song, cracking a joke all the while never missing a beat. Maybe the most entertaining of his antics is his attempt at Elvis-like gyrations.

His not so subtle style is out and out funny. Mike is talented musically and comedically. He is borderline genius if not definitely quick witted. At the same time this entertainer is charmingly humble and not the least bit obnoxious.

Mike attended Luther College in Decorah in the late '80s, which is largely why following his divorce from his first wife in Stevens Point WI he moved back to Iowa to set up shop. After working as a truck driver for eight years, Mike realized his true passion was for songwriting and performing. More importantly, a career where he alone determined his work schedule would be much better suited for him to take care of his son Abe and his parents who lives near Mike’s second home in Stevens Point. “I am mostly motivated to make this music career work because it allows me the time I need to be with my son,” says McAbee.

Mike’s inspiration for his music comes straight out of his own experiences. He is not shy in anyway about putting the stories of his life out there in song. Mike, at age 38, has been divorced twice, is a retired truck driver, the father of a young son and the son of minister, a resident of the upper Midwest, and wildly enough has spent a portion of his adult life calling a camper attached to a hearse home.
All of this subject material cleverly finds it way into his songs. “I have to draw on personal experience to be convincing and you know you can’t draw a line on what is too personal to sing about and still be believable,” explains Mike. It is quite possibly from this strong sense of honesty that this man’s career is soaring. He puts on over 200 performances a year and is never at a shortage for gigs or tunes to play.

His repertoire of self-written songs is more than 50. Songs that are entitled the likes of: 20 Cars, Kiss you in Coulee Region, Allamakee, Strike It Middle Class, Wisconsin Small Town Polka, Peeing Outside and Divorce Alone. Many of these songs are available to listen to on his website, mikemcabee.com. At the same time, his three CDs are also available online to purchase. CDs sales have gone well for this songwriter as over 3500 copies have been sold.

Mike recorded a children’s CD, a fact that explains the sensitive nature of this hard working singer. Two years ago, a young boy from the Decorah area was killed in a farm accident. This young boy had a favorite song that was written by Mike. The family knew how important the song was to their son; they asked Mike to sing at his funeral. Of course Mike agreed. He really hadn’t realized he had a following of kids that liked his funny songs. But once he was aware of this, he proceeded to record a CD at the North Winn Elementary School with the help of the boy’s former classmates when some of the proceeds were dedicated to a memorial in honor of the young boy.

Mike Mcabee is well thought out promoter of his career as he picks and chooses his appearances based on what he believes will best advance his career. “I have been paid well to play places like hotel lounges with crowds amounting to one or two people,” says Mcabee. He admits this is easy money but as he is playing he is disappointed it may be time wasted because as he performs he is wondering what other place he could have been playing where he might have been able to advance his career. Mike has played on stages at county fair stages including the Fayette Co Fair. His biggest show, to date, was a stint on his own stage at the Country USA event held in Oshkosh WI, an event which also hosted the likes of Kenny Chesney and Martina McBride.

He is a self proclaimed country music performer. He explains his love for what he calls a simple style to play. Mike was very close to his maternal grandfather, who lived in the small Ohio town of Castalia. “My grandpa, [Harry Maul] was a country music performer. He played country songs every day of his life, since the 1930s.” Mike explains it was his Grandpa Maul that probably influenced his music career at young age. Now after life had taken him on a few twists and turns he finds it funny that he is actually pursuing a career he proclaimed would be his, at the age of 12, while admiring his grandpa.

The following lyrics from Mike’s popular song “Divorce Alone” are a great example of Mike’s ability to write from his heart but to wrap it up in a crafty wit somewhat reminiscent of the '70s hit comedy and country show Hee-Haw. “Momma cried when we said I do, Momma cried when we said I don’t. Marry and the world marries with you divorce and you divorce alone… You didn’t put your picture in the paper this time around but ain’t it funny cause word still spread all over town...”

This singer is also has amazing stamina. Capable of performing for up to four hours straight, this guy is the consummate entertainer. Although he has peddled his music on several occasions in Nashville with moderate success, Mike is very careful about what he wishes. Not looking for a national career that would take him away from his family, he would surely like to see his career to advance to the point where he would play local concert halls throughout the Midwest, with the Elkader Opera House as one of his desired venues. This humble, funny, talented but yet confident guy sums up his aspirations, “I don’t think I am some genius, but I would like to think I am capable of playing concerts and just the bars I want to play.” Personally, I think he has got it. WIN TICKETS to the OCTOBER 24 LIVE CD Recording at the Elkader Opera House .

Beer and Brats Garden: Home of the Best Brat on the River

I wrote this story several years ago but I think the review stands true today.

Beer and Brat Garden the best brat on the river for sure

June 06 - This time around I've decided to feature some of my favorite places to eat, in and out of Clayton County. The truth is great food is everywhere and in many cases not much more than a half hour from my door in rural Elkader. I will feature some of my favorite dining spots and some locations that happen to fit the mold for the types of places I love but just haven't had the chance to try until now, like Mr. McGregor's Beer and Brat Garden along the river in downtown McGregor. Having never been there, I knew they needed to be on the list because, well, I love beer and I love brats and of course I love the mighty Mississippi (not necessarily in that order.)

This week read how brats, romance, the Vietnam War and the Rocky Mountains all have something in common with Mr. McGregor's Beer and Brat Garden.

When I walked in the door to Mr. McGregor's one word came to mind, COOL! That's it, cool. My first impression was struck by the dining area being surrounded with a brilliant views of the Mississippi. Looking out the windows you see customers can choose between dining in or al fresco, a huge deck circles the river side of the building and then around its perimeter are situated the McGregor Marina's docks.

This picture leaves a first time visitor with no question about the nature of this place's customer base. Mr. McGregor's must be largely supported by tourists and boaters and/or boating tourists. Large planked wood floors, the vaulted ceiling lined with rope lights and the wood burning fire place gives a kind of a rustic gazebo feel and left me with a relaxed island sense. I felt like I was on vacation anywhere but in Iowa. Which is probably why the mother-daughter owners, Faye Sporleder and Andrea McElwaine agree the majority of their business is driven by tourists.

Faye Sporleder and her husband Ray began this thriving operation nearly twelve years ago. At the time the couple was residing in a small Rocky Mountain town called Tiny Town, Colorado. Faye, a food service director for a large, local school district and Ray, an electrical engineer for the power company, Public Service, raised their two girls, Andrea and Lea Rae in the mountains. Ray and Faye are not natives of Colorado; Faye's hometown is Seneca, Wisconsin, just northeast of Prairie Du Chien and Ray is from Pierce, Nebraska. The two met over thirty-two years ago completely by chance, during a night out in a small bar in Prairie Du Chien. Faye was home from college for the weekend and Ray was on leave from the Vietnam War visiting a friend in Prairie du Chien. Ray and Faye must have made quite a first impression on each other because after having only met for one day the next week each went back to their lives Faye to college and Ray back to Vietnam for another year. They continued to correspond for that time and then eventually reunited. After a short time they married and moved to Colorado chasing new dreams and careers.

They lived in Colorado through the '70s and '80s. Occasionally the family returned to the mid-west for vacations. Faye explains, "My brother, Jeff Johnson had owned the McGregor Marina for many years, and we would come back here for visits. During one of our visits Ray and I mentioned to him if he were to ever to do something else we might be interested in buying his business."

Jeff did commit to retiring in the early '90s and Ray and Faye decided to turn their lives in a completely new direction. During the summer of 1994 and for the next couple of years Faye with her daughters traveled to Iowa and ran the marina and the newly built Mr. McGregor's Beer and Brat Garden. Ray eventually completed his career with the power company in Colorado and finally the couple permanently moved to McGregor.

Now, what once was a river "shack" providing gas and convenience items is a fully developed marina with nearly 150 or more boat slips and home to this flourishing food business. Ray runs the docks with the help of Andrea's husband, Tom and Faye with Andrea run the restaurant. But Faye and Andrea agree everyone helps everyone in this demanding enterprise. Does the family feel they traded up even, after moving away from the Rockies to the Mississippi? Spoken like a girl with the river in her heart, Faye responds, "I miss the mountains but I love the beauty of the river, she is quite challenging and she demands our respect but we love her."

Now let's move onto the food. Okay, easily hands down, the best brat I have ever eaten. I am not kidding - if you are a brat lover check out Mr. McGregor's Beer and Brat Garden. This is a place with brats in the name of the establishment, so you know they're not messing around. The mother-daughter team has got it down to a science and without giving a way their secrets they have a great system. Andrea shares, "we purchase our brats from the same place season after season, we soak our brats the same way week after week and we charbroil them the same way day after day."

I think for me the most impressive part of the sandwich was the bun, which the owners say are baked fresh especially for their business by a local bakery. The buns are the same size and have the same freshness all of the time. Lastly, and then I will be quiet about the brats but be prepared to be filled and maybe for a little mess, especially if you are a kraut lover like me. Faye says, "People also love to add grilled onions and sauerkraut to almost all our sandwiches but they can make a heaping mess, with a flavor you'll never forget."

For non brat enthusiast the menu is extensive, a short order menu, with plenty of sandwich options. Mr. McGregor is also very popular for their broasted chicken. Boaters often call ahead orders and then pull into the marina when an employee will run their order out to the end of the dock. "Boaters can pull up and we provide a complete meal, chicken, fries salad, whatever and table service," explains Faye. River goers know sometimes it is a hassle just getting everyone and everything to the river not to mention the meal, Mr. McGregor's is the convenient answer.

Mr. McGregor's is a roomy place so I wouldn't worry too much about finding a seat especially on a gorgeous day where diners can easily sit outside. This is a great setting for a group to enjoy conversation with plenty of big round tables.

Mr. McGregor's has an extensive beer list, they carry domestic, imports and microbrews and many are available in cans, bottles or on tap. It's the kind of place that probably would never be complete without a nice beer selection. Remember it is a beer and brat garden. Beer aficionados can look forward to taking their time making their beverage choice.

Finally, Mr. McGregor's is a seasonal business open from April to October. They not only serve on site but cater weddings and events. They also host many events from small parties to weddings. Employing nearly 33 people between the restaurant and the marina this successful operation is extremely well run.

Next time you're in the mood for a fun place and view of the river check out Mr. McGregor's Beer and Brat Garden. Remember: great food really is everywhere.

The Music Man is in a river city near you... Elkader, IA

Beginning today, 10/1/09, at 2pm the Opera House Players will begin their fall season of magic with an exuberant presentation of Merideth Wilson's, The Music Man. The hundreds of hours of set preparation and rehearsals by an ensemble cast of 50 men, women and children will cease and the shows will begins today. Don't miss your opportunity to witness the excellence put forth by the Opera House Players in the beautiful Elkader Opera House.
The Music Man is set in River City, IA. The show stars,Clayton Ridge High School's Band Director, Eric Layden, as the swindling, traveling saleman, Harold Hill. Eric's charming portrayal of Harold Hill will endure you to the character like no other. In fact, if I were him, I would set up shop after the show as I am sure he could sell a few band instruments.
Harold Hill's love interest, Marion Paroo, is played by Starmont Music Teacher, Mara Schack. This duo's chemistry is some of the best I have seen on the Opera House stage.
Mara's gift for singing will be a treasured by audiences. And theater goers will love watching her change of heart, from the town's doubting Thomas to genuine love for Harold Hill.
Much of the comic relief has been left to Opera House veterans led by Dave Beck's performance of the insider, Marcellus, and the bumbling mayor Shin played by John Franta. Although some of the most hilarious scenes include newcomer, Wendy Shea who hilariously plays the stoic, Eulalie Mackecknie Shinn.
Other highlights include energetic, precise and entertaining dance numbers, cute scenes with talented young actors like Ted Hilgerson who has worked very hard to play the lisping Winthrop.
The show stopper and the group sure to get generous applause is the barbershop quartet comprised of Clarke Ott, Russ Hagen, Jon Banse and Kevin Lau. I have one word to describe this group with palatable harmony...UNBELIEVABLE!!! Really they will impress and have you humming Lida Rose for days.
Get your tickets soon, I hear they are selling like hotcakes. Showgoers can expect a classic Opera House Player musical with a lot of new faces and set work that will not disappoint. Congrats to the production & directing crew whose attention to detail never ceases to amaze. Win tickets here.