Mike Gordon

(1965-)

Mike Gordon, born June 3, 1965, in Sudbury, Massachusetts, is a bass player and vocalist most known for his work with legendary rock band Phish. Gordon is an excellent overall musician, and is accomplished at banjo, piano, guitar, and percussion. He and Phish drummer Jon Fishman are both Jewish, and influenced the band to cover a few Jewish songs, including “Yerushalayim Shel Zahav” and Avinu Malkeinu. Phish is known for its improvisation and exciting concerts, in which a song was almost never played the same way twice.

Gordon helped to co-found Phish in 1983 when he met Fishman and guitarists Trey Anastasio and Jeff Holdsworth (original member of the band who left the band in 1986) at the University of Vermont. Until the band hit its international popularity level of success, Gordon managed Phish in practically every aspect of public relations and booking. He wrote 17 original Phish songs, and is cited as a co-writer on 22 songs.

After the band ended its career in 2004 after more than 21 years of performing together, Gordon continued to remain active in the music scene. Most notably, he has performed with acoustic guitar virtuoso Leo Kottke. In 2006, Gordon reunited with Phish guitarist Anastasio and Grateful Dead drummer Bill Kreutzmann on stage in Asheville, North Carolina to form the band Serialpod during a Warren Haynes concert.

Sources: Wikipedia; JewsRock.org