“Singer-songwriter Michael Veitch is probably not so well known to the general public. This American musician ended up after several wanderings through America and Canada in the German city of Munich where he lived and worked for two years. He was discovered in the early 1990s by the American folk singer Shawn Colvin and also became interested when the American social activist, folk singer and songwriter Judy Collins recorded his song “Veteran’s Day” in 2013 for her album “Judy Collins With Friends”.

At the beginning of this year, Michael Veitch released the record “Box Of Letters” with old recordings of live performances during tours and for all kinds of radio shows in the period from 2000 to 2016. Now there follows a five-song EP that under the title “Wake Up Call “will appear. The five songs are all socially and politically inspired songs with the just mentioned “Veteran’s Day” at the very front of the track list. On the video accompanying this review, you can view and listen to his acoustic live rendition of that song.

In “Pledging Allegiance” he presents economic equality and social justice for every citizen in the world. In “Voices Of The Old Days” he reminds the younger generations of the horror of the past World Wars. That song came about after he had visited the first Nazi concentration camp of Dachau in Bavaria, something that had left a lasting impression on him.

Song number four on this mini-disc is “White Rose”, a song that should be regarded as a tribute to the “white rose” students from Munich who protested against Hitler’s fascism and had to pay for their lives. Slot song “Happy Fourth Of July” reminds the listeners what the American ‘Independence Day’ holiday actually means, namely the historic date on which America declared its independence 241 years ago on 4 July 1776.

The beautiful tenor voice of Michael Veitch sounds convincing and soothing in these songs and the lyrics to the songs are a kind of history lesson for the listener. They are songs with mostly optimistic messages that will make you think about life and about all the mechanisms that can affect our well-being and our happiness. Michael, I would like to hear more about this good soon.”

“Veitch is a master songwriter and singer. Few artists working the singer/songwriter circuit even come close.”

“Michael Veitch has a romantic’s eye, a poet’s voice and the brave heart of a fighter. Veitch’s music does what the great 19th century columnist Finley Peter Dunne directed journalists everywhere to do: “to comfort the afflicted and afflict the comfortable.”

Michael Veitch is a songwriter of uncommon talent and ability. Painted Heart is a collection of moving, smart and well-crafted songs. The excellent production by Julie Last (and great backup musicians) puts this effort in world-class territory. Goodbye Never Sounded So Sweet should become the anthem of the growing anti-Bush movement. It’s a contemporary hit just waiting to be discovered.

“Michael Veitch is an intensely haunting songwriter and a riveting performer. His New York Journal album so captivated me that I listened to it over and over at least 25 times consecutively, and went on to book a 2 week tour of Texas with him. I have yet to hear a song of his that didn’t move me.”

“Michael writes songs that are like good architecture, beautiful structure, well built, and wonderful to be inside. and oh yeah, they matter.”

There’s a song called “Veteran’s Day” which I’ve been singing in my concerts, and it’s Veteran’s weekend, and I sang it in Calgary and I sang it over here. Anyway, that song that I found when I was one of the judges in Noel Paul Stookey’s song contest he holds every year. It’s called Music to Life, I think it’s called, and when I heard that song a few years ago, it just stayed with me and stayed with me and wouldn’t go out of my mind and I decided I had to do it.

“Veitch is riveting…a vivid illustration of the miles of difference between a master songwriter and the guys who’ll be standing in line at this week’s open mic nights.”

Shawn Colvin became  a true believer in Michael Veitch, giving him her solid endorsement saying: “In addition to being a topical songwriter, Michael Veitch also has to his credit the gift of writing some really great personal songs like “One Night an Angel”. “Time Wins Again”, and “TRU-LUV”. For me, Michael passes the ultimate test of any performer-he moves me.”

Yes, I now have several CDs by Michael Veitch on the shelf after I got to know him in 2017 with his album "Wake Up Call". Unfortunately, that was just an EP that asked for more, which I finally did.The musician who lives in Woodstock has now presented a new collection of songs. Titled Best Of Many Days. And once again Veitch has succeeded in presenting a folk / singer / songwriter album at its best. All the ingredients are right here, starting with the sympathetic-looking, warm-hearted voice, always conveying the meaningful lyrics in a credible manner, up to the instrumentation, with a few exceptions mostly played alone and with the guest musicians on a very high level with regard to the fine, subtle and sometimes filigree arrangements .This music is absolutely timeless, and could just as easily have been created in the sixties and especially in the seventies, when so many singer / songwriters populated the scene, but is just as relevant in the present. And that's also because the content of the texts deals with it a lot. "Shame, Shame, Shame", for example, addresses and indicts gun excess possession in the United States. "Above The Rain" - this is supposed to be a text in connection with a survivor of the Holocaust (Rita Schwartz). "Lisa Marie" is dedicated to Lisa Marie Presley.As with the predecessor, I cannot avoid emphasizing the very empathetic nature of the lecture, very approaching, very touching, a very pleasant atmosphere in which you can let yourself fall and read the printed texts. Had this record been released in the seventies, it might have become a classic of the genre. So that should be made up for as soon as possible!Wolfgang Giese

“Michael Veitch will work it’s magic on days you want a delicate, melancholy, honest and pure acoustic sound to fill your atmosphere. Its strong suit is its overall consistency, lyrical wisdom and bold passion and straightforwardness. Make no bones about it folks; it took raw courage and honesty to write and perform these songs. What I like most about Veitch is there is no attempt to hide how he feels, or sugarcoat the truth. I really admire artists out there who are themselves and just let the chips fall where they may. Praise goes out to the artist that has the courage to show us something real and genuine beneath their veil of vanity. Michael Veitch is one of those artists.  ”

“…a terrific tenor that is openly expressive and beautifully nuanced.”

“If you like Richard Shindell, then I think you will really like Michael Veitch…he plays with a rare intensity.”

"Veteran's Day ( by Michael Veitch) is one of the best songs I ever recorded. An amazing piece of music." Judy Collins

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Performing Songwriter chose Michael’s first CD as one of their Top 12 D.Y.I. picks of the month.

" My absolute favorite and most played albums of 2020 are "Rough And Rowdy Ways" by Bob Dylan and "Best Of Many Days" by Michael Veitch.

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Tom Pacheco

Singer/Songwriter

Woodstock, NY

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Kenny White joins Judy on Michael Veitch’s ‘Veteran’s Day’ to help register one of the album’s finest efforts, on a song that is tough and strong such the lyrics that speak of the less fortunate ones in war. Those who march off to war when called upon by their country but return in a wood box with a flag draped over it.”

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“Michael is the best ‘not yet famous’ singer songwriter out there.”