Michelle Schmitt

Michelle Schmitt (born in Detroit, Michigan) is a Singer-Songwriter, Music Producer living and working in San Francisco, California.

Career
Schmitt began playing guitar and writing songs when she was 12 years old. She moved to San Francisco in 1977. Gifted with a soulful voice, the ability to express her feelings through her heartfelt songwriting and a talented band, Michelle delivers songs that stand the test of time. A modern 70s vibe best describes her sound, beautiful harmonies, strong, honest and intelligent lyrics. Growing up in Detroit, Michelle was exposed to great music and credits artists like Joni Mitchell, Etta James, Aretha Franklin, Tina Turner, Carole King, Eva Cassidy, Bonnie Raitt, Buffe St. Marie and Emmylou Harris for her inspiration. In 2005 Michelle was invited to contribute a song on a record featuring six Grammy winners and two Rock & roll Hall of Famers (including Bonnie Raitt, Kenny Loggins, Bill Medley, Rosanne Cash, Johnny Cash, Rodney Crowell, Beth Neilsen Chapman and Mike & the Mechanics). Michelle worked at Sound Management in San Jose, California in the early 2000s before opening Lilysong Records in Marin County. In 2006, Michelle opened the doors to her state of the art San Francisco studio, Harrison Street Records, and opened Pine Mountain Studio (both designed by the renowned studio designer, Wes Lachot) in Alexander Valley in 2008. In 2015 Michelle purchased a new Sausalito location to spend more time doing what she loves; songwriting. Michelle is committed to giving back what has so generously been given to her and records for and performs at numerous benefit concerts, helping organizations that assist homeless adults and youth in San Francisco and Marin County, the LGBT communities both in San Francisco & Marin County, Meals on Wheels SF, ExtraFood.org, SF/Marin Food Bank, Shanti Project in San Francisco, Anti-Bullying organizations and various youth drug prevention programs. 100% of all proceeds of Michelle's music goes to causes that she cares about. Michelle produces & arranges her own records and has worked and co-produced music with her friend, Ricky Fataar. Schmitt has spent time writing with her talented friend and songwriting chair at Berklee School of Music, Bonnie Hayes, on projects as well. Schmitt has worked with musicians from San Francisco, Los Angeles, Nashville, New York, Paris and all over the Bay Area. Her band has included Ricky Fataar & George Marinelli (Bonnie Raitt), Marc Levine, Michael Bluestein (Foreigner), Michael Spriggs and Billy Shaddox, and now consists of Lewis Patzner, Jeremy Lyon, Will Lawrence, Mike Pinette, Graham Patzner, Papa Bear, Anton Patzner, and Trevor Bahnson. She has also been going to Paris to perform annually for the last 12 years.

Benefit concerts
Schmitt and her band also do benefit concerts every December in San Francisco and Marin County to raise money for the hungry in those communities. The recipients of the concerts are organization near and dear to her heart, ExtraFood.org in Marin County and Little Wishes in San Francisco

In 2020, Schmitt and her band will perform at La Boule noire in Paris and The Royal Oak Music Theatre in Detroit, Michelle's beloved hometown. Both shows will be benefit concerts.

Fearless Hearts (2004)
Label: Hoffman Institute Foundation, Marin County, California

Track List

 * 1) Happy Girl (Beth Nielsen Chapman)
 * 2) Fearless Love (Bonnie Raitt)
 * 3) I'll Be Here With You Til Then (Bill Medley)
 * 4) The Rose (Michelle is featured)
 * 5) The Bus Ride (Anna Willson)
 * 6) There Isn't Any Word For Love (Brent BecVar)
 * 7) You Won't Be There (Jesse Moore)
 * 8) Conviction Of The Heart (Kenny Loggins)
 * 9) September When It Comes (Rosanne Cash)
 * 10) Heart to Heart (John Denver)
 * 11) I Know Love Is All I Need (Rodney Crowell)
 * 12) The living Years (Mike + the Mechanics)

Faith, Love and Detroit (2004)
Label: Red Rooster Studio, Berkeley California

Track List

 * 1) Promises
 * 2) Don't Worry
 * 3) The Rose
 * 4) Motoring
 * 5) Lord, is it Mine?
 * 6) Clear Eyes, Clear Heart
 * 7) Devil in his Pants
 * 8) You Say
 * 9) Stairway to Heaven
 * 10) Somebody to Love
 * 11) Did I Give You Everything You Need?

Promises (2005)
Label: Lilysong Records

Track List

 * 1) Promises
 * 2) Way Up in Heaven
 * 3) As I Hold You in My heart
 * 4) What Do I Do?
 * 5) Clear Eyes, Clear Heart
 * 6) Hey Maybe
 * 7) I think
 * 8) For You
 * 9) I Have Found Everything In You

Home (2007)
Label: Harrison Street Records

Track List

 * 1) Lying In This Bed
 * 2) Home
 * 3) You're the one I Love
 * 4) Start All Over
 * 5) Tears
 * 6) Heidi’s Song
 * 7) Missing
 * 8) I Hope God Is Listening
 * 9) Holding On Tight
 * 10) You can't break My Heart

Another Winter (2008)
Label: Harrison Street Records

Track List

 * 1) Where To Turn
 * 2) Morning Light
 * 3) These Little Pills
 * 4) I see You
 * 5) Tonight
 * 6) We’re Both Trying
 * 7) Your Words
 * 8) You'll Know
 * 9) Shadows
 * 10) Another Winter
 * 11) As You Sleep

Christmas on Pine Mountain (2009)
Label: Harrison Street Records

Track List

 * 1) By The Fire
 * 2) Song For a Winter’s Night
 * 3) A Lonely Christmas Night
 * 4) Winter Song
 * 5) Breath of Heaven
 * 6) I Believe In Love
 * 7) What Child Is This
 * 8) Don't Let Go of Me
 * 9) The First Noel
 * 10) Maybe This Christmas
 * 11) Angels In Trees
 * 12) Christmas In Killarney
 * 13) Pine Mountain Lullaby

Being Here (2010)
Label: Harrison Street Records

Track List

 * 1) Being Here
 * 2) Love
 * 3) Tumblin’ Down
 * 4) Can't Live Without You
 * 5) Pretty Words
 * 6) We Keep Missing Each Other
 * 7) Trying Too Hard
 * 8) Anywhere With You
 * 9) If I knew
 * 10) Hurricane
 * 11) Are You Still There

Covering Life (2011)
Label: Harrison Street Records

Track List

 * 1) Fall Apart Again
 * 2) Love Hurst
 * 3) Goodbye
 * 4) Helplessly Hoping
 * 5) Until I Die
 * 6) Long Ride Home
 * 7) Circle Game
 * 8) I Want You Back
 * 9) Love Ain't For Keeping
 * 10) State Of Mind

Late Tonight (2012)
Label: Harrison Street Records

Track List

 * 1) Late Tonight
 * 2) Let Go
 * 3) More For You
 * 4) Paris
 * 5) Knowing You
 * 6) Looking Out
 * 7) Nothing
 * 8) Still Called Love
 * 9) Settled
 * 10) Time Is Speaking

Messages (2013)
Label: Harrison Street Records

Track List

 * 1) Messages
 * 2) Before It Breaks
 * 3) Portrait
 * 4) Falling Forward
 * 5) Last Night of the Year
 * 6) Life for Me
 * 7) Running
 * 8) Don't Want To
 * 9) Gone
 * 10) This Too Shall Pass
 * 11) Tread Softly
 * 12) When I Get Up

To Remember You (2014)
Label: Harrison Street Records

Track List

 * 1) Christmas Eve
 * 2) Calling On Mary
 * 3) I Heard The Bells
 * 4) River
 * 5) Green Grows The Holly
 * 6) Under A Beautiful Moon
 * 7) Memories
 * 8) The Heartache Can Wait
 * 9) Silent Night
 * 10) To Remember You
 * 11) Run Run Rudolph

Another Christmas Story(2015)
Label: Harrison Street Records

Track List

 * 1) Mistletoe
 * 2) Midnight Clear
 * 3) Love Is Christmas
 * 4) With Me
 * 5) Another Christmas Story
 * 6) St. Germain
 * 7) A Change At Christmas
 * 8) Christmas for Two
 * 9) I'll Be Home for Christmas
 * 10) Silent Night, Holy Night
 * 11) Santa Claus Is Coming to Town
 * 12) Boogie Woogie Santa Claus
 * 13) Season of My Memory
 * 14) Do You Remember?

Detroit Girl (2016)
Label: Harrison Street Records

Track List

 * 1) I Can't Stand the Rain
 * 2) Some Kind of Wonderful
 * 3) Let It Rock
 * 4) I Can Only Give You Everything
 * 5) Not a Love Song
 * 6) Talking in Your Sleep
 * 7) In the Cold Cold Night
 * 8) Hula Hoop
 * 9) Harvest for the World
 * 10) Detroit City

San Francisco AM Sessions (2016)
Label: Harrison Street Records

Track List

 * 1) Morning Light
 * 2) You're the One I Love
 * 3) You Can't Break My Heart
 * 4) I See You
 * 5) Tread Softly
 * 6) As You Sleep
 * 7) Nothing
 * 8) Pretty Words
 * 9) Tears
 * 10) Tonight
 * 11) Another Winter

San Francisco PM Sessions (2016)
Label: Harrison Street Records

Track List

 * 1) Being Here
 * 2) Tumblin' Down
 * 3) Late Tonight
 * 4) Home
 * 5) Your Words
 * 6) Trying Too Hard
 * 7) Hula Hoop
 * 8) Love
 * 9) Running
 * 10) These Little Pills
 * 11) Detroit City

Christmas Gifts (2016)
Label: Harrison Street Records

Track List

 * 1) At Christmas Time
 * 2) 2000 Miles
 * 3) Something About December
 * 4) It Really Is a Wonderful Life
 * 5) Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree
 * 6) Hey Guys, It's Christmas Time
 * 7) Christmas Gifts
 * 8) Finally Home
 * 9) Only You
 * 10) Papa Noel

Joy (2017)
Label: Harrison Street Records

Track List

 * 1) All I want For Christmas Is You
 * 2) I Heard the Bells On Christmas Day
 * 3) All the Pretty Little Horses
 * 4) Mistletoe
 * 5) Everything Is Cool
 * 6) Christmas Without You
 * 7) Shimmy Down the Chimney
 * 8) Our Lullaby
 * Joy

Christmas Stories (2018)
Label: Harrison Street Records

Track List

 * 1) Do You Remember?
 * 2) By the Fire
 * 3) I Believe in Love
 * 4) With Me
 * 5) Under a Beautiful Moon
 * 6) St. Germain
 * 7) To Remember You
 * 8) Memories
 * 9) Christmas Eve
 * 10) Don't Let Go of Me
 * 11) Pine Mountain Lullaby

St Mary's (2018)
Label: Harrison Street Records

Track List

 * 1) Here We Go Again
 * 2) Before I Die
 * 3) St. Mary's
 * 4) Loud Women
 * 5) The Eye
 * 6) Dignity
 * 7) What Good Husbands Do
 * 8) Note To Me
 * 9) Want Me Happy
 * 10) Tossed and Tangled
 * 11) Catch Me
 * 12) We Don't Leave Anyone Behind

Detroit Girl Too (2019)
Label: Harrison Street Records

Track List

 * 1) Somebody to Love
 * 2) Leap of Faith
 * 3) Get Ready
 * 4) Stop Look Listen
 * 5) What I like About You
 * 6) Take Me to the River
 * 7) The Way You do the Things You Do
 * 8) Borderline
 * 9) Midnight Hour
 * 10) Katmandu
 * 11) Who Do You Love

Going Home (2019)
Label: Harrison Street Records

Track List

 * 1) A Thousand Beautiful Things
 * 2) Closer to Fine
 * 3) Landslide
 * 4) Back to Me
 * 5) Falling Star
 * 6) What Are You Waiting For?
 * 7) Down to You
 * 8) Until It's Time for You to Go
 * 9) Most of All
 * 10) Home

Light (2020)
Label: Harrison Street Records

Track List

 * 1) Oh Mercy
 * 2) Answer to My Prayers
 * 3) Wouldn't Change It
 * 4) Stop Time
 * 5) Can't You Just Love Me
 * 6) Took So Long
 * 7) Light
 * 8) Our Song Was Playing
 * 9) Give Away the Moon
 * 10) How Much Do You Need
 * 11) I Found Everything in You (1975)

Opened Letters (2022)
Label: Harrison Street Records

Track List

 * 1) Anyway
 * 2) Opened Letters
 * 3) Behind My Back
 * 4) Crazy Thing
 * 5) Don't You Remember When?
 * 6) Drowning
 * 7) Far Away
 * 8) Looking For My life
 * 9) Middle Of the Night
 * 10) The Only Thing That Last
 * 11) Where Do I Begin?
 * 12) Wipe Away My Tears
 * 13) You Can't Hide

Personal life
Michelle lives in Marin County, California, and has been married to Henry Schmitt since 1984. She has two sons, Eric (born 1987) and Alexander (born 1988). She also has a daughter-in-law, Kim Schmitt, married to Eric and three granddaughters.