Michael Burton completed both bachelor's and master's degrees in Jazz Studies under the renowned musician and professor, David Baker, at Indiana University’s Jacobs School of Music.
Trained in music from an early age, his mother is an original member of the legendary Mississippi Mass Choir. Burton’s distinctive soulful saxophone performances, riveting grooves and vocal productions are the result of this influence and his native Jackson, Mississippi culture.
Currently Michael is touring with Usher and Patti LaBelle. He has also toured with Jill Scott, Mary J. Blige and Anita Baker as well as with New Edition, and PJ Morton. He’s also performed with Aretha Franklin, Jazmine Sullivan, Fantasia, Young Jeezy, Tank, Chrisette Michelle, Eric Benet, Regina Belle, Russell Gunn, Eric Roberson and many others. He has appeared on The Tonight Show, Good Morning America, Inside the NBA on TNT, The Steve Harvey Show, Ellen and Jimmy Kimmel. The Atlanta metro area resident has also played keys and saxophone for numerous Tyler Perry Stage and film productions. He can also be seen playing his saxophone in the HBO movie Bessie, NatGeo’s Genius Aretha, Bravo Reality TV Shows The New Atlanta and I Dream of NeNe The Wedding, as well as episodes on the IFC series Brockmire and STAR on FOX.
Burton’s saxophone and horn arrangements can be heard on recordings with a long list of jazz, soul, pop, rhythm and blues, gospel, and hip/hop artists including Jennifer Lopez, Kirk Franklin, Queen Latifah, Tasha Cobbs Leonard, Ciara, Musiq Soulchild, Anthony Hamilton, The Hamiltones, Mary Mary, Wale, BeBe Winans, Deborah Joy Winans, Lecrae (Gold Record for Anomaly), Fat Joe, Pitbull, Bria Lee, The Jacksons, Will Downing, Maysa Leak, Kim Burrell, Kelontae Gavin, Brian Courtney Wilson, Deborah Cox, Yolanda Adams, Stokley Williams, Polow Da Don, Ann Nesby, Jennifer Holliday, KeKe Palmer, Avery Sunshine, Chantae Cann, Jeff Bradshaw, Joshua Rogers, Candi Staton, Arrested Development, Leslie Odom, BiBi Bourelly, The Brown Boyz, Sho Baraka, Alyson Williams, John Driskell Hopkins (Zac Brown Band), Christian Paul, Marcus Johnson, Titus Showers, The Mississippi Mass Choir, LaShun Pace, Latrice Pace, Kathy Taylor, Dr. James Mable Jr., Australian Pop Star Guy Sebastian, UK sensations Paloma Faith and Kaiser Chiefs, and many others. His soulful saxophone can also be heard on 2 Grammy Nominated projects, Love Has Finally Come At Last, by Calvin Richardson as well as PJ Morton’s Gumbo album, and PJ Morton’s Grammy Winning album The Gospel According To PJ. Mike was also a featured soloist on Hidden Beach Recordings Unwrapped Volume 5.
Other television credits include, horn arranger/saxophone/flute for The National Anthem Super Bowl LV (Jazmine Sullivan & Eric Church), performing with Nas at the 2022 GRAMMY Awards, 2021 & 2022 Rock & Roll Hall of Fame house band (HBO), 2022 NBA All Star Game half time performance with Earth Wind & Fire, 2021 NBA All Star Game (Lift Every Voice and Sing), 2021 CNN New Year's Eve with Patti LaBelle, 2021 NAACP Image Awards, house band for season 2 of Fox’s The Masked Singer (2019), the house band for the 2013-2019 Trumpet Awards (which aired on TV One and Bounce TV), as well as seasons 6 through 10 of BET's hit show Sunday Best. He was also in the house band for the 2017 BET Her Fights, 2017-2020 Soul Train Awards (BET), 2020 Our Own Christmas (OWN), 2019, 2021, & 2022 Stellar Awards, 2019 & 2022 Black Music Honors, 2018 & 2020 BET Awards, 2020 John Lewis Tribute (CBS), 2018 VH1 Dear Mama, 2011 Dove Awards, the 2015 UNCF honors (BET), and the 2015 McDonald's 365 Black Awards (BET). Michael frequently appeared on BET's The Mo'Nique Show as a member of the house band (Big Jim's Penthouse Playas).
Michael has also served as an Artist in Residence in the US Virgin Islands, providing music education and mentorship to middle school, high school, and college students throughout St. Thomas, St. Croix, and St. John.
Mike has served as Vice President on the Grammy Board of Governors for the Atlanta Recording Academy chapter, where he is the co-chair of the education committee. He’s also a proud member of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc.
Burton has written and/or produced songs for Trombone Shorty, Jeff Bradshaw, Candi Staton, YoYo, Alex Bugnon, Terrell Carter, Paula Champion, Christian Keyes, Chandra Currelley, Bria Lee and others. His music can be heard in the films Note To Self (Christian Keyes) and aTypical Wednesday (J. Lee). Mike has released 6 independent projects, Sojourn, Soulful, The Producer, Say What?, Walk With Me, and The Mike Burton Band. In 2012, Mike, along a few of his musician friends, assembled the Good Times Brass Band, a horn driven band with a funky blend of New Orleans style second line and DC GoGo. They have one EP to their credit.
