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Blind Dog Mike
 “You’re as good as an old blind dog, Mike” words said only in jest,
however they ended up naming one of Fairhope’s
local
band/trios, Mike Hutchison’s Blind Dog Mike
and the Howlers. Mike
laughs to himself about the memory and explains that he really is legally
blind and the name seemed more fitting to him than its original creator had
imagined. Having a band wasn’t
quite what
Mike had set out to do with his life but rather what life had brought his
way. He majored in social psychology and worked many years as a social
worker, but between jobs he worked in the music business. After living
twenty years in the Birmingham area he made his way back to the gulf coast
where he set up his own music shop, Baldwin County
Instrument Exchange.
Mike’s favorite song, “Give me the Simple Life” reflects his view of life. He designed and
oversaw the construction of his home, a solid cedar house that sits 400
feet from the shoreline of Mobile Bay. Built in 1989, the home serves the
dual purpose of residence and business as Baldwin County
Instrument Exchange is run from a connected room. His love of fishing
is evident from his “fish camp” like pier and boathouse he
constructed on the water.
The multitalented Mike not only has a successful band and business, he also
teaches guitar, harmonica, and mandolin lessons. He has never let his
disability (a rare, hereditary form of macular degeneration called
Stargardts that eliminates one’s
central cone of
vision) stand in the way of his dreams. He continues to drive his boat and
even drove automobiles until, in the words of Mike, he realized he should “stop driving blind.” He goes on to say, “I run the business
and teach lesson from my home. It works well for all of us.
Another passion of Mike’s is history. He
integrates his
love of music with his interest in the Civil War period of U.S. history by
participating in reenactments, often providing period music on his
harmonica. He reenacts with the first Alabama U.S. (an artillery segment).
Mike is in demand with this group because of his cannon, a period piece
that he has fired at many events and parties all around the Gulf Coast
area.
The trio was born after Mike traveled to Nashville to discuss record deals
and decided it wasn’t for him. The lawyer that represented him, Buster
Middlebrooks (aka Lawyer Dog) suggested that they play around town some.
The two, along with ex-cop friend Frank Stabler (aka Blues Dog), played at
coffee houses, restaurants, and clubs.
As
time progressed and the group gained notoriety, they backed out of the club
scene to focus more on private parties and restaurants. “We
like to do what we feel and watch people enjoy the music. Seeing kids
dancing and having a good time with their family is more our speed that
having to keep a club crowd rowdy,”
Mike
explains.
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