Singer/songwriter Todd Michael may be the happiest cowboy this side of the Susquehanna.

Michael has devoted the past eight months of his life to developing his performance as a solo country artist, a daunting task when one considers the area's affinity for classic rock. "It's amazing how people treat you," Michael says. "You get some people who just love you to death, and you get some people that stereotype you just because you're a country singer." But Michael seems to be coasting through the ups and downs, focusing instead on gaining acceptance while remaining true to his sound. "I sell myself as a country singer, but my goal, when I play out, is to please everybody, make everybody happy with the music that I'm playing," says Michael.

Michael's songwriting influences stem from the new country genre that became popularized in the '90s. "I sing new country ... I do originals, myself. I wouldn't classify them as anything. They're just really good soul music," he states. As a supplement to his original material, Michael frequently performs covers by some of his favorite artists, including Alan Jackson, Toby Keith, and Billy Ray Cyrus.

After touring the area with local musician Ken Seick for about a year, the Lebanon-based country boy decided that it was time to strike out on his own. Although luck was not on his side, Michael eventually landed regular gigs through perseverance. "All the bars that I play at now, they all said 'No' the first time. Then I walked in and I talked to them, and I said, 'Listen, let me play a song for you with my guitar right now and show you that it's really good.' And I played for them and, you know, I've been playing there ever since," he relates.

Michael has begun to carve out a niche for himself in the local scene, and seems to be genuinely enjoying the fruits of his labor. "I've never been happier in my whole life," he says. "I'm really doing something I really love and enjoy doing. This is something I've wanted to do since I was a little kid, and I never thought that it could happen. I just walked out and started making it happen."