Mountain Jam Artist: Michael Franti & Spearhead

California native Michael Franti began writing poetry and tried his hand a music in 1986.

He started The Beatnigs as an industrial rock/spoken word band lasting until 1990. In 1991, Franti moved on to form the Disposable Heroes of Hiphopcrisy which fused industrial music and hip hop, concentrating on injustice in the world.

Throughout his career Franti has been very active in promoting peace and bringing light to social injustices.

In 1994, Franti formed the band Spearhead and released two albums under Capital Records. Wanting to depart from the major label, Franti and the band started their own label but had to change the name of the band slightly because Capitol owned the rights to the name Spearhead- thus they became Michael Franti and Spearhead.

Finally in 2008, their single "Say Hey I Love You" reached number 38 in the Billboard 200 pop chart and number 18 on the US Hot 100 marking it Franti's first US Top 20 single! Playing at Mountain Jam on Saturday, Franti and the crew are sure to bring a little something different to the table that might not otherwise have occurred musically.