| Michael Ward | |
| Background: | non_vocal_instrumentalist |
| Birth Date: | February 21, 1967 |
| Birth Place: | Minneapolis, Minnesota, U.S. |
| Instrument: | Guitar |
| Genre: | Rock, alternative rock, blues, gypsy punk, country, folk |
| Occupations: | Musician, producer, songwriter |
| Years Active: | 1989–2024 |
| Label: | Capitol Interscope |
| Past Member Of: | Gogol Bordello |
Michael Ward (February 21, 1967 – April 1, 2024) was an American guitarist from Minneapolis, Minnesota, who was best known as a member of the 1990s alternative rock group The Wallflowers.
Ward was born in Minneapolis in 1967.[1] He was a founding member of the early 1990s alternative rock band School of Fish on Capitol Records, his unique tone provided the underpinning hook for the band’s hit single "3 Strange Days".
Michael's innovative approach to the guitar has captured the attention of several producers such as Matt Wallace (Faith No More, Maroon 5, Deftones, R.E.M) and Mark Endert (Madonna, Train, Miley Cyrus) leading to over 50 studio album recordings throughout his 35-year career.
With Matt Wallace, Ward recorded the John Hiatt album Perfectly Good Guitar, including the hit title track. Along with Mark Endert, he recorded the Gavin DeGraw album Chariot, which featured the smash hit "I Don’t Wanna Be".
In 1995, Ward was approached by Jakob Dylan to join The Wallflowers and record the album Bringing Down the Horse, selling over 5 million copies and earning Michael a Grammy Award for "One Headlight" in the category of Best Rock Performance by a Duo or Group with vocal.
Following the Wallflowers, Ward joined Ben Harper as one of the Innocent Criminals, contributing to Both Sides of The Gun, Lifeline, Call It What It Is, along with Ben Harper and The Blind Boys of Alabama, where he earned an NAACP Image Award as Outstanding Gospel Artist for the album There Will Be a Light.
Ward played in over 50 countries worldwide. When not touring, he resided in Los Angeles, playing as a studio session musician and guitar instructor.
In 1995 he played guitar for Adam Ant (an acoustic version of his song "Wonderful") on the Howard Stern radio show.
On April 1, 2024, Michael Ward died at the age of 57 due to complications from diabetes. His sister Tracy Ward Hartfiel announced his death on Facebook, stating, “Michael Ward has left this plane. It’s with tremendous sorrow that I let you know complications from diabetes took his life last night.” The news was later confirmed by the Wallflowers on their official Facebook page, where they shared a tribute to Ward, expressing their love and gratitude for his contributions to the band.[2]
| Year | Album details | Band | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1991 | School of Fish
| School of Fish | |
| 1993 | Human Cannonball
| ||
| 1993 | Perfectly Good Guitar
| John Hiatt | |
| 1994 | Hiatt Comes Alive at Budokan?
| ||
| 1996 | Bringing Down the Horse
| The Wallflowers | 4× Platinum[3] |
| 2000 | (Breach)
| US: Gold | |
| 2006 | Both Sides of the Gun
| Ben Harper | |
| 2007 | Lifeline
| ||
| 2013 | The Blessed Unrest
| Sara Bareilles | |
| 2016 | Call It What It Is
| Ben Harper | Co-producer |