BIO

Robert Michael “Mike” Gillis a well-known musician in the Tri-State area. Mike was born August 26th 1985 in Washington, D.C. but; was raised in Philadelphia, PA. Mike was the second oldest child out of 4 children and the only male. Growing up Mike always had an itch for music. Not only was he was born and raised in the church but being a part of a musical family, music was just something he couldn’t resist. Mike first began to explore his musical talents on the drum kit at the age of 8; which he taught himself how to play. With tons of hours beating on the drums he became very skilled at playing the drum kit and furthered his exploring to the bass guitar. It was at age 17 when Mike first picked up the bass guitar and fell in love with its soulful sound.

He then took on the task of teaching himself how to play that instrument. The bass guitar was the instrument in which he felt the most connected to and since then he began to become even more dedicated in perfecting his craft. Being blessed with the God given gift of a distinct ear for music is one thing but Mike knew that to be great he had to be well rounded in music. He then learned how to read music and studied some of the greatest bass players known to mankind. Mike also began to play for local artist around the city, various night clubs, and poetry sessions.

His name “Mike” soon gained weight with many people in the music industry and he started touring with various artist such as, Vivian Green, Shon Penn, Teddy Riley, Jeremih just to name a few. Of course Mike didn’t stop there, when not traveling on the road he remained dedicated to his church and local gigs back home until he made his big break. In 2011, Mike received the long awaited phone call of his life. He was asked to play for the well-known hip hop artist of all time Snoop Dogg. Now Mike is the permanent bass player for Snoop Dogg and travels with him on all the tours. Mike’s creative and unique passion for music has taken him a long way. Anyone who knows him knows that he has a God given ability to make amazingly great music. His style of music has not only impacted his life but the lives of others. Through his dedication and drive for music he has inspired many young aspiring musicians to remain faithful, pursue their dream, and believe that the sky is the limit.

GK GEAR