Big Mike Aguirre

Guitarist, Vocalist, and Songwriter Michael “Big Mike” Aguirre, a teenager at the time, came to the craft of performing St. Louis Blues, Roots, Rock and Soul music the old-fashioned way— braving the streets and stages of St. Louis (from Alorton to Wellston and everywhere in between) to study on stage under the watchful eyes of established elder generations of musicians; Paying dues and counting coup playing in support of St. Louis Luminaries including David Dee, Big George Brock, Boo Boo Davis, Arthur Williams, Barbara Carr, and a tightly-knit community of seasoned veteran supporting musicians, Big Mike soaked up an intuitive understanding of the hidden nuances that capture lifetimes of experience within a musical form.

Forming the Blu City All Stars ensemble in 2010, Big Mike stepped in front of the mic as a bandleader dedicated to showcasing St. Louis ensemble musicianship at festivals and venues in St. Louis and abroad. In March of 2020, Fate found Big Mike “stuck in paradise” during the onset of the Covid-19 lockdown on the tiny Caribbean island of Anguilla, British West Indies. A 5-day trip turned into a 3-year stay in Anguilla—once again fully immersed in a community and culture vastly different than his upbringing— and 2 years of living on St. John, US Virgin Islands. In May of 2025, Big Mike moved back to St. Louis, where he is adjusting to driving over 25 mph and once again bringing his depth of Experience and Perspective to the stage.