This memorial website was created in the memory of Mike Shipley.
To watch the memorial live at 7.30 PST please click here
Tributes
Leave a tributeMike was one of them !
Never forgotten and his memory and music live on
xo
And yes, the laughter - the humor I shared with him… Golden.
Martin Page
You are missed by many many people. Your love Mercedes has become a friend of mine and she feels your love all the time.
You are the type of soul that never leaves. So many ways you shine a light on everyone who you touched and cared about. You can not be seen but you are there for those you care about.
In your name Michael and so many other Tinnitus Sufferers, we continue what we do to raise awareness, prevention and raise funds for a cure.
Keep shining your light and magic on us. We are found here.
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Tinnitus-Association-of-South-Western-Ontario-Auction/778581562191005?ref=bookmarks
Remember you always.
Bethanne Keep
Co-Founder of Tinnitus Association of South Western Ontario.
And friend of Michael's.
RIP xo
I know you wished for a cure.
We are working hard to have them find a cure to Tinnitus so others can be rid of this horrible affliction. No one knows the hell until they have it.
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Tinnitus-Foundation-S-Western-Ontario-Christmas-Raise-For-a-Cure-Auction/778581562191005
~Bethanne Keep
RIP Mike I just wish we could have talked to what lead you to this. You will be fondly remembered. Great heart, great soul, great man
Bethanne Keep
Susie xx
He was such an inspiration in my humble beginnings, and later a beacon of talent and the most generous person imaginable. I’ll never forget my first meeting with Mike, in Florida…he was already a huge star... so kind and encouraging...
Thank you for helping me re-connect with Lynn last summer, after many years' absence. May you rest in peace, surrounded by the love and memories of all who have known you.
We got to meet a few times when working on the live recordings for Mutt & Shania...you were always so kind and very encouraging!! Your mixes will always be a part of my continuing education...also your passing is a HUGE reminder to me about how short life really is and how thankful i need to be for life TODAY!!
You're a true talent Mike and a great guy. Thanks for all your insight and generosity. See you again!
He was one of the warmest,funniest and most talented people I have ever known, a delightful and caring friend.
I know he is mixing the angels music in Heaven
My heart goes out to his family.
i drove to the other LA side , picked it up... it was a gift base from Jack Bruce from the legendary Cream, for Mike!....Humble, relaxed, but the
best mixing pro ever. Wish his family strength.. RIP M
Leave a Tribute
I was a no body, but he was my friend :)
I met Mike on a Tinnitus board. I was newly afflicted with Tinnitus and was looking for support and answers on how to cope with this. Ringing , noise, in the ears. We are all told by specialist, "just learn to live with it". Mike can attest to being told this too.
Mike was in the music industry for years and his ears where his career for the sound he had to hear to make him the genious he was in the music industry. Sadly this more then likely gave him extreme tinnitus. It is something very hard to cope with, although Mike was one who learned to live with it as we all do and drown it out to make the music he made sound so incredibly superior.
I was a no body from Ontario Canada. I was searching for help out of sheer fear of what was newly going on with me. At first I thought I was going to go crazy with it. Nothing can get rid of it and it takes a long time to get used to it. Peace is something us Tinnitus sufferers never ever get again. Mike was who he was, larger then life in who he was and what he did, and I was just someone in Canada who was a hair stylist. On the Tinnitus Board Mike replyed to many of my posts in genuine empathy toward what I was going through. He gave me answers and hope that I will learn to live with it. We formed a friendship over this Tinnitus through the board and I could tell what a great guy he was. Not only was music his passion but his concern over people even us no bodies ;)
In the early days, Mike helped me hang on and was an inspiration being in his industry and being able to over come the Tinnitus he had.
We were worlds apart however in the time I knew Mike, I was blessed by knowing him. It has sadden me beyond finding out recently of his passing. I am shocked, sadden, and wondering "why?"
Perhaps if I still was in contact with him, I too could have talked him into sticking around the way he did me years ago.
I wish I had answers as this is quite shocking and I am so removed from his circle of friends that I may never really know what happened.. I genuinly cared about him as the person he was. A kind soul.
If I could get some answers as to what he was going through or what demons he was fighting it sure would give me closure. Mike shared a lot with me in our conversations about Tinnitus and just life itself.I could tell he would be a true friend to anyone who knew him.
I can be reached at bethannekeep@yahoo.ca Should anyone be able to give me closure on this dear fellow.
Thank You and Mike, now you have total peace :)
Rest my friend.
Bethanne Keep
Hero
As a kid I was completely enamored with this guy. I had no idea what it was he actually did or why I gravitated to the albums he made. Later as I pursued this line of work more seriously I began to discover what I loved about it. Years later we became "on-line buddies" and talked endlessly about music and studio stuff. Totally blew my mind! Not only was I talking to a peer in this profession but he happened to be one of MY heroes!!
Fast forward to January 2007 and he mysteriously appeared at my studio after a NAMM show. The first thing I said was "I've made a career of ripping-off your style". He thought it was hilarious and took it as a compliment. We became fast friends and spoke pretty much every day since, either by phone of text.
He just called me last Thursday night and was really excited about a project we were to begin soon. He said he had to head back to Nashville to finish a few overdubs and incidentals with Keith Urban then back to LA to work on our project. It's all just confusing. A little too close to home. He was someone who always treated me as an equal. Never condescending. Always humble and self-effacing to a fault. Made me feel like we had parallel careers, when often I'd have to remind him "But dude, you're...umm...YOU!" What always stood out to me was this fire and passion he had for making music. It reminded me of that feeling I had when I first began pursing this life. It was a very childlike innocence that was amazing to witness. He was the farthest thing from jaded or curmudgeonly. It was like every album was his first!! Such a tragic loss. I will miss him terribly.
Mike had an amazing ability to concentrate intensely when working. If I would make a comment during a mix, he would stop playback, look at me with his slightly annoyed look, answer the question and then start back on the mix with no distractions. I can picture it now.
We were in New York working on an album and every week I would get my clothes to a fluff and fold place. He just threw his away and bought new socks, etc., every week. We just talked about this a few weeks ago... Sigh.
I still order the dishes at Indian restaurants that he recommended.
As trivial as the last two items appear, they are important to me at this time.