Today, Michael is best known as the keyboard player for Josh Roy, but his story started long before that partnership — with childhood piano lessons, an unexpected first paying gig behind a drum kit, years of balancing music with a career in finance, and a love of performing that has never gone away.
And when we asked Michael what the title of his life story would be if it were a country song, his answer may have summed it up perfectly:
“How the Hell Did I Get Here?”
Michael was born in Minnesota, attended high school in New Jersey and eventually made his way to Arizona in 1990. After more than 35 years here, Arizona is home. Music, however, has been part of his life for even longer.
Michael began piano lessons at just seven years old, although his first official paid performance wasn't actually on the piano. It was on the drums. As an eighth grader, Michael earned a whopping $8 for his first gig.
His drumming career didn't last long — something he says his parents were probably pretty happy about — and he eventually turned his attention back to the piano.
Music stayed with him through college and into adulthood. There was almost always a piano or guitar nearby, but by the mid-1990s, performing began to become a much bigger part of his life.
That first experience of actually getting paid to play music was almost surreal. Michael couldn't believe people were willing to pay him to do something he enjoyed so much.
And while the paycheck may have officially made him a professional musician, money was never what kept him coming back.
Michael has a name for the thing that has kept him performing all these years.
He calls it “the bug.”
It's that moment when everything comes together — the rhythm is locked in, the harmonies are tight, the musicians are feeding off one another and the song just feels right.
For Michael, that's what music is all about. Throughout his career, he has also spent 35 years working in the financial industry in trading operations. Because of that career, music was able to remain something he pursued because he genuinely loved it. And that love has taken him much farther than he ever expected.
Michael isn't interested in filling every song with layers of electronics and effects. He describes himself as a “meat and potatoes keyboard player.” His musical foundation is piano and Hammond organ, with the occasional fiddle sound or subtle keyboard texture when a song calls for it. His style sits somewhere between classic rock, roadhouse piano and '90s country. Several musicians helped shape that sound.
Like many piano players, Michael grew up influenced by Billy Joel and Elton John. But his country keyboard style was heavily inspired by Nashville session musician Matt Rollings, whose playing has appeared throughout decades of country music. He also credits longtime Charlie Daniels keyboard player Shannon Wickline as an influence on his Hammond organ and classic rock approach. But Michael's musical influences aren't limited to keyboards.
The Eagles had a major impact on the way he thinks about vocals and harmony. Michael has learned over the years that while musicians may appreciate an impressive piano solo, great three- and four-part harmonies are often what make an entire room turn its head. That focus on supporting the overall sound rather than simply standing out as an individual player has become an important part of who Michael is as a musician.
One of our favorite parts of Michael's story is how he became part of the Josh Roy project. Michael had already known guitarist Todd Kenyon, who had played with Michael years earlier when Michael was running his own band.
One night, Todd and Josh Roy showed up at Michael's neighborhood hangout to perform as a duo. Michael had never met Josh before. Then Josh started singing. Michael immediately took notice of that voice.
So he did what any musician looking for an opportunity might do. He introduced himself and asked Josh if he needed a keyboard player.
Josh's answer? Basically…no. Michael, however, wasn't quite ready to let that idea die. Over the next several months, he continued making sure Josh knew that a keyboard player was available should the need ever arise.
Eventually, that call came. Josh needed someone to fill in for Todd during a duo performance and Michael jumped at the opportunity. It turned out to be a pretty perfect musical match.
Josh's love for '90s country paired naturally with Michael's years of experience playing that same era of music. Michael already knew many of the songs Josh wanted to perform — along with the harmonies and, most importantly, those unmistakable piano parts. Suddenly, songs Josh had always wanted to add to his performances were possible. And that fill-in gig became something much bigger. Today, Michael's primary musical project is playing keyboards with Josh Roy.
He also performs as part of a trio with Joe and Mikelle Swafford.
After three decades of performing live, Michael doesn't experience stage fright very often. Opening for Scotty McCreery, however, was a different story. It was Michael's first experience performing as an opening act for a major national artist and the largest stage and audience he had played for at that point in his career. For a musician who was normally comfortable on stage, the nerves suddenly arrived. But once the first song started, instinct took over.
The band settled in, found its groove and delivered a performance Michael still considers one of the highlights of his career. Another unforgettable night came when Michael had the opportunity to open for Collin Raye.
Following the show, Michael and his wife, Deanna, were able to spend some time talking with Collin backstage. Because Collin Raye has long been a favorite for both of them, it became one of those experiences that stays with you.
And as Michael tells his story, Deanna comes up often. Michael is quick to credit his wife for supporting his music and helping make his journey possible.
Anyone involved in live music knows that being married to a musician means sharing weekends, late nights, road trips, rehearsals, equipment and plenty of unpredictable schedules.
Michael knows how lucky he is to have someone beside him who understands and supports that life.
When we asked Michael what he loves most about performing live, his answer wasn't the applause or even the stage itself. It was the camaraderie. The musicians Michael performs with today aren't simply people he works with.
They're friends. They've shared stages, road trips, stories and experiences both inside and outside the music world. Michael believes those relationships translate directly into better performances.
When the people on stage genuinely enjoy playing together, audiences can feel it. And that sense of connection is something Michael values deeply.
For many years, Michael viewed music as what he calls a professional hobby. His career in finance provided his primary income while music remained the thing he simply couldn't imagine giving up.
Looking back now, Michael is especially proud of just how far that “hobby” has taken him. He has performed on stages he never imagined playing, opened for national artists, worked alongside some of Arizona's most respected musicians and formed friendships that have become an important part of his life. Those experiences exceeded anything he envisioned when he first began playing professionally. And now Michael is approaching another milestone.
As retirement from his career in finance gets closer, his goal is to do something he once never imagined would be possible:
Play music full time. That's a pretty incredible next chapter for a kid whose first paying gig earned him eight bucks.
Something we especially appreciate about Michael is the way he defines success on stage. When we asked what he hopes people remember after seeing him perform, Michael didn't say he wanted them talking about his keyboard playing.
He said he wants them remembering Josh Roy and the band. Josh's original songs, his voice and the overall performance are what matter most to Michael. His philosophy is simple:
If the audience remembers Josh and the band, Michael believes he has done his job.
And that tells you quite a bit about the kind of musician he is. Great musicians don't always need to be the center of attention. Sometimes their greatest contribution is knowing exactly what a song needs and making everyone around them sound better.
Despite decades of experience, Michael remains incredibly humble about his place in the Arizona music community. In fact, he admits that he's often his own toughest critic. Being included among the musicians who make up Arizona's country music scene is something he genuinely considers an honor. For us at AZ Desert Country Music Association, musicians like Michael represent something incredibly important about this community.
Arizona country music isn't built only around the person standing at the center microphone. It's built by the guitar players, bass players, drummers, fiddle players, steel players, keyboard players, songwriters, sound engineers and countless others who help turn a collection of songs into a great live show. Michael has spent decades being one of those musicians.
And we're proud to have him as part of the AZDCMA community.
We can't finish Michael's Spotlight without mentioning one fairly noticeable detail.
Michael is 6'9". As a teenager, he spent a summer in Hong Kong and remembers being pretty confident he was the tallest person around everywhere he went. So the next time you're at a Josh Roy show and spot the very tall guy behind the keyboards…
Now you know who he is.
There's plenty more music ahead. Michael and the Josh Roy band have festivals, Arizona performances and upcoming dates in Las Vegas on the schedule. And as Michael prepares to eventually leave his 35-year career in finance behind, he's looking forward to having even more time to dedicate to the thing that has followed him nearly his entire life.
Music.
Maybe that's why his imaginary country song title fits so well.
“How the Hell Did I Get Here?”
From seven-year-old piano lessons…
To an $8 drumming gig…
To three decades of Arizona stages…
To opening for national artists…
To preparing for a future where music may finally become the full-time job.
However he got here, we're glad the road brought Michael Stamy into the Arizona country music community. Follow Michael on his socials and find out where he will playing with "The Josh Roy Band" soon!
