Most locals may remember Mike Likness holding a conductor’s baton in front of a band at a Britton school concert or leading the pep band at a sporting event during his 32-year tenure as band director. Or maybe recall him from his decades singing and telling jokes with the Uffda Brudders. Though he no longer stands on a stage or in front of a band, music is still an important part of his life. He has never stopped being involved with music or music education, and in the last few years, has shared his music through two new solo albums, one of which was released in the last few months.
Likness was born and raised on a small farm in northeast South Dakota. He attended country school and then school in Langford before graduating from Britton in 1967. Music was an important part of Likness’ life from a young age. He picked up the flute in sixth grade and found an aptitude for the instrument.
“I was a really shy kid,” he noted. “But I found I could communicate through music.” Likness said he knew he wanted to be a band director from the time he was in the 7th grade, when his band director handed him the baton and told him to direct the school song, it just felt natural. Likness went on to spend grades 10-12 as a member of the South Dakota All State Band. Tying for first chair flute his junior year.
Likness then attended Northern State College in Aberdeen where he graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Education with a double major in instrumental and choral music. He student-taught back at his old stomping ground at Britton High School and found himself directing the band full-time when the actual director had complications from a ruptured appendix. His first teaching gig was in Clark but fate soon brought him back to Britton in 1972 when Superintendent Ted Kunz called and asked him to apply for the band director job.
In 1971, he married his wife Penny, a Britton native and the eventual Britton elementary music teacher. They went on to have three children Eric, Jared, and Kedrin. While teaching, Likness developed a niche career in another area: travel planning for school music groups. Over the years, he planned trips for Britton and as well as other schools’ music groups. When he retired from teaching in 2004, he formed Likness Consulting, Inc. For the next 14 years, he facilitated travel experiences for over 7,000 students in venues all over the USA and Western Europe.
Through the years, Likness also continued to pursue music for his own pleasure. He spent over 50 years traveling and performing with several musical groups. His first group was a gospel quartet (The Crossroads) formed in 1967. He also performed with a local group, The Marshallaires. A spinoff from that group, the Uffda Brudders debuted in 1983 and would perform over the next four decades for thousands across South Dakota, North Dakota, Minnesota, Iowa and Wisconsin. Likness edited and self-published several Uffda Brudder joke books and helped produce two albums for the group.
Likness says that through the years, he constantly wrote down song ideas. “During my travels, I had a lot of long bus rides. I would keep a notebook of song ideas. I would jot down lyrics and parody ideas.” He added that many of the ideas became bona fide songs.
Fast forward to the last few years. Likness was looking for a tape recording of his senior flute recital to share it with his family. He was referred to Gordy Zens, a gentleman in Aberdeen who could digitize the recording for him. Well, Zens also happens to be an amazing SD Rock and Roll Hall of Fame guitar player and is an experienced audio recording technician. Gordy was interested in helping Likness record his music.
“I went to the studio with two songs,” explained Likness. “Gordy can take a song that is like a black and white pencil drawing and turn it into a colorful, artistic masterpiece. I was really at the right place and right time when I started working with him.” The two would go on to collaborate on Likness’ first solo album.
That album, “Blessed and Lucky Man,” was released in November of 2021. It contained six covers and six original songs. Likness would describe his style as traditional folk and country with some gospel mixed in. The title track “Lucky, Lucky Man” first came to Likness on his last visit to Athens, Greece in 2011. As he watched the moon rise over the Acropolis, he jotted on a napkin, “I’m a lucky, lucky man.” There are also some Uffda Brudders influences on the album, including “Lips That Touch Liquor.”
While Likness enjoyed making the album, he did not really have visions of hitting the road or doing live performances. “I did it for my friends and family to enjoy and for myself,” he explained. He was eventually able to share his music on a global scale when his son, Eric helped him navigate the steps to license his material in order to make it available for streaming all over the world.
Likness enjoyed the process so much and had more song ideas churning around in his head, that it led to another album, the aptly named “2nd Time Around.” This album was released just a few months ago. According to Likness, you’ll hear lyrics from a poem originally written by his cousin in 1958. Another song features a melody and concept first created in the ‘80s by his sister Sue. There is also a bit of Uffda Brudders flavoring in there as well. Likness again credits Zens, Eric, and Penny for support, assistance and advice, and for helping him through the recording process.
And just a few months after his second album was released, Likness is already planning for his next. He has seven or eight unique originals planned that will entertain and move listeners. He notes that his EP, tentatively titled “Random,” will be released later this year or early next year.
Likness’ music can be heard on all major streaming platforms, including Spotify, Amazon Music and Apple Music. Just search his name or one of the album titles to find him. He also has a limited amount of CD’s of his albums available if you prefer a physical copy. Reach out to him on Facebook if you’d like one.
Likness and his music aren’t taking a rest anytime soon. He stresses that he will keep making music until he “fizzles out.” After all, for Likness, “Life’s all about the music.”
