Mimi Burns was born around the Chicago, Des Plaines, IL, area in 1972. By the age of about four, her family moved to a small farm town in Northern Wisconsin. She comes from a musical family, her father having been called a great singer as well as composing his own words to songs. Her mother was also a singer and piano player. There was always a piano in the house available to the four Burns children as they were growing up. Mimi Burns' grandfather was an Irish tenor and sang on numerous radio programs in the Chicago area. Mimi Burns was interested in music from a very early age. Her parents sang and danced with her when she was a baby. Her older brothers and sisters were fans of rock music and played the music loudly. Mimi Burns had many early influences, which include a band called, Pappillion, as they appeared at a campground that her parents owned. She grew up listening to everything from Frank Sinatra, Patsy Cline, and Beethoven to ELO, Queen, and ABBA. She also includes music from AC DC and even Midwestern singer/composer Barry Manilow as influences. The first band which Mimi Burns sat in with chose to have her sing a Pat Benetar tune. She received a positive response from the audience for her performance. Mimi Burns began seeking jam sessions as she was smitten with the infectious performance bug. She got practice by fronting a band which she formed herself, which led to meeting other musicians and people in the local music scene. These people which she met encouraged her to begin writing her own songs as well as forming a tight group of musicians to work on her original compositions. In 2000, Mimi Burns released her debut album, "Slippin' Away," which was filled with her original music. The album was produced by two of the music industry's best, Barry Levenson and Mike Sandberg. The album offered a versatility for all audiences to enjoy, with easy to relate to lyrics which people could sing along to. The band was made up of Mimi Burns on lead vocals and mandolin, Steve Tyler on lead and rhythm guitar, mandolin, and backup vocals, Matt Feizli on lead and rhythm guitar, mandolin, and backup vocals, Nick Stoliar on bass, and Dan Ross on percussion and drums except part 2 of "Slip Away" which features Mike Sandberg. In 2001, Mimi Burns continued to play in local venues in the Northern California area, where she made her home. ~ Larry Belanger