Solo Career
Sanchez left the Big Town Playboys in December 1999 and pursued a solo career, although his debut solo album Just A Game was cut and released in 1997 while still with the Big Town Playboys. In 2001 Sanchez became a member of Bill Wyman's Rhythm Kings (replacing pianist Gary Brooker).
By 2001 Sanchez had formed a seven-piece rhythm and blues outfit under his own name featuring guitarist Andy Silvester, bassist Al Gare, drummer Mark Morgan (also formerly of the Big Town Playboys, The Harlem Horns (Al Nicholls and Pete Cook), and Doo Wop vocal group The Extraordinaires. This line-up often featured Dublin born vocalist Imelda May who later launched a hugely successful worldwide solo career through Decca/Universal.
In 2003 Sanchez produced and recorded soundtrack material for the film I'll Be There, which starred Charlotte Church and Craig Ferguson.
The Blues in Britain magazine named Mike Sanchez as UK Keyboard Player of the Year from 2000-2004.
Sanchez also collaborated with Swedish blues artists Knockout Greg and Blue Weather, recording an album based on jump blues and blues shouters such as Young Jessie, Roy Brown and Wynonie Harris. The album, along with his releases Blue Boy, You Better Dig It and 2003 DVD Release Red Hot...LIVE! was released on his own label, Doopin' Records.
Currently Sanchez is fronting a six-piece titled Mike Sanchez and his Band, featuring from Leicester based outfit Drugstore Cowboys bassist Nick Whitfield and guitarist Tom Bull, former Big Town Playboy Mark Morgan on drums, Martin Winning (Van Morrison) on tenor saxophone and baritone saxophonist Nick Lunt (Jools Holland's Rhythm & Blues Orchestra). He also regularly performs with his four-piece lineup "The Portions", as a soloist at International boogie woogie festivals and with several other bands across Europe most notably in France with the Drew Davies Rhythm Combo.
In December 2007 he featured as part of Bill Wyman's Rhythm Kings opening for Led Zeppelin during their reunion show at the London O2 Arena.
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