Born in 1973 in the city of Vanazor, Mkhitarian grew up listening to as much Bob Dylan and Simon & Garfunkel as he did local heroes like Rouben Hakhverdian and Harout Bezjian, resulting in a sound that's steeped in sixties and seventies American pop\rock, but laced with Eastern European folk melodies. He kicked around that idea in several bands in the mid-90's, including work with Lavi Eli, Snack, and Force major. But enjoying the somber beauty of traditional Armenian music, he decided to make his debut solo album a folk record, 2001's award-winning Yeraz. The simple combination of two acoustic guitars, percussion, and a banjo, as well as insightful and meaningful lyrics earned him a following amongst the world's burgeoning Armenian communities. In 2004 he released Godfather Tom, another winning collection of fiery folk-rock that added a full band driven by Mkhitarian's intricate guitar work and warm vocals. ~ Bradley Torreano