Michael J. Clouse

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Michael J. Clouse (sometimes credited as Michael J. Clouse III), an American record producer and songwriter was born in Boston, Massachusetts.

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Michael Clouse is a seasoned producer, engineer, whose work bridges underground grit and timeless artistry. He is best known for producing early recordings with the legendary Jeff Buckley, capturing some of Buckley’s formative studio work before his rise to global acclaim. Clouse also produced cult rock act The Coma-Tones, whose raw, reverb-drenched sound helped define a corner of the Southern California underground. With a career rooted in analog precision and emotional authenticity, Clouse brings depth and character to every project.

Clouse graduated from Framingham North High School inFramingham, Massachusetts, and later earned a degree from the American College of Greece, where he also played basketball. His time in Europe exposed him to a range of musical styles, which later influenced his production work.

He began his music career in Los Angeles in the mid-1980s, collaborating with a wide range of artists, including the late Jeff Buckley, David Morgan (The Association, Three Dog Night), Marco Mendoza (Ted Nugent, Thin Lizzy, The Dead Daisies), Nicky Hopkins (The Rolling Stones, The Beatles, The Who), Shawn Lee (Monkeyboy), Jamie Carter (Jon Butcher (band)), Carl Young (Michael Franti & Spearhead (band)), Blues Traveler (band), seminal LA band The Coma-Tones (band) and rock/pop New Hollow (band).

In the early 1990s, Clouse expanded into film and television, working as a music supervisor and songwriter. He relocated to New York City in the mid-1990s, where he opened a recording studio on West 26th Street. There, he continued working with Jeff Buckley and other emerging artists, while also taking on projects in film scoring and supervision.

Following Buckley's passing in 1997, Clouse contributed to several posthumous releases from the Jeff Buckley Estate, including Sketches for My Sweetheart the Drunk. He collaborated with Chris Cornell, Buckley’s mother, and members of Buckley’s band during the process.

Throughout his career, Clouse has written and produced music featured in various film and television projects, maintaining a presence across both the music and visual media industries.

As of 2025, Clouse resides in Nashville, Tennessee, with his wife, Terri Clouse.


Selected albums

(as Producer, Engineer, Mix Engineer, and/or Songwriter)

YearTitleRelease Date
1992 No One Believes Me - Dingo Dr. Giggles (Soundtrack album) Universal 1992
1994 Quo (album)|Quo MJJ Records, 1994
1998 Sketches for My Sweetheart the Drunk - Jeff Buckley Columbia May 26, 1998
2000 My Muse The Monkey - Sandy Bell GSI Records, 2000
2000 Monkey Boy - Shawn Lee (musician) July, 2000
2001 Live at L'Olympia - Jeff Buckley Columbia July 3, 2001
2002 Songs to No One 1991-1992 , - Jeff Buckley Columbia October 15, 2002
2004 (Legacy Edition) - Jeff Buckley Columbia August 24, 2004
2005 The Good Daughter - Sandy Bell Storm UK, 2005
2007 So Real: Songs From Jeff Buckley - Jeff Buckley Columbia May 22, 2007
2008 Live For Tomorrow - Marco Mendoza Frontier 2008
2010 SiCK Monkee Hollow Nov.1, 2010
2011 Boyfriend - New Hollow Monkee Hollow Jan. 23, 2011
2011 Airplanes - New Hollow Monkee Hollow May 23, 2011
2013 She Ain't You - New Hollow Monkee Hollow / 614 Music

July 3, 2013

2014 She Ain't You - New Hollow 614/ Black Magnetic/Epic

Feb 23, 2014

2015 Jiffy Jane - New Hollow 614/ Black Magnetic/Epic

Mar 20, 2015

2015 Jackie's Baby - Blues Traveler w/ New Hollow Loud & Proud

April 7, 2015

2015 Why Don't You Love Me - New Hollow 614/ Bee & El/SME

July 8, 2015

2016 Popstar (Is This What The Girls Like?) - New Hollow 614/ Bee & El/SME

June 10, 2016

2017 Pocket Change - Mookie & Evan 614 Records

October 27, 2017

Documentaries

References