In 2007, 2005, 2004, and, 2003 Mike appeared at the Whitzen Youth Festival in Germany and at social and labor concerts throughout the U.S. In 2002 Mike traveled to the coal and steel regions of Poland and Germany to meet with union activists and perform at several large music festivals. He carried his guitar and his anti-globalization message to Silesia and the Ruhr where workers are also feeling the effects of global restructuring. Thousands in Eastern Europe who believe in his message have purchased his CDs. He performs his social conscious rock frequently at labor conventions, rallies, and picket lines. Mike Stout draws on his solid history of successful activism to call us to action. He has been called “the Labor Troubadour.”

Mike Stout is a socially conscious singer song-writer and community leader. He leads crusades against local and global economic injustice rallying people with his music and he organizes them to take action. His sound and lyrics are influenced by his musical hero’s Woody Guthrie, Pete Seeger, Bob Dylan, Bruce Springsteen, and Neil Young.

John Hayes of the Pittsburgh Post Gazette wrote of Mike "In the Woody Guthrie tradition, his songs reflect contemporary issues without resorting to journalism. They're more like partisan op-ed columns that grab political opponents by the throat and don't let go." Mike tells his stories from the heart about people who are affected by unemployment or social injustice or war.

Born in Kentucky, Mike Stout began his musical career in New York City in 1968 playing his protest songs at Café Wa, the Bitter End, and the Gaslight. In 1977 became a steelworker at the late great Homestead Works. Elected the union’s head grievance man, he used his guitar, voice, music, and lyrics to rally his co-workers at union meetings. Together they fought to win more than $10 million in lost wages, severance pay, pensions, and unemployment benefits for 3,000 displaced workers. With thousands of families losing unemployment benefits and facing foreclosure, Mike organized a benefit concert that drew attention from CBS, NBC, the AP, UPI and the international press. The funds raised by the concert lead to the formation of the Greater Pittsburgh Community Food-bank. Mike is a founding board member of Just Harvest and the Steel Valley Authority, organizations that aid displaced works and the poor.

After the mill closings Mike started writing songs again. He has recorded nine CDs in the last 10 years and has performed across the United States and Europe with the message of human solidarity and peace. A Duquesne University professor took one of Mike CD’s to the People to People book store in Germany and played them Mike’s song “People to People”. Impressed with Mike’s message, the book store stocked Mike CD’s and sponsored his three concert tours in Germany and Poland. Mike has sold thousands of CDs in Europe.

Woodie Guthry, Bob Dylan, Billy Bragg, Bruce Springsteen, Phil Ochs, Tim Harden, Country Joe McDonald, Jackson Brown, Matt Callahan , and Fred Smith of MC5.

“They all rocked about the truth and experiences of the daily lives of working people.”