Spotlight on Mysti Mayhem

As avid readers of my blog may know I have a connection with Spellbox and thus Mysti Mayhem. Well along with that I have a tiny investment in her upcoming album through Sellaband.com. I got to look at a Bio written up about Mysti. Read the slightly edited version below.

“There’s no doubt that Mysti Mayhem’s voice ranks high among the stars, comparable to Janis Joplin with a Tori Amos inspirational feel,” according to The Florida Alligator. And Cincinnati Beat says, “A stripped down but fiery rock sound.”

Diversity is the perfectly descriptive title of a new record by the also aptly named, beautiful, red headed and gifted young artist.

Mysti is a songwriter/singer/guitarist/ arranger/producer/videographer/graphic artist and an enchanting presence onstage. She has an exquisite voice and perfect pitch as well. She has been singing since she was two years old, playing guitar since she was nine, and tearing up an amazing variety of stages all around the world since she was sixteen.

Diversity is her most recent recording, and the first made possible by $50K in fan investments through the online community SellaBand. Mysti was only the fifteenth out of more than 8000 aspiring artists to hit that mark. She co-produced the album with Cactus Moser of Highway 101 and Chris Stamey. The tunes range from rock to calypso with some beautiful heartfelt ballads. Mysti wrote everything on the record to reflect the wit, courage, and sensitivity which is uniquely hers.

The Diversity release will be celebrated along with Mysti’s appearance in Amsterdam at the world famous Paradiso on August 15. Five thousand copies have been pre-sold. Her earlier recordings have involved some other significant talents including Cactus Moser and Curtis Stone of Highway 101, and production by KG of Tenacious D and Boy Johnny John Spiker from Trainwreck.


A chance meeting in Gainesville, Florida resulted in a special friendship with a neighbor who turned out to be Bo Diddley. He played for her birthday one year, and they jammed together from time to time. Bo once broke down in tears after hearing her sing and told Mysti that he absolutely believed she was Janis Joplin reincarnated.

Mysti has a range of talents any one of which would qualify her as a serious artist, but the combination is unparalleled. Her writing and song structure are extraordinary. The musicality, expressiveness, range, and power of her voice are stunning. And she is a virtuoso level player on the six and twelve string guitars with occasional bass, keys, and percussion thrown in for good measure.

Mysti has toured widely as a solo, sometimes with a variety of collaborators, and in a duo named SPELLBOX with Shawn Spencer. She has paid her dues, and it can now be fairly stated that the world is her stage.

Ray Baisden wrote the above article, he can be found on both myspace and sellaband. Ray was working on the national staff of his presidential campaign in 1968 when Robert F. Kennedy was assassinated. Managed a club in Sacramento, CA called the Shire Road Pub. Many more things have been done by this man who has lived an adventurous life.