Laura Lucas

Now thinking about his third album and what to do after graduation, Micah Wetzel is a busy musician. He also has a Facebook fan club with 458 members.

A native of Rochester, Minn., Wetzel has been playing music since he was 5-years-old when he started playing the trumpet. He played the trumpet all through high school and was a part of the jazz band.

Wetzel is now a singer/songwriter/acoustic guitar player and a senior music business major at SDSU. He started playing the guitar right after his senior year of high school.

“A friend taught me some cords and I went from there,” he said.

After learning a few songs on the guitar, he decided to sing along.

“The songs I wrote in the past are about personal stuff,” Wetzel said. “They are not happy songs. They are about breakups.”

His first two CDs are available online. The first came out in 2005, titled Tomorrow’s Yesterdays. His second was released in 2007 and is titled Familiarity and Uncommon Ground.

“The two albums were done on my own. The second one has a band, but I don’t plan to play with one,” he said.

Wetzel describes his music as “pop/rock/folk” music. He said other musicians, live shows and Martin guitars inspire him. “I like the Dave Mathews Band and Damien Rice. They have a great style,” he said.

Currently Wetzel is trying to broaden his music horizon. “I get requests at shows to play different songs and if I don’t know them, I try and learn them,” he said.

Wetzel said he does not want to change his current style. “Pick would be fun to learn. Jazz and blues would also be fun, but I don’t want to play it [on a CD].”

Looking toward the future, Wetzel is planning what he is going to do after he graduates. Right now he gives guitar lessons and plays shows in Brookings and Rochester, and he plans to keep on doing that.

“I’m trying to change my sound right now. I want to make songs that are more upbeat and more fun to play,” he said.

Wetzel plans to join the National Association for Campus Activities (NACA). According to their Web site, they are an association that links higher education and entertainment communities in a business and learning partnership, creating educational and business opportunities for student and professional members.

According to Wetzel, they are the group that gets different bands on campus here and around the country.

“Booking a show through NACA will have me travel around the country to different campuses. That way, I don’t have to play only at bars,” said Wetzel.

Wetzel will be playing at the Abuse Shelter in Brookings at 8 p.m. on Dec. 20.

#1.882972:3645055872.jpg:micah wetzal.jd.jpg:Micah Wetzel performs with his Martin acoustic guitar.:John Dahmen