Michael J. Clouse (sometimes credited as Michael J. Clouse III), an American record producer and songwriter was born in Boston, Massachusetts.
Clouse graduated from Framingham North High School in Framingham, 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 date1992No One Believes Me - Dingo Dr. Giggles (Soundtrack album) Universal 19921994Quo (album)|QuoMJJ Records, 19941998Sketches for My Sweetheart the Drunk - Jeff BuckleyColumbia May 26, 19982000My Muse The Monkey - Sandy BellGSI Records, 20002000Monkey Boy - Shawn Lee (musician)July, 20002001Live at L'Olympia - Jeff BuckleyColumbia July 3, 20012002Songs to No One 1991-1992, - Jeff BuckleyColumbia October 15, 20022004(Legacy Edition) - Jeff Buckley Columbia August 24, 20042005The Good Daughter - Sandy BellStorm UK, 20052007So Real: Songs From Jeff Buckley - Jeff BuckleyColumbia May 22, 20072008Live For Tomorrow - Marco MendozaFrontier 20082010SiCKMonkee Hollow Nov.1, 20102011Boyfriend - New HollowMonkee Hollow Jan. 23, 20112011Airplanes - New HollowMonkee Hollow May 23, 20112013She Ain't You - New HollowMonkee Hollow / 614 Music July 3, 20132014She Ain't You - New Hollow614/ Black Magnetic/Epic Feb 23, 20142015Jiffy Jane - New Hollow614/ Black Magnetic/Epic Mar 20, 20152015Jackie's Baby - Blues Traveler w/ New HollowLoud & Proud April 7, 20152015Why Don't You Love Me - New Hollow614/ Bee & El/SME July 8, 20152016Popstar (Is This What The Girls Like?) - New Hollow614/ Bee & El/SME June 10, 20162017Pocket Change - Mookie & Evan614 Records October 27, 2017
Documentaries (appeared in as Michael J. Clouse III) Goodbye and Hello (2000) from Netherlands TV Fall in Light (1999) from French TV
References Apter, Jeff. A Pure Drop: The Life of Jeff Buckley Omnibus Press 2009 David Bret, "Trailblazers: The Tragic Lives of Gram Parsons, Nick Drake and Jeff Buckley" - JR Books Ltd 2009 Browne, David. Dream Brother: The Lives and Music of Jeff and Tim Buckley. Harper Entertainment. 2001, 2002. Lovell, Joel. GQ Magazine (July 2000) "Smells Like Team Spirit" Hail Caesar (1994 film)