Editing Mike McCready

{{Short description|American guitarist}}
{{other people}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=December 2023}}
{{Infobox musical artist
| name              = Mike McCready
| background        = non_vocal_instrumentalist
| image             = Mike McCready 2009.jpg
| caption           = McCready performing with [[Pearl Jam]] in 2009
| birth_name        = Michael David McCready
| alias             = Petster, McMelty
| birth_date        = {{birth date and age|1966|4|5}}
| birth_place       = [[Pensacola, Florida]], U.S.
| origin            = [[Seattle]], [[Washington (state)|Washington]], U.S.
| genre             = {{hlist|[[Alternative rock]]|[[grunge]]|[[blues rock]]|[[hard rock]]}}
| occupation        = {{hlist|Musician|songwriter}}
| years_active      = 1979–present
| instrument        = Guitar<!-- only main instruments -->
| label             = {{hlist|[[Monkeywrench Records|Monkeywrench]]|[[A&M Records|A&M]]|[[Epic Records|Epic]]|[[Columbia Records|Columbia]]|[[J Records|J]]}}
| current_member_of = [[Pearl Jam]]
| past_member_of    = {{hlist|[[Temple of the Dog]]|[[Mad Season (band)|Mad Season]]|[[The Rockfords]]|Flight to Mars}}
| module            = {{Infobox person|embed=yes
 | signature       = Mike McCready signature, Billboard Open Letter 2016.png
 }}
}}

'''Michael David McCready''' (born April 5, 1966) is an American musician known for being a founding member and [[lead guitar]]ist of [[Pearl Jam]]. McCready was also a member of the [[side project]] bands Flight to Mars, [[Temple of the Dog]], [[Mad Season (band)|Mad Season]], and [[The Rockfords]]. He was inducted into the [[Rock and Roll Hall of Fame]] as a part of Pearl Jam in 2017 alongside the three other founding members ([[Jeff Ament]], [[Stone Gossard]] and [[Eddie Vedder]]), and former member [[Dave Krusen]].<ref name="rrhofjourney">{{cite web|title=Inductees: Pearl Jam|url=https://www.rockhall.com/inductees/pearl-jam|website=Rock & Roll Hall of Fame|access-date=December 20, 2016}}</ref>

==Biography==

===Early life===
Mike McCready was born in [[Pensacola, Florida]], but his family moved to [[Seattle]] shortly after his birth.<ref name="The Rock FM">The Rock FM. [http://www.therock.net.nz/Pearl-Jam-interview/tabid/431/articleID/6488/cat/175/Default.aspx Mike McCready interview on The Rock radio station] ''The Rock''. November 19, 2009.</ref> When he was a child, his parents played [[Jimi Hendrix]] and [[Carlos Santana|Santana]]; while his friends listened to [[Kiss (band)|Kiss]] and [[Aerosmith]], McCready would frequently play bongo drums.<ref name="Rotondi, James">Rotondi, James. [http://www.fivehorizons.com/archive/articles/gp194.shtml "Blood On the Tracks"]. ''[[Guitar Player]]''. January 1994.</ref> At the age of eleven, McCready purchased his first guitar and began taking lessons.

In eighth grade, McCready formed his first band, Warrior, whose name soon changed to Shadow. Originally a cover band playing during free periods at [[Roosevelt High School (Seattle, Washington)|Roosevelt High School]], the band eventually began writing original material and recording demo tapes.<ref name="goldmine">Greene, Jo-Ann. [http://www.fivehorizons.com/archive/articles/gm082093_2.shtml "Intrigue and Incest: Pearl Jam and the Secret History of Seattle" (Part 2)]. ''[[Goldmine (magazine)|Goldmine]]''. August 20, 1993.</ref> After high school, McCready worked at a pizza restaurant where he befriended musician [[Pete Droge]].<ref>Alvarez, Tina. [http://emol.org/music/tina/droge.html "Pete Droge"]. EMOL Music. 1996.</ref> In 1986, Shadow relocated to Los Angeles and attempted to cut a record deal.<ref name="goldmine"/> However, according to McCready:

<blockquote>We played to a couple bartenders down there, but even though it was a bad scene, it was a good experience. Basically, we weren't that good of a band, and we didn't realize it until we got down there. I guess we lost our focus, got really bummed out and came back to Seattle.<ref name="Rotondi, James"/></blockquote>

In 1988, Shadow returned to Seattle and split up soon afterwards.<ref name="goldmine"/> McCready lost interest in playing guitar for some time, stating that he was "so depressed about life".<ref name="aledort">Aledort, Andy. [http://www.giventowail.com/new/mike/articles/gw700.php "Aural Exam"] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20050210155325/http://www.giventowail.com/new/mike/articles/gw700.php |date=February 10, 2005 }}. ''[[Guitar World]]''. July 2000.</ref> He cut his hair, enrolled in a local community college, and spent his nights working at a video store.<ref name="Rotondi, James"/> He credits a friend named Russ Riedner for getting him "out of my college mode and back into playing guitar".<ref name="Rotondi, James"/> McCready was inspired to pick up his guitar again after attending a [[Stevie Ray Vaughan]] concert at [[The Gorge Amphitheatre]] in [[George, Washington]]. McCready said:

<blockquote>As soon as he started "Couldn't Stand the Weather", these huge clouds rolled in overhead, and rain began pouring down. When the song ended, the rain stopped! It was like a religious experience, and it changed me. It lifted me out of the negative mindset I was in, and it got me playing again. I thank him forever for that.<ref name="aledort"/></blockquote>

McCready gradually went back to playing guitar and finally joined another band called Love Chile.<ref name="Rotondi, James"/> A childhood friend, [[Stone Gossard]], went to one of the band's shows and appreciated McCready's work after hearing him perform Stevie Ray Vaughan's "Couldn't Stand the Weather".<ref name="secondcoming">{{cite magazine | last = Hiatt | first = Brian | url = https://www.rollingstone.com/news/coverstory/pearl_jam_the_second_coming | title = The Second Coming of Pearl Jam | magazine = [[Rolling Stone]] | date = June 16, 2006 | access-date = June 22, 2007 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20090429081700/http://www.rollingstone.com/news/coverstory/pearl_jam_the_second_coming/page/2 | archive-date = April 29, 2009 | url-status = dead }}</ref> Gossard had known McCready before high school when the two would trade rock band pictures with each other.<ref name="Rotondi, James"/> After the demise of Gossard's band [[Mother Love Bone]], he asked McCready if he wanted to play music together with him.<ref name="goldmine"/> After practicing with Gossard for a few months, McCready encouraged Gossard to reconnect with his fellow Mother Love Bone alum, [[Jeff Ament]].<ref name="secondcoming"/>

===Temple of the Dog===
{{Main|Temple of the Dog}}
The trio were attempting to form their own band when they were invited to be part of the [[Temple of the Dog]] project founded by [[Soundgarden]]'s [[Chris Cornell]] as a musical tribute to Mother Love Bone's frontman [[Andrew Wood (singer)|Andrew Wood]], who died of a heroin overdose at age 24. Cornell had been Wood's roommate. The band's line-up was completed by the addition of Soundgarden drummer [[Matt Cameron]].{{cn|date=January 2024}}

The band started rehearsing songs that Cornell had written on tour prior to Wood's death, as well as re-working some existing material from demos written by Gossard and Ament.<ref name="Guitar World - Requiem for a Heavyweight">Alden, Grant. "Requiem for a Heavyweight." ''[[Guitar World]]''. July 1997</ref> This was McCready's first recording studio experience, and he took a central role in the project. McCready performed an epic four-minute-plus solo for "Reach Down". According to Cornell, McCready's [[Headphones|headphone]] monitors flew off halfway through the recording of the solo, and he played the rest of the solo without being able to hear the backing track.<ref name="tenpast">Weisbard, Eric, et al. [http://www.fivehorizons.com/archive/articles/spin801.shtml "Ten Past Ten"] [[Spin (magazine)|''Spin'']]. August 2001.</ref> McCready considers this track to be one of his proudest moments.<ref name="Gilbert">Gilbert, Jeff. [http://www.fivehorizons.com/archive/articles/gs0595.shtml "Prime Cuts: Mike McCready – The Best of Pearl Jam!"]. ''Guitar School''. May 1995.</ref> The Temple of the Dog project eventually featured vocalist [[Eddie Vedder]]. (Vedder had come to Seattle to audition to be the singer for Ament and Gossard's next band, which later became Pearl Jam.) Vedder sang a duet with Cornell on the song "[[Hunger Strike (song)|Hunger Strike]]" and provided background vocals on several other songs. The band decided that it had enough material for an entire album, and in April 1991 ''[[Temple of the Dog (album)|Temple of the Dog]]'' was released through [[A&M Records]].{{cn|date=January 2024}}

===Pearl Jam===
{{Main|Pearl Jam}}
[[File:MMcCready06.jpg|thumb|180px|right|McCready on stage with [[Pearl Jam]] in [[Albany, New York|Albany]], New York on May 12, 2006]]
Pearl Jam was formed in 1990 by Ament, Gossard, and McCready,<ref name="crowe">{{cite magazine | last = Crowe | first = Cameron | url = https://www.rollingstone.com/news/story/10560431/five_against_the_world | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20070519100135/http://www.rollingstone.com/news/story/10560431/five_against_the_world | url-status = dead | archive-date = May 19, 2007 | title = Five Against the World | magazine = [[Rolling Stone]] | date = October 28, 1993 | access-date = June 23, 2007 }}</ref> who then recruited Vedder and drummer [[Dave Krusen]]. The band originally took the name [[Mookie Blaylock]], but was forced to change it when the band signed to [[Epic Records]] in 1991. After the recording sessions for ''[[Ten (Pearl Jam album)|Ten]]'' were completed, Krusen left Pearl Jam in May 1991.<ref name="goldmine"/> Krusen was replaced by [[Matt Chamberlain]], who had previously played with [[Edie Brickell & New Bohemians]]. After playing only a handful of shows, one of which was filmed for the "[[Alive (Pearl Jam song)|Alive]]" video, Chamberlain left to join the ''[[Saturday Night Live]]'' band.<ref name="peiken">{{cite magazine | url=https://pearljamhistory.no.sapo.pt/PJArticles_Interviews_12-xx-93_-_modern_drummer.htm | title=Dave Abbruzzese of Pearl Jam | access-date=July 1, 2007 | author=Peiken, Matt | magazine=[[Modern Drummer]] | date=December 1993 | url-status=dead | archive-url=https://archive.today/20120629145947/http://pearljamhistory.no.sapo.pt/PJArticles_Interviews_12-xx-93_-_modern_drummer.htm | archive-date=June 29, 2012 | df=mdy-all }}</ref> As his replacement, Chamberlain suggested [[Dave Abbruzzese]], who joined the group and played the rest of Pearl Jam's live shows supporting the ''Ten'' album.

''Ten'' broke the band into the mainstream, and became one of the best-selling alternative albums of the 1990s. The band found itself amidst the sudden popularity and attention given to the Seattle music scene and the genre known as [[grunge]]. McCready frequently soloed, and added a [[blues]] touch to the music (influenced by Stevie Ray Vaughan). The single "[[Jeremy (song)|Jeremy]]" received [[Grammy Award]] nominations for [[Grammy Award for Best Rock Song|Best Rock Song]] and [[Grammy Award for Best Hard Rock Performance|Best Hard Rock Performance]] in 1993.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://archive.seattletimes.com/archive/19930107/1678641/clapton-tops-list-of-grammy-nominations |title=Clapton Tops List of Grammy Nominations |newspaper=[[The Seattle Times]] |access-date=August 3, 2008 |date=January 7, 1993 |archive-date=May 19, 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110519101016/http://community.seattletimes.nwsource.com/archive/?date=19930107&slug=1678641 |url-status=live }}</ref> Pearl Jam received four awards at the 1993 [[MTV Video Music Awards]] for its music video for "Jeremy", including [[MTV Video Music Award for Video of the Year|Video of the Year]] and [[MTV Video Music Award for Best Group Video|Best Group Video]].<ref name="MTV Award">{{cite web| url=http://www.mtv.com/ontv/vma/1993/ | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080828202646/http://www.mtv.com/ontv/vma/1993/ | url-status=dead | archive-date=August 28, 2008 |title=1993 Video Music Awards |publisher=MTV.com |access-date=August 2, 2008}}</ref> ''Ten'' was ranked number 207 on ''[[Rolling Stone]]'' magazine's list of the [[Rolling Stone's 500 Greatest Albums of All Time|500 greatest albums of all time]],<ref name="500greatest">{{cite magazine| url=https://www.rollingstone.com/features/coverstory/featuregen.asp?pid=2164| title=The 500 Greatest Albums of All Time| access-date=May 6, 2008| magazine=[[Rolling Stone]]| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080614194909/http://www.rollingstone.com/features/coverstory/featuregen.asp%3Fpid%3D2164| archive-date=June 14, 2008| url-status=dead}}</ref> and "Jeremy" was ranked number 11 on [[VH1]]'s list of the 100 greatest songs of the '90s.<ref name="greatest90s">{{cite web
  | url = http://www.vh1.com/shows/dyn/the_greatest/127759/episode_featured_copy.jhtml
  | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20071216020506/http://www.vh1.com/shows/dyn/the_greatest/127759/episode_featured_copy.jhtml
  | url-status = dead
  | archive-date = December 16, 2007
| publisher = [[VH1]]
  | title = VH1: 100 Greatest Songs of the '90s
  | access-date = August 9, 2008}}</ref>

Following an intense touring schedule, the band went into the studio to record what would become its second studio album, ''[[Vs. (Pearl Jam album)|Vs.]]'', released in 1993. Upon its release, ''Vs.'' set at the time the record for most copies of an album sold in a week,<ref>{{cite magazine | url=https://ew.com/article/1993/11/19/pearls-jam/ | title=Pearl's Jam | access-date=August 31, 2007 | magazine=[[Entertainment Weekly]] | date=November 19, 1993 | first=Nisid | last=Hajari | archive-date=June 7, 2011 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110607100223/http://www.ew.com/ew/article/0,,308749,00.html | url-status=live }}</ref> and spent five weeks at number one on the [[Billboard 200|''Billboard'' 200]]. ''Vs.'' was nominated for a [[Grammy Award for Best Rock Album]] in 1995.<ref name="latimes">{{cite news
  | url = http://theenvelope.latimes.com/factsheets/awardsdb/env-awards-db-search,0,7169155.htmlstory?searchtype=all&query=pearl+jam
  | title = Awards Database
  | newspaper = [[Los Angeles Times]]
  | access-date = August 2, 2008}}</ref> From ''Vs.'', the song "[[Daughter (song)|Daughter]]" received a Grammy nomination for [[Grammy Award for Best Rock Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal|Best Rock Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal]] and the song "[[Go (Pearl Jam song)|Go]]" received a Grammy nomination for Best Hard Rock Performance.<ref>{{cite news| url=https://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=990CE2DD113CF935A15751C0A963958260 |title=POP VIEW; Playing Grammy Roulette |newspaper=[[The New York Times]] |author=Pareles, Jon |access-date=August 3, 2008 | date=February 26, 1995}}</ref>

[[File:MikeMcCready2013.JPG|thumb|180px|left|McCready on stage with Pearl Jam in [[Brooklyn]] on October 18, 2013]]
Feeling the pressures of success, the band decided to decrease the level of promotion for its albums, including refusing to release music videos.<ref>Ashare, Matt. "The Sweet Smell of (Moderate) Success". [[College Music Journal|CMJ]]. July 2000.</ref> In 1994, the band began a much-publicized boycott of [[Ticketmaster]], which lasted for three years and limited the band's ability to tour in the United States.<ref>DeRogatis, Jim. ''Milk It!: Collected Musings on the Alternative Music Explosion of the 90's''. Cambridge: Da Capo, 2003. {{ISBN|0-306-81271-1}}, pg. 58</ref> Later that same year the band released its third studio album, ''[[Vitalogy]]'', which became the band's third straight album to reach multi-platinum status. The album received Grammy nominations for [[Grammy Award for Album of the Year|Album of the Year]] and Best Rock Album in 1996.<ref>{{cite news| url=https://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9E05EFDA1239F936A35752C0A960958260&sec=&spon=&pagewanted=all |title=New Faces in Grammy Nominations |newspaper=[[The New York Times]] |author=Strauss, Neil |access-date=August 3, 2008 | date=January 5, 1996}}</ref> ''Vitalogy'' was ranked number 492 on ''Rolling Stone'' magazine's list of the 500 greatest albums of all time.<ref name="500greatest"/> The lead single "[[Spin the Black Circle]]" won a Grammy Award in 1996 for Best Hard Rock Performance.<ref name="latimes"/> Although Abbruzzese performed on the album ''Vitalogy'', he was fired in August 1994, four months before the album was released.<ref name="tenpast"/> The band cited political differences between Abbruzzese and the other members; for example, he disagreed with the Ticketmaster boycott.<ref name="tenpast"/> He was replaced by [[Jack Irons]], a close friend of Vedder and the former and original drummer of the [[Red Hot Chili Peppers]].<ref name="goldmine"/>

[[File:PearlJam-London2022-01.jpg|thumb|180px|right|McCready on stage with Pearl Jam in London, England, on July 8, 2022]]
The band subsequently released ''[[No Code]]'' in 1996 and ''[[Yield (album)|Yield]]'' in 1998. In 1998, prior to Pearl Jam's U.S. [[Yield Tour]], Irons left the band due to dissatisfaction with touring.<ref name="offhegoes">{{cite magazine | url=https://www.rollingstone.com/artists/pearljam/articles/story/5928493/off_he_goes | title=Off He Goes | access-date=June 28, 2007 | author=Fischer, Blair R | magazine=[[Rolling Stone]] | date=April 17, 1998 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071002115935/http://www.rollingstone.com/artists/pearljam/articles/story/5928493/off_he_goes | archive-date=October 2, 2007 | url-status=dead }}</ref> Pearl Jam enlisted former Soundgarden drummer [[Matt Cameron]] as Irons' replacement, initially on a temporary basis,<ref name="offhegoes"/> but he soon became a permanent replacement. "[[Do the Evolution]]" (from ''Yield'') received a Grammy nomination for Best Hard Rock Performance.<ref>{{cite news| url=http://www.cnn.com/SHOWBIZ/specials/1999/grammys/bigpicture.html |title=41st annual Grammy nominees and winners |publisher=CNN.com |access-date=August 3, 2008 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20080613094347/http://www.cnn.com/SHOWBIZ/specials/1999/grammys/bigpicture.html |archive-date = June 13, 2008}}</ref> In 1998, Pearl Jam recorded "[[Last Kiss]]", a cover of a 1960s ballad made famous by [[J. Frank Wilson and the Cavaliers]]. It was released on the band's 1998 fan club Christmas single; however, by popular demand, the cover was released to the public as a single in 1999. "Last Kiss" peaked at number two on the ''Billboard'' charts and became the band's highest-charting single.

In 2000, the band released its sixth studio album, ''[[Binaural (album)|Binaural]]'', and initiated a successful and ongoing series of [[Pearl Jam Official Bootlegs|official bootlegs]]. The band released seventy-two such live albums in 2000 and 2001, and set a record for most albums to debut in the ''Billboard'' 200 at the same time.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://music.yahoo.com/read/news/12055527 |title=Pearl Jam Breaks Its Own Chart Record |access-date=June 28, 2007 |author=Davis, Darren |publisher=[[Yahoo!|Yahoo! Music]] |date=March 7, 2001 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060912100129/http://music.yahoo.com/read/news/12055527 |archive-date=September 12, 2006 }}</ref> "[[Grievance (song)|Grievance]]" (from ''Binaural'') received a Grammy nomination for Best Hard Rock Performance.<ref>{{cite web| url=http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1439384/20010214/pearl_jam.jhtml | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20010223215253/http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1439384/20010214/pearl_jam.jhtml | url-status=dead | archive-date=February 23, 2001 |title=Pearl Jam DVD Compiles Tour Footage |publisher=MTV.com |author=Moss, Corey |access-date=August 3, 2008}}</ref> The band released its seventh studio album, ''[[Riot Act (album)|Riot Act]]'', in 2002. Pearl Jam's contribution to the 2003 film, ''[[Big Fish]]'', "[[Man of the Hour]]", was nominated for a [[Golden Globe Award]] in 2004.<ref>{{cite web| url=http://www.goldenglobes.org/nominations/year/2003 |title=Golden Globes Nominations & Winners |publisher=goldenglobes.org |access-date=February 20, 2008 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20080201120641/http://www.goldenglobes.org/nominations/year/2003 |archive-date = February 1, 2008}}</ref> The band's eighth studio album, the eponymous ''[[Pearl Jam (album)|Pearl Jam]]'', was released in 2006. The band followed it with ''[[Backspacer]]'' (2009), ''[[Lightning Bolt (Pearl Jam album)|Lightning Bolt]]'' (2013), and ''[[Gigaton (album)|Gigaton]]'' (2020).

==Other musical projects==
===Mad Season===
{{Main|Mad Season (band)}}
During the production of ''Vitalogy'', McCready went into rehabilitation in [[Minneapolis]], Minnesota, where he met bassist [[John Baker Saunders]] of [[The Lamont Cranston Band]].<ref name="guitarworld"/> In 1994, when the two returned to Seattle, they formed a side band, The Gacy Bunch, with vocalist [[Layne Staley]] of [[Alice in Chains]] and drummer [[Barrett Martin]] of [[Screaming Trees]]. After several live shows, they changed their name to [[Mad Season (band)|Mad Season]]. The band released the album ''[[Above (Mad Season album)|Above]]'' through [[Columbia Records]] in 1995, and are best known for the single "[[River of Deceit]]". The band broke up following Saunders' death in 1999 due to a heroin [[Drug overdose|overdose]]. Staley would pass away three years later in 2002, of an apparent overdose of heroin and [[cocaine]].

On February 28, 2010, McCready performed at the "Hootenanny For Haiti" at the Showbox at the Market in Seattle along with the likes of [[Velvet Revolver]], [[Jane's Addiction]] and former [[Guns N' Roses]] bassist [[Duff McKagan]], [[Fastbacks]] bassist [[Kim Warnick]], [[Loaded (band)|Loaded]] and former [[Alien Crime Syndicate]], [[Sirens Sister]] and [[Vendetta Red]] bassist [[Jeff Rouse (musician)|Jeff Rouse]] as well as [[Truly (band)|Truly]] and former [[Screaming Trees]] drummer [[Mark Pickerel]] among others.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.roadrunnerrecords.com/blabbermouth.net/news.aspx?mode=Article&newsitemID=136099 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20120909015836/http://www.roadrunnerrecords.com/blabbermouth.net/news.aspx?mode=Article&newsitemID=136099 |url-status=dead |archive-date=September 9, 2012 |work=[[Blabbermouth.net]] |date=March 3, 2010 |title=DUFF MCKAGAN, MIKE MCCREADY Perform At 'A Hootenanny For Haiti'; Video, Photos Available }}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.pearljam.com/news/mike-mccready-plays-hootenany-haiti-february-28th-seattle-s-showbox-market |work=[[Pearl Jam|PearlJam.com]] |date=January 27, 2010 |title=Mike McCready Plays "A Hootenany for Haiti" February 28th at Seattle's Showbox at the Market |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304191726/http://www.pearljam.com/news/mike-mccready-plays-hootenany-haiti-february-28th-seattle-s-showbox-market |archive-date=March 4, 2016 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.stgpresents.org/artists/?artist=1240 |work=Seattle Theatre Group |access-date=February 25, 2010 |title=A Hootenanny For Haiti > Showbox at the Market}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.showboxonline.com/market/eventdetail.php?id=26242 |access-date=February 25, 2010 |title=Showbox at the Market |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110716063706/http://www.showboxonline.com/market/eventdetail.php?id=26242 |archive-date=July 16, 2011 }}</ref>

A number of songs were covered during the show, including [[Belinda Carlisle]]'s "[[Heaven Is a Place on Earth]]",<ref name="Crosscut.com">{{cite web
| last = Hay
| first = Travis
| title = A three-hour jam session with some of Seattle's finest musicians
| work = [[Crosscut.com]]
| date = March 1, 2010
| url = http://crosscut.com/blog/crosscut/19366/
| access-date = June 21, 2010
| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20100516012324/http://crosscut.com/blog/crosscut/19366/
| archive-date = May 16, 2010
| url-status = dead
}}</ref> [[Hank Williams]]' "[[I'm So Lonesome I Could Cry]]",<ref name="Crosscut.com"/> [[The Rolling Stones]]' "[[Dead Flowers (The Rolling Stones song)|Dead Flowers]]" among others<ref name="Crosscut.com"/> however one of the more notable covers came when McCready performed a cover of "[[River of Deceit]]" for the first time since the breakup of [[Mad Season (band)|Mad Season]]<ref name="Crosscut.com"/> with Jeff Rouse performing vocal duties on the song.<ref name="Crosscut.com"/>

''Above'' was re-released in a 3-disc deluxe edition in 2013, and also in vinyl format featuring three new songs with Mark Lanegan on vocals.

In 2015, ''Live at the Moore 1995'' was released on 12" vinyl to coincide with the 20th anniversary of the band's final show. Earlier in 2015, the surviving members, McCready and Martin, joined with the Seattle Symphony in a concert at Benaroya Hall entitled ''Sonic Evolution'' featuring special guests and friends. The show was later released on CD/12" vinyl.

===''Mirror Ball''===
{{Main|Mirror Ball (Neil Young album)}}
McCready performed with other members of Pearl Jam on [[Neil Young]]'s 1995 album, ''[[Mirror Ball (Neil Young album)|Mirror Ball]]'', and subsequently took part in an eleven-date tour in Europe as part of Young's backing band. This tour proved very successful with Young's manager Elliot Roberts calling it "One of the greatest tours we ever had in our whole lives".<ref>McDonough, Jimmy. "Shakey: Neil Young's Biography", Anchor, 2003. {{ISBN|0-679-75096-7}} [http://www.thrasherswheat.org/jammin/pj.htm]</ref>

===The Rockfords===
{{Main|The Rockfords}}
McCready played with another side band called [[The Rockfords]], named after one of McCready's favorite TV shows ''[[The Rockford Files]]''. The band features McCready's former high school friends from Shadow, plus vocalist [[Carrie Akre]] of [[Goodness (band)|Goodness]]. The band's [[The Rockfords (album)|self-titled debut]] was released on [[Epic Records]] in 2000. In 2021 the band secured the rights to their debut album, and released it on digital platforms in 2022.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://americansongwriter.com/22-year-old-side-project-from-pearl-jams-mike-mccready-gets-new-digital-release/|title=22-Year-Old Side Project from Pearl Jam's Mike McCready Gets New Digital Release|first=Jacob|last=Uitti|date=January 12, 2021|publisher=[[American Songwriter]]}}</ref>

===Solo album===
In a 2009 interview with San Diego radio station [[KBZT]], McCready revealed that he was working on a solo album.<ref>{{cite web|title=Listen to Mike McCready Interview Where He Talks About Possible Pearl Jam EP |url=http://www.grungereport.net/2009/07/20/listen-to-mike-mccready-interview-where-he-talks-about-possible-pearl-jam-ep/ |publisher=grungereport.net |date=July 20, 2009 |access-date=July 22, 2009 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090726014642/http://www.grungereport.net/2009/07/20/listen-to-mike-mccready-interview-where-he-talks-about-possible-pearl-jam-ep/ |archive-date=July 26, 2009 }}</ref>

===Walking Papers===
McCready played guitar in the band [[Walking Papers (band)|Walking Papers]], which included then-former [[Guns N' Roses]] bassist [[Duff McKagan]], [[Screaming Trees]]/Mad Season drummer [[Barrett Martin]], and singer Jeff Angell.  The band released an album in August 2013.<ref name="Steven Hyden">{{cite web|title=Seattle Supergroup Walking Papers: Duff N' McCready N' Screaming Trees Jam|url=http://www.grantland.com/blog/hollywood-prospectus/post/_/id/55183/seattle-supergroup-walking-papers-duff-n-mccready-n-screaming-trees-jam|publisher=grandland.com|author= Steven Hyden|date=August 3, 2012|access-date=August 13, 2012}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.walking-papers.com/2013/08/06/debut-album-available-now/ |title=Debut Album Available Now |publisher=Walking Papers |access-date=July 15, 2014 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141002221834/http://www.walking-papers.com/2013/08/06/debut-album-available-now/ |archive-date=October 2, 2014  }}</ref>

===Levee Walkers===
In 2016 a new McCready project involving [[Duff McKagan]], [[Barrett Martin]] and [[Jaz Coleman]] called The Levee Walkers released two songs on McCready's label HockeyTalkter Records.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://ultimateclassicrock.com/duff-mckagan-mike-mccready-levee-walkers|title=Hear a Pair of Songs From Duff McKagan and Mike McCready's Levee Walkers Project|date=April 25, 2016|author=Giles, Jeff}}</ref> In 2017 the group released the song "All Things Fade Away" featuring singer [[Ayron Jones]].<ref>{{cite magazine|url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/premieres/guns-n-roses-pearl-jam-supergroup-hear-cathartic-new-song-w510578|title=Guns N' Roses, Pearl Jam Supergroup the Levee Walkers: Hear Cathartic New Song|date=November 2, 2017|author=Ryan Reed|magazine=[[Rolling Stone]]}}</ref>

==Musical style and influences==
[[File:MikeMcCready-SanDiego-2013.JPG|thumb|200px|right|McCready at [[Viejas Arena]], [[San Diego]], November 21, 2013]]
McCready prefers to play "by ear" rather than from a technical standpoint. He stated, "I'm so ignorant of this technical stuff." When asked to explain the intricacies of Pearl Jam's hit-making writing process, McCready says that "I've always done it by ear. Honestly, I'd rather do regular interviews. It's more interesting to talk about whatever… anything other than guitars. I'm not into being a tech-head."<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.guitarworld.com/features/mike-mccready-pearl-jam-15-tracks | title=Mike McCready breaks down the gear and inspiration behind 15 landmark Pearl Jam tracks | date=October 28, 2022 }}</ref> McCready's guitar style is usually of an aggressive bluesy nature, and was described by Greg Prato of [[Allmusic]] as "feel-oriented" and "rootsy".<ref>{{cite web | url = {{AllMusic|class=artist|id=p103683|pure_url=yes}} | title = Mike McCready > Biography | access-date=April 20, 2009 | last = Prato | first = Greg | work =[[Allmusic]]}}</ref> McCready has cited [[Jimi Hendrix]], Ace Frehley, [[Stevie Ray Vaughan]], [[David Gilmour]], [[Keith Richards]], [[Pete Townshend]] and [[Eddie Van Halen]] as his biggest musical influences.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.fendercustomshop.com/series/limited-edition/limited-edition-mike-mccready-1960-stratocaster-aaa-rosewood-fingerboard-faded-3-color-sunburst/|title=Limited Edition Mike McCready 1960 Stratocaster® &#124; Limited Edition Series &#124; Fender® Custom Shop|website=Fendercustomshop.com|access-date=February 3, 2022}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QbhAqdZaIS8|title=Mike McCready on the Influence of Jimi Hendrix &#124; MoPOP &#124; Museum of Pop Culture|date=April 5, 2020 |access-date=February 3, 2022|via=[[YouTube]]}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4Et-Li0tTkE|title=Mike McCready Limited Edition 1960 Stratocaster &#124; Fender Custom Shop &#124; Fender|date=April 8, 2021 |access-date=February 3, 2022|via=[[YouTube]]}}</ref><ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.guitarworld.com/news/mike-mccready-stevie-ray-vaughan-jimi-hendrix-thumb-technique | title="I loved Hendrix – he was my first guitar hero... But seeing Stevie Ray Vaughan was transcendent. He made me understand Hendrix better": Mike McCready says SRV helped him make sense of this Hendrix technique | date=December 8, 2023 }}</ref>
McCready is also a die-hard [[Rolling Stones]] fan, and has described the band as his favorite of all time.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://twitter.com/mikemccreadypj/status/1430232240496074753 |title=Sad to hear of Charlie Watts passing. The Rolling Stones have always been my favorite band, and Charlie was the engine of subltle and heavy grooves. I'll put on "Sway" which is my favorite song of all time. Any of us in a rock band wouldn't be here if it hadn't been for Charlie.|website=Twitter.com|access-date=February 3, 2022}}</ref><ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.vintageguitar.com/39391/mike-mccready/ | title=Mike McCready &#124; Vintage Guitar® magazine | date=June 13, 2022 }}</ref> Additionally, he cites [[Heart (band)|Heart]] as an influence.<ref>{{cite news|first=Geoff|last=Edgers|title=How do you mend a broken Heart? Ann and Nancy Wilson know.|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/entertainment/music/2024/05/16/heart-ann-nancy-wilson-50th-tour/|newspaper=[[The Washington Post]]|date=May 16, 2024|access-date=May 23, 2024}}</ref>

McCready is known to use a [[Fender Stratocaster]], a [[Gibson Les Paul]], and a [[Gibson Les Paul Junior]]. When the band started, Gossard and McCready were clearly designated as rhythm and lead guitarists, respectively. The dynamic began to change when Vedder started to play more rhythm guitar during the ''Vitalogy'' era. McCready said in 2006, "Even though there are three guitars, I think there's maybe more room now. Stone will pull back and play a two-note line and Ed will do a [[power chord]] thing, and I fit into all that."<ref>Cross, Charles R. "Better Man". ''Guitar World Presents: Guitar Legends: Pearl Jam''. July 2006.</ref> Of his live performances, McCready has said, "I can kind of get into a meditative state when I'm playing, something I don't get any other way ... You might see me staring up in the sky with my eyes closed. I'm not faking it. That just kind of happens."<ref name="Brownlee">Brownlee, Clint. [http://www.seattlesoundmag.com/2008/05/mike-mccready-talks-flight-to-mars-crohns/ "McCready On Another Flight to Mars"] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080606011231/http://www.seattlesoundmag.com/2008/05/mike-mccready-talks-flight-to-mars-crohns/ |date=June 6, 2008 }}. seattlesoundmag.com. May 1, 2008.</ref>

As time has gone on McCready has contributed more to Pearl Jam's songwriting process. McCready's first writing contribution for Pearl Jam was co-writing the music for the [[A-side and B-side|B-side]] "[[Yellow Ledbetter]]" (from the "Jeremy" single), which has since become a regular set closing song during Pearl Jam's live concerts. After co-writing material for ''Vs.'' and writing the music for the song "Present Tense" from the album ''No Code'', he wrote the music for three of the tracks on the band's 1998 album, ''Yield'', including one of the band's biggest hits, "[[Given to Fly]]". All but one ("Force of Nature", from ''[[Backspacer]]'') of McCready's sole compositions for Pearl Jam use [[alternate tunings]], such as [[Open tunings|open G]] on "Faithfull" (from ''Yield''), a variation of [[Open D tuning|open D]] on "Given to Fly", and a variation of open G on "Marker in the Sand" (from ''Pearl Jam''). McCready made his first lyrical contribution for the band with the track "Inside Job", which closes the band's 2006 self-titled album.

==Equipment==
McCready is known to use a variety of different guitars, but during Pearl Jam's early years he used mainly [[Fender Stratocaster]]s. His arsenal now includes [[Gibson Les Paul]]s and [[Gibson Les Paul Junior]]s, among others.

A Fender Stratocaster has been used constantly and most often throughout his career. McCready has used many types of Stratocasters, vintage and modern, even including left-handed Stratocasters with reversed strings, so that the slanted bridge pickup would have more treble on the lower strings, as opposed to the intended higher strings.<ref>[http://giventowail.com/mike/influences.php "Influences"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090615221359/http://www.giventowail.com/mike/influences.php |date=June 15, 2009 }}. giventowail.com.</ref> This was a common practice of Jimi Hendrix, who played right-handed guitars even though he was left-handed. His most prized model is a slab rosewood fretboard 1960 Stratocaster, the first in a series of 1959 modeled vintage guitars, inspired by [[Stevie Ray Vaughan]]'s "Number One" guitar.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lkhSj5CqfOk |title=Mike McCready's 1959 Guitars |website=Youtube.com |date=November 14, 2013 |access-date=July 15, 2014}}</ref>
In 2021, Fender Custom Shop master builder Vincent Van Trigt discovered that McCready's valuable 1959 Stratocaster turned out to be a 1960 model. That same year, Fender produced a Custom Shop limited edition of the Mike McCready 1960 Stratocaster which is an accurate replica of McCready's original sunburst.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.fendercustomshop.com/series/limited-edition/limited-edition-mike-mccready-1960-stratocaster-aaa-rosewood-fingerboard-faded-3-color-sunburst/|title=Limited Edition Mike McCready 1960 Stratocaster® &#124; Limited Edition Series &#124; Fender® Custom Shop|website=Fendercustomshop.com|access-date=June 10, 2021}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.guitarworld.com/news/fender-launches-limited-edition-mike-mccready-1960-stratocaster|title=Fender launches limited-edition Mike McCready 1960 Stratocaster|first=Matt Owen 08|last=April 2021|website=Guitarworld.com|date=April 8, 2021|access-date=June 10, 2021}}</ref>
In 2023, Fender also produced a Made in Mexico, more affordable signature model of McCready's prized 1960 Stratocaster.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.fender.com/en-US/electric-guitars/stratocaster/mike-mccready-stratocaster/0145310700.html | title=Mike McCready Stratocaster® }}</ref><ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.guitarworld.com/news/fender-mike-mccready-signature-stratocaster-2023 | title="I'm honored to deliver a more approachable guitar to the next generation of players": Fender makes Mike McCready's iconic 1960 Stratocaster accessible to the masses with new signature model | date=September 12, 2023 }}</ref>

McCready's second most used guitar is a Gibson Les Paul. He now uses it for live performances of "Alive", "Brain of J." (from ''Yield''), and "Given to Fly", among others. Among his collection, his most frequently used is his 1959 Standard, formerly owned by [[Jim Armstrong (guitarist)|Jim Armstrong]], guitarist for [[Van Morrison]]'s band, [[Them (band)|Them]]. He has only recently started to use the single pickup Gibson Les Paul Junior, which is a TV yellow 1959 model. He also has Gibson Les Paul Specials. He plays [[Fender Telecaster]]s on live performances of "[[Corduroy (Pearl Jam song)|Corduroy]]" (from ''Vitalogy''), "[[World Wide Suicide]]" (from ''Pearl Jam''), and "Marker in the Sand", among others.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?list=RDkFdemFi-zJw&v=HCXZcY7p8wI|title=Corduroy - Let's Play Two - Pearl Jam - YouTube|website=Youtube.com|date=September 26, 2017 |access-date=December 21, 2020}}</ref>
Gibson produced a signature, limited edition version of McCready's 1959 original Les Paul Standard with true historic specifications.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://legacy.gibson.com/Products/Electric-Guitars/2016/Custom/Mike-McCready-1959-Les-Paul-Standard.aspx|title=Mike McCready 1959 Les Paul Standard|website=Legacy.gibson.com|access-date=June 10, 2021}}</ref>

;Amplification <ref name="premierguitar.com">{{cite web|url=https://www.premierguitar.com/artists/interview-mike-mccready-on-mad-season-reissue-and-new-pearl-jam|title=Interview: Mike McCready on Mad Season Reissue and New Pearl Jam|date=March 6, 2013|website=Premier Guitar|access-date=February 3, 2022}}</ref>

*65Amps Empire 22-watt head (through a 65Amps 2x12 open-back speaker cab with Celestion G12H30 & Alnico Blue speakers)
*Satellite Atom 36-watt head through a Marshall 260-watt closed-back 4x12 with Celestion Vintage 30s
*1963 blonde Fender Bassman AB165 through a Savage Audio open-back 2x12 cab

;Pedalboard <ref name="premierguitar.com"/><ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rdEFuWoRJfo | title=Pearl Jam's Mike McCready Teaches You How to Play "Alive!" Solo &#124; Shred with Shifty | website=[[YouTube]] | date=November 9, 2023 }}</ref>

*MXR Custom Audio Electronics MC-404 CAE Wah
*Electro Harmonix Stereo Electric Mistress Flanger
*Xotic EP Boost
*Ibanez TS-9 Tube Screamer Overdrive
*Diamond Compressor
*Line 6 DL-4 Delay
*MXR Uni-Vibe
*Earthquaker Devices Afterneath V2 Reverb
*MXR Carbon Copy Analog Delay
*Electro Harmonix POG2 Polyphonic Octave Generator
*MXR Phase 90 Phaser
*Radial Engineering JX44 Air Control
*MXR/CAE MC-403 Power Distributor

==Recognition==
{{Quote box|width=100%|align=Center|quote="What's surprising, looking back, is that it was basically jam rock, and Mike McCready's wah-heavy lead guitar was carrying Pearl Jam's mammoth energy, as it still does....If McCready was in a jamband, or not overshadowed by a polarizing, sometimes too-outgoing frontman, he'd probably be carved into the Mt. Rushmore of guitar gods."|salign=right|source=-Adam Perry of [[City Pages]] about McCready in his list of 10 most underrated guitarists in the history of rock.<ref name="Ed Ved">{{cite web|url=http://www.citypages.com/music/the-10-most-underrated-guitarists-in-the-history-of-rock-6645045|title=The 10 Most Underrated Guitarists in the History of Rock|publisher=City Pages|author=Adam Perry|date=14 November 2014|access-date=20 October 2019}}</ref>}}

In a review of Pearl Jam's 2006 eponymous album, ''Rolling Stone'' editor [[David Fricke]] admitted that he "screwed up" in excluding both McCready and Pearl Jam rhythm guitarist Stone Gossard from the publication's 2003 feature "The 100 Greatest Guitarists of All Time".<ref>Fricke, David. [https://web.archive.org/web/20060719205843/http://www.rollingstone.com/reviews/album/9964953/pearl_jam "''Pearl Jam'': Review"]. ''[[Rolling Stone]]''. April 21, 2006.</ref> In 2007, McCready's guitar solos from "Alive" and "Yellow Ledbetter" were featured on ''[[Guitar World]]'''s "100 Greatest Guitar Solos" list.<ref>[http://guitar.about.com/library/bl100greatest.htm "100 Greatest Guitar Solos"] {{Webarchive|url=https://archive.today/20160305022334/http://guitar.about.com/od/guitaristsatoz/tp/100-Greatest-Guitar-Solos.htm |date=March 5, 2016 }}. ''[[Guitar World]]''. 2007.</ref> In February 2007, McCready and Gossard were included together by ''Rolling Stone'' in its list of "The Top 20 New Guitar Gods" under the title of "four-armed monster"."<ref>Fricke, David. "The Top 20 New Guitar Gods". ''[[Rolling Stone]]''. February 22, 2007.</ref> He was placed at #6 on a list of "The Twenty-Five Most Underrated Guitarists" by ''Rolling Stone''.<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20071011004753/http://www.rollingstone.com/rockdaily/index.php/2007/10/01/the-twenty-five-most-underrated-guitarists/ "The Twenty-Five Most Underrated Guitarists"]. ''[[Rolling Stone]]''. October 1, 2007.</ref> Adding to that, he was ranked on #1 in ''Ultimate Guitar's'' list of the most underrated guitarist of all time.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.ultimate-guitar.com/news/wtf/top_20_most_underrated_guitarists.html|title=Top 20 Most Underrated Guitarists|website=Ultimate-guitar.com|language=en|access-date=2019-10-20}}</ref> He was also named the highest-paid guitarist in the world, earning a net of more than $82 million in 2021 (though predominantly through avenues other than music).{{citation needed|date=December 2021}} In 2023, McCready and Gossard were both included in ''[[Rolling Stone]]'' 's "The 250 Greatest Guitarists of All Time" list at #124.<ref>{{cite magazine | url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-lists/best-guitarists-1234814010/mike-mccready-and-stone-gossard-1234814876/ | title=The 250 Greatest Guitarists of All Time | magazine=[[Rolling Stone]] | date=October 13, 2023 }}</ref>

On May 10, 2018, McCready was honored with the [[Stevie Ray Vaughan|Stevie Ray Vaughan Award]] from [[MusiCares]], for his dedication to and support of MusiCares and his commitment to helping others in the addiction recovery process.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.grammy.com/musicares/news/pearl-jams-mike-mccready-be-honored-2018-musicares-concert-recovery |title=Pearl Jam's Mike McCready To Be Honored At 2018 MusiCares Concert For Recovery |date=March 8, 2018 |website=Grammy.com |access-date=March 10, 2018}}</ref>

==Personal life==
McCready and his wife Ashley O'Connor<ref>{{cite web | url = http://housedemocrats.wa.gov/members/liias/20090128_McCreadyadvisory.asp | title = Media Advisory: Pearl Jam's Mike McCready to Testify in Support of Restroom Access Bill | work = housedemocrats.wa.gov | date = January 28, 2009 | access-date = July 16, 2009 | url-status = dead | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20090719052624/http://housedemocrats.wa.gov/members/liias/20090128_McCreadyadvisory.asp | archive-date = July 19, 2009 | df = mdy-all }}</ref> are the parents of three children. The couple lived in Seattle, Washington as of 2005.<ref>{{cite news | last = Brodeur | first = Nicole | url = http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2002231142_brodeur05m.html | title = Pearl Jam's McCready Speaks from the Gut | work = [[The Seattle Times]] | date = April 5, 2005 | access-date = July 16, 2009}}</ref>

McCready suffers from [[Crohn's disease]], which he was diagnosed with at the age of 21,<ref>Chang, Young. [https://archive.seattletimes.com/archive/20030513/mccready13/pearl-jam-guitarist-to-tell-of-life-with-crohns "Pearl Jam Guitarist to Tell of Life With Crohn's"]. ''[[The Seattle Times]]''. May 13, 2003.</ref> and has worked to bring awareness of the disease. He endorsed President [[Barack Obama]] specifically for his health care program, the [[Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act]] which mandated health insurance be available to those with pre-existing conditions.<ref>[http://www.healthtalk.com/crohnsdisease/interviews/mccready/ "A Conversation with Pearl Jam Guitarist Mike McCready"]. healthtalk.com. June 25, 2004.</ref> In 2012, McCready made "Life is a Pre-existing Condition," a video about the importance of nationalized healthcare. McCready performs an annual concert to benefit the Northwest chapter of the [[Crohn's and Colitis Foundation of America]], and has played at the event in a [[UFO (band)|UFO]] [[Tribute act|tribute band]] called Flight to Mars as well as a reunited Shadow line-up.<ref name="Brownlee"/>

McCready's favorite literary author is [[John Steinbeck]] and his favorite book of all time is ''[[The Grapes of Wrath]]''.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://faroutmagazine.co.uk/pearl-jam-pick-their-favourite-books-of-all-time/|title=Pearl Jam pick their favourite books of all time|website=Faroutmagazine.com|date=July 13, 2021|access-date=February 3, 2022}}</ref>

McCready is also an avid sports fan and a lifelong supporter of [[Seattle Seahawks]], [[Seattle Mariners]] and [[Seattle Sounders FC]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.seahawks.com/video/2019-week-7-12-flag-raiser-guitarist-mike-mccready-interview|title=2019 Week 7: 12 Flag Raiser - Guitarist Mike McCready Interview|publisher=Seattle Seahawks}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.mlb.com/mariners/video/mike-mccready-s-national-anthem-c1820656483|title=Mike McCready's National Anthem|date=September 8, 2017|website=[[MLB.com]]}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5Mc1wr9C8KE|title = Mike McCready performs the Star Spangled Banner|website = [[YouTube]]| date=November 12, 2014 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web | url=https://loudwire.com/pearl-jam-mike-mccready-national-anthem-t-mobile-park-2022-video/ | title=Pearl Jam's Mike McCready Plays National Anthem at Mariners vs. Tigers Baseball Game | website=[[Loudwire]] | date=October 5, 2022 }}</ref>

===Substance abuse===
Like many others from the Seattle grunge scene, McCready has had two different bouts with substance abuse. The first came during the production of Pearl Jam's 1994 album ''[[Vitalogy]]'', when McCready was fighting drug and alcohol addiction:<ref name="guitarworld"/>
<blockquote>We had a lot of meetings where they would say, 'Hey Mike, you're getting way too fucked up.' But we're all really good friends and we love each other and I think they actually thought I was going to die, but they never took steps to kick me out of the band, which I can't believe because I fucked up so many times. I was drunk and making an ass out of myself and they were concerned about it. ... I'd clean up for a little while then I'd fall off the wagon, like addicts do. ... When everything blew up, everybody kind of lost their minds. ... I was clean for about a month ... well, semi-clean; I can't bullshit about that ... but I fell off the wagon after the Kurt Cobain thing. That fucked with everybody really hard. I mean, how do you get to that point of depression where suicide's the only way out?<ref name="guitarworld">Gilbert, Jeff. [http://www.fivehorizons.com/archive/articles/gw04951.shtml "Alive-Pearl Jam's Mike McCready Says Goodbye to Drugs and Alcohol and is a Better Man For it"]. ''[[Guitar World]]''. April 1995.</ref></blockquote>

McCready's second bout came during the sessions for Pearl Jam's 2000 album ''Binaural'':
<blockquote>I was going through some personal problems. It was my own stuff I was dealing with. That was a tough time. I was out of it. That was due, at the time, I was taking prescription drugs. I got caught up in it, because of my pain.<ref name="tenpast"/></blockquote>

===Charity contributions===
McCready was a part of the effort to raise money for Roger Federer's charity, [[Roger Federer Foundation]] as a part of Match for Africa – a non competitive tennis event held to a packed [[Key Arena]] in Seattle on April 29, 2017. In this event, McCready teamed with John Isner, and competed against Roger Federer and philanthropist Bill Gates. Federer and Gates won the game 6–4.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://seattlerefined.com/lifestyle/photos-federer-gates-throw-down-at-match-for-africa-4|title=Photos: Roger Federer & Bill Gates play doubles charity match at Key Arena|first=Sy|last=Bean|date=April 29, 2017|website=Seattle Refined|access-date=April 25, 2019}}</ref> McCready also donates to the Crohn's and Colitis Foundation regularly, participating in their flag football tournaments.

=== Photography ===
In 2017, McCready published a book of [[Polaroid film|Polaroids]] he shot during his time in Pearl Jam, dating back to the early 1990s. Titled ''Of Potato Heads and Polaroids: My Life Inside and Out of Pearl Jam,'' and published by [[PowerHouse Books|powerHouse books]], McCready described the book as "an emotional ride".<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.format.com/magazine/features/photography/mike-mccready-pearl-jam-photography-interview|title=Pearl Jam's Mike McCready Talks About His New Book 'Of Potato Heads and Polaroids'|website=Format.com|date=May 10, 2017|access-date=October 13, 2017}}</ref> The photos in it document the band on tour, fellow musicians including [[Neil Young]], [[Dave Grohl]], [[Joey Ramone]], and [[Jimmy Page]], and McCready's personal life.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.powerhousebooks.com/books/of-potato-heads-and-polaroids-my-life-inside-and-out-of-pearl-jam/|title=Of Potato Heads and Polaroids: My Life Inside and Out of Pearl Jam {{!}} powerHouse Books|website=Powerhousebooks.com|language=en-US|access-date=October 13, 2017}}</ref>

==Discography==
;Temple of the Dog discography
{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Year
! Title
! Label
|-
| 1991
| ''[[Temple of the Dog (album)|Temple of the Dog]]''
| [[A&M Records|A&M]]
|}

;Pearl Jam discography
{{Main|Pearl Jam discography}}

;Mad Season discography
{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Year
! Title
! Label
! Track(s)
|-
| rowspan="2"|1995
| ''[[Above (Mad Season album)|Above]]''
| [[Columbia Records|Columbia]]
| All
|-
| ''[[Working Class Hero: A Tribute to John Lennon]]''
| [[Hollywood Records|Hollywood]]
| "I Don't Wanna Be a Soldier"
|-
| 1996
| ''Bite Back: Live at Crocodile Cafe''
| [[PopLlama Records|PopLlama]]
| "[[River of Deceit]]" (live)
|-
| 2013
| ''Above (Deluxe Edition)''
| [[Columbia/Legacy]]
|-
| 2015
| ''Live at the Moore 1995''
| [[Columbia/Legacy]]
|-
| 2015
| ''Seattle Symphony- Sonic Evolution (Live at Benaroya Hall)''
| [[Monkeywrench Records]]
|}

;The Rockfords discography
{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Year
! Title
! Label
! Track(s)
|-
| rowspan="2"|2000
| ''[[Down to You|Down to You: Music from the Miramax Motion Picture]]''
| [[Epic Records|Epic]]
| "Silver Lining"
|-
| ''[[The Rockfords (album)|The Rockfords]]''
| Epic
| All
|-
| 2003
| ''[[Live Seattle, WA 12/13/03]]''
| Kufala
| All
|-
| 2004
| ''[[Waiting ... (EP)|Waiting...]]''
| Ten Club
| All
|}

;Contributions and collaborations
{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Year
! Artist(s)
! Title
! Label
! Track(s)
|-
| 1992
| Lazy Susan
| ''Twang''
| Silver Eye
| "Bored"
|-
| rowspan="2"|1993
| [[Eddie Vedder]] and Mike McCready with [[G. E. Smith]]
| ''[[The 30th Anniversary Concert Celebration]]''
| Sony
| "[[Masters of War]]" (live)
|-
| M.A.C.C. (Mike McCready, [[Jeff Ament]], [[Matt Cameron]], and [[Chris Cornell]])
| ''[[Stone Free: A Tribute to Jimi Hendrix]]''
| [[Reprise Records|Reprise]]/[[Warner Music Group|WEA]]
| "Hey Baby (Land of the New Rising Sun)"
|-
| 1995
| [[Neil Young]]
| ''[[Mirror Ball (Neil Young album)|Mirror Ball]]''
| Reprise
| All
|-
| rowspan="3"|1996
| [[Goodness (band)|Goodness]] with Mike McCready (as Petster)
| ''[[Schoolhouse Rock! Rocks]]''
| [[Rhino Entertainment|Rhino]]/WEA
| "Electricity, Electricity"
|-
| $10,000 Gold Chain ([[MariAnn Braeden]] of Green Apple Quick Step with Mike McCready)
| ''[[The Cable Guy#Soundtrack|The Cable Guy: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack]]''
| Sony
| "Oh! Sweet Nuthin'"
|-
| [[Screaming Trees]]
| ''[[Dust (Screaming Trees album)|Dust]]''
| Epic
| "[[Dying Days]]"
|-
| rowspan="5"|1997
| [[Tuatara (band)|Tuatara]]
| ''[[Breaking the Ethers]]''
| Epic
| "The Getaway"
|-
| [[Mark Eitzel]]
| ''[[West (Mark Eitzel album)|West]]''
| [[Warner Bros. Records|Warner Bros.]]
| "Fresh Screwdriver"
|-
| [[The Minus 5]]
| ''[[The Lonesome Death of Buck McCoy]]''
| Hollywood
| Some
|-
| [[Brad (band)|Brad]]
| ''[[Interiors (Brad album)|Interiors]]''
| Sony
| "The Day Brings"
|-
| [[Eddie Vedder]] and Mike McCready
| ''Tibetan Freedom Concert''
| [[Capitol Records|Capitol]]
| "[[Yellow Ledbetter]]" (live)
|-
| 1999
| [[Goodness (band)|Goodness]]
| ''These Days''
| Good-Ink
| "Catching Fireflies"
|-
| 2000
| [[Stillwater (fictional band)|Stillwater]]
| ''[[Almost Famous (soundtrack)|Almost Famous: Music from the Motion Picture]]''
| [[DreamWorks Records|DreamWorks]]
| "Fever Dog"
|-
| 2001
| [[Eddie Vedder]] and Mike McCready with [[Neil Young]]
| ''[[America: A Tribute to Heroes]]''
| [[Interscope Records|Interscope]]
| "Long Road" (live)
|-
| 2002
| [[The Wallflowers]]
| ''[[Red Letter Days (album)|Red Letter Days]]''
| Interscope
| "When You're on Top", "Everybody Out of the Water", "Too Late to Quit", "See You When I Get There", and "Everything I Need"
|-
| 2003
| Mike McCready, [[Stone Gossard]], [[Cole Peterson]], and Chris Friel
| ''Live from Nowhere Near You''
| Funkhead Music
| "Powerless"
|-
| 2004
| [[Heart (band)|Heart]]
| ''[[Jupiters Darling]]''
| Sovereign
| "I'm Fine"
|-
| 2005
| [[Screaming Trees]]
| ''[[Ocean of Confusion: Songs of Screaming Trees 1989–1996]]''
| Epic
| "Dying Days"
|-
| 2006
| [[Peter Frampton]]
| ''[[Fingerprints (Peter Frampton album)|Fingerprints]]''
| A&M
| "[[Black Hole Sun]]" and "Blowin' Smoke"
|-
| 2008
| Kristen Ward
| ''Drive Away''
| Mutt Moan Music
| "With You Again"
|-
| rowspan="2"|2009
| [[Dierks Bentley]]
| ''[[Feel That Fire]]''
| [[Capitol Records|Capitol Nashville]]
| "Life on the Run"
|-
| [[The Wallflowers]]
| ''Collected: 1996–2005''
| Interscope
| "When You're on Top"
|-
| 2010
| Mike McCready
| ''[[Fringe (TV series)|Fringe]]''
| {{N/A}}
| "[[Northwest Passage (Fringe)|Northwest Passage]]"
|-
| 2011
| Tres Mts.
| ''Three Mountains''
| Monkeywrench
| various
|-
| 2012
| [[Soundgarden]]
| ''[[King Animal]]''
| Universal Republic
| "Eyelid's Mouth"
|-
| 2016
| [[Nando Reis]]
| ''[[Jardim-Pomar]]''
| Relicário
| "Pra onde foi"
|-
| 2022
| [[Ozzy Osbourne]]
| ''[[Patient Number 9]]''
| Epic
| "Immortal"
|-
| 2024
| [[Nando Reis]]
| ''[[Uma Estrela Misteriosa Revelará o Segredo]]''
| Relicário
| various
|}

==See also==
*[[List of people diagnosed with Crohn's disease]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
{{Commons category}}
*{{AllMusic|class=artist|id=p103683}}
*{{IMDb name|0566967}}

{{Pearl Jam}}
{{Mad Season}}
{{Temple of the Dog}}
{{The Rockfords}}
{{2017 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame}}

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:McCready, Mike}}
[[Category:1966 births]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:American rock guitarists]]
[[Category:American male guitarists]]
[[Category:Grunge musicians]]
[[Category:American lead guitarists]]
[[Category:Mad Season (band) members]]
[[Category:Pearl Jam members]]
[[Category:Resonator guitarists]]
[[Category:Temple of the Dog members]]
[[Category:The Minus 5 members]]
[[Category:Musicians from Pensacola, Florida]]
[[Category:Drummers from San Diego]]
[[Category:Drummers from Seattle]]
[[Category:Guitarists from California]]
[[Category:Guitarists from Florida]]
[[Category:Guitarists from Washington (state)]]
[[Category:American alternative rock drummers]]
[[Category:American rock songwriters]]
[[Category:20th-century American guitarists]]
[[Category:21st-century American guitarists]]
[[Category:20th-century American drummers]]
[[Category:American male drummers]]
[[Category:21st-century American drummers]]
[[Category:American blues rock musicians]]
[[Category:American male singer-songwriters]]
[[Category:20th-century American singer-songwriters]]
[[Category:21st-century American singer-songwriters]]
[[Category:People with Crohn's disease]]
[[Category:Singer-songwriters from California]]
[[Category:Singer-songwriters from Florida]]
[[Category:Singer-songwriters from Washington (state)]]
[[Category:Drummers from Florida]]