Playing blues harp from the tender age of nine Mike didn’t hit the stage until a guest appearance with local blues and folk legend Murray McDowell 2003. Within a week Mike was asked to make a guest appearance with local blues legend Rab McCullough and his band in the Belfast Empire Music Hall.

Word soon spread throughout the Northern Ireland blues scene of a talented new harp player and Mike received several offers from various blues bands. He took on a few part time roles with some of these bands namely “Legal Tender” and “Keep Err Lit” in order to gain stage experience; meanwhile Mike was invited by Murray McDowell to form a new band with him. Mike named the band “TEN FEET DEEP” with Murray on vocals and Mike on blues harp; Ryan Ferris joined as lead guitarist and John Hammel on bass.

A surprise addition to the line up was Keith Semple a multi talented individual who had achieved fame on the UK POP IDOL television show. Keith was to take the role as drummer and second vocalist although he can be heard playing guitar and keys on some of the bands studio recordings.

After “TEN FEET DEEP” members decided to go their separate ways Mike formed a band with a selection of talented musicians the drummer was Paul McCusker he named the band “THE FUN_DA_MENTALS” Mike brought guitarist Andy Finlay and vocalist Warren Boyd to their first band experience bass players can some times be hard to find so an add in the local paper soon brought a result Joe Mawhiney filled the role perfectly. The Fundamentals were a more funk orientated band and lasted for about a year when mike left to form the MIKE WILGAR BAND he wanted to concentrate on his own brand of blues and rock with hard driven blues harp and guitar.

With the release of his first album ‘Swimming With Sharks’ Mike continues to establish himself as one of the rising talents of the Irish Blues scene.