Azalea Festival weekend brought many genres of musical acts to Wilmington. If you are a fan of live music, this was definitely the place to be. Since Wilmington is a bit off the beaten path for most artists, it often takes weekend festivals to draw many to come play.

Tennessee native Mitch Rossell took over the patio of City Limits Saloon April 12.  This rising country music star brought the patio to max capacity by the end of the night.  Rossell played everything from Garth Brooks to Tom Petty, as well as his original music, and the crowd was engaged and entertained from start to finish.  His strong voice and smooth guitar flowed together, showcasing Rossell’s seemingly second-nature knack for working the audience. His performance made for a night of country music rare to the area.

Rossell, originally from Chattanooga, made the move to Nashville in 2009, when he graduated from the University of Tennessee-Chattanooga.  He is currently a regular in Music City’s most popular establishments, such as Tootsies and Honky Tonk Central, and he has been on the fast track since his arrival.  Mitch also books regular gigs outside of Nashville, traveling for much of the year in an effort to extend his fan base.

At 25, Mitch has refused to bow to typical industry pressures.  He was approached last year to try out for “The Voice,” but Rossell believes he can make it the old fashioned way-with pure talent and strong song writing.  He has already written over 250 songs, and fans say his abilities are increasing with every one he writes. 

He does have one consistent avenue that has allowed fans to keep up with his happenings and new music:  Mitch is a regular contributor on YouTube. He has over 65 videos of covers and originals, garnering 22,500 subscribers and 4.1 million video views.  He has also made quite an impression on several big stars in country music.  He teamed up with Eric Church prior to the American Country Music awards in 2011 in a “Duets” series.  Rossell also hit it off with superstar group Zac Brown Band last year, and has kept in touch with many members of the band since. 

Rossell is widely known for his accessibility and friendly demeanor.  Through his social media channels, Mitch makes an effort to answer questions, respond to messages and keep fans informed about new music or events.  Rossell says he plans to keep that up for as long as he is able to, and remains humbled by it all.