Michelle Malone's first official release came in 1987, with New Experience, an eight-song cassette put out on her own Aluminum Jane Records (Aluminum Jane 1C). New Experience was reissued in 1988, again on Aluminum Jane Records, adding four new tracks and deleting one other (Aluminum Jane 01C). Both cassettes are out-of-print.

In 1990, Michelle and her band, Drag the River, were signed to Arista records; their Relentless album contained new versions of three New Experience songs, plus nine new songs (Arista CD-8630). Relentless is now out-of-print.

Arista released a promo CD and video, Building Fires Over Atlanta, in 1991 (Arista ASCD-2155). The CD featured five live recordings from a Drag the River concert at Atlanta's Cotton Club. This disc, never in widespread release, is out-of-print.

After a falling out with Arista, Michelle disbanded Drag the River and returned to independent recording. In 1992, she released a collection of thirteen all-new songs, For You Not Them (incorrectly listed as For You Not For Them on the earliest pressings). This CD, originally issued on Sister Ruby Records (Sister Ruby 005), is currently available on Michelle's own Strange Bird Songs label (Strange Bird 002).

In November of 1992, Michelle recorded a set of ten Christmas songs, performed live at Eddie's Attic in Decatur, GA. This set, A Swingin' Christmas in the Attic, was released only on cassette that year (no label, no number). It was released on CD in 1996 (Strange Bird 003).

In 1993, Michelle signed with Daemon Records, who pressed New Experience on CD for the first time (Daemon 5025). The 1987 version of the album was augmented with five additional live-in-the-studio cuts, all recorded in 1993. This version is currently available on Strange Bird Songs (Strange Bird 001).

In 1994, Daemon released Redemption Dream, featuring Michelle's new band, Band de Soleil (Daemon 19005). A video was made and sold for the highlight track, "The Gathering" (Daemon, no number).

Michelle struck out on her own yet again in 1995, releasing Strange Bird, an authorized bootleg (Strange Bird CS001). One side of the fourteen-song tape was recorded live at Eddie's Attic; the other side included a mix of live and studio recordings from various sources. This out-of-print cassette was only available for purchase directly from Michelle.

In 1996, Michelle signed with a new label that hadn't yet been named. Band de Soleil assembled thirteen new songs for their second album, Bird on Fire, but the band split up, and the CD was never officially released. However, a run of advance CDs were pressed, and Michelle sells them at some of her shows (no label, no number).

A second authorized bootleg, Strange Bird Volume 2, was released in 1997. Like the two previous recordings, this out-of-print fourteen-song cassette was only available from Michelle (Strange Bird CS002). A half-hour video, Horsefeathers, was also issued (Strange Bird, no number).

In 1997, the nameless label was christened Velvel Records, and Beneath the Devil Moon was released (Velvel 79703). This album evolved from the Bird on Fire sessions, with more than half of the older songs appearing on the new recording.

The following year, Velvel released Lucky to Be Live, Michelle's second five-song live CD recorded at the Cotton Club. This recording featured a new band, the Michelle MaLONE STARS (Velvel 79761).

In 1999, Michelle returned to her own Strange Bird Songs label to release a studio album entitled Homegrown. It contains thirteen songs (SBS004).

The year 2001 brought two new releases from Michelle. First came another live release, Strange Bird Volume 3, was released in early 2001. It features 14 songs recorded at various shows across the United States (SBS006).

The second release of 2001 is Michelle's studio album Hello Out There. Featuring 12 new tracks of sonic roots rock forged on acoustic guitar, layered in vocal textures, and delivered with inventive spark plug guitars and Malone's graceful and fiery vocals. An uplifting record of determination and survival, Hello Out There is irrepressible and uncompromising, just like Malone.

Discography originally written by Vic Wertz