Michael Cooney

Michael Cooney is an American folk and blues musician who performed in the 1960s folk revival. He is known for his blues performances as well as for performing at, and organizing, many folk festivals. In 1963, he participated in a "Young Folksinger's Contest" at the Monterey Folk Festival; Barbara Dane was the contest judge and another contest participant was Janis Joplin.

Cooney was the featured musical guest on a first-season episode of Sesame Street. Despite sharing the last name of the show's creator Joan Ganz Cooney, it does not appear that he is of any relation to her or her ex-husband. Cooney served on the boards of the Newport Folk Festival and also the National Folk Festival.

His albums include The Cheese Stands Alone, Singer of Old Songs, Still Cooney After All These Years, Pure Unsweetened, and Together Again. His instruments include 6 and 12 string guitars, fretless and fretted banjos, ukulele, concertina, harmonica, Jew’s harp, and nose-flute.