Mike started playing guitar at 15. "I wanted a motorcycle but got a guitar instead, little did my folks know what they had started." From the start, lessons were important to learning as quickly as he could and after 3 years of lessons from various teachers, he began to teach others out of his family's home. After going to Valley College Mike then began teaching at "Liers Music" in San Bernardino, CA. Then went to Musicians Institute in Hollywood and graduated in the top 20 of over 800 in his class.

In 1997, Mike Freeland and David Bown started their own Music School - "Music Lessons Central". Mike teaches in various styles from rock to classical. The school has been going strong for over 12 years at the San Bernardino Location on Hospitality lane, and since December 2009 in Redlands.