Keyboardist and vocalist from Glendale, California, who started playing the piano at the age of five. He attended Ranchito Elementary School in Panorama City from 1957 to 1963.
Shortly thereafter, he and some friends started a band and billed themselves as The Jades, after the cologne, Jade East. They eventually became known at Chapter One and did a few home-made recordings until disbanding in 1967.
In 1969, Mark graduated from Monroe High School in Sepulveda, California. He briefly joined the vocal group, Sing Out!, which was an off-shoot of Up with People.
In 1980, he started his own publishing house, Mad Monkey Music. Soon, he was invited to audition for The Burrito Brothers. He aced the audition and joined them on tour in support of their 1981 album, Hearts on the Line. The band soon broke up and Mark took care of things at home whilst nurturing his publishing concern.
He joined the First Presbyterian Church band in Burbank, California, and then relocated to the Lone Star state in 2006. In 2007, he was asked to join Richard Bowden’s band, Moon and the Starz. They released a CD entitled Rising over Texas in 2008. After undergoing back surgery, Mark returned to performing at the end of the decade.
He performs here…
Sources:
- http://www.moonandthestarz.com/mv.htm
- http://www.classmates.com/directory/school/Ranchito%20Elementary%20School?org=17667041
- http://www.classmates.com/directory/public/memberprofile/list.htm?regId=429546311
- http://www.radioindy.com/bands/5104/
- http://www.amazon.com/Rising-Texas-Richard-Bowden-Starz/dp/B001EURLCK
- http://www.myspace.com/madmonkeymusic