
TAKING THE MUSIC INDUSTRY BY STORM
With a contemplative soul and a charming and down-to-earth personality, Mark Taylor has always seen music as a constant companion that continuously evolves through the many eras of his life. With many accomplishments already under his belt, With many accomplishments already under his belt, including a Top 15 hit on a fan-voted country chart, writing former #1 and Platinum Selling Artist Amii Stewart's new single, "Perfectly Beautiful", producing podcasts for Platinum Selling Artist Lacy J. Dalton, and placement on Spotify's "Fresh Finds: County" Playlist, Mark is one to watch for as he takes the country music scene by storm.
Born in Richmond, Virginia but raised in a suburb of Baltimore, Mark was fully engrossed in music as his career path from a very young age. “I was always intrigued by music,” he says. “I grew up playing alongside my biggest musical influence, my father.” With his fingertips on the strings of a guitar when he was just 2 years old, taking the stage when he was only 6 followed by his first professional show when he was 13, he was hooked and continued to play at any and all venues that would let him in the door. With the incredible amount of support from his family, there was no way he wouldn’t succeed. “My mom was the one who would drop me off at venues before I could even drive. She would wait in the bar, restaurant, club, whatever is was, and cheer me on louder than anyone.” All of this love gave Mark the confidence he needed to go on and play his hometown notable venues such as Rams Head Live and the Ottobar.
This endless dedication and continued performances throughout the Baltimore area led him to open for famed artists including ACM and CMA winner Big & Rich, Grammy Winner Bryan White, and rapper Wiz Khalifa. As he conquers the stages, he continues to book himself and has already completed five tours of 150+ shows. Although his passion lies in music, he still describes himself as a lifelong learner. He recently graduated with honors from Wake Forest University in the Tar Heel State of NC while having kept up with his busy tour schedule every weekend.
This whirlwind lifestyle of whether is he studying for finals, on stage performing, writing new material, in the studio laying down vocals, playing the guitar, tickling the ivories, playing the drums or even the ukulele, he combines the sound of modern country and classic rock for his own unique art. He draws inspiration from the greats including The Allman Brothers Band, the Eagles, Jake Owen, Mitchel Tenpenny and Thomas Rhett.
While playing over a thousand shows so far, the thrill of getting on stage never gets old for him. He thrives for the moments when he connects with the fans. “My job is to make someone’s day a little better. People come to escape their own lives and problems temporarily and listen to music. As a performer, it’s my job to do my best and to ensure that the crowd is loving the show. I thrive off of the feeling of being on stage and having people sing the words to my songs back at me.”
When Mark isn’t attached to his six string or on the road performing, this charismatic artist is also an avid golfer and enjoys restoring old guitars. “As a music teacher for kids, I was always struggling to find guitars that worked for them, so I decided to find them at local thrift stores and bring them back to life for my students to love.” Whether it’s fixing up guitars for kids, restoring old classics like a recent 1950s guitar, or just doing repairs, “each guitar tells a different story which is something I think is unique to music.”
Mark demonstrates his passionate determination day in and day out in everything he does. His recent success is only the beginning of what is sure to be a long and prolific career. With his sights set on the rest of this year, national touring and releasing new music, it is only a matter of time before Mark Taylor becomes a household name.