TAKING THE MUSIC INDUSTRY BY STORM
Virginia born, Maryland raised and now Nashville based country artist, Mark Taylor, is taking the music industry by storm with his 90’s country infused sound and soulful melodies. Having already opened for country stars Big & Rich, Bryan White, Joe Nichols, Jon Pardi, and Russell Dickerson to name a few, and played some of the biggest country music festivals in 2023, Mark is becoming the new one to watch in country music.
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 lit a fire inside him. Upon graduating with honors from Wake Forest University in the Tar Heel State of NC June 2022, he packed up his bags and headed to Nashville, TN. This whirlwind lifestyle continued when he made his Fox-17 Nashville TV debut just 72 hours after moving to Nashville and then played for a packed room for the fans during CMA Music Festival later that same day. With a few singles already under his belt, his most recent release Dust Off That Dirt, is a fan-favorite. Already reaching almost a quarter of a million streams just on Spotify, Mark has received national and international airplay in Australia, Ireland, London, Switzerland, and the U.K. Dust Off That Dirt has also been added to terrestrial AM/FM radio across the Northeast and Southeast. He is also an accomplished songwriter, written songs recorded by Amii Stewart (singer of the 1979 #1 hit Knock on Wood), Whey Jennings (grandson of Waylon), Hayley Payne, Molly Lovette, and more.
Whether he is on stage performing, writing new material, in the studio laying down vocals, playing the guitar, piano, 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 several thousand shows so far, including performances on major festival bills such as Country Fest (WI), FrogFest (NY), and others, 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.”
With his smooth melodies, he has partnered with CALI Distillery for the upcoming launch of his own whiskey – Steel String Signature. Mark took a hands-on approach with every aspect of this, from taste to name choice to design and packaging. “With the name of this whiskey that was inspired by the steel strings I had in my hand for as long as I can remember, I hope that you sit back and remember your favorite song as you sip a glass of my handcrafted Steel String Signature Whiskey.” Steel String Signature is currently available for pre-sale. Retailers in TN among other states is scheduled to carry the product. Fans 21+ may purchase it by going to www.calidistillery.com.
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 continuing to release new music and music videos, it is only a matter of time before Mark Taylor becomes a household name.