Mark McKinney
Mark McKinney, born and raised in Big Spring, distinguishes himself from the typical "rockin’ country" artist by drawing from a wide range of influences.
He credits his father for instilling in him an appreciation for upbeat, energetic songs.
He blends his musical tastes as easily as drinking beer and eating barbecue, and he admits to a diverse musical background.
"Although I grew up listening to country legends like Willie Nelson and Charlie Daniels, I was also heavily influenced by rock and pop." This blend of influences has helped secure Mark a unique place on the Texas scene – and helped keep him from getting boxed into one genre.
For his debut solo album, "Get It On," McKinney took from his own experiences (as well as those of his closest friends and family) to produce a collection of songs that has been appropriately described as "foot-stompin’, sing-a-long, feel-good country with a strong melody."
While working on his debut CD, Mark teamed up with Kevin Fowler to write, "What's Your Point." The song is the sixth track on Kevin's most recent album, "Bring it On."
Kevin Fowler isn’t Mark’s only industry-insider fan. Kyle Cook of Matchbox 20 calls Mark’s live shows ‘phenomenal,’ and believes that Mark’s music "captures the emotion of small town America from coast to coast." Rick Lovett, president of Winding Road Music, calls Mark "one of today’s hottest, most deserving artists."
Texas music fans seem to agree. Mark’s first single, "Comfortable In This Skin," has been a staple on the Texas Music Chart, and has gotten enough attention to earn Mark a spot on stage at the first annual Big State Festival at the Texas World Speedway in October – alongside such country giants as Willie Nelson, Lynyrd Skynyrd, and Tim McGraw.
Honesty, energy, homegrown country and a little bit of rock-n-roll are hard to argue with – and Mark is quite comfortable in that skin.
5:30 p.m., Saturday, April 26, 2008 Dodge Real. Texas. Music. stage.