Mark Elliot took a moment to answer our questions about his music and how he makes it. Let’s see what he has to say!
Tell us about your musical past. Would you tell us about your early years?
I was lucky to have a trifecta of influences; records from the 1970s, adult friends who let me into their music circles early on, and a passion for storytelling on my Martin D-35 guitar. Washington, DC, was a hotbed of bluegrass and folk music in the 80s with clubs like the Birchmere, and daily radio shows by famous DJs Dick Cerri, Mary Cliff, and Jerry Gray. That’s when you followed DJs even more than you followed artists. And there were bands like the Seldom Scene. Between those influences and my parent’s record collection, my folk, and acoustic roots were well-watered.
How would you describe your sound?
I am a writer first and have written a little of every style, especially as a Nashville staff songwriter. But, my artist sound has evolved from traditional folk and bluegrass through country, and now – probably because of age and experience, a more aged-soulful sound. But always connected to 1970s records and songs.
Which artists have the biggest influence on your sound?
A wonderful combination of 1970s singer-songwriters and then the countless cassettes and CDs I’ve traded with indie artists at festivals and clubs over the decades. Always drawn to the lyrics though.
What’s the last song you listened to?
“For Baby (For Bobbie)” John Denver
What’s your source for hearing new music?
Almost exclusively through friends. I don’t usually find new music on streaming services. I find searching for music among the masses a little overwhelming.
Who is your dream producer?
Hmm. I don’t know. I never really think about making records with producers, but I have a long list of musicians and engineers I dream about working with. Lucky for me, and only in Nashville, I’ve been able to work with many of them.
If you could collaborate with anyone, who would it be?
If I had a time machine, it would be John Denver at the top of my list. Also, Lightfoot, Croce, and Chapin.
What led you to music, and what motivates you to keep making it?
I got hooked on the power of words early on and saw the effects they could have on people if they were carved correctly. Legacy and some sense of relevancy drive me now. I know the power of songs artists leave behind, and I desperately want to leave something of merit behind.
Tell us about the songwriting process. How does it all come together?
For me, it’s different for all writers. It starts with a quote, a phrase, and sometimes a word. The kind that doesn’t leave you alone and begs for a melody. Here’s the secret sauce; work ethic. You must write to be a writer. Inspiration and discipline are connected at the hip.
How do you connect with your audience? What is the easiest way for them to connect with you?
Unfortunately, social media is the most efficient and necessary method of connection these days. But that leaves me, and probably them, only half-filled. A live performance is still the most powerful way to show your art.
Facebook
Instagram
Twitter
Wikipedia
What’s next for you?
I’m a many-irons-in-the-fire, project-based guy. I’m working on demos of new songs for my publishing company, 3 Minutes Away Music, several book projects, and the beginnings of a play. I’m also contemplating releasing a bluegrass record. We’ve been cutting bluegrass demos lately at Rukkus Room with Jamie Tate, and they sound like records to me.
Anything else you’d like to add or let us know about?
I would love for people to check out the author side of my life. I have a book out called “The Sons of Starmount” and have a semi-regular blog you can sign up for called Words from the Hollow. https://www.markelliottcreative.com/author
BIO: Mark Elliott is a thirty-three-year veteran of the Nashville-based singer-songwriter scene, author, blogger, and podcaster. He is also a principal vocalist/guitarist for the Americana band Runaway Home and has written for Nashville’s top publishing houses, including Sony-Tree, Maypop, Bluewater Music, and Cherry Lane Music.
Independent and major-label artists have recorded Mark’s songs, and he has received airplay on radio and TV in the United States and abroad. His songs have hit the Billboard Top Forty Charts, highlighted by the hit single by Neal McCoy, “Every Man for Himself.” Billboard Magazine called it “a song with rare lyrical and musical edge and the best cut on the album.” Championship rodeo rider and famed singer Chris LeDoux also recorded Mark’s song, “Making Ends Meet,” for his “Watcha Gonna Do With A Cowboy” album.
He’s a winner of the coveted Kerrville New Folk Award. He has a string of 2020-2023 solo singles out, including: “Craziest Thing,” “Watch Out Man,” “On My Way To See You,” “Talk To Yourself,” “Drunk for Nothin’,” “Back to the Garden,” and “Taking You South.”
3-Minutes Away Publishing signed Mark as a staff writer in 2021.
Mark is also an author. Kirkus Reviews heralded Mark’s current book, The Sons of Starmount: Memoir of a Ten-year-old Boy (out in paperback and audiobook), as a “Joyful book, permeated with a gentle humor that brings to life the exuberance of youth.”
Check out Mark’s weekly Substack literary newsletter, “Words from the Hollow,” and his “Conversations On Cub Creek” podcast.
