Mark Mackay

From the legendary Ryman Auditorium in Nashville to Colorado’s famed Red Rocks Amphitheatre, and countless destinations in between: Singer-songwriter Mark Mackay delivers electrifying performances to unite listeners with captivating anthems and blazing musicality.

Touring relentlessly across the country, he has reached a loyal multi-genre audience for his guitar-driven American Music. In addition to headlining slots at concerts, fairs, festivals, and tours, Mark has opened for hard rockers REO Speedwagon, Richie Sambora, Ted Nugent, and Night Ranger; plus platinum country hitmakers Blake Shelton, Tim McGraw, Old Dominion, Gary Allan, and Eli Young Band.

Mark Mackay fans will have plenty of new music to savor. After an ambitious series of indie full-lengths and EP’s, the Nashville-based artist has recently inked a deal with Bungalo Records/Universal Music Group. The lead single, “Meant for This” finds Mark expressing a heart-filled testament enveloped in the aural textures of harmonica, slide guitar, and a beguiling chorus.

For his newest collection of tracks, he selected an accomplished team of first call players to join him at Universal Music’s East Iris Studios. “We threw out the rule book,” Mark testifies. “To craft a sound that was both rock and roadhouse; historic and contemporary.” Mark’s expansive circle of co-conspirators includes such luminaries as Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame honoree Jeffrey Steele, Ted Russell Kamp from the Shooter Jennings band, and multiple ACM Guitarist of the Year nominee Adam Shoenfeld, whose behind the board production expertise, plus his stellar guitar work, are notable contributions to the newest recordings.

As a California native, Mark grew up on the indelible sounds of Laurel Canyon and Bakersfield. Trained as a classical pianist, he studied blues and rock guitar at Musicians Institute in Hollywood. He says this newest stage of his recording journey brings him full cycle as a singer-songwriter. “I came to Hollywood writing narrative storyteller songs; then a six-year journey to try to write and record down the middle. Now, with more maturity and skills, I come back with the genuine authenticity of what I set out to do.”

In the summer of 2023, the artist staged an ambitious 36-show nationwide “Summer Slowdown Tour.” Forthcoming is his second annual Christmas tour, with sit-down theaters and a family-friendly atmosphere, in marked contrast to the boisterous bars where he sharpened his craft and rocked the house. As a frequent television guest in select markets, he reveals a natural, camera-friendly charisma.

He marvels at the folks he meets at far-flung fairs. “The crowds are huge, and everyone is always in a great mood,” he says. “Especially in random places. I traveled to the middle of nowhere, 30 minutes past Logan, Utah, and I think the whole state of Utah was there.”

Mark follows the rhythms of the road on a journey to the lights, illuminating the next town on the highway, and the white-hot brilliance of the stage. And while his lyrics on his new single are in reference to romance, hundreds of thousands of fans that have seen him perform might testify that the title is also an apt description of his decisive artistic destiny. Mark Mackay is undeniably “Meant for This.”