Mark Knight sums up his approach to music with two words, simple and direct. “It’s how I approach everything in life”, says the life-loving Maine native “my songs, the way I perform, it’s all going to come out that way.” It is that simple and direct approach to music, delivered with his intense, straight ahead country vocals on his self titled album that speaks to the true country music fan in all of us. For Knight, the country connection is not one that he seeks out, but one that is very much a part of him. He revels in the simple life of his family home in rural Maine. Anyone can see the passion in his eyes when he talks about it; “It is the perfect place to connect with my country roots and to raise my children” (he has seven!).
 
That positive attitude and love of country life extends into his off time as well. When he’s not writing or performing (he performs regularly at many of the region’s best known clubs) the avid outdoorsman can usually be found in the back-country near his home fishing, hunting or indulging his latest passion, sketching the beauty that he finds there.    
 

It is a winding road that leads Mark Knight to today. As a young man he entertained his family by singing with the country classics of Hank Williams, George Jones, Merle Haggard and Waylon Jennings as he played them on the record player. He continued to play around the area until, at the age of 16, he followed a long standing family tradition and entered the world of boxing. In the years that followed he racked up a 23-1 amateur record including a Maine State Featherweight title before he gave up the ring. Reflecting on that time in his life, Mark is fond of saying “You could say that all those years my motto was “search and destroy” now my life is “search and enjoy””

Later, another long standing family tradition, logging, filled his days but music still called him at night until friend and local musician Blaine Blodgett changed his life for good when he invited him onstage to perform at a local show.

Soon after, with little more than his resolve, Mark traveled to Nashville to work with record producer Tony Mantor. He immersed himself in the Country Music community there, a world of great songs and great musicians. Then, armed with songs written by Kenny Chesney, Bob DiPiero, Dean Dillon, John Scott Sherrill and many others Knight and Mantor entered the studio.

In the fall of 2004 two songs from that session caught the attention of executives at Desert Sun Records. A recording contract and management contract followed and soon after Desert Sun Records released the first single, “Betty’s Beauty World” to radio and dance clubs in the spring of ’05 followed by a national release of the self-titled CD in June of the same year. The CD garnered substantial critical praise with critics calling it “Good ol’ country” and saying that Mark Knight “is at the top of his game and well worth seeking out”. Radio embraced each of the singles release and the fans flocked to see Mark’s live show, ending 2005 on a high note.

Not one to rest on his laurels, Mark has started ’06 dividing his time between the road and writing material for his next project at his home in rural Maine. It leaves little time for his newest creative passion, art, which he says is “the perfect compliment to my music and has given me a whole new way to express myself”. So now, you can listen for Mark on the radio, see him in concert, look for his records in your local music store…and maybe see his artwork at your local gallery. 2006 will be a busy year for Mark Knight.