Blazing guitars and reflective storytelling; spirited swagger and compassionate vulnerability. The artistry of Mark Mackay is inclusive, projecting a vivid panorama of arena-ready rock and roll crosscut with country soul — an authentic genre of pure American music channeled through the captivating sincerity of an eloquent singer-songwriter.
Mark Mackay has performed thousands of shows as a headliner at clubs, concerts, festivals, and fairs, and as an opening act for rockers like The Steve Miller Band, REO Speedwagon, and Night Ranger, and country hitmakers Blake Shelton, Tim McGraw, Eli Young, and Gary Allan. He has commanded center stage at The Ryman Auditorium in Nashville, Red Rocks Amphitheatre in Colorado, and in 2025, Kennedy Center in Washington, DC.
Whether fronting his band of A-list players, or in intimate solo performances, Mark’s audience connection is profound. “I’m staying true to myself, and the kind of music I like, and the stories I like telling,” Mark avows. “I don’t make a big deal about driving, but yeah, I am always zipping around the country, interacting with people, and reminiscing about their stories, and how music brings us all together.”
On his lead single, “Old Songs and Old Trucks” Mark is a confiding storyteller, embracing sweet nostalgia behind the wheel of a S-10 Chevy truck. Memories echo in the bittersweet “Things You Say,” a song that Mark explains onstage as: “A song about taking stock of your whole life and all the decisions you’ve made along the way.” Charged with adrenaline, “Get Away” is a full throttle riff-driven road burner. “Crash” is narrated with sly undertones, in the words, “You weren’t after my money/But you knew I had plenty to bail you out.” The spooky “Crazy About the Moonlight” is ignited by thunderous rock intensity, while “Let Her Fly,” is aloft with acceptance. In tune with tumultuous times, “I Am Love,” is a galvanizing anthem of unity that Mark introduces in concert with these words, “Here’s a song about something we should sing more about in this country every day.”
With his first fashion collaboration, designing a t-shirt in tandem with Ventura, CA based apparel company Iron and Resin, Mark is initiating new creative outlets. Now in its third year, the national month-long “Rockin’ and Rollin’ Guitar Slinging Christmas Tour” has expanded to include multiple dates in California, Utah, Montana, Colorado, Ohio, and New York.
“There are some striking similarities to what I’ve been writing lately and what my music was like back then,” he muses. “The nuts and bolts are eerily similar. It’s a litmus test, back to me and my guitar and what I feel like singing.” Like his legendary musical heroes, he embraces the sound of his personal truth. “I grew up on Bruce Springsteen and John Mellencamp. I’m so moved that over the years they were up there in denim jackets singing songs about America that were meaningful and emotional. I still believe in great songs and guitar solos. That’s become my rallying cry.”
©
2025
Globe Hall
