SoCal Singer-Songwriter Mark Anderson Releases Back From The Edge
(Los Angeles, Calif) - Mark Anderson began his career at the age of 17, singing in the night clubs of his home town Dayton, Ohio. Opening for many national acts including The Stray Cats, Steppenwolf, Jeff Healey, The Producers, and BadFinger to name a few. After winning a local radio contest at WTUE-FM, Mark had a regional hit with "Marginal Man" and toured extensively through out the MidWest and South before moving to Los Angeles.
Once in Los Angeles Mark met producer/trumpet player Gary Grant. Grant produced Anderson's first CD "No Easy Way Out". for independent label KMA Records. Mark gained a large following with his songs "Hey Mister,", "So Hard to Find" and "Torn Flag'" In 2002 Mark stopped touring but continued to write and record. In 2010, he joined forces with producer/guitarist Bob Boykin to record his new CD "Back From The Edge." They assembled a team of top musicians from Los Angeles and Nashville, among them Mark Jordan, Joel Taylor, Jimmy Z, Lee Thornburg, Bernie Dresel, Tom Walsh, Bob Birch, Johnny Griparic, Jimmy Earl, Christina Vierra, and Randy Crenshaw. Anderson's musical influences include Howlin' Wolf, The Doors, The Rolling Stones, Eric Clapton, Tom Waits, The Beatles, Lynyrd Skynyrd, The Ramones, and many more.
The media has taken notice of Mark Anderson and Back From The Edge. "From big band blues like w/ "Cat House Blues" to the hot rocker "The Truth Is," I like the lyrical writing on this well produced album," writes reviewer Scott Thomas in Guitarz Forever. "Mark has a way with words that he weaves within his music to create blanket of solidarity within each song... I highly recommend this CD for those who were top 40 listeners of the late 70's. I know these songs will give you sweet memories of yesteryear and good vibes of today," concludes Thomas. Rockwired Radio's Brian Lush opined, "singer/songwriter Mark Anderson is just the sort of troubadour that we need right now...in a world that seems to be collapsing before our eyes, Anderson's message of remaining true to one's self is one that can be heard loud and clear on Back From The Edge." David Mobley, host of Songwriters Webcast, had this to say: "It is rare indeed to have a solo artist of this caliber wondering the haloed halls of the underground music scene searching for an ever greater offering than he has already created to this point. One listen and you will find yourself lost in the labyrinth of all things possible."
"I started singing at the age of four in the church behind my parent's house," recalls Anderson in a recent interview. "My first band was called the Electric Chords, which I played with in front of my whole school in seventh grade. "I won my high school talent contest," Anderson continues, singing "Takin' Care of Business" (by Bachman Turner Overdrive). I then entered a radio contest at WTUE-FM in Dayton, Ohio and won the top spot on a compilation album of the best local artists." Regarding his influences, Anderson cites trumpeter Gary Grant (who worked with the late Michael Jackson) and David Haley, Anderson's first songwriting partner and band mate in the Beat Boys. As for his influences? "Whatever inspires the most in this world I'm traveling through. Heart breakers and soul shakers." Asked whether he prefers the studio or playing live, Mark replies "playing live, because of the energy of the crowd." Where does he hope to be five years from now in his career? "Working, working, working" was his reply.
Catch a live performance and interview by Mark Anderson on Actors E Chat Thursday, August 18 (www.actorsentertainment.com to watch live) at 10 a.m. Pacific time. Anderson will also be the Spotlight Artist on American Veterans Radio the week of September 18.
