--Here's me with Joey Molland (Badfinger) in Sydney, Australia--
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Mark Dawson. That's me.bass player, guitarist, songwriter, vocalist. You know the drill. I'm originally from Chicago, now residing in Orlando, Florida. Did I mention I play bass? I LOVE playing bass!
I was lucky enough to be given a beat-up old bass when I was just a teenager. I never really even thought about the whole bass-playing idea. In fact, I only decided to try to play because I figured with only four strings it had to be easy! Although not actually easy, it did sort of feel natural to me. So, I bought some books, learned some songs and I was hooked! In six months time I got a band together and hit the road.
I definitely paid my dues. Six sets a night, six nights a week.
After a few years, I formed a five-piece band named Dreamer, who was quite popular on the Chicago-area club scene in the early 1980's. Dreamer had major label interest from the start. But through a series of mishaps and miscommunication, the deals somehow fell through and the band eventually broke up.
In late-1983 I formed The All-Night Newsboys which lasted, in one form or another, until 1997. "The Newsboys", as our fans called the band, recorded two CD's during its life-span: "Oblivious to the Unknown" in 1991, and "Playtime" in 1993. The band performed about 250 shows per year.
Between 1991 and 1994, I was also the (singing) voice for the Coors Light, "It's The Right Beer Now", radio ad campaign.
Looking back, if you count all of my own band's shows, and add-in the "sub" work and studio work I took wherever and whenever possible, I performed about 300 days per year, for about 18 straight years. I garnered several personal sponsorships (The Coors Brewing Company, Washburn Guitars, Electro-Voice Microphones & SIT Strings) along the way.
My family and I moved to Florida in the late-90's and I decided to step back from the music industry and reassess my life.
Okay, enough of that! After about a year, I joined a "Doo-Wop (a cappella) and Motown" style show group called The Streetlites. They were based in the Tampa Bay area. The group was different for me but let me tell you, those guys were truly outstanding vocalists! The group will be missed, as they were all amazing vocalists, and even better people!.
While in the Tampa Bay area I also spent some time playing locally with the "Magic Marco Band", as well as "Johnny Re-Quest". Each group was more of a "pick-up" band, but always a good time.
You can find me on tour with The Grass Roots starring Rob Grill (no introduction needed here. Rob is loved by his long-time fans and it's always an honor to play bass alongside the man). And with hits like "I'd Wait a Million Years", "Temptation Eyes" and "Midnight Confessions", what's not to love about the Grass Roots?
I've also been spotted with the legendary "Herman's Hermits, starring Peter Noone", who had several "top 40" hit records throughout the 1960's("There's a Kind of Hush", "Mrs. Brown You've Got a Lovely Daughter", "A Must To Avoid").It's always a great time with the original Hermit's lead singer Peter Noone.
When I'm not on the road, I play bass and sing with my Orlando-based band, Simulcast, a group of seven very talented singers and musicians with ties to Television, Radio and Independent Film Production in the Orlando area (www.simulcastband.com). I'm also currently developing a musical history show called "American Pop 60's LIVE", which aligns the music from 1960 through 1969 into an historical timeline that corresponds with US events during that time frame. You can check updates at www.ap60.com, or at www.myspace.com/americanpop60 .
So, when you're vacationing in the Orlando area (and who doesn't?) be sure to stop in and see one of my groups performing.after you get tired and sun-burned at the theme parks, of course!
Thanks for reading about me. Take care, my friends. Enjoy the tunes I have posted and drop me a line.anytime! I would LOVE to hear from you.
thanks,
MD
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Now you can also follow me on TWITTER!http://www.twitter.com/dawsonbass
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