Music Style This veteran singer-songwriter's lyrics, music and singing draw inspiration from folks in league with Twain as storytellers and icons from the worlds of traditional country, folk, pop and alternative musics such as that of Stephen Foster, Jimmie Rodgers, Lightnin' Hopkins, Hank Williams Sr., Roy Acuff and Bob Dylan to the artistry of Norman Rockwell and Thomas William Jones.

Artist History Having begun his solo career in the 1960s' New England folk scene, Mark later moved to Nashville to study traditional country and roots music. As a roster artist and staff writer for two record labels, he found instead an overwhelmingly commercialized music industry. Unable and unwilling to conform to writing the beer-drinking and cheating songs that already permeated the country music field, Brine rather sought to create his own brand of Americana. I guess you could say he was Americana before Americana was cool. Most of Mark's independent releases have been story-centric, and their honest lyrics and music have received kudos internationally from radio programmers and music critics. In 1992, his song, "New Blue Yodel"-- produced by the late Tom Pomposello-- received two preliminary Grammy nominations and won Brine the attention of Hank Snow, who invited Mark to perform as his guest on the Grand Ole Opry. The song later became the title cut of a CD in 1995.

Group Members Mark's unique team of players on For Karrie includes Box Car Willie's fiddler, David Russell, who filled in for longtime player Linda Joseph (who had broken her wrist the day before the sessions); Denis Colby, also a long time friend on lead guitar; and Mark's son, Keeve Brine, who is in a Baltimore-based folk rock group, who plays rhythm guitar on "Mae West Momma." "I'm not priming him to set us up like Merle and Doc Watson, but it was just good to get together and play with people you love."

Press Reviews If you don't know who this guy is, then you should! He plays a nice blend of James Taylor/ country/ Appalachian folk/ Woody strangeness that you don't have to be intelligent to enjoy. There's a peaceful feeling...I guess it's that real special one...that I get here. Check this guy out, then you'll see what Hank Snow, the Grand Ole Opry and the Grammy Awards people are talking about. -Boston Sound Check

Location Baltimore, MD - USA

Copyright notice. All material on MP3.com is protected by copyright law and by international treaties. You may download this material and make reasonable number of copies of this material only for your own personal use. You may not otherwise reproduce, distribute, publicly perform, publicly display, or create derivative works of this material, unless authorized by the appropriate copyright owner(s).