Quickdraw Homegrown Music: Mark Merryman (Guitar, Vocals), Kent Taylor (Mandolin, Vocals), Randy Jones (Bass, Vocals), Kurt Hunsinger (Banjo, Vocals);
Mark Merryman & The Canyon Ratz (See their myspace page)
Mark Merryman & The Canyon Rats-Scenic Byways CD:Mark Merryman, John Merryman, Jeff Hibshman, Travis Book, Ross Martin, Bruce Lites, Roxane Staples, Jim Craighead, Bob Clousing, Bruce Hayes, Jerry Cavagmaro, Mr. Wade Krauss, Rich Spring, Andrea Lecos, Karen Mason, Kaye Book;
Fret Knot: Mark Eptsein (banjo, vocals), Mark Merryman (guitar, vocals), Benny Galloway (bass, vocals), Kevin Yost (mandolin), Bruce Lites (fiddle);
RC Project: Robert Clousing (guitar, vocals), Mark Merryman (guitar, percussion, vocals), John Merryman (drums), Geoff McClain (bass) with guests: John Magnie, Rashad Eggleston, Ari Dvorin, Roxane Staples, Jim Craighead, Bruce Lish, David Snyder, Linda Malinski, Mark Hutchinson
Influences
see utube video:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GFskXvKO5eQ
see Westword Article:
http://www.westword.com/2003-05-08/music/high-desert-cowboy/
see CD Review
http://www.jambase.com/headsup.asp?storyID=5652
another CD review
http://www.insurgentcountry.net/Mark%20Merryman%20and%20the%20Canyon%20Rats%20-%20Scenic%20Byways.htm
Sounds Like
THIS MUSIC REVEALS A GENTLE VOLUNERABILITY FAR TOO LONG PROTECTED …..A SENSE OF HUMOR SHARED BY A POSSE OF LIGHT HEARTED DEEP THINKERS WHO, LIKE MARK, ARE TRYING TO TELL A UNIVERSE OF FELLOW SOULS IT’S GONNA BE OK! SONGS OF REMINICENSE AND CELEBRATION …. TO PUT TOGETHER THESE OBSERVATIONS AND RECOLLECTIONS OF LIFE IN SUCH AN INNOCENT AND ENJOYABLE FORM UNDOUBTABLY TOOK GENIOUS AND YEARS OF EXPLORATION, NOT TO MENTION THE ACTUAL LIVING OF THESE WONDERFUL STORIES. MARK’S SONGS ARE A JOY TO LISTEN TO. HE ONCE SAID “I RECOMMEND WRITING SONGS WITH AN ERASER.” NO WASTED WORDS HERE, YET THE STORIES HE TELLS ARE PAINTED WITH AN INTRICATE PALLETE OF COLOR….SHORTLY AFTER YOU PUSH THIS CD INTO YOUR DASH YOU WILL FEEL LIKE YOUR RIDING WITH ONE OF YOUR BEST FRIENDS…. IT’S FUN TO PICK OUT MARK’S SIGNATURE TWISTS, WHETHER THEY ARE THE ADDITION OF A SINGLE WORD LIKE... “RAINING” ....OR “GIRL”, COMICALLY MADE TO SOUND LIKE AN AFTER THOUGHT , OR AN ENTIRE MUSICAL FORM TYPICALLY RESERVED FOR SOMBER REFLECTION WHICH MERRYMAN, INSTEAD, USES TO “CELEBRATE” WINTER’S ARRIVAL AS HE “THROWS HIS SKIS IN THE BACK OF THE TRUCK.” THIS CD IS GUARANTEED TO RAISE THE HEARTS, SPIRITS AND EYEBROWS OF ALL WHO ARE WISE ENOUGH TO ADD IT TO THEIR MUSIC COLLECTIONS.
MR. WADE KRAUSS
Living Room Recording Artist, Mark Merryman, makes an impact, one step at a time.
Mark Merryman is a songwriter, performing and independent recording artist, and visual media artist.
His primary band focus is currently The Canyon Ratz- www.myspace.com/thecanyonratz -developing performances of Mark's original songs with a variety of known and unkown world class musicians (lyrics from the fringe and polyrythmic acoustic grooves.) NEW RELEASE IS IN THE MAKING!
Also actively participating in Quickdraw Homegrown Music, what we call western bluegrass, being from the wet and all, bluegrass instrumentation with an interesting collection of songs.
Apearances range from regional festivals (any region from Alaska to Nebraska), coffe shops, song pulls, night clubs(winter). ski areas (year roung), songwriter showcases, kivas, weddings, funerals, natural disasters, Albertsons, Phillips 66, scenic byways & even I-70.
Still writing and occasionally co-writing with such great songwriters as Sylvia Murray, Benny Galloway, and Bill Moroney.
"I'm hooked on conversing with music as the language, but still, there's nothing like a really good song."
Though you may ocasional see him perform in a coffee house or bar, the fullblown band presentations are subtible for any concert or festival event.
RECENTLY-2008 WALNUT VALLEY FESTIVAL NEW SONG WINNER! (Wooden Cross On the Wall, co-written with Sylvia Murray [and her husband, Bill] of the OTC Varmitz)
His recordings are available at cdbaby.com and on most popular download sights. Recordings include GOOD FOR WHAT AILS YOU by Quickdraw Homegrown Music (bluegrass), SCENIC BYWAYS by Mark Merryman and the Canyon Rats (Original Americana), FRET KNOT by Fret Knot (bluegrass), RC PROJECT (folk-jazz renditions of songs by Robert Clousing), NO FIDDLE (instrumental fiddle tunes with no fiddle), SONG SPIRIT MUSIC SONG DEMOS (variety of originals mixed genre.) Mark currently performs with Mark Merryman and the Canyon Ratz (mixed genre, check out www.myspace.com/thecanyonratz), Quickdraw Homegrown Music (western bluegrass style), Solo performance (folk, etc.) occasional appearances with the Old Time Colorado Varmitz (check out their myspace) and occasional freelancing. Founding member of Fret Knot (1992-2004), Down Home Again (1979-1986) and the Culpepper Cattel Company (1977-1979). Flat Picking Champion at Swallow Hill Music Association (2005) and has had airplay all over the world. Mark co-writes from time to time with Benny Galloway, Robert Clousing, Sylvia Murray, Bill Murray, Bill Moroney and others. Some of his visual artwork can be seen on the slide show on this page. Original songs include: DESIGNATED DRIVER (DRIVE MY TRUCK), WALKIN' BLUES, HOW CAN I WIN (IF YOU LOSE), PEACE OF MIND, WHERE THE EARTH IS STILL, LONG ROAD HOME, GRAND COUNTY TRAIN, GOING FOR MORE, THIS OLD BACKROAD, MOONLIT MEMORIES, KENTUCKY SPIRITS, NO DIFFERENCE, THAT LITTLE DEVIL, WAITING ON NO ONE, WHERE YOU BEEN, RURAL ROUTE TO HEAVEN, SHE DON'T KNOW I'M BLIND, TAKE A ROAD, LONESOME PICKERS, RECALLING THE MEMORIES, FINE LINE OF SANITY, I HAD TO GET LOST, PLAYING MY GUITAR, UNDER MY HAT, WALLS OF STONE, WINTER'S FINALLY HERE, WON'T YOU STAY, ALL THAT GLITTERS, CISCO BOAT LAUNCH, WOULD THAT YOU WOULD, CHEATED FAIRLY, DOOLIN BAY, GRAY DAWN, SHE'S MY SATURDAY NIGHT, SAY GOODBYE, MAN FROM THE BAND, NEW ORLEANS (GET DOWN IN).
Winfield, what a blast-frontporchradio. net will be archiveing show that you can access to hear/see performances by Canyon Rats, OTC Varmits, Mark Merryman, Street Smarts, Ole Town Swing Band and more!
Town Mountain here, we are very excited to have the day finally arrive for our CD Release Party of HEROES and HERETICS. We will be having a show to celebrate this occassion on Friday September 26th at The Grey Eagle in Asheville, NC and we hope that you will come out and join us!
Here are the details for the evenings show:
Friday September 26th The Grey Eagle Town Mountain CD Release Party w. special guests Packway Handle Band Doors at 8PM Packway Handle Band starts at 9PM Tickets - 8.00
Town Mountain will also be appearing live on WNCW radio on Friday the 26th before the show at 1PM, and you can listen online at www. wncw. org!
Thank you for adding me to your friends!! It was really great to get to hang out and visit with you in Pueblo! I am definitely hoping to get a chance to visit and pick more this summer.
Howdy Hi Mark...Thanks much for adding me to your space. Right now, I am in the process of mixing live shows from festivals gone by...and I ran across some of the Quickdraw sets at Bayard. I got one mixed down and if I have time, I'll bring it along to Pueblo.
I hope every little thing in your world is going just the way you want it.
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