Mark Heard
Encyclopedia
John Mark Heard was a record producer
, folk-rock
singer, and songwriter
originally from Macon
, Georgia
, USA.
Mark Heard released 16 records in his lifetime, and produced and performed with many other artists as well, such as Sam Phillips
(aka Leslie Phillips), Pierce Pettis
, Phil Keaggy
, Vigilantes of Love
, Peter Buck
of R.E.M.
(who co-produced VOL's album Killing Floor with Heard), John Austin
, The Choir, Randy Stonehill
and Michael Been of The Call
. Heard produced part of Olivia Newton-John
's The Rumor, which also included a cover of Heard's own "Big and Strong" (originally called "How to Grow Up Big and Strong").
to study at L'Abri
under the influential evangelical Christian philosopher Francis Schaeffer
. Singers Larry Norman
and Randy Stonehill
literally stumbled onto Mark one day playing his guitar. Norman was so impressed by Heard's abilities that he soon signed him to his record label, Solid Rock Records
. Heard and his wife Janet moved to Glendale, California
in 1977 to begin work on his Appalachian Melody
album for the label, but would also maintain a close relationship with the people at the L'Abri for years. Heard would also record and release Fingerprint
on a Swiss label in 1980.
In 1981, Heard began a recording contract with Chris Christian
's Home Sweet Home Records
. Although Mark's sales did not attract attention from the Major Christian Labels, Christian felt Mark's music was unique and fresh and deserved to be heard and funded his projects with no production oversight which Mark wanted. His signing to the label was a departure from the commercial Artist that Chris traditionally signed and produced on the Home Sweet Home label. Heard released five albums for the label; 1981's Stop the Dominoes
, 1982's Victims of the Age
; 1983's Eye of the Storm; 1984's Ashes and Light
; and 1985's Mosaics
. The overall experience was not one that Heard enjoyed, partly due to his personal experiences with record company executives, and partly due to compromises he felt under pressure to make in order to make himself and his songs more marketable to Christian audiences.
In 1984, Heard began recording in his home studio, which he dubbed "Fingerprint Recorders
", after the title of one of his earlier records. From that point on, his albums were largely made at home, with just a handful of friends and relatives lending a hand. In 1986, Heard decided to try something a little different and recorded the experimental Pop/Rock album for What? Records
entitled Tribal Opera
, under the name iDEoLA. When asked about the unusual name, Heard replied "It's not supposed to be mysterious or anything; I just put a band together and right now I happen to be the only one in it." Heard also directed a music video for the single of that album, "Is It Any Wonder."
With the formation of Fingerprint Records
and his studio, Heard began to produce albums for a number of artists including two albums for Randy Stonehill
, Jacob's Trouble
, Pierce Pettis
and 1992's Vigilantes of Love
album, Killing Floor, which he co-produced with R.E.M.
's Peter Buck
. Stonehill's Until We Have Wings
including a song co-written by Heard, "Faithful," although the CD liner notes credit the song to Heard's pseudonym Giovanni Audiori.
The early 1990s saw a return to recording albums of his own, with 1990's Dry Bones Dance
. Fans and reviewers alike hailed the new release as one of the best of his career. Heard followed Dry Bones Dance with Second Hand
in 1991, and, finally, Satellite Sky
in 1992, which would turn out to be his final release.
On July 4, 1992, Heard had a heart attack on stage while performing with Pierce Pettis and Kate Miner, at the Cornerstone Festival
, near Chicago
. Heard finished his set and went to the hospital immediately afterwards. Two weeks after being released from the hospital, Heard went into cardiac arrest
and died on August 16 of 1992. Before Heard's death, he had been included on the Legacy II
sampler from Windham Hill's High Street
label, and was nearly finalizing a mainstream contract with Bruce Cockburn
's label, True North Records
in Canada
. There was also interest from Sony
's Columbia Records
label for distribution in the US.
, Victoria Williams
, Chagall Guevara
, Buddy Miller
, Julie Miller
, Daniel Amos
, The Choir, Bruce Cockburn
, and the Vigilantes of Love. The project was later reissued as a two-CD set with additional tracks and retitled Orphans of God. Cockburn frequently calls Heard his favorite songwriter and even wrote and recorded a song dedicated to Heard for his Dart to the Heart album, "Closer to the Light." Daniel Amos
dedicated their album MotorCycle
to Heard in 1993, and The Swirling Eddies
dedicated Zoom Daddy
to Heard the same year. Julie Miller
also wrote a song in tribute to Heard called "All My Tears" which has also been recorded by Jars of Clay
, Emmylou Harris
(studio and live versions) and Selah
with Kim Hill
.
In 2000, a group of fans gathered together to help Fingerprint Records release Mystery Mind
, the first collection of previously unreleased material from the songwriter. There were plans to release a full length collection that same year, but those plans never came to fruition.
In 2002, the Cornerstone Music Festival held a songwriting contest in honor of Heard. The following year, Paste Magazine released Hammers and Nails, a CD of previously unreleased recordings by Heard. An authorized biography of the same name was also released by Cornerstone Press, written by Matthew T. Dickerson
.
The Americana Music Association held its annual Americana Honors and Awards Show at the Ryman Auditorium in Nashville, Tennessee, September 2005. The Song of the Year Award was presented to the late Mark Heard for "Worry Too Much" (originally featured on Heard's 1991 release Second Hand
). Buddy Miller
, who performed the track on his latest release Universal United House of Prayer, accepted the award on behalf of Heard. As well Miller received the award for Album of the Year for Universal United House of Prayer.
In Paste Magazine No. 22 June/July 2006 - a Special Collector's Issue featuring the 100 Best Living Songwriters - Mark Heard was remembered as well under the heading Wish You Were Here: "Mark Heard's lyrics are weighted with such a wry longing that they'll forever reflect a fresh turbulence."
On December 16, 2007, a collection of Solid Rock-era demos was announced, to be entitled: The Lost Artifacts of an American Poet.
Record producer
A record producer is an individual working within the music industry, whose job is to oversee and manage the recording of an artist's music...
, folk-rock
Folk rock
Folk rock is a musical genre combining elements of folk music and rock music. In its earliest and narrowest sense, the term referred to a genre that arose in the United States and the UK around the mid-1960s...
singer, and songwriter
Songwriter
A songwriter is an individual who writes both the lyrics and music to a song. Someone who solely writes lyrics may be called a lyricist, and someone who only writes music may be called a composer...
originally from Macon
Macon, Georgia
Macon is a city located in central Georgia, US. Founded at the fall line of the Ocmulgee River, it is part of the Macon metropolitan area, and the county seat of Bibb County. A small portion of the city extends into Jones County. Macon is the biggest city in central Georgia...
, Georgia
Georgia (U.S. state)
Georgia is a state located in the southeastern United States. It was established in 1732, the last of the original Thirteen Colonies. The state is named after King George II of Great Britain. Georgia was the fourth state to ratify the United States Constitution, on January 2, 1788...
, USA.
Mark Heard released 16 records in his lifetime, and produced and performed with many other artists as well, such as Sam Phillips
Sam Phillips (singer)
Leslie Ann Phillips, aka Sam Phillips is an American singer and a songwriter.-Biography:Phillips was born in Glendale, California. She began her musical career as a vocalist in the early 1980s, singing background parts for Christian artists Mark Heard, Randy Stonehill and others...
(aka Leslie Phillips), Pierce Pettis
Pierce Pettis
- Biography :A former staff writer for PolyGram Publishing in Nashville, Pettis' musical career was started in 1979 when Joan Baez covered one of his songs, "Song at the End of the Movie", on her album Honest Lullaby...
, Phil Keaggy
Phil Keaggy
Phil Keaggy is an American acoustic and electric guitarist and vocalist who has released more than 50 albums and contributed to many more recordings in both the contemporary Christian music and mainstream markets...
, Vigilantes of Love
Vigilantes of Love
Vigilantes of Love is a rock band fronted by Bill Mallonee with a large number of secondary players drawn from the musician pool in and around Athens, Georgia...
, Peter Buck
Peter Buck
Peter Lawrence Buck , is an American rock guitarist who is best known for playing in and co-founding alternative rock band R.E.M....
of R.E.M.
R.E.M.
R.E.M. was an American rock band formed in Athens, Georgia, in 1980 by singer Michael Stipe, guitarist Peter Buck, bassist Mike Mills and drummer Bill Berry. One of the first popular alternative rock bands, R.E.M. gained early attention due to Buck's ringing, arpeggiated guitar style and Stipe's...
(who co-produced VOL's album Killing Floor with Heard), John Austin
John Austin (songwriter)
- Background :Austin was born in the Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia and grew up as the son of an ordained minister in Fairfax, Virginia. At age 19 he moved to Chicago and began performing his songs in the city's subway stations, coffee houses and nightclubs....
, The Choir, Randy Stonehill
Randy Stonehill
Randall Evan "Randy" Stonehill is an American singer-songwriter from Stockton, California, best known as one of the so-called "fathers of contemporary Christian music". His music is primarily folk rock in the style of James Taylor, but he has assayed other styles, with various albums focused on...
and Michael Been of The Call
The Call (band)
The Call was an American rock band from Santa Cruz, California active from 1980 to 2000.-Biography:The Call formed in Santa Cruz in 1980 by vocalist/guitarist Michael Been, Scott Musick, and Tom Ferrier. Been and Musick were originally from Oklahoma...
. Heard produced part of Olivia Newton-John
Olivia Newton-John
Olivia Newton-John AO, OBE is a singer and actress. She is a four-time Grammy award winner who has amassed five No. 1 and ten other Top Ten Billboard Hot 100 singles and two No. 1 Billboard 200 solo albums. Eleven of her singles and 14 of her albums have been certified gold by the RIAA...
's The Rumor, which also included a cover of Heard's own "Big and Strong" (originally called "How to Grow Up Big and Strong").
History
After graduating from the University of Georgia in 1974 with an ABJ (bachelor of arts in journalism) degree in television, Heard travelled to SwitzerlandSwitzerland
Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....
to study at L'Abri
L'Abri
L'Abri is an evangelical Christian organization founded by Francis Schaeffer and his wife Edith in Huémoz-sur-Ollon, Switzerland on June 5, 1955. They opened their alpine home as a ministry to curious travellers and as a forum to discuss philosophical and religious beliefs.- The development of...
under the influential evangelical Christian philosopher Francis Schaeffer
Francis Schaeffer
Francis August Schaeffer was an American Evangelical Christian theologian, philosopher, and Presbyterian pastor. He is most famous for his writings and his establishment of the L'Abri community in Switzerland...
. Singers Larry Norman
Larry Norman
Larry David Norman was an American Christian musician, singer, songwriter, record label owner, and record producer, who worked with Christian rock music...
and Randy Stonehill
Randy Stonehill
Randall Evan "Randy" Stonehill is an American singer-songwriter from Stockton, California, best known as one of the so-called "fathers of contemporary Christian music". His music is primarily folk rock in the style of James Taylor, but he has assayed other styles, with various albums focused on...
literally stumbled onto Mark one day playing his guitar. Norman was so impressed by Heard's abilities that he soon signed him to his record label, Solid Rock Records
Solid Rock Records
Solid Rock Records is the record label of Larry Norman. It was set up in 1975 to distribute his own work, after he had been released by Capitol Records. Solid Rock had a distribution deal with Word Records until 1980....
. Heard and his wife Janet moved to Glendale, California
Glendale, California
Glendale is a city in Los Angeles County, California, United States. As of the 2010 Census, the city population is 191,719, down from 194,973 at the 2000 census. making it the third largest city in Los Angeles County and the 22nd largest city in the state of California...
in 1977 to begin work on his Appalachian Melody
Appalachian Melody
Appalachian Melody is the title of an album by Mark Heard, released in 1979 on Solid Rock Records.-Side one:# "On the Radio"# "Castaway"# "Bless My Soul"# "Here I Am "# "With the Setting Sun"# "Appalachian Melody"-Side two:...
album for the label, but would also maintain a close relationship with the people at the L'Abri for years. Heard would also record and release Fingerprint
Fingerprint (album)
Fingerprint is the title of an album by Mark Heard, released in Europe in 1980 on Palmfrond Communications. Heard later named his record label, Fingerprint Records, and home studio, Fingerprint Recorders, after this album.-Side one:# "I'm In Chains"...
on a Swiss label in 1980.
In 1981, Heard began a recording contract with Chris Christian
Chris Christian
Chris Christian is a songwriter, record producer, and a record label executive. His songs have been recorded by Elvis Presley, Olivia Newton-John, Natalie Cole, Sheena Easton, The Pointer Sisters, Al Jarreau, The Carpenters, Amy Grant, Patti Austin, Dionne Warwick, Amy Grant, The Imperials, B.J...
's Home Sweet Home Records
Home Sweet Home Records
Home Sweet Home Records is a record label, based in Dallas, Texas.Home Sweet Home was founded in 1981, in Nashville, Tennessee, by Grammy Award-winning producer and singer-songwriter Chris Christian...
. Although Mark's sales did not attract attention from the Major Christian Labels, Christian felt Mark's music was unique and fresh and deserved to be heard and funded his projects with no production oversight which Mark wanted. His signing to the label was a departure from the commercial Artist that Chris traditionally signed and produced on the Home Sweet Home label. Heard released five albums for the label; 1981's Stop the Dominoes
Stop the Dominoes
Stop the Dominoes is the title of an album by Mark Heard, released in 1981 on Home Sweet Home Records.-Side one:# "One Of the Dominoes"# "Stranded At the Station"# "You Could Lie To Me"# "One Night Stand"# "I'm Crying Again"-Side two:...
, 1982's Victims of the Age
Victims of the Age
Victims of the Age is the title of an album by Mark Heard, released in 1982 on Home Sweet Home Records. This album was listed at #32 in the book CCM Presents: The 100 Greatest Albums in Christian Music ....
; 1983's Eye of the Storm; 1984's Ashes and Light
Ashes and Light
Ashes and Light is the title of an album by Mark Heard, released in 1984 on Home Sweet Home Records. It is the first album that Heard recorded at his own studio, Fingerprint Recorders.The cover says, "This album is dedicated to the memory of Francis A...
; and 1985's Mosaics
Mosaics (album)
Mosaics is the title of an album by Mark Heard, released in 1985 on Home Sweet Home Records.- The album cover :The cover art included a mosaic of a photo of Heard. The photo was cut up into tiny squares. The sections were then sent to friends, musicians and onlookers to paint or scribble on...
. The overall experience was not one that Heard enjoyed, partly due to his personal experiences with record company executives, and partly due to compromises he felt under pressure to make in order to make himself and his songs more marketable to Christian audiences.
In 1984, Heard began recording in his home studio, which he dubbed "Fingerprint Recorders
Fingerprint Recorders
Fingerprint Recorders was a recording studio owned by Mark Heard, where he recorded most of his own records. The studio was located in Montrose, California....
", after the title of one of his earlier records. From that point on, his albums were largely made at home, with just a handful of friends and relatives lending a hand. In 1986, Heard decided to try something a little different and recorded the experimental Pop/Rock album for What? Records
What? Records
What? Records was a short-lived record label started by Word Records and A&M Records, intended to focus on creative and unusual rock and roll records with spiritual messages....
entitled Tribal Opera
Tribal Opera
Tribal Opera is the title of an album by Mark Heard , released in 1987 on What? Records. It is a full-on solo project, put together by Heard in his home studio using samples and acoustic, electric and electronic instruments...
, under the name iDEoLA. When asked about the unusual name, Heard replied "It's not supposed to be mysterious or anything; I just put a band together and right now I happen to be the only one in it." Heard also directed a music video for the single of that album, "Is It Any Wonder."
With the formation of Fingerprint Records
Fingerprint Records
Fingerprint Records is an independent record label formed in 1990 by Mark Heard and Dan Russell.The label went on to release not only Heard's albums, but also albums by The Call, The Vigilantes of Love, Ramona Silver, bob., as well as two tribute albums to Heard after his death in 1992.Heard also...
and his studio, Heard began to produce albums for a number of artists including two albums for Randy Stonehill
Randy Stonehill
Randall Evan "Randy" Stonehill is an American singer-songwriter from Stockton, California, best known as one of the so-called "fathers of contemporary Christian music". His music is primarily folk rock in the style of James Taylor, but he has assayed other styles, with various albums focused on...
, Jacob's Trouble
Jacob's Trouble
Jacob's Trouble was an American, Christian, rock band formed in Atlanta, Georgia area in the 1980s. The group originally consisted of members Jerry Davison , Mark Blackburn , and Steve Atwell , with Davison and Blackburn handling the lead vocals.-Biography:In 1989, Jacob's Trouble released their...
, Pierce Pettis
Pierce Pettis
- Biography :A former staff writer for PolyGram Publishing in Nashville, Pettis' musical career was started in 1979 when Joan Baez covered one of his songs, "Song at the End of the Movie", on her album Honest Lullaby...
and 1992's Vigilantes of Love
Vigilantes of Love
Vigilantes of Love is a rock band fronted by Bill Mallonee with a large number of secondary players drawn from the musician pool in and around Athens, Georgia...
album, Killing Floor, which he co-produced with R.E.M.
R.E.M.
R.E.M. was an American rock band formed in Athens, Georgia, in 1980 by singer Michael Stipe, guitarist Peter Buck, bassist Mike Mills and drummer Bill Berry. One of the first popular alternative rock bands, R.E.M. gained early attention due to Buck's ringing, arpeggiated guitar style and Stipe's...
's Peter Buck
Peter Buck
Peter Lawrence Buck , is an American rock guitarist who is best known for playing in and co-founding alternative rock band R.E.M....
. Stonehill's Until We Have Wings
Until We Have Wings
Until We Have Wings is the title of an album by Randy Stonehill, released in 1990, on Myrrh Records.-Side One :# "Faithful" – 3:24# "Didn't It Rain" – 6:11# "Born to Love" – 4:27...
including a song co-written by Heard, "Faithful," although the CD liner notes credit the song to Heard's pseudonym Giovanni Audiori.
The early 1990s saw a return to recording albums of his own, with 1990's Dry Bones Dance
Dry Bones Dance
Dry Bones Dance is the title of an album by Mark Heard, released in 1990, the first to be released on his own Fingerprint Records.This album was listed at No...
. Fans and reviewers alike hailed the new release as one of the best of his career. Heard followed Dry Bones Dance with Second Hand
Second Hand
Second Hand is the title of an album by Mark Heard, released in 1991, on Heard's own Fingerprint Records. The album was listed at #4 in the book CCM Presents: The 100 Greatest Albums in Christian Music ....
in 1991, and, finally, Satellite Sky
Satellite Sky
Satellite Sky is the title of the final album by Mark Heard, released in 1992, on Heard's own Fingerprint Records, shortly before his death....
in 1992, which would turn out to be his final release.
On July 4, 1992, Heard had a heart attack on stage while performing with Pierce Pettis and Kate Miner, at the Cornerstone Festival
Cornerstone Festival
Cornerstone Festival is a Christian music festival put on by Jesus People USA and held annually around the 4th of July near Bushnell, Illinois. In a given year, many artists that play at Cornerstone also play at other events such as Creation Festival and mainstream festivals and tours such as the...
, near Chicago
Chicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
. Heard finished his set and went to the hospital immediately afterwards. Two weeks after being released from the hospital, Heard went into cardiac arrest
Cardiac arrest
Cardiac arrest, is the cessation of normal circulation of the blood due to failure of the heart to contract effectively...
and died on August 16 of 1992. Before Heard's death, he had been included on the Legacy II
Legacy: A Collection of New Folk Music
- Legacy II: A Collection of Singer-songwriters :The second volume was released several years after the first. As Will Ackerman's liner notes explain:...
sampler from Windham Hill's High Street
High Street
High Street, or the High Street, is a metonym for the generic name of the primary business street of towns or cities, especially in the United Kingdom. It is usually a focal point for shops and retailers in city centres, and is most often used in reference to retailing...
label, and was nearly finalizing a mainstream contract with Bruce Cockburn
Bruce Cockburn
Bruce Douglas Cockburn OC is a Canadian folk/rock guitarist and singer-songwriter. His most recent album was released in March 2011. He has written songs in styles ranging from folk to jazz-influenced rock to rock and roll.-Biography:...
's label, True North Records
True North Records
True North Records is a Canadian independent record label. It was founded in Mississauga, Ontario in 1969 by Bernie Finkelstein. On December 17, 2007, True North was acquired by an investment group led by Linus Entertainment...
in Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
. There was also interest from Sony
Sony
, commonly referred to as Sony, is a Japanese multinational conglomerate corporation headquartered in Minato, Tokyo, Japan and the world's fifth largest media conglomerate measured by revenues....
's Columbia Records
Columbia Records
Columbia Records is an American record label, owned by Japan's Sony Music Entertainment, operating under the Columbia Music Group with Aware Records. It was founded in 1888, evolving from an earlier enterprise, the American Graphophone Company — successor to the Volta Graphophone Company...
label for distribution in the US.
Tributes & Influence
In 1994, many artists came together to record a tribute album called Strong Hand of Love. Artists lending their talents to the project included Phil KeaggyPhil Keaggy
Phil Keaggy is an American acoustic and electric guitarist and vocalist who has released more than 50 albums and contributed to many more recordings in both the contemporary Christian music and mainstream markets...
, Victoria Williams
Victoria Williams
Victoria Williams is an American singer-songwriter and musician, originally from Shreveport, Louisiana, although she has resided in Southern California throughout her musical career. She is noted for her descriptive songwriting talent, which she has used to immerse the listener of her songs into a...
, Chagall Guevara
Chagall Guevara
Chagall Guevara was an American rock band formed in 1989 by solo artist Steve Taylor, guitarists Dave Perkins and Lynn Nichols , bassist Wade Jaynes, and drummer Mike Mead....
, Buddy Miller
Buddy Miller
Buddy Miller is a country singer, songwriter, musician, recording artist and producer, currently living in Nashville, Tennessee...
, Julie Miller
Julie Miller
Julie Miller is a songwriter, singer, and recording artist currently living in Nashville, Tennessee. She married Buddy Miller in 1981...
, Daniel Amos
Daniel Amos
Daniel Amos is a rock band formed in 1974 by Terry Scott Taylor on guitars and vocals, Marty Dieckmeyer on bass guitar, Steve Baxter on guitars and Jerry Chamberlain on lead guitars. Current members include bassist Tim Chandler, guitarist Greg Flesch and drummer Ed McTaggart...
, The Choir, Bruce Cockburn
Bruce Cockburn
Bruce Douglas Cockburn OC is a Canadian folk/rock guitarist and singer-songwriter. His most recent album was released in March 2011. He has written songs in styles ranging from folk to jazz-influenced rock to rock and roll.-Biography:...
, and the Vigilantes of Love. The project was later reissued as a two-CD set with additional tracks and retitled Orphans of God. Cockburn frequently calls Heard his favorite songwriter and even wrote and recorded a song dedicated to Heard for his Dart to the Heart album, "Closer to the Light." Daniel Amos
Daniel Amos
Daniel Amos is a rock band formed in 1974 by Terry Scott Taylor on guitars and vocals, Marty Dieckmeyer on bass guitar, Steve Baxter on guitars and Jerry Chamberlain on lead guitars. Current members include bassist Tim Chandler, guitarist Greg Flesch and drummer Ed McTaggart...
dedicated their album MotorCycle
MotorCycle
MotorCycle is the title of a 1993 album by rock band Daniel Amos, released on BAI Records. The album was dedicated to the memory of songwriter Mark Heard.MotorCycle is a lush, pop rock album, which marked the return of longtime D.A...
to Heard in 1993, and The Swirling Eddies
The Swirling Eddies
The Swirling Eddies are a band that began as an anonymous spinoff from the band Daniel Amos, along with new drummer David Raven.-Career:For each Swirling Eddies release, band members adopted pseudonyms for the liner notes; "Camarillo Eddy" , "Berger Roy Al" , "Gene Pool" , "Arthur Fhardy" , "Spot"...
dedicated Zoom Daddy
Zoom Daddy
Zoom Daddy is the title of the third album by rock band The Swirling Eddies, released in 1994 on Alarma Records. It was released almost simultaneously with Terry Scott Taylor's other project the Daniel Amos album Bibleland....
to Heard the same year. Julie Miller
Julie Miller
Julie Miller is a songwriter, singer, and recording artist currently living in Nashville, Tennessee. She married Buddy Miller in 1981...
also wrote a song in tribute to Heard called "All My Tears" which has also been recorded by Jars of Clay
Jars of Clay
Jars of Clay is a Christian rock band from Nashville, Tennessee. They met at Greenville College in Greenville, Illinois.Jars of Clay consists of Dan Haseltine on vocals, Charlie Lowell on piano and keyboards, Stephen Mason on lead guitars and Matthew Odmark on rhythm guitars...
, Emmylou Harris
Emmylou Harris
Emmylou Harris is an American singer-songwriter and musician. In addition to her work as a solo artist and bandleader, both as an interpreter of other composers' works and as a singer-songwriter, she is a sought-after backing vocalist and duet partner, working with numerous other artists including...
(studio and live versions) and Selah
Selah
Selah is a word used frequently in the Hebrew Bible, often in the Psalms, and is a difficult concept to translate. It is probably either a liturgico-musical mark or an instruction on the reading of the text, something like "stop and listen"...
with Kim Hill
Kim Hill
Kim Hill is a Contemporary Christian Music singer. Aside from her career as a solo artist, Hill has also sung background vocals on projects by artists like Rich Mullins and others...
.
In 2000, a group of fans gathered together to help Fingerprint Records release Mystery Mind
Mystery Mind
Mystery Mind is the title of a posthumous album by Mark Heard, released in 2000 on Fingerprint Records.This collection of never before heard interviews and demos by Mark Heard was originally intended as a prerelease EP, paving the way for a full length collection of more unreleased music that was...
, the first collection of previously unreleased material from the songwriter. There were plans to release a full length collection that same year, but those plans never came to fruition.
In 2002, the Cornerstone Music Festival held a songwriting contest in honor of Heard. The following year, Paste Magazine released Hammers and Nails, a CD of previously unreleased recordings by Heard. An authorized biography of the same name was also released by Cornerstone Press, written by Matthew T. Dickerson
Matthew T. Dickerson
Matthew T. Dickerson is a professor of computer science at Middlebury College in Vermont, a scholar of the fiction of J. R. R. Tolkien and the Inklings, a novelist, a blues musician and historian of music, a fly fisherman, a maple sugar farmer, and a beekeeper....
.
The Americana Music Association held its annual Americana Honors and Awards Show at the Ryman Auditorium in Nashville, Tennessee, September 2005. The Song of the Year Award was presented to the late Mark Heard for "Worry Too Much" (originally featured on Heard's 1991 release Second Hand
Second Hand
Second Hand is the title of an album by Mark Heard, released in 1991, on Heard's own Fingerprint Records. The album was listed at #4 in the book CCM Presents: The 100 Greatest Albums in Christian Music ....
). Buddy Miller
Buddy Miller
Buddy Miller is a country singer, songwriter, musician, recording artist and producer, currently living in Nashville, Tennessee...
, who performed the track on his latest release Universal United House of Prayer, accepted the award on behalf of Heard. As well Miller received the award for Album of the Year for Universal United House of Prayer.
In Paste Magazine No. 22 June/July 2006 - a Special Collector's Issue featuring the 100 Best Living Songwriters - Mark Heard was remembered as well under the heading Wish You Were Here: "Mark Heard's lyrics are weighted with such a wry longing that they'll forever reflect a fresh turbulence."
On December 16, 2007, a collection of Solid Rock-era demos was announced, to be entitled: The Lost Artifacts of an American Poet.
Home Sweet Home Records
- Mark HeardMark Heard (album)Mark Heard is the title of the first solo album by Mark Heard, originally released in 1975, and re-released as On Turning to Dust on both AB Records and Solid Rock Records in 1978....
(1975) - reissued as On Turning To Dust (1978) - Appalachian MelodyAppalachian MelodyAppalachian Melody is the title of an album by Mark Heard, released in 1979 on Solid Rock Records.-Side one:# "On the Radio"# "Castaway"# "Bless My Soul"# "Here I Am "# "With the Setting Sun"# "Appalachian Melody"-Side two:...
(1979) - FingerprintFingerprint (album)Fingerprint is the title of an album by Mark Heard, released in Europe in 1980 on Palmfrond Communications. Heard later named his record label, Fingerprint Records, and home studio, Fingerprint Recorders, after this album.-Side one:# "I'm In Chains"...
(1980) - Stop the DominoesStop the DominoesStop the Dominoes is the title of an album by Mark Heard, released in 1981 on Home Sweet Home Records.-Side one:# "One Of the Dominoes"# "Stranded At the Station"# "You Could Lie To Me"# "One Night Stand"# "I'm Crying Again"-Side two:...
(1981) - Victims of the AgeVictims of the AgeVictims of the Age is the title of an album by Mark Heard, released in 1982 on Home Sweet Home Records. This album was listed at #32 in the book CCM Presents: The 100 Greatest Albums in Christian Music ....
(1982) - Eye of the Storm (1983)
- Ashes and LightAshes and LightAshes and Light is the title of an album by Mark Heard, released in 1984 on Home Sweet Home Records. It is the first album that Heard recorded at his own studio, Fingerprint Recorders.The cover says, "This album is dedicated to the memory of Francis A...
(1984) - MosaicsMosaics (album)Mosaics is the title of an album by Mark Heard, released in 1985 on Home Sweet Home Records.- The album cover :The cover art included a mosaic of a photo of Heard. The photo was cut up into tiny squares. The sections were then sent to friends, musicians and onlookers to paint or scribble on...
(1985)
Fingerprint Records
- Dry Bones DanceDry Bones DanceDry Bones Dance is the title of an album by Mark Heard, released in 1990, the first to be released on his own Fingerprint Records.This album was listed at No...
(1990) - Second HandSecond HandSecond Hand is the title of an album by Mark Heard, released in 1991, on Heard's own Fingerprint Records. The album was listed at #4 in the book CCM Presents: The 100 Greatest Albums in Christian Music ....
(1991) - Satellite SkySatellite SkySatellite Sky is the title of the final album by Mark Heard, released in 1992, on Heard's own Fingerprint Records, shortly before his death....
(1992)
Home Sweet Home Records
- Acoustic: The Best of Mark Heard (1985)
- Reflections of a Former Life (1993)
- Greatest Hits (2000)
Fingerprint Records
- High NoonHigh Noon (album)High Noon is the title of "Best of" and rarities collection by Mark Heard, released in 1993, on Heard's own Fingerprint Records.The album consists of primarily tracks from Heard's final three albums, 1990's Dry Bones Dance, 1991's Second Hand and 1993's Satellite Sky...
(1993) - Mystery MindMystery MindMystery Mind is the title of a posthumous album by Mark Heard, released in 2000 on Fingerprint Records.This collection of never before heard interviews and demos by Mark Heard was originally intended as a prerelease EP, paving the way for a full length collection of more unreleased music that was...
(2000) - demos, live, and interviews - Hammers and Nails (2003) - previously unreleased demos
- The Lost Artifacts Of An American Poet - The Original Recordings of Mark Heard (2007) - previously unreleased demos
- The Lost Artifacts of an American Poet - The Original Recordings of Mark Heard Part II (2008) - previously unreleased demos
Tribute Albums
- Strong Hand of LoveStrong Hand of LoveStrong Hand of Love: A Tribute to Mark Heard is a compilation of songs by various artists in tribute to songwriter, Mark Heard.Recorded and released in 1994, after Heard's death in 1992. Proceeds benefit the Heard Family Fund....
: A Tribute to Mark Heard, Various Artists 1994 tribute album - Orphans of GodOrphans of GodOrphans of God is a 2 CD compilation of songs performed by various artists in tribute to songwriter Mark Heard.Recorded and released after Heard's death in 1992, proceeds benefit the Heard Family Fund....
: A Tribute to Mark Heard, Various Artists 1996 tribute album
External links
- Mark Heard website
- The Mark Heard Tribute Project
- Book on Mark's life and music by Matthew Dickerson
- Internet Movie Database Profile
- Mark Heard Retrospective on Popdose.Com
Videos
- An animated tribute video featuring Mark Heard's "Lonely Moon"
- The "Treasure of the Broken Land" video
- The "Is It Any Wonder" video (iDEoLA)
- A music video by Buddy Miller - a cover of Mark Heard's "Worry Too Much"
- Emmylou Harris featuring Buddy & Julie Miller - Live in Concert, covering Julie Miller's "All My Tears", a Mark Heard tribute
- Bob Bennett with Bruce Carroll and Buddy Greene - Live in Concert covering "Heart of Hearts" at 1992 Tribute (Nashville)