|
Donald's Encyclopedia of Popular MusicA B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y ZGRAY, Mark(b 24 Oct. '52, Vicksburg MS) Pop-country singer, songwriter, keyboardist. Mother died when he was two; raised on Lookout Mountain, Ga. by aunt and uncle; sang in gospel group in his teens; moved back to Mississippi; worked in print shop; finalist on Ted Mack Amateur Hour; sang jingles in Jackson, Miss.; formed the Revelations, gospel group, performed mainly weekends; to Nashville to work with the Oak Ridge Boys' publishing co.'74; played piano with the Downings gospel group; returned to Mississippi and worked on father's farm. A demo tape of songs he'd written reached producer Mike Chapman, who signed him to join Exile '79; co-wrote with fellow group member J.P. Pennington incl. Alabama's no.1 hits 'Take Me Down' '82, 'The Closer You Get' '83. Left to pursue solo career '82; signed to Columbia as Janie Fricke hit no.1 with his song 'It Ain't Easy Being Easy'. Others incl. Melissa Manchester, Englebert Humperdinck cut his songs, while his own recordings of "Wounded Hearts' '83, "Left Side Of the Bed', "Diamond In The Dust' '84, "Sometimes When We Touch' (duet with Tammy Wynette) '85, "Please Be Love' '86 all made country top 10. Dropped by Columbia '87, reappeared on smaller labels and continued with songwriting. Albums incl. Magic '84, This Ol' Piano '85, That Feeling Inside '86. |