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Mark Merritt Band Mark was born in Virginia, raised in North Carolina and finished high school in Tennessee--a true "wild-eyed southern boy". His musical background started when he was twelve years old, playing clarinet and saxophone in school bands. At the age of fifteen, Mark started playing guitar and singing. After high school, Mark spent twelve years playing with military bands in Korea, Japan, Germany and the United States. Mark has also played several concerts backing "The Temptations". Although Mark's musical background is firmly routed in country music, his stage show includes songs from groups like The Eagles, Eric Clapton, Lynyrd Skynyrd, and Billy Joel, with a little R&B and folk thrown in as well. Even though Mark has had a successful career working with bands (mostly playing guitar and singing) for over fifteen years, the last several years have brought about a gradual rise in popularity for his work as a solo performer. During 1997, Mark worked with the band "Fiedel Joe & Co.", a popular German country band from Westerwald. There he met the guitarist Christoph Schmitt and formed the duo "Mark Meets Chris". They toured Germany together throughout 1998. In 1999, Mark teamed up with Sievert Ahrend (Pedal Steel guitar, Banjo, Dobro, Fiddle) and Stephen Ferron (Bass Guitar) to Form the Mark Merritt Duo/Trio. They have been performing together ever since. Lately, they have also added Mark's son Thomas (Drums) for several gigs. To date, Mark has released 7 solo CD's: Cobblestone Streets..., Reasons, If I Could Do It All Again, Better Left Unsaid, Ballads (and Other Would-Be Hits), Let's Celebrate and Barrooms and Bedtime Stories; 1 duo CD: Island Paradise with Sievert Ahrend and 1 band cd: The Hoot Owl with The Mark Merritt Band