MARK FARNER
A
true rock 'n roll legend, Mark Farner found fame and success at 20
years of age as the leader of one of America's biggest bands of
the 1970's - the original Grand Funk Railroad.
The band recorded 17 albums with total sales of more than 25
million records. Mark Farner is the unmistakable voice, guitarist,
and songwriter that powered the original Grand Funk Railroad to 12
platinum and 15 gold albums.
After only 3 guitar lessons, Mark put various bands together. In
the mid 1960's, Mark and his bands played the usual dates that a
teenage band would play - high school dances, VFW halls, wedding
receptions and the like. Upon leaving high school, Mark turned
professional, working with Terry Knight and the Pack, The Bossmen
(with Dick Wagner), then just the Pack (this time with no Terry
Knight, but with drummer Don Brewer).
In 1969, Mark started the original Grand Funk Railroad with
teenage friends Mel Schacher and Don Brewer - one of the first
American power trios was born.
Mark and Grand Funk hit big just several months after forming.
They were the only unsigned act on the show when they opened the
first day of the Atlanta International Pop Festival in July 1969.
Mark and Grand Funk Railroad played before 180,000 people in
110-degree heat and the acclaim was instantaneous. They were
invited back to close the show the next day.
Following their hugely successful Atlanta appearance, the band was
signed by Capitol Records and their first gold album "On
Time", was recorded and released within four months.
The saga of Grand Funk Railroad is well documented. The albums
included such titles as "Grand Funk Railroad",
"Survival", "Live Album", "Closer To
Home", "E Pluribus Funk", "Phoenix",
"Good Singin,' Good Playin'", "Caught In The
Act", and "All The Girls In The World Beware",
among others.
The hit singles included "I'm Your
Captain (Closer To Home)," "Foot-Stompin' Music,"
"We're an American Band", "the Loco-motion",
"Mean Mistreater", "Bad Time", "Some Kind
Of Wonderful" and others.
In 1971 Mark and the original Grand Funk Railroad set the
attendance record at New York's Shea Stadium for a concert,
surpassing the record set by The Beatles in 1966, and a record
that still stands today, some 30 years later.
In early 1977, Grand Funk Railroad called it quits, and after
taking a year or so off, Mark Farner signed a solo deal with
Atlantic Records and issued two critically acclaimed albums:
"Mark Farner" and "No Frills".
In 1981, a reunited Grand Funk Railroad recorded 2 new albums,
"Grand Funk Lives" for Full Moon/Warner Bros. Records,
and "What's Funk".
Mark released 4 contemporary Christian albums from 1983 through
1994, earning a Dove nomination and reaching the #2 chart position
with the John Beland composition "Isn't
it Amazing". His continuous touring schedule kept him
in contact with both his longtime Grand Funk fans, and the new
fans that first noticed Mark during his solo years.
In 1995, Mark toured with Ringo Starr's All-Star Band, then toured
with The Northwest Airlines All-Stars in 1996 before reuniting
with Don Brewer and Mel Schacher for a series of benefit concerts
that were recorded, and released as the double live CD
"Bosnia" for Capitol-EMI.
Mark toured with the reunited original Grand Funk Railroad in
1996, 1997 and 1998 and was named to Pollstar's Top 100 Tours of
1998. VH-1 featured Mark and the original Grand Funk Railroad on a
"Behind The Music" special that has been airing since
early 1999.
Since 1999 Mark Farner has been touring with his own band Nr'G.
They have released 2 CD's - "Red, White, and Blue" and
"Live Nr'g" recorded in 2003. A new studio CD is
currently being recorded.
Not slowing down, Mark Farner continues to electrify audiences
with a mix of his original Grand Funk hits and music from
throughout his 35 year professional career.
