Mountain Home Music Company has announced the signing of mandolinist Mark Stoffel to the label, with a solo project release planned for later this year.
Mark has been the mando man with Chris Jones & The Night Drivers for more than a decade, and has appeared on several of their recent recordings. His own debut solo album, One-O-Five, was released in 2008, the title chosen in honor of his Gilchrist mandolin which bears that serial number.
Now living with his family in southern Illinois, Stoffel is a native German, born in Munich, who became a US citizen in 2016. He developed his love for the mandolin and bluegrass music while still a young man, and credits his stumbling onto a copy of Jack Tottle’s book, Bluegrass Mandolin, in 1979 at a Munich music store with setting him off on a career in the music.
Mark says that he is overjoyed to make this record for Mountain Home.
“I couldn’t be prouder and happier to see my new record released on Mountain Home Music Company. To be honest, I was hoping for this to happen before I struck the very first note for this album! As a member of Chris Jones & The Night Drivers I’ve had the pleasure to collaborate with the great folks at the Mountain Home family for many years and I am convinced that there’s no better venue for this album and no better people to work with.”
Mountain Home has promised a single from the upcoming album on July 10. Pre-saves are enabled now online.
Here’s a look and listen to that track, Shadowbands, played by Mark in an episode of David Benedict’s Mandolin Mondays YouTube channel last year.