Mark Houser is one of those people who are an inspiration to everyone around them, both for his clear-eyed faith and his determination against great odds. A bluegrass lover of many years – he’s a cousin to Lester Flatt, how could he not be? – Mark has participated mostly as a songwriter, with cuts by a number of bluegrass and country artists, and with a pair of albums in his own name with Rural Rhythm Records.
His life was jolted a year and a half ago with a diagnosis of metastatic pancreatic cancer, coming with it a certainty of a greatly shortened life expectancy. Having made a pledge some time ago that his third album would be all gospel, Mark became concerned with whether or not he could honor that promise with the time he had left.
So he set right to work, writing and recording, starting with vocal tracks, which would typically be the final step of the process, as he wanted his part to be completed should he not survive to see it completed. Such was his resolve with regard to this project, which he did see finished and released, Gospel Train.
But the days are now short for Houser, who has just been released from the hospital into hospice care, and he is not expecting to live more than a few weeks. He has made his peace with the situation, has his loving family with him, and most importantly, is ready for the transition to meet his Creator.
One last single is just released while Mark is still with us, one he co-wrote with his dad, John Houser, across the years.
He shared a few words about the song, Jesus Sweet Jesus, from Gospel Train.
“This song is more like a 19th or early 20th century hymn, the kind of song you would find in the old hymn books of my youth. My dad started this song in the early 1960s when he wrote this chorus. He would sing it to my sister and I when we were children. I remembered this melody and the chorus lyrics into adulthood.
I asked him one day where the song came from, and he said he had written it. I asked if it had verses, and he said, ‘No, why don’t you write some?’ However, each time I tried, it just did not seem to work, until on April 5, 2019, when, on the day my dad passed in such a dignified manner in a Knoxville, Tennessee rehab center, I sat there thinking of this song.
On my drive back to my home in Livingston, Tennessee the lyrics came to my mind and this time it felt right.
When Rhonda Vincent agreed to sing with me on this it exceeded my wildest dreams. Rhonda had sung with me before on my first album, and sang with Mark Conklin and John Berry on a song I had written called Oh Lonely Day on Mark Conklin’s album, The Gospel According to Mark.”
Rhonda says that she was only too happy to be a part of this record.
“I’m proud to be part of Mark’s project, along with an array of incredible acoustic instrumentalists. Mark sings about nature and the personal encounters of life. Relaxing appeal. True musical therapy.”
Those instrumentalists include Wanda Vick on fiddle and reso-guitar, Rick Herring on guitar, Shaun Richardson on mandolin, and Mark Fain on bass.
Have a listen.
We may soon be reporting on the passing of Mark Houser, and the great loss it represents to those who love him best. For the moment, we will reflect on his musical contributions, and the grace and persistence with which he faced his final days.
Jesus Sweet Jesus, and the full Gospel Train album, are available from popular download and streaming services online, and to radio programmers via AirPlay Direct. Audio CDs and vinyl LPS can be purchased directly from the artist.
