Mark Whitt Archives - Bluegrass Today

Tennessee Moon – Mark Whitt

Ohio native Mark Whitt specializes in the sounds of traditional bluegrass music. It’s reflected in all of his studio projects, especially his latest, Tennessee Moon.

Though all the material on Tennessee Moon utilizes full band arrangements, there are only three musicians on the project, Whitt of course is featured on lead vocals, while producer Clay Hess is featured prominently on guitar, mandolin, bass, and banjo on every track. Hess’ musicianship and use of multi-tracking really shows the depth of his talent on each instrument.

Tim Crouch’s fiddling is featured on all of the tracks as well. Of note is the use of twin fiddling on I Wonder Where You Are Tonight, Loving You Too Well, and Tennessee Blues. The technique proved to be effective on each of these songs with Crouch delivering strong performances on both the lead and harmony parts.

The track listing on Tennessee Moon is largely made up of bluegrass standards such as Somehow Tonight, I’m Blue I’m Lonesome, and Ridin’ The Midnight Train among others. The arrangements are fairly standard as well, similarly patterned after the original recordings.

Two of the tracks on Tennessee Moon are original songs. The album’s title song and Country Girl were both written by Mark Whitt. These are both solid tracks deeply rooted in traditional stylings.

Kings Harbor Shore by Emma Smith is a lesser known Gospel song with a great message about rescue and redemption. Mark’s vocals on this track fit the piece really well.

Tennessee Moon is a nice effort. While it is lacking in originality, the performances given by Whitt, Hess, and Crouch are enjoyable and make this recording worth a listen. Mark Whitt is a great songwriter. The two songs he wrote on this project are Tennessee Moon’s strong points. It left me as a listener wanting more. At any rate, Mark Whitt has a deep respect for traditional bluegrass which comes through on this recording.

Tennessee Moon – new single from Mark Whitt

Ohio/Kentucky bluegrass singer and songwriter, Mark Whitt, has a new album of his music called Tennessee Moon, with the title track now available as a single.

The album was produced by Clay Hess, and recorded in his Ohio studio. Mark lays down the lead vocals, with Clay providing all the instruments save the fiddle, which is added by Tim Crouch.

Tennessee Moon, the single track, is a mid-tempo grasser driven by Clay’s tasty banjo. It’s an old fashioned love story about going home to the one you love. Clay also adds the tenor vocal.

Though he was born and lives now in Ohio, Whitt says that his fondness for the Volunteer State is at the root of this song.

“I was inspired to write the title track, Tennessee Moon, based on my love for the state of Tennessee. I travel through Nashville a couple times a year, and I love seeing the skyline from a distance. In my opinion, it’s amazing. I started thinking about how beautiful the Tennessee moon is in the evening and I thought, this would be a perfect title for a song. In fact, the Harvest Moon featured on the back cover of the CD, was taken from the banks of Houston County Tennessee. This sets the stage for the makings of Tennessee Moon.

Tennessee Moon is a love story with a good ending… making your way back to not only your home town in Tennessee, but to the love of your life. It takes you on a journey back to your roots, forgetting the past, while visualizing the future with your true love.”

Have a listen in the graphic video…

The Tenessee Moon album is available on CD directly from the artist online. Radio programmers will find the single via AirPlay Direct.

Over You – Mark Whitt

It could be fairly said that all bluegrass music has roots in Kentucky. Even new music created a thousand miles and 70 years away still traces back to the commonwealth that gave its name to the sound that Bill Monroe envisioned in the 1940s.

Though Monroe hailed from the western part of the state, eastern Kentucky has its own rich vein of bluegrass, memorialized in the contributions of Keith Whitley and still epitomized by Ricky Skaggs, as does the central part of the state which produced J.D. Crowe.

And the sounds that Kentucky cultivated have now spread out across the wider world, through radio and recordings, and by the movement of Kentucky coal families around the United States.

Such is the story of Ohio singer and songwriter Mark Whitt, whose new project, Over You, is widely available now online. Though he grew up in the Dayton region, his parents were born and raised in eastern Kentucky, and shared their love of bluegrass and traditional mountain music with him as he grew up. In fact, Mark credits his dad, Vinson, appearing to him in a dream not long after he passed at 83 with spurring him to get moving and doing something with his music.

The dream, which Mark took as dad assuring him that he was doing just fine in Heaven, inspired him to write I Heard Sweet Music Playing, one of two original songs on Over You, the other being the title cut. They fit perfectly into the bluegrass canon, both mid-tempo waltz songs with a decidedly traditional sound.

This is Whitt’s second professional release, and it is tidily produced and engineered by fellow Ohioan Clay Hess, who also played most of the instruments in the studio with Mark singing lead. Hess is among our most capable bluegrass artists, and he demonstrates his talents ably on banjo, mandolin and guitar, not to mention his tenor vocal on several tracks. Joe Mullins provides guest vocals as well, adding tenor to the title track and a very engaging version of Carter Stanley’s Lonesome River.

Mark calls on the Stanleys for several songs on this project. The album opens with Let Me Be Your Friend, which Carter and Ralph first recorded in 1949, and he also includes one of their biggest numbers, How Mountain Girls Can Love. There are also a pair of songs taken from Flatt & Scruggs, My Cabin In Caroline and Blue Ridge Cabin Home, the all-time doublet of cabin songs. Mark turns in very credible readings of all these songs, and Clay displays his mastery of all the bluegrass instruments on each of them.

Tim Crouch adds tasteful fiddle throughout.

Whitt has a very appealing voice, and an abiding fondness for the music of the first generation of bluegrass pioneers which he replicates authentically here.

Over You is offered for download sale from all popular digital resellers, and on disc from CD Baby. Radio programmers may download the album at Airplay Direct.

You can keep up with Mark Whitt online.

Fly Me Home – Mark Whitt

There’s no denying that almost every bluegrass musician recording and performing today has been influenced by the artists who came before them, particularly “founding fathers” like Bill Monroe, Flatt and Scruggs, and the Stanleys. Most musicians choose to honor those artists in some way, whether that is performing their songs, imitating their instrumental style, or even writing songs about them. Mark Whitt, a singer and songwriter based in Xenia, Ohio, has recently released Fly Me Home, an album which reflects his respect for those who came before him.

Although Whitt grew up playing mandolin and listening to his father and uncles play and sing bluegrass, this is his first album. He takes care of lead vocals on the album’s eight tracks, showing off an earnest voice and a clear knowledge of the traditional style. Whitt is backed by skilled instrumentalist Clay Hess, who also produced the album. In addition to his usual role as a guitarist, Hess also plays bass, banjo, and mandolin here.

While the majority of the album’s tracks are covers of bluegrass classics, the title track, an original from Whitt, kicks things off. Whitt wrote this Gospel number, which speaks of the joy of going to heaven, shortly before his father passed away. The song has a nice, easy-going feel, and has hints of Flatt and Scruggs’ Gospel style.

There are a couple of Flatt and Scruggs numbers here, too. Before I Met You seems to be a bit slower than the original, which actually makes it a little more heartfelt. Some Old Day leans a little closer to the J.D. Crowe and the New South version from the 1970s. Whitt’s vocals here match the weariness of the song well, and Hess’ wife Samantha offers a fine lead on the chorus.

The Stanley Brothers are well represented here, as well. Stone Walls and Steel Bars is enjoyable, and Hess provides nice instrumentation, particularly on banjo. Carter’s I Love No One But You is lonesome, as it should be, and I Only Exist has just the right touch of grief.

Rounding out the album are a straightforward version of In the Pines and Joe Isaacs’ Gospel favorite I Pressed Through the Crowd. The latter’s simple, honest arrangement makes it one of the best songs here. Fans of John Bowman’s version should appreciate it.

While Fly Me Home is a bit short, coming in at only eight tracks, Whitt has plans for a follow-up to be released this winter, which will include at least three more of his originals and more classic favorites. He’s done a commendable job on this debut, and those he honors (including his father), would surely be proud.

Radio programmers can download several of the album’s songs on Airplay Direct, and fans can visit Whitt on Facebook.