ABOUT MARK JOHNSON

Musician Mark Johnson was born in Missouri in 1972. He is a preacher's kid so his childhood developed around their local church and traveling with his family as his Dad, Mike Johnson, preached throughout the Midwest. Those were some of his first musical experiences - listening to various church music and as his Dad & Mom sang and played guitar and piano. Another early musical encounter was playing trombone in the Middle School band.

His Dad and Grandpa, Junior Johnson, have been huge influences on his life. When he was 14, Mark's Dad traded a Sound system for a bass guitar and amp so that Mark could begin taking bass guitar lessons with his teacher, Joey King. Later that year, he began jamming with his Grandpa and his Grandpa's seasoned musician buddies who were big fans of Country Gospel and Traditional Country Music. This is also where Mark began learning electric and acoustic guitar as he watched them all play and learned as much as he could possibly learn. "I'll never forget the weeknights - after a long day of work for my Grandpa and school for me - we spent jamming in my Grandpa's rehearsal room. And the weekends of traveling around with him and his band. He sacrificed so much time to impart His passion and skill - I was always ready to get to Papaw's house or head out in the van and trailer and learn guitar," he says gratefully.

For the rest of his teen years, Mark began performing with his Grandpa's country/southern gospel band, "The Gospel Travelers", churches and other regional bands. During High School, Mark studied Electric Bass, Trombone & Guitar with his stage, marching and concert band teacher, Alan Mickel. In 1990 Mark began studying Music and Teaching at Southeast Missouri State University while beginning to work some local recording sessions with various artists.

In 1992, Mark left Southeast Missouri and traveled with the country gospel band, The Manuel Family, based from Louisiana until 1993. During his time in Louisiana, God placed a beautiful lady in his life, Rebecca, and they were married in 1994. Mark traveled with The McFalls from Meridian, MS and The McGruders from Kennett, MO, and worked some studio sessions. Musically, this was a period of forming relationships and friendships that began defining his life's passion and purpose.

In 1998, he returned to study Music and Communications (Media) at Southeast Missouri State University while continuing session work and filling in for various bands and soloists. Also, he recorded an instrumenal project, "Favorite Hymns". Two years later, Mark and Rebecca relocated to North Dallas where through new and renewed friendships, Mark began working with the Daystar Television Network band and Elevate Life Church (formerly Celebration Covenant Church.). In 2006, Mark began playing acoustic and electric guitars for Phillips, Craig and Dean (PCD).

Presently, Mark continues serving and working for PCD and Elevate Life Church. Mark plans to release an instrumental/solo project in the 2011.