About Mark

Originally from Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada, Mark has made a living making music for his entire adult life. Mark now resides in Central Florida and performs a variety of shows in Florida, Caribbean and across the USA.

Mark is huge fan of the guitar with training at Dalhousie University acquiring two years of a Bachelor of Music, majoring on guitar. Highlights of Mark today are on Acoustic Guitar is covering James Taylor, Jimmy Buffett, and Eric Clapton. On Electric Guitar Mark mimics the sounds of many famous guitar players such as: Mark Knofler, Stevie Ray Vaughan, and Carlos Santana.

At age 14 Mark formed a Pop/Rock band which won regional talent contests. His first real money making gig was as a Busker (a street performer) singing and playing guitar on the Bar Infested Downtown streets of Halifax. Busking was Mark's training ground for interacting with an audience. Mark toured (hitch hiked) Canada numerous times as a Busker.

 

 

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Still in High School, Mark started performing in Pubs & Lounges as a One-Man-Band and in Duo's. These gigs lead to numerous trips to Europe working on Viking Line and Silja Line Cruise ships in English style pubs. Mark also toured Canada in top rated Cabaret Bands and supported on guitar Canadian recording artist Sam Moon. The Sam Moon Band, on Breakfast Television, broadcast across Canada. Playing with Sam was the height of Mark’s career in Canada.

  
   The Sam Moon Band on Breakfast Television, broadcast across Canada.

 
 Marc, Mike and Jeremy with Panama
   Panama @ The Rock'n'Roll Beach Club, Pleasure Island, Disney.

  FYI at Peires
   FYI Band, on the road @ Pierre's, Fort Wayne, In.

 In 1999 Disney (Orlando) invited Mark to a house gig at Downtown Disney to play with a Rock Band. Mark has been in the USA ever since. The Disney gig lead to another house gig at Universal Studios Hard Rock Cafe. The Hard Rock gig lead to touring the USA with a top rated Cabaret Band, gigging from Key West to Las Vegas to New York.

 

Musical Work Experience

  • 2003 to present- Neil Diamond "So Good" Impersonation playing Cruise Ships, Resorts, Casino's and more.

  • 2001 to present - Mark & The Rocks and solo "One-Man-Band".
    Position: Lead Vocals, Electric & Acoustic Guitars, Keyboards, program midi sequence keyboards via computer and running the whole show.
    Gigs: Casino Boats, Lounges, Restaurants, Resorts, Weddings and Conventions.
     

  • 1999 to  2001 - FYI - A five piece variety band with 4 lead vocalists.
    Styles: TOP-40, R&B, Disco, Rap/Hip-Hop, Classic & Modern Rock, Country and Modern Latin.
    Position: Lead and Harmony Vocals, Electric & Acoustic Guitars, Bass Guitar, Bass Keyboards, Keyboards and program midi sequence keyboards.
    Gigs: Hotel lounges, Casinos through out the Eastern USA and Pierre's, Fort Wayne IN.
     

  • 1999  - RadioDaze - A five piece modern rock band.
    Styles: Modern, Classic & Hard Rock and some R&B.
    Position: Bass Guitar and Harmony Vocals.
    Gigs: Two main gigs were a house gig at the Hard Rock Cafe Live, Orlando, FL and Pierre's, Fort Wayne, IN.
     

  • 1999 - Heartland Community Church - A 40 piece choir with a 7 piece rhythm section and a 10 piece horn section.
    Position: Guitar. (Reading charts)
    Styles: Christian Pop.
    Gigs: Church Mass.
     

  • 1999  - Panama - A six piece, multi-instrumentalist, 4 lead vocalist, Rock and Roll cover band.
    Position: Lead and Harmony Vocals, Bass Guitar was primary instrument, Guitar, Keyboards and some Percussion.
    Styles: 50's, 60's, Classic, Hard & Modern Rock'n'Roll.
    Gigs: House gig at The Rock and Roll Beach Club, Pleasure Island, Walt Disney FL and some convention work.
     

  •  1997 to 1999 - The Sam Moon Band - A three piece band plus Sam.
    Sam Moon is a veteran Atlantic Canadian Entertainer of 30 years with Canadian radio hits.
    Position: Lead and Harmony Vocals, Bass Guitar, Guitar, Bass Keyboards, Keyboards and on stage soundman.
    Styles: 60's & Classic Rock, Country, Reggae and Celtic.
    Gigs: Across Atlantic Canada and Ontario Canada in small clubs to concert arenas.
     

  • 1997 and 1998 - Assistant Technical Director for the Atlantic Fringe Festival - Assisting in the creation and setup of seven theater venues in downtown Halifax, sound and light technician, and stage manager for the largest venue and responsible for organizing technical rehearsals and technical needs of 40 acts.
     

  • 1997 - Left Field - A four piece cover band with 3 lead vocalists.
    Position: Lead and Harmony Vocals, Guitar, Keyboards and on stage soundman.
    Styles: 60's & Classic Rock and Country.
    Gigs: Across Atlantic Canada.
     

  • 1988 to 1996 - The Mark Dobson Band, Duo, and Singles Act
    Under my own name I performed with several combinations of musicians or by myself, utilizing a midi sequencer.
    Position: Lead Vocals, Acoustic & Electric Guitars and some Bass Guitar.
    Styles: 60's & Classic Rock, Country, Folk, Celtic, Reggae and TOP-40.
    Gigs: Across Canada and Scandinavia. Pubs, Lounges, Cruise Ships, Arenas and Concert Clubs.

  • 1990 to 1998 - Part time and Session Work - with Nova Scotia Bands such as: The Persuaders, Full Circle, Civilian, Me & Him and Off The Street.
     

  • 1988 to 1991 (and part time to 1995)- Busker (Street Performer) - I played guitar and sang on the bar infested downtown streets Halifax at night and in front of liquor stores, year round. My winter limit was -20 degrees Celsius. In 1989 I took a two month trip and hitchhiked across Canada to Vancouver (6,114 kms). I played on the streets of numerous Canadian cities along the way.
     

  • 1982 to 1990 - School Band System - Tuba - My 1st instrument.
    Position: Tuba, Sousaphone and Bass Guitar. I got to borrow and take home a Trombone, Trumpet, Baritone, Alto and Tenor Saxophone and Flute. My first experience as a front man was to gargle the theme from Bonanza.
    Styles: Classical, Jazz, Big Band, Marching Band and Pop.
    Gig's: Atlantic Canada, Quebec City Canada and the Netherlands.
     

  • 1988 to 1990 - Choir Director - For a youth mass in St. John Vianey Roman Catholic, Lower Sackville, Nova Scotia.
    Position: Lead & Harmony Vocals, Acoustic & Electric Guitars, Bass Guitar and Piano.
    Styles: Souped up versions of standard Roman Catholic hymns.
    Gigs: Church Mass.
     

  • 1987 to 1989 - Phact - My High School pop band won regional talent contests.
    Position: Acoustic & Electric Guitars, Harmony Vocals, Keyboards and Songwriter.
    Styles: TOP-40, Pop and Rock.
    Gigs: Talent Shows & Contests, High School and Junior High School Dances.

Education

  • 1992 Dalhousie University, Halifax, Nova Scotia.
    Bachelor of Music Degree, Guitar. (incomplete)
  • 1990 Millwood High School, Lower Sackville, Nova Scotia, Canada.
    Grade XII Academic Diploma.

Associations

  • American Federation of Musicians Local 571.

  • The Entertainment Network (Professional Celebrity Impersonators)

 

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