User:Mark Sanderson Music

Mark Anthony Sanderson was born on December 21, 1962 in [Russellville, Alabama]]. He was raised in nearby Hamilton, Alabama. His mother's side of the family had a rich history in the music industry. Early on in his life, music was apparent in Mark's blood. He would sit for hours in his playpen listening to the newly discovered Beatles albums. He started out as a young teenager singing and playing piano with his mother in church. Later on in high school, he played in several pop and rock bands and soon became an accomplished drummer, acoustic guitar player, bass player and as already stated piano player. For two and a half years he traveled as drummer with the southern gospel group: "The Builders Quartet." Then the day after high school graduation in May of 1981 in went on the road with popular contemporary christian artist Karen Wheaton as her drummer. In junior college Mark sang and played in a male/female duet: "Mark and Teresa" at many North Alabama functions while at the same time playing bass guitar and singing lead in his rock band "The Hang Ups" who won first place in the junior college talent show. From 1983 to 1986 he briefly took off from his music career while attending college an getting his Bachelor's in Arts Degree from the University of North Alabama. But in the fall of 1986 he entered Cumberland School of law in Birmingham, Alabama and soon met up with musician and guitar player Bill Herbert from Nashville, TN. They formed an acoustic guitar duet and performed at functions all over Birmingham, North Alabama, in Nashville and made several T.V. appearances. After law school graduation, they met in Alabama for two famous and successful reunion parties. During law school Mark married his high school sweetheart, Cynthia Nobles who also came from a large music background. They immediately formed a husband and wife duo with Mark on guitar or piano and the two singing two part harmony. They performed at many parties, weddings, wedding receptions, nursing/convalescent homes, country clubs, wedding anniversaries and many other private events. Unfortunately Cynthia passed away in 1993 after a sudden and unexpected illness: spinal meningitis. Mark was grief stricken but he knew Cynthia would want him to carry on the tradition of their music and doing what he loved too do. Mark and Cynthia had moved, (after Mark's law school gradution in Birmingham, Alabama) to the Shoals area of Alabama where Muscle Shoals Music is located and is often called the Recording Capital of the world. Mark continued to play some of the same venues as he and Cynthia did but he branched out more and started playing more restaurants, nightclubs,etc.in the Shoals area. He would often practice law during the day and play music all night. At the time of his wife's death; he had just left his 3 1/2 year job as an Assistant Prosecutor in Colbert County, Alabama and began work at the private law practice of Potts and Young where he worked when she passed. Not too long after his wife's death he started his own private law practice which had a music room/recording studio in it. He wrote many songs in that music room/studio which were later recorded professionally by him in 2002. Tragically Mark was involved in a single car accident in 1997 one night and was severely injured and his left hand partially paralyzed with the possibility that he would never play guitar or any other instrument again. After months in the hospital, he moved back to his hometown of Hamilton, Alabama; retired from the law and was disabled. Approximately 3 years later, he began to start playing music again via piano and guitar as his left hand improved. He became a born again Christian and started his music career back by playing in church bands and singing solos. He would play either guitar, bass, drums or piano. He attended and played in several different churches in Northwest Alabama. Soon thereafter he recorded two CD's as partially mentioned above and later released a compilation CD: "Songs from the Heart: An Encore." He then started once again also playing pop, light rock, light country, and contemporary christian music at numerous TV stations on countless occasions, private pool parties, the Huddle House restaurant in his hometown of Hamilton, Alabama, political fundraisers, family reunions, birthday parties, a funeral and St. Jude Children's Hospital in Memphis. Then, along with the above mentioned places he would conduct Northwest Alabama tours about 4 times a years playing at all the area nursing/convolescent homes for many years. Around 2006, he met he soon to be second wife Cyndi Sanderson on a christian internet dating site. She lived about 8 to 9 hours from Mark in Virginia. However they met in person, dated a year and married a year later and have been married almost two years at the time of this article. He now maintains a home still in Hamilton, Alabama and Weber City, VA. Again, in addition to the above named performance sites he took his music to SW Virginia and East Tennessee. First playing in some churches, and later a funeral for a family friend. Then in the Summer of 2009 he conducted his first big Virginia, Tennessee and Kentucky music tour of nursing homes, senior centers, daycare centers, children's hospitals, community centers and state fairs, etc. As regards children's hospitals, in the summer of '09 he returned to St. Jude Children's Hospital in Memphis where he performed for the kids in 2002. He also has performed recently twice at an affiliate of St. Jude: Johnson City Children's Hospital in Johnson City,TN. The Summer '09 Tour consisted of approximately 30 concerts and performances. Then in October of 2009 he began another large tour of some of the same type places but with some new venues for his "Winter/Holiday Tour '09."Now in 2014, after have moving to SW VA from Alabama, his wife here abandoned him. He has withstood much tragedy and pain but is gearing up to by new music equipment due to the ex's kids stealing much PA gear. And he is working on and upcoming "Late Summer/Fall/Winter 2014-15 Music tour. Mark Sanderson and his music is noteworthy because of the tremendous charitable works he has done with his music including playing at children's hospitals, nursing/convolescent homes, senior centers, events for mentally impaired kids, events for kids whose moms were in prison, community events and other concerts without payment of any sort. Indeed SANDERSON MUSIC LIVES ON.