Mark McKinney, born and raised in Big Spring, TX, distinguishes himself from the typical “rockin’ country” artist by drawing from a wide range of influences. He credits his father for instilling in him an appreciation for upbeat, energetic songs. He blends his musical tastes as easily as drinking beer and eating barbecue, and he admits to a diverse musical background. “Although I grew up listening to country legends like Willie Nelson and Charlie Daniels, I was also heavily influenced by rock and pop.” This blend of influences has helped secure Mark a unique place on the Texas scene – and helped keep him from getting boxed into one genre. For his debut solo album, Get It On, McKinney took from his own experiences (as well as those of his closest friends and family) to produce a collection of songs that has been appropriately described as “foot-stompin’, sing-a-long, feel-good country with a strong melody.” The album is, in Mark’s own words, “a journey through the mind of a Southern man.” And yet something in the fun and honesty applies to everyone – we can all relate to and take a little something from his music. For Get It On, Mark teamed up with his best friend, Nashville-based producer Rob Dennis, whose production credits include Lynyrd Skynyrd and Cross Canadian Ragweed. Along with producing Get It On, Rob recently formed the independent record label Super Loud Music – the label Mark now calls home. While working on his debut CD, Mark teamed up with Kevin Fowler to write, “What's Your Point”. The song is slated to appear on Kevin's upcoming record. Kevin, who has placed Mark on many of his tour dates, said “Mark McKinney is a great live performer, and that’s why I put him on my shows – because my crowd loves him. His songs are anthems for the working man.” And Kevin Fowler isn’t Mark’s only industry-insider fan. Kyle Cook of Matchbox 20 calls Mark’s live shows ‘phenomenal,’ and believes that Mark’s music “captures the emotion of small town America from coast to coast.” Rick Lovett, president of Winding Road Music, calls Mark “one of today’s hottest, most deserving artists,” and Robert Oermann, music critic for Music Row Magazine, says Mark’s music is “’ragged but right’ in all the best ways” and that “Waylon’s backbeat lives on. Texas music fans seem to agree. Mark’s first single, “Comfortable In This Skin,” has been a staple on the Texas Music Chart, and has gotten enough attention to earn Mark a spot on stage at the first annual Big State Festival at the Texas World Speedway in October – alongside such country giants as Willie Nelson, Lynyrd Skynyrd, and Tim McGraw. Mark has enjoyed a summer fully booked with tour dates in Texas and Oklahoma, and a tour-heavy fall is in his future. He will even be making a headlining appearance at Billy Bob’s in Ft. Worth. Whether on the radio or on the stage, Mark McKinney is proving himself a force to be reckoned with. Honesty, energy, homegrown country and a little bit of rock-n-roll are hard to argue with – and Mark is quite comfortable in that skin.