Artist Biography
b. Mark Daniel Sanders, 1950, Southern California, USA. Sanders obtained a degree in literature - he later write a song using the name of the US author, Bobbie Ann Mason, for Rick Trevino - and worked as a teacher. This work did not satisfy him and he moved to Nashville with the idea of becoming a successful songwriter. He drove a tour bus around Twitty City and gradually his songs were accepted - first by Vince Gill (‘Oh Carolina’) and then by Judy Rodman, who had a hit with ‘Girls Ride Horses, Too’. His publishing company is called Starstruck and his successes include ‘Money In The Bank’ (Jon Anderson), ‘Mirror, Mirror’ (Diamond Rio), ‘Runnin’ Behind’ (Tracy Lawrence), ‘Victim Of The Game’ (Garth Brooks) and ‘The Heart Is A Lonely Hunter’ (Reba McEntire). He had an extraordinary year in 1996 with 10 considerable country hits including ‘It Matters To Me’ (Faith Hill), ‘Blue Clear Sky’ (George Strait), ‘No News’ (Lonestar), ‘Daddy’s Money’ (Ricochet) and ‘Don’t Get Me Started’ (Rhett Akins), all of which were number 1 country singles. His best song is the irresistible ‘Heads Carolina, Tails California’, a country number 2 for Jo Dee Messina, in which he applied Bruce Springsteen’s trademarks to country music. He includes more wry humour in his songs than most Nashville songwriters. Sanders has been so successful that he has featured in business magazines. He says, ‘I write about 80 songs a year but I write better when I work at that pace.’
Hometown
Southern California, CA, United States
Genre
Country