Mark Selby

Mark Selby is a musician who's had a lot of dreams come true. Growing up and learning to play the guitar in western Oklahoma -- one of the more rural and isolated spots in America -- he couldn't have imagined where his music would take him. "All I knew was that I'd fallen in love with the guitar, and that I liked making up songs and loved to dream about going places. So as I was finishing high school, I began to wonder, could I make this my job somehow? I didn't have any visions of glory or delusions of grandeur, I just wanted to be able to keep playing the guitar...and maybe see a little of the world!" Since those humble beginnings, Mark and his guitar -- and his songs -- have certainly seen a lot of the world. He's written #1 hits for multi-platinum recording artists, released his own internationally-acclaimed albums, and toured over several continents fronting his own band and as an acoustic solo artist, often sharing the stage with musical heroes like B.B. King, Jeff Beck and Robert Cray.

His ability to deliver hits in different genres quickly gained him recognition as one of Nashville's most diverse songwriters. Selby's credits include a string of hits for Kenny Wayne Shepherd including "Deja Voodoo," "Slow Ride," "Blue on Black" and "Last Goodbye." The Number one single,” Blue on Black," was named Billboard's 1998 Mainstream Rock Track of the Year, remained at the top of the charts for an incredible 17 weeks. Selby penned the breakthrough Number One smash "There's Your Trouble" for the Dixie Chicks, and many other stars have recorded Selby’s songs including Trisha Yearwood, Wynonna, Tammy Cochran, and PinMonkey among others.

Selby is also a valued session and touring guitarist, backing artists ranging from country superstar Kenny Rogers to rock/soul legend Jimmy Hall. And to top it all off, he's found true love and is married to his frequent musical collaborator, songwriter extraordinaire Tia Sillers. So, what now for a guy who's managed to live so many of his dreams? Time to spend some quality time with an old friend, as the man himself will tell you in the liner notes to his stellar new CD, Mark Otis Selby...And The Horse He Rode In On:

"On a handful of occasions in late 2005, I sat down in front of a couple of microphones with my oldest musical pal, the 'horse I rode in on': my trusty 1974 Mossman acoustic guitar. I punched the red button on a little recording machine and played some of my new songs, some of my not-so-new songs, and a few of my favorite songs. Here and there a friend joined in, and once or twice I added a guitar part later, but this is basically 'Moss' and I (we share the same nickname), 'live' in the living room, warts and all. Listen close and you'll hear trains, dogs, squeaks, rattles -- and my better-half Tia knocking at the front door (to her own house!). I'd like to tell you that it was a labor of love or a long-awaited dream come true making this CD, but truth be told, it's just what the ol' Mossman and I do -- and plan to keep doing for a long time. The musical equivalent of two fellas who meet in the park everyday for a friendly chess game."
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