A superb guitarist and dynamic live performer, Mark Selby has shared the stage with B.B. King, Jeff Beck, John Fogerty, Robert Cray, Lynyrd Skynyrd, Delbert McLinton, John Hiatt, the Fabulous Thunderbirds, Collective Soul, Kenny Wayne Shepherd, Levon Helm, Junior Brown, and many more. Selby has appeared on notable radio and television music programming including World Cafe, Mountain Stage, Woodsongs and Rockpalast (Germany), and continues to perform with his stellar backup band, as an acoustic solo artist, and in a duo with his wife and frequent collaborator, Tia Sillers.
“As a singer/songwriter, Mark Selby’s in the same league as Bruce Springsteen, with meaty words, a compelling voice, and tracks that have more groove than a vintage vinyl record.” —AMERICAN SONGWRITER
“An electrifying performer.”
–BLUES REVUE
“Selby earned his moment in the spotlight with his excellent debut, More Storms Comin’…his exceptional sophmore CD, Dirt, indicates that album was no fluke. No need for bells and whistles here — the music does the talking.”
–ROLLING STONE
“Mark Selby makes some of the most soulful noise coming out of Nashville.”
–THE TENNESSEAN
“Simply put, 11 tracks of the best rock and roll we’ll hear this year…”
–VINTAGE GUITAR A gifted musical artist and hit songwriter, Mark Selby’s career is one of unusual depth and diversity. Based in Nashville, Tennessee, Selby has written career-defining songs for artists in multiple genres and frequently contributes signature guitar work to ‘Music City’ recording sessions. As a solo artist he’s earned critical acclaim and a devoted international following, carving out an earthy, gritty sound steeped in blues and rootsy rock. His latest album, Blue Highway, will be released in spring 2013 on ZYX/PepperCake.
A native of Oklahoma, Selby earned a degree in guitar and music composition at Fort Hays University in Kansas. He landed a publishing contract soon after moving to Nashville in the 1990’s, writing songs for major artists like Wynona Judd, Trisha Yearwood, Lee Roy Parnell and the Dixie Chicks, who scored a Grammy-winning number one hit with “There’s Your Trouble,” written by Selby and his wife and frequent collaborator Tia Sillers. Selby may be best known for a string of #1 Mainstream Rock singles co-written with blues-rocker Kenny Wayne Shepherd, including “Blue On Black,” which topped the chart for a record-setting 17 straight weeks and was named Billboard Magazine’s Rock Track of the Year. Selby’s publisher is Moraine Music Group in Nashville.
In 2000, Selby signed with Vanguard Records as a solo artist. He produced his debut, More Storms Comin’, with Brent Maher, setting the template for Selby recordings to come: passionate songwriting, soulful vocals and plenty of searing, toneful guitar work. The album launched the rock radio hit “She’s Like Mercury” and was followed by the critically-acclaimed 2003 release, Dirt, which Rolling Stone called an “exceptional sophomore CD,” and Vintage Guitar summed up as “11 of the best tracks of rock and roll we’ll hear this year.” American Songwriter proclaimed Selby “in the same league as Bruce Springsteen, with meaty words, a compelling voice, and tracks that have more groove than a vintage vinyl record.”
Selby released a solo acoustic album, Mark Otis Selby…and the Horse He Rode In On (2006) for the German ZYX/Pepper Cake label, and returned with his band for Nine Pound Hammer (2008). Most recently, he released a live concert CD and DVD entitled One Night in Bonn (2010), recorded at the legendary German television concert series Rockpalast. 2010 also saw the release of Selby-Mills-LeMaire , featuring Selby with fellow hit songwriters Clay Mills and Sonny LeMaire.
Touring regularly over the past decade, Mark Selby has performed with everyone from Jeff Beck to B.B. King, Collective Soul, Lynrd Skynrd and many others. Recent songwriting credits include releases by David Nail, Kenny Wayne Shepherd and Canadian superstar Johnny Reid, who Selby also records and tours with as guitarist and music director.