Mark O'Connor (Band)
Biography:
A product of America's rich aural folk tradition as well as classical music, Mark O'Connor's creative journey began at the feet of a pair of musical giants. The first was the folk fiddler and innovator who created the modern era of American fiddling, Benny Thomasson; the second, French jazz violinist, considered one of the great improvisers in the history of the violin, Stephane Grappelli. Working with classical violin icons Isaac Stern, Itzhak Perlman, Yehudi Menhuin and Pinchas Zukerman, he absorbed knowledge and influence from the multitude of musical styles and genres he studied and participated in. With his body of work including 45 feature albums, Mark O’Connor has melded and shaped these influences into a new American Classical music and a vision of an entirely American school of string playing.
Mr. O'Connor's 2016 release with the O'Connor Band received a Grammy nomination for "Best Bluegrass Album" after spending nearly half of the year at the top of Billboard's bluegrass album chart. Forming the band with his wife Maggie, son Forrest, future daughter-in-law Kate, No Depression Magazine describes the album: "There are some albums that are so sonically gorgeous, they sound as if the music has arrived from another plane; the players are so connected to each other, weaving their own parts so tightly together, the sound encloses you in its warmth and beauty...Very few bands can achieve this sense of playing-as-one so completely, so effortlessly that the entire force of the music – the vocals and every instrument – settles into us physically and emotionally as we listen. But 'Coming Home', the debut album by the O’Connor Band is one of those albums."
At age 13, he was the youngest person ever to win the Grand Master Fiddler Championships competing against all ages, amateur and professional. Forty years later, his record still stands. Mr. O’Connor is still the only person to ever win national titles (open to all ages) on fiddle, bluegrass guitar and mandolin. Mr. O’Connor won a record breaking six Country Music Association Musician Of The Year Awards in a row in Nashville.
At age 17, Mr. O'Connor played guitar as a member of one of the 70s greatest acoustic string bands, the David Grisman Quintet. At 19, he played violin and guitar alongside Steve Morse as a member of rock-fusion instrumental band, The Dregs. In his twenties he was a member of one of the greatest acoustic bands with four of the greatest players on their respective instruments, Strength in Numbers (with Bela Fleck, Sam Bush, Jerry Douglas and Edgar Meyer). He also assembled two of the greatest Country bands of all time, The American Music Shop house band and New Nashville Cats. Mr. O'Connor became the most in demand session musician of any instrument for a 3-year period, appearing on more top ten hits in the country, recording over 500 albums, and recording with everyone - Dolly Parton, James Taylor, Paul Simon, Randy Travis, The Judds, the list is too long to print.
Mr. O'Connor's 2016 release with the O'Connor Band received a Grammy nomination for "Best Bluegrass Album" after spending nearly half of the year at the top of Billboard's bluegrass album chart. Forming the band with his wife Maggie, son Forrest, future daughter-in-law Kate, No Depression Magazine describes the album: "There are some albums that are so sonically gorgeous, they sound as if the music has arrived from another plane; the players are so connected to each other, weaving their own parts so tightly together, the sound encloses you in its warmth and beauty...Very few bands can achieve this sense of playing-as-one so completely, so effortlessly that the entire force of the music – the vocals and every instrument – settles into us physically and emotionally as we listen. But 'Coming Home', the debut album by the O’Connor Band is one of those albums."
At age 13, he was the youngest person ever to win the Grand Master Fiddler Championships competing against all ages, amateur and professional. Forty years later, his record still stands. Mr. O’Connor is still the only person to ever win national titles (open to all ages) on fiddle, bluegrass guitar and mandolin. Mr. O’Connor won a record breaking six Country Music Association Musician Of The Year Awards in a row in Nashville.
At age 17, Mr. O'Connor played guitar as a member of one of the 70s greatest acoustic string bands, the David Grisman Quintet. At 19, he played violin and guitar alongside Steve Morse as a member of rock-fusion instrumental band, The Dregs. In his twenties he was a member of one of the greatest acoustic bands with four of the greatest players on their respective instruments, Strength in Numbers (with Bela Fleck, Sam Bush, Jerry Douglas and Edgar Meyer). He also assembled two of the greatest Country bands of all time, The American Music Shop house band and New Nashville Cats. Mr. O'Connor became the most in demand session musician of any instrument for a 3-year period, appearing on more top ten hits in the country, recording over 500 albums, and recording with everyone - Dolly Parton, James Taylor, Paul Simon, Randy Travis, The Judds, the list is too long to print.
Website: http://www.markoconnor.com/
Links:
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