Mark Collie

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Mark Collie
Background information
Born	January 18, 1956 (1956-01-18) (age 53)[1]
Origin	Waynesboro, Tennessee
Genres	country
Occupations	Singer-songwriter
Instruments	Vocals, guitar
Years active	1982-present
Labels	MCA Nashville, Giant, Highway 64
Associated acts	Archer/Park, Aaron Tippin, Billy Ray Cyrus
Website	http://www.markcollie.net

Mark Collie (born January 18, 1956) is an American country music artist and occasional actor. He has released six albums, and has charted 16 singles on the Billboard Hot Country Songs charts. His highest peaking singles are "Even the Man in the Moon Is Cryin'" at #5, and "Born to Love You" at #6, from 1992 and 1993 respectively. Collie has also appeared in several films and television series, and has written songs for George Jones, Tim McGraw, Aaron Tippin and Garth Brooks.

Biography

Mark Collie was born January 18, 1956 in Waynesboro, Tennessee^[1], as one of six children. Inspired by acts on the Sun Records roster, he learned how to play piano and guitar at an early age,^[2] and founded his first band at age twelve.

Later, Collie worked as a disc jockey. He also made an attempt to join the United States Army, but was denied due to his diabetes.^[2] Collie made his living as a musician in the late 1970s and early 1980s, with Ray Pillow recording one of his songs in 1977.^[2] After being denied a songwriting contract by several publishing houses, he started performing his own music.

Musical career

This section requires expansion with: more info on each album.

Collie signed to MCA Records in 1989 and released his debut album Hardin County Line a year later. This album included four singles. First was "Something with a Ring to It,"^[2] an Aaron Tippin co-write (later covered by Garth Brooks) which peaked at #50. After it were "Looks Aren't Everything", the title track, and "Let Her Go."

Born & Raised in Black & White followed in 1991. Of its singles — "Calloused Hands," "She's Never Comin' Back," and "It Don't Take a Lot" — only "She's Never Comin' Back" reached Top 30, although "Calloused Hands" was a #19 country hit in Canada. The album itself failed to chart.

His most successful album, 1993's self-titled album, produced his biggest chart hits in "Even the Man in the Moon Is Cryin'" and "Born to Love You," which respectively reached #5 and #6 on the country charts. After this came the lesser hits "Shame Shame Shame Shame" and "Something's Gonna Change Her Mind," This was also his only album to chart on The Billboard 200 and Top Heatseekers, at #156 and #6 respectively. In mid-1994, the duo Archer/Park charted in the Top 40 with the song "Where There's Smoke," which Collie co-wrote.

1994's Unleashed saw its lead-off single "It Is No Secret" miss Top 40, although the follow-up, "Hard Lovin' Woman," peaked at #13 in 1995. Despite the success of the latter single, however, he exited MCA that year. The same year, he signed to Giant Records, releasing Tennessee Plates near the end of the year. Although this album produced two more chart singles in "Three Words, Two Hearts, One Night" and "Steady as She Goes," he nonetheless exited Giant after only one album. His final chart entry was 1996's "Love to Burn" from the compilation album NASCAR: Hotter Than Ashpalt. A live compilation called Even the Man in the Moon Is Cryin' followed in 1998.^[1]

Film and television

This section requires expansion with: More info on musical career.

In 1998, Collie appeared as Johnny Cash in the short film I Still Miss Someone. Shot mostly in black and white, it captures a moment in time during Cash's darkest years of the mid 1960s.

He has appeared in episodes of television shows such as JAG, Walker, Texas Ranger and The Strip. Films in which he has appeared include The Punisher and Fire Down Below.

Personal Information

Collie was born George Mark Collie in Waynesboro, Tennessee. One of six children, he showed an early interest in piano and guitar and performed often for his family.

Collie has diabetes and volunteers often for the American Diabetes Association. He also hosts the "Mark Collie Celebrity Motorsports Festival For Diabetes Cure" held every October in Nashville at the Nashville Speedway.

Arrest

On the night of July 19, 2007, Collie was arrested in Nashville, Tenn., and charged with DUI. The charges were later dropped.^[3]

Discography

Albums

Singles

Music videos

References

External links

• Official website
• Mark Collie at the Internet Movie Database