Over the years Duane Mark has become a top notch entertainer and song writer, focusing on connecting with the crowd. With a versatile writing style, his heart felt stories are delivered with a personal take on American Roots music. These elements, combined with the hard work ethic instilled by his upbringing, have this ambassador for the working class on what seems like a never ending tour to take his passion to the world! Sprinkle in a little sarcasm at a live show, with a pinch of tongue in cheek lyrics, and you have “Duane Mark, the Americana act that everybody loves to hate!”
In this interview spotlight, I chat with Duane Mark about the latest music, challenges, technology and more.
Full Q&A along with links and music below.
How have things been going since your last release? How did you feel about the overall response to that last project?
2020 was definitely not the year that we expected. When we released our last full length record in January (A Letter To My Friends), we believed we would be touring hard on that record. That being said, we received a great response from our fans online!
What can listeners expect when they click play on the new project?
This new EP has a much more rootsy country/folk sound than the last record did. I think there’s even more of my guts on this one. We had the exact same production team on this record, and worked again at Memphis Magnetic Recording, so I think the two projects work pretty well together.
How is this one different than your previous ones? Were you trying to accomplish anything specific?
The “A Letter To My Enemies” EP is the little sibling to the previous full length release. It finishes up some loose ends from the last record. Some of the writing may sound positive, but it all came from a much darker place, thematically. I hope people will take time to listen to both records together.
How have you been handling and/or surviving this pandemic?
Fly fishing… tons of fly fishing. It’s kept me sane. It’s hard not being able to have the same jam packed schedule, as we did when we were touring the last few years. I have honestly struggled a lot to stay productive during the last year, so learning how to fish the central Texas waters has been a wonderful outlet. Who knows… maybe I’ll start a guide service someday!
What was the last song you listened to?
A brand new Amigo The Devil song that is set to release in February! Ha! I don’t even know what it was called!
Where is the best place to connect with you online and discover more music?
We are on all streaming platforms, but places like Bandcamp are really helpful in supporting us. We’re also on lots of social media, like Facebook and Instagram. You can always check our trusty old website too at: www.ihateduanemark.com
Anything else before we sign off?
We’ve got some really cool things in the works for our fans this year, including a new patreon, with lots of specialized content! Stay tuned for more info on that. I also know, that when it’s safe to tour again, we’re looking forward to a lot of big hugs!
