Mark Islam

Born in New Castle, DE, this singer/songwriter had one early aspiration: to leave his state. After moving to Boston University to study literature, Islam performed and honed his craft at various coffeehouses in the Boston area. After completing a master's degree in English, he moved to Los Angeles, the city where most of his favorite music originated. Islam joined a team of songwriters each month called the Western Beat Music Showcase. In 1995, Islam released his debut effort on cassette, The Calloused Heart Collection. The musician continued to perform and got his first break from Dr. Laura Schelessinger's radio show, which featured one of Islam's songs, "Everything Is Gonna Be Alright." In 1998, he released The Recent Past on Noble Savage. He also moved to Nashville where he starred in stage productions of Hair and also the Who's Tommy. Following that, Islam released The Fine Print, a look at life in Los Angeles. He continues to perform and tour, and considers Los Angeles, Nashville, and Australia as home. ~ Jason MacNeil