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Mark White (bassist)

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Mark White is the bass player for the early 90s rock band, The Spin Doctors.'. He has collaborated with many musical groups, including America's Got Talent finalists The Robotix..[1], The Heavy Pets[2], Eight53, and the Free World Jazz Ensemble[3]. As a talented singer, songwriter, and bass player, he also has been an active teacher in several high-profile rock and jazz schools, such as the Rockin’ Robin Music Center[4] in Houston, Texas. White has also been an outspoken advocate for atheist rights, and was a keynote speaker at the American Atheists National Convention[5] in Salt Lake City, UT in 2014.

Early Life

Mark White was born in the New York City borough of the Bronx to Joan and Earnest White on July 7th, 1962[6]. He spent his early years in the New York City area, eventually settling with his family in Queens[7] where he eventually made a name for himself in New York underground music circles. His first bass was a right-handed Epiphone.[8]

Early Career

After being in a series of bands, White met up with Aaron Comess and participated in a group called Spade in 1988[9]. This band was a mixture of funk and punk, highlighting White’s fast, finger-plucking bass style and Comess’s traditional jazz education from the New School for Jazz and Contemporary Music in New York City.

Mark quit Spade after a few months, but was asked to audition for a new opening in Trucking Company, a band originally started by John Popper. When Popper left to pursue his other band, Blues Traveler, Chris Barron (lead vocals) and Eric Schenkman (guitar, backup vocals) decided to continue Trucking Company with the addition of Aaron Comess, with whom they had studied at the New School.

Mark White and the Spin Doctors

However, during Mark White's audition, Trucking Company solidified into a much different style, in part because of White’s eclectic musical background[10]. Schenkman came up with the name, Spin Doctors[11] to represent their new combined sound.

Mark quit the Spin Doctors in 1999 and the bass tracks on "Here Comes The Bride" were completed by Comess.[12] Soon after, the band stopped touring because Barron suffered from vocal chord paralysis. In 2001, Barron and Schenkmen put aside their differences for a one-time show[13] at the historic venue, The Wetlands before it closed permanently. Mark White joined them for this reunion, which gradually turned into an unofficial reunion tour[14]. This marked the beginning of the band’s reconnection. The reunited Spin Doctors went on to release Nice Talking to Me in 2005[15] and If the River Was Whiskey[16] in 2013 through Ruffnation Records[17]

Political Activism and Community Involvement

White has been an outspoken activist for the New Atheism movement, which promotes countering Christianity actively instead of just tolerating it.[18] He has been a guest on the Minnesota Atheists Radio Show[19], sharing his personal journey away from Christianity. He was also invited to be a keynote speaker for the American Atheists National Convention in 2014.[20]

Current Musical and Other Artistic Endeavors

In addition to being a touring member of the Spin Doctors, White teaches private lessons out of the Rockin' Robin music center in Houston, Texas.[21] He also plays bass for a variety of bands and genres, including an October 2014 stint with the piano rock grunge band, Eight53.[22]

In addition to participating heavily in the music industry, In 2014 White also collaborated with Sal “King” “Cappi” Capozucca as the illustrator of the children’s book, “Roach the Pony."[23]

Notes

  1. ^ Anonymous. The Robotix Rock the Nation.. Southlake Style. (Southlake, TX) Dec. 6, 2013.
  2. ^ Sweeney, Dan. At Home With the Heavy Pets. Sun Sentinel. (Palm Beach, FL) March 17, 2011.
  3. ^ Blumenstein, Lawrence. Freeworld with Erik Lawrence and Mark White (Spin Dr's) at Nightingales, N.Y.1999. Larry Blumenstein Video Productions. 1999.
  4. ^ Ruggiero, Bob. Spin Doctors' Houstonian Bassist Talks Grooves, Kryptonite. Houston Press. (Houston, TX) May 26, 2011.
  5. ^ Thornhill, Ted. Come explore your doubt with us: Atheist billboard campaign in Salt Lake City parodies 'I'm a Mormon' ads. Daily Mail. (London, ENG) Jan. 3, 2014.
  6. ^ Gorges, Stephanie. Happy Birthday Panama City News Herald. (Panama City, FL) July 7, 2007.
  7. ^ Heinze, Daniel. Band/Members:So Who Are The Band Members Really? More Than Meets The Ear: The Spin Doctors Archive. (Liepzig, GER)
  8. ^ Mark White of the Spin Doctors Talks the Low End. Bass Guitar Magazine. (Warwickshire, ENG) March 25, 2014.
  9. ^ Luke, George. "Spin Doctors." Buckley, Peter, ed. The Rough Guide to Rock: 3rd Edition. Rough Guides Online Publishing. 2003.
  10. ^ Masley, Ed. Hippie Mistake: Spin Doctor Bassist Mark White Says His Band Is Misunderstood Pittsburg Post-Gazette. (Pittsburg, PA) June 4, 1993.
  11. ^ Heinze, Daniel. How Did the Band Come Together? Band History. More Than Meets The Ear: The Spin Doctors Archive. (Liepzig, GER)
  12. ^ promisedeyes. Spin Doctors Biography. Last.fm.com. April 8, 2014. Accessed Sept. 10, 2014.
  13. ^ Grossberg, Josh. The Return of the Spin Doctors! EOnline.com. Sept. 7, 2001.
  14. ^ St. John, Warren. That 90's Band Tries Again. New York Times. (New York, NY) Sept. 25, 2005.
  15. ^ Jarnow, Jesse Spin Doctors - Nice Talking to Me Paste Magazine. Jan. 18, 2006. Accessed Sept. 23, 2014.
  16. ^ Rendflesh, Alysha. Spin Doctors: If The River Was Whiskey Review. Blues Rock Review. May 9, 2013. Accessed Sept. 11, 2014.
  17. ^ Spin Doctors Discography. AllNation Music. Accessed Sept. 25, 2014.
  18. ^ Wolf, Gary. The Church of the Non-Believers Wired Magazine. Issue 14:11. Nov. 2006. Accessed Sept. 21, 2014.
  19. ^ http://mnatheists.org/news-and-media/podcast/969-spin-doctors-mark-white-on-atheists-talk-266-may-4th-2014
  20. ^ Mehta, Hermant. Barbara Hillary, First African-American Woman to Reach North Pole, Will Speak at Atheist Convention Patheos.com. Aug. 20, 2013. Accessed Sept. 14, 2014.
  21. ^ Ruggiero, Bob. Spin Doctors' Houstonian Bassist Talks Grooves, Kryptonite. Houston Press. (Houston, TX) May 26, 2011.
  22. ^ Mark White (Spin Doctors) to Record With Portland Band Eight53 Eight53.com. Sept. 25, 2014. Accessed Sept. 25, 2014.
  23. ^ Capuzucca, Sal and White, Mark (illus.) Roach the Pony. Amazon Digital Services, Inc. April 11, 2014.

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