Kentucky native Mark Fosson has been playing music now for nearly 50 years. His guitar picking career beginning back in 1976 after he sent a demo to John Fahey’s very own “American Primitive” label Takoma Records. Fahey wrote back to Fosson inviting him out to the west coast to re-record the material for the forthcoming release.
Mark showed up, they recorded, it sounded great…then Takoma went bankrupt, John Fahey sold the whole company and the release of Mark’s record was abruptly cancelled. No new destination for the recordings immediately presented itself, so Mark moved on, making music with the Bum Steers and continuing to release albums sporadically in the mid aughts.
In 2006 those early recordings saw the light of day when Drag City released The Lost Takoma Sessions.
https://youtu.be/q5Cfvq9J-iI
Later, his early home demos were released by the good folks at Tompkins Square Records as Digging in the Dust: Home Recordings 1976 (TSQ 2721).
In 2007 he released Jesus on a Greyhound which saw him frequently compared to artists like Ramblin’ Jack Elliott, Joe Ely, John Prine, and Guy Clark.
Then in 2015 he recorded a batch of tunes inspired by his Kentucky home released as kY. It comprised mainly of 6 & 12 string solo guitar, as well as two banjo pieces and one performed on mountain dulcimer.
Now here’s another collection to hear! Solo Guitar continues to use his chops and enthusiasm to wander musically, drawing up pieces of sparkling, nimble fingerstyle with an eclectic vision. As the title implies, this time Mark is focused on the austerity of the guitar, plain and simple, to bring out the music. This is one of Mark‘s favourites of all that he’s written, and it is clear why: the golden, eternal promise of the guitar is ebulliently, transcendentally delivered. Mark Fosson‘s Solo Guitar is a masterful work, the kind it takes a lifetime to assemble! Out July 28th on LP/CD!
Pre-order it via Drag City here: http://www.dragcity.com/products/solo-guitar