Mark Farner

{{Infobox musical artist

| name = Mark Farner

| image = Mark Farner (2009).jpg

| caption = Farner performing in 2009

| birth_name =

| alias =

| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1948|9|29}}

| birth_place = Flint, Michigan, U.S.

| instrument = Guitar, vocals, keyboards, harmonica

| genre = Rock, hard rock, CCM

| occupation = Musician

| years_active = 1965–present

| current_member_of = Mark Farner's American Band

| past_member_of = Grand Funk Railroad, Terry Knight and the Pack, N'rG, Ringo Starr & His All-Starr Band

| website = {{URL|markfarner.com}}

}}

Mark Fredrick Farner (born September 29, 1948) is an American musician. He was the original singer and guitarist of the rock band Grand Funk Railroad, which he co-founded in 1969, and later as a contemporary Christian musician.

Early life and career

Farner began his career in music by playing in Terry Knight and The Pack (1965–1966),{{cite web |url=https://michiganrockandrolllegends.com/index.php/mrrl-hall-of-fame/351-mark-farner |title=Mark Farner – Michigan Rock and Roll Legends |last=Johnson |first=Gary |date=June 4, 2015 |website=Michigan Rock and Roll Legends |access-date=October 1, 2021}} The Bossmen (1966–1967), The Pack (aka The Fabulous Pack) (1967–1968), before forming Grand Funk Railroad with Don Brewer (drums) and Mel Schacher (bass guitar) in 1969. Farner attended Flint Kearsley High School.{{Cite web |url=https://www.flintside.com/features/mark-farner-grand-funk-railroad.aspx|title=Flint native Mark Farner of Grand Funk Railroad is still bringing the funk|author=Jeff Piechowski|publisher=Flintside|date=2024-01-07|accessdate=2024-09-05}} Craig Frost (keyboards) joined the band in 1972. Farner is of Cherokee descent on his maternal side.{{cite web | last = Smith | first = Noel Lyn | title = Grand Funk's frontman to rock Jackson arena | publisher = navajotimes.com | url = http://www.navajotimes.com/entertainment/2009/1009/100109grandfunk.php | access-date = April 11, 2010 | archive-date = July 24, 2011 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20110724203854/http://www.navajotimes.com/entertainment/2009/1009/100109grandfunk.php | url-status = dead }}

With Grand Funk Railroad

File:Mark Farner 1971.jpg

Farner was the guitarist and lead singer for Grand Funk Railroad as well as the songwriter for most of their material. His best-known composition is the 1970 epic "I'm Your Captain (Closer to Home)".{{cite video | date=March 7, 1999 | title=Grand Funk Railroad | publisher=VH1 Behind the Music}} He also wrote the 1975 hit "Bad Time", the last of the band's four singles to make the top 5 on the Billboard Hot 100.{{cite book

| first= Joel

| last= Whitburn

| year= 2003

| title= Top Pop Singles 1955–2002

| page= [https://archive.org/details/joelwhitburnstop00whitbur/page/288 288]

| publisher= Record Research, Inc

| location= Menomonee Falls, Wisconsin

| isbn= 0-89820-155-1

| url-access= registration

| url= https://archive.org/details/joelwhitburnstop00whitbur/page/288

}}

Post-Grand Funk Railroad

After Grand Funk initially disbanded in 1976, Farner released his self-titled debut solo album in 1977,{{cite web|url=http://www.discogs.com/Mark-Farner-Mark-Farner/master/218900|title=Mark Farner – Mark Farner|website=Discogs|year=1977 }} and his second, No Frills, in 1978 (both Atlantic Records).{{Cite web |url=http://www.discogs.com/Mark-Farner-Band-No-Frills/release/2941421 |title=Mark Farner Band – No Frills (Vinyl, LP, Album) at Discogs |website=Discogs |access-date=November 10, 2015 |archive-date=March 11, 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160311044903/https://www.discogs.com/Mark-Farner-Band-No-Frills/release/2941421 |url-status=dead }} In 1981, Farner and Don Brewer launched a new Grand Funk line-up with bassist Dennis Bellinger and recorded two albums, Grand Funk Lives and What's Funk?{{Citation needed|date=March 2011}} Farner went solo again with 1988's Just Another Injustice on Frontline Records.{{cite web|url=http://www.discogs.com/Mark-Farner-Just-Another-Injustice/release/4800363|title=Mark Farner – Just Another Injustice|website=Discogs|year=1988 }} His third Frontline release was 1991's Some Kind of Wonderful, which featured a revamped Jesus version of the Grand Funk classic of the same name. Farner became a born again Christian in the late 1980s and enjoyed success with the John Beland composition "Isn't it Amazing", which earned him a Dove Award nomination and reached No. 2 on the Contemporary Christian music charts.{{Citation needed|date=March 2011}}

In the 1990s, Farner formed Lismark Communications with former Freedom Reader editor Steve Lisuk. Soon after, Farner began reissuing his solo albums on his own record label, LisMark Records.{{cite web|url=http://www.discogs.com/Mark-Farner-Mark-Farners-NrG-Band-Live/release/4560430|title=Mark Farner – Mark Farner's N'rG Band Live!|website=Discogs|year=2003 }}

From 1994 to 1995, Farner toured with Ringo Starr's Allstars, which also featured Randy Bachman, John Entwistle, Felix Cavaliere, Billy Preston, and Starr's son, Zak Starkey.{{cite web|url=http://www.bransontrilakesnews.com/entertainment/article_3d2d1180-d527-11e2-b015-0019bb2963f4.html|title='Funk' frontman headlines special concert|work=Branson Tri-Lakes News|date=June 14, 2013 |access-date=November 11, 2015}}

In the late 1990s, Farner reunited with Grand Funk, but left after three years to resume his solo career. He currently tours with his band, Mark Farner's American Band, which plays a mixture of Grand Funk songs and Farner's solo offerings.

Farner had a pacemaker installed October 22, 2012, having struggled with heart troubles for the previous eight years.{{cite web|url=http://www.oldiesmusic.com/news.htm|title=Oldies Music News|access-date=November 8, 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181021031111/http://www.oldiesmusic.com/news.htm|archive-date=October 21, 2018|url-status=dead}}

Farner was voted into the Michigan Rock and Roll Legends Hall of Fame as a solo artist in 2015. He had previously been inducted as a member of both Grand Funk Railroad and Terry Knight & The Pack.{{cite web|url=https://www.michiganrockandrolllegends.com/mrrl-hall-of-fame/255-mark-farner|title=Michigan Rock and Roll Legends – MARK FARNER|first=Gary|last=Johnson|website=www.michiganrockandrolllegends.com|access-date=July 10, 2018}}

Other interests

Farner was honored with the Lakota Sioux Elders Honor Mark in 1999. During the concert in Hankinson, North Dakota, a special presentation was held honoring Mark's Native ancestry and his contributions. Members of the Lakota Nation presented him with a hand-made ceremonial quilt.{{cite web|url=http://www.markfarner.com/awards.php|work=Mark Farners Official Website|title=Lakota Sioux Elders Honor Mark, Ceremonial Quilt Presented|date=August 28, 1999|access-date=February 6, 2011|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20061023140755/http://www.markfarner.com/awards.php|archive-date=October 23, 2006}} He has also been honored with the Cherokee Medal of Honor by the Cherokee Honor Society.

An authorized biography of Farner, entitled From Grand Funk to Grace, was published in 2001.{{cite book|title=From Grand Funk to Grace: Authorized Biography of Mark Farner|first= Kristofer |last=Engelhardt|publisher= Collector's Guide Publishing, Inc.|year= 2001|isbn= 978-1-896522-74-6}}

In popular culture

Mark Farner is mentioned by Homer Simpson in The Simpsons episode, "Homerpalooza", in season 7, episode 24 of the series. As Homer drives his children and their friends to school, Grand Funk is on the car radio. The children do not like it and ask him to change the station when he responds, "you kids don't know Grand Funk? The wild, shirtless lyrics of Mark Farner. The bong-rattling bass of Mel Schacher. The competent drum work of Don Brewer?"{{cite web|url=http://www.springfieldspringfield.co.uk/view_episode_scripts.php?episode=s07e24|title=The Simpsons 3F21 Episode Script – SS|work=Springfield! Springfield!|access-date=November 11, 2015}}

Mark Farner was mentioned in episode 9 of season 8 of the HBO comedy series Curb Your Enthusiasm in September 2011.{{cite web|url=http://www.springfieldspringfield.co.uk/view_episode_scripts.php?tv-show=curb-your-enthusiasm&episode=s08e09|title=Curb Your Enthusiasm s08e09 Episode Script – SS|work=Springfield! Springfield!|access-date=November 11, 2015}}

Discography

File:Mark farner.JPG

= Studio albums =

Mark Farner, 1977
No Frills, 1978
Just Another Injustice, 1988
Wake Up..., 1989
Some Kind of Wonderful, 1991
For the People, 2006
Closer to My Home, 2024

= with Grand Funk Railroad =

On Time (1969)
Grand Funk (1969)
Closer to Home (1970)
Live Album (1970)
Survival (1971)
E Pluribus Funk (1971)
Phoenix (1972)
We're an American Band (1973)
Shinin' On (1974)
All the Girls in the World Beware!!! (1974)
Caught in the Act (1975)
Born to Die (1976)
Good Singin', Good Playin' (1976)
Grand Funk Lives (1981)
What's Funk? (1983)
Bosnia (1997)

= Other releases =

Closer to Home, 1992 (best-of)
Heirlooms: The Complete Atlantic Sessions, 2000 (re-release of Farner's two first studio albums)
Red White and Blue Forever, 2002 (mini-album)
Live!! N'rG, 2003
Mark Farner the Rock Patriot, March 9, 2003, Live Extended Versions

References

External links

{{Official website|1=http://www.markfarner.com}}
[https://web.archive.org/web/20090412013709/http://vintagerock.com/mfarner_interview.aspx 2008 Mark Farner interview]
{{Discogs artist}}

Category:1948 births

Category:Living people

Category:American tenors

Category:American people of Cherokee descent

Category:American performers of Christian music

Category:American rock guitarists

Category:American male guitarists

Category:American rock singers

Category:American male singer-songwriters

Category:American rock songwriters

Category:Grand Funk Railroad members

Category:American lead guitarists