Mark Ledford

{{Infobox musical artist

| name = Mark Ledford

| birth_date = March 1960

| birth_place = Detroit, Michigan, U.S.

| death_date = {{death date and age|2004|11|01|1960}}

| death_place = Los Angeles, California

| instrument = Trumpet, guitar

| genre = Jazz, R&B, pop-rap, hip hop

| occupation = Musician, singer, record producer, audio engineer

| years_active = 1982–1998

| associated_acts = Jon Hendricks, Prince, Kevin Eubanks, Stephanie Mills, Faith Evans, Living Colour, Bobby McFerrin, Pat Metheny Group

}}

Mark Ledford (March 10, 1960 – November 1, 2004) was an American trumpeter, singer, and guitarist. He was known for his multi-instrumentalism and his membership in the Pat Metheny Group.{{Cite web|url=http://thedeadrockstarsclub.com/2004b.html|title=The Dead Rock Stars Club - 2004 July to December|website=Thedeadrockstarsclub.com|access-date=12 May 2021}}

Music career

Ledford grew up in Detroit and attended Berklee College of Music between 1978 and 1982.{{Cite web |title=Final Cadence {{!}} Berklee |url=https://www.berklee.edu/berklee-today/spring-2005/final-cadence |access-date=2023-10-11 |website=www.berklee.edu |language=en}} After he graduated, he took a job in advertising while doing session work with Stephanie Mills, Jon Hendricks, Special EFX, Michael Brecker, Kevin Eubanks, Don Byron, Living Colour, Prince, and Bill Evans.{{Cite web |last=Jazz |first=All About |date=2004-11-04 |title=Jazz news: Singer Mark Ledford Passes |url=https://www.allaboutjazz.com/news/singer-mark-ledford-passes/ |access-date=2023-10-11 |website=All About Jazz |language=en}}{{Cite web |title=Mark Ledford |url=https://www.discogs.com/artist/147793-Mark-Ledford |access-date=2023-10-11 |website=Discogs |language=en}} He would later contribute to the soundtracks for the Spike Lee films Mo' Better Blues and Do the Right Thing.{{Cite web |date=2020-01-30 |title=Noteworthy Alumni in the Field of Music: Mark Ledford '78 |url=https://www.missourimilitaryacademy.org/news-details/~board/news/post/noteworthy-alumni-mark-ledford-78 |access-date=2023-10-11 |website=www.missourimilitaryacademy.org |language=en-US}}

In 1986, he began a working relationship with Pat Metheny, appearing live with the Pat Metheny Group and on numerous recordings, including the Grammy award winning albums Secret Story and Still Life (Talking).{{Cite web|url=http://www.smoothvibes.com/movabletype/archives/000265.html|title=Smooth Jazz Vibes: Longtime Pat Metheny Group Member Dies After Heart Attack|website=Smoothvibes.com|access-date=12 May 2021|archive-date=12 May 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190512153638/http://www.smoothvibes.com/movabletype/archives/000265.html|url-status=dead}} He worked with Bobby McFerrin's a cappella group, Circle, and he played in Joe Locke's Storytelling Band.{{Citation |title=Joe Locke - Storytelling |date=2001 |url=https://www.discogs.com/release/9362997-Joe-Locke-Storytelling |access-date=2023-10-11 |language=en}}

Between 1990 and 1992, Ledford taught master classes in trumpet at the Banff Centre in Alberta, Canada.{{Cite web|url=https://www.banffcentre.ca/music/jazz/faculty/|title=Music | Banff Centre|website=Banffcentre.ca|access-date=12 May 2021|archive-date=27 January 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210127020845/https://www.banffcentre.ca/music/jazz/faculty/|url-status=dead}} In 1998, he released a solo album, Miles 2 Go, a tribute to Miles Davis.{{Citation |title=Mark Ledford - Miles 2 Go |date=1998 |url=https://www.discogs.com/release/1523337-Mark-Ledford-Miles-2-Go |access-date=2023-10-11 |language=en}}

On November 1, 2004, Ledford died of heart failure in Los Angeles.