Mark Olson (musician)
Encyclopedia
Mark Olson is an American
musician. He is one of the founding members of acclaimed alternative country
bands The Jayhawks and The Original Harmony Ridge Creekdippers
and a respected singer/songwriter in his own right.
and was originally the principal singer/songwriter in the group. Along with Marc Perlman (bass) and Thad Spencer (drums), they released their eponymous debut album in 1986 through independent label Bunkhouse Records. The band were signed by Minneapolis label Twin Tone in 1987 and released Blue Earth
, which saw Louris sharing more songwriting and singing duties with Olson. It was this album that led the band to be signed by major label Def American - A&R representative and producer George Drakoulias
is said to have heard Blue Earth playing in the background while on a phone call to Twin Tone in 1991 and signed the band later that year.
Their first album for Def American was the Drakoulias-produced Hollywood Town Hall
in 1992. After a successful single, "Waiting For The Sun", and extensive touring the band went back in the studio and released the follow-up, Tomorrow the Green Grass
in 1995, which yielded the radio hit "Blue". The same year Olson quit The Jayhawks to look after wife Victoria Williams
after she was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis, and the band continued without him, releasing three more albums before going on hiatus in 2005.
For his post-Jayhawks career, Olson decided to return to his folk and country roots and with the help of his wife Victoria Williams
and multi-instrumentalist Mike "Razz" Russell, self-released the well-received album The Original Harmony Ridge Creek Dippers
in 1997. The trio teamed up again for the 1998 album Pacific Coast Rambler
and 1999's Zola And The Tulip Tree
.
By 2000, Olson was confident enough to give an album his own name, releasing the autobiographical My Own Jo Ellen
under Mark Olson And The Original Harmony Ridge Creekdippers. Two more albums recorded with The Creekdippers followed, December's Child
in 2002 (which saw him reunited with former bandmate Gary Louris
for the first time in seven years on the track "Say You'll Be Mine") and Mystic Theatre (which also featured Victoria Williams
) in 2004. The same year saw the release of another Creekdippers album, Political Manifest
.
After splitting from wife Williams in 2005, Olson paired up once again with Louris for two short tours in the winter of 2005 and the spring of 2006. He released his acclaimed solo album, The Salvation Blues
, in June 2007. The album, written while staying with Cardiff-based folk singer and writer Charlotte Greig and her novelist husband John Williams, was inspired by his divorce.
After the release of The Salvation Blues
, Mark Olson toured all over the States and Europe with Italian violin player Michele Gazich and Norwegian multi-instrumentalist Ingunn Ringvold (Sailorine
), playing djembe
/ percussion, piano
and singing harmony vocals playing more than 300 shows together.
An album with Louris was released in November 2008 (January 2009 in the U.S.), produced by Chris Robinson of The Black Crowes, called Ready For The Flood
.
In 2011 The Jayhawks reunited and recorded a new album. The lineup consists of Mark Olson, Gary Louris, Marc Perlman, Karen Grotberg, and Tim O'Reagan, and, as Louris says, "Our goal is to make the best Jayhawks album that's ever been done". 18 songs had been recorded, 16 of them new, but only 12 will be on the record. The album, Mockingbird Time, was released September 20. The band toured in support.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
musician. He is one of the founding members of acclaimed alternative country
Alternative country
Alternative country is a loosely defined sub-genre of country music, which includes acts that differ significantly in style from mainstream or pop country music...
bands The Jayhawks and The Original Harmony Ridge Creekdippers
Original Harmony Ridge Creekdippers
The Original Harmony Ridge Creekdippers are an Americana group formed by songwriter Mark Olson and his wife Victoria Williams after Olson left his previous band The Jayhawks...
and a respected singer/songwriter in his own right.
Career
Olson formed The Jayhawks in 1985 with singer/guitarist Gary LourisGary Louris
Gary Louris is a guitarist, singer, and songwriter of alternative country and pop music. He was a founding member of the Minneapolis-based band The Jayhawks, and their principal songwriter and vocalist after the departure of Mark Olson; he is often credited with the band's subsequent move from...
and was originally the principal singer/songwriter in the group. Along with Marc Perlman (bass) and Thad Spencer (drums), they released their eponymous debut album in 1986 through independent label Bunkhouse Records. The band were signed by Minneapolis label Twin Tone in 1987 and released Blue Earth
Blue Earth (Jayhawks album)
Blue Earth is an album by the American alternative country and rock band The Jayhawks, released in 1989.-History:After the local release of their debut album The Jayhawks, the band recorded a set of demos in order to attract a major label deal. Singer/guitarist Gary Louris was injured in a car...
, which saw Louris sharing more songwriting and singing duties with Olson. It was this album that led the band to be signed by major label Def American - A&R representative and producer George Drakoulias
George Drakoulias
George Drakoulias is a Greek-American music producer and A&R executive at the American Recordings label. He is often considered a protege of Rick Rubin....
is said to have heard Blue Earth playing in the background while on a phone call to Twin Tone in 1991 and signed the band later that year.
Their first album for Def American was the Drakoulias-produced Hollywood Town Hall
Hollywood Town Hall
Hollywood Town Hall is a 1992 album by country rock revivalists The Jayhawks. It peaked at #11 on the Billboard Heatseekers and #192 on the Billboard 200...
in 1992. After a successful single, "Waiting For The Sun", and extensive touring the band went back in the studio and released the follow-up, Tomorrow the Green Grass
Tomorrow the Green Grass
Tomorrow the Green Grass is an album by the American alternative country and rock band The Jayhawks, released in 1995. It peaked at number 92 on The Billboard 200 charts.-History:...
in 1995, which yielded the radio hit "Blue". The same year Olson quit The Jayhawks to look after wife Victoria Williams
Victoria Williams
Victoria Williams is an American singer-songwriter and musician, originally from Shreveport, Louisiana, although she has resided in Southern California throughout her musical career. She is noted for her descriptive songwriting talent, which she has used to immerse the listener of her songs into a...
after she was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis, and the band continued without him, releasing three more albums before going on hiatus in 2005.
For his post-Jayhawks career, Olson decided to return to his folk and country roots and with the help of his wife Victoria Williams
Victoria Williams
Victoria Williams is an American singer-songwriter and musician, originally from Shreveport, Louisiana, although she has resided in Southern California throughout her musical career. She is noted for her descriptive songwriting talent, which she has used to immerse the listener of her songs into a...
and multi-instrumentalist Mike "Razz" Russell, self-released the well-received album The Original Harmony Ridge Creek Dippers
The Original Harmony Ridge Creek Dippers
-Track listing:All songs by Mark Olson otherwise noted.# "Flowering Trees" – 3:13# "When School Begins" – 2:37# "Run with the Ponies" – 3:48# "Be on My Way Home" – 2:26# "She Picks the Violets" – 2:33# "Valentine King" – 3:45...
in 1997. The trio teamed up again for the 1998 album Pacific Coast Rambler
Pacific Coast Rambler
Pacific Coast Rambler is the second album by the Original Harmony Ridge Creekdippers. As with their first release, it is a home-made recording with the focus on Mark Olson.Pacific Coast Rambler was re-released in 2001 by Koch Records.-Track listing:...
and 1999's Zola And The Tulip Tree
Zola and the Tulip Tree
Zola And The Tulip Tree is the third album by the Original Harmony Ridge Creekdippers, released in 1999.-Track listing:# "Zola And The Tulip Tree" – 2:32# "Lorna Doone's Garden" – 2:43...
.
By 2000, Olson was confident enough to give an album his own name, releasing the autobiographical My Own Jo Ellen
My Own Jo Ellen
-Track listing:All songs written by Mark Olson.# "Someone to Talk With" – 4:06# "Linda Lee" – 4:32# "Walking Through Nevada" – 3:15# "Meeting in Lone Pine" – 3:56# "Diamond Davey" – 3:58# "Rainbow of Your Heart" – 4:27# "Ben Johnson's Creek" – 2:54...
under Mark Olson And The Original Harmony Ridge Creekdippers. Two more albums recorded with The Creekdippers followed, December's Child
December's Child
-Track listing:All songs by Mark Olson except as noted.# "How Can I Send Tonight " – 3:46# "Still We Have A Friend In You" – 3:52# "Alta's Song" – 3:49# "Back To The Old Homeplace" – 2:29# "December's Child" – 4:21# "Nerstrand Woods" – 4:38...
in 2002 (which saw him reunited with former bandmate Gary Louris
Gary Louris
Gary Louris is a guitarist, singer, and songwriter of alternative country and pop music. He was a founding member of the Minneapolis-based band The Jayhawks, and their principal songwriter and vocalist after the departure of Mark Olson; he is often credited with the band's subsequent move from...
for the first time in seven years on the track "Say You'll Be Mine") and Mystic Theatre (which also featured Victoria Williams
Victoria Williams
Victoria Williams is an American singer-songwriter and musician, originally from Shreveport, Louisiana, although she has resided in Southern California throughout her musical career. She is noted for her descriptive songwriting talent, which she has used to immerse the listener of her songs into a...
) in 2004. The same year saw the release of another Creekdippers album, Political Manifest
Political Manifest
Political Manifest is the seventh album by the Original Harmony Ridge Creekdippers.-Track listing:# "Poor GW"# "Walk With Them"# "Duck Hunting"# "Senator Byrd Speech"# "Where Is My Baby Boy"# "George Bush Industriale"# "Saw Song"...
.
After splitting from wife Williams in 2005, Olson paired up once again with Louris for two short tours in the winter of 2005 and the spring of 2006. He released his acclaimed solo album, The Salvation Blues
The Salvation Blues
The Salvation Blues is a 2007 solo album by singer/songwriter Mark Olson.-Reception:-Track listing:All songs by Mark Olson unless otherwise noted.#"My Carol"#"Clifton Bridge"#"Poor Michael's Boat"...
, in June 2007. The album, written while staying with Cardiff-based folk singer and writer Charlotte Greig and her novelist husband John Williams, was inspired by his divorce.
After the release of The Salvation Blues
The Salvation Blues
The Salvation Blues is a 2007 solo album by singer/songwriter Mark Olson.-Reception:-Track listing:All songs by Mark Olson unless otherwise noted.#"My Carol"#"Clifton Bridge"#"Poor Michael's Boat"...
, Mark Olson toured all over the States and Europe with Italian violin player Michele Gazich and Norwegian multi-instrumentalist Ingunn Ringvold (Sailorine
Sailorine
Sailorine is the roots singer, musician and songwriter Ingunn Ringvold from Norway.She plays piano, harmonium, gitar, dulcimer and djembe.- Musical career :She grew up in Larvik in Norway...
), playing djembe
Djembe
A djembe also known as jembe, jenbe, djbobimbe, jymbe, yembe, or jimbay, or sanbanyi in Susu; is a skin-covered drum meant played with bare hands....
/ percussion, piano
Piano
The piano is a musical instrument played by means of a keyboard. It is one of the most popular instruments in the world. Widely used in classical and jazz music for solo performances, ensemble use, chamber music and accompaniment, the piano is also very popular as an aid to composing and rehearsal...
and singing harmony vocals playing more than 300 shows together.
An album with Louris was released in November 2008 (January 2009 in the U.S.), produced by Chris Robinson of The Black Crowes, called Ready For The Flood
Ready for the Flood
Ready for the Flood is an album by former Jayhawks bandmates Mark Olson and Gary Louris.-Reception:-Track listing:All songs by Mark Olson & Gary Louris#"Rose Society" – 3:12#"Bicycle" – 3:52#"Turn Your Pretty Name Around" – 4:51...
.
In 2011 The Jayhawks reunited and recorded a new album. The lineup consists of Mark Olson, Gary Louris, Marc Perlman, Karen Grotberg, and Tim O'Reagan, and, as Louris says, "Our goal is to make the best Jayhawks album that's ever been done". 18 songs had been recorded, 16 of them new, but only 12 will be on the record. The album, Mockingbird Time, was released September 20. The band toured in support.
With The Jayhawks
- The JayhawksThe Jayhawks (album)The Jayhawks is a 1986 album by The Jayhawks. It is also known as the Bunkhouse Tapes.-History:Out of print for many years, the album was digitally remastered from reel-to-reel and reissued by Lost Highway Records on May 18, 2010...
(1986) - Blue EarthBlue Earth (Jayhawks album)Blue Earth is an album by the American alternative country and rock band The Jayhawks, released in 1989.-History:After the local release of their debut album The Jayhawks, the band recorded a set of demos in order to attract a major label deal. Singer/guitarist Gary Louris was injured in a car...
(1989) - Hollywood Town HallHollywood Town HallHollywood Town Hall is a 1992 album by country rock revivalists The Jayhawks. It peaked at #11 on the Billboard Heatseekers and #192 on the Billboard 200...
(1992) - Tomorrow the Green GrassTomorrow the Green GrassTomorrow the Green Grass is an album by the American alternative country and rock band The Jayhawks, released in 1995. It peaked at number 92 on The Billboard 200 charts.-History:...
(1995) - Mockingbird TimeMockingbird Time-Deluxe Edition:...
(2011)
With The Original Harmony Ridge Creekdippers
- The Original Harmony Ridge Creek DippersThe Original Harmony Ridge Creek Dippers-Track listing:All songs by Mark Olson otherwise noted.# "Flowering Trees" – 3:13# "When School Begins" – 2:37# "Run with the Ponies" – 3:48# "Be on My Way Home" – 2:26# "She Picks the Violets" – 2:33# "Valentine King" – 3:45...
(1997) - Pacific Coast RamblerPacific Coast RamblerPacific Coast Rambler is the second album by the Original Harmony Ridge Creekdippers. As with their first release, it is a home-made recording with the focus on Mark Olson.Pacific Coast Rambler was re-released in 2001 by Koch Records.-Track listing:...
(1998) - Zola And The Tulip TreeZola and the Tulip TreeZola And The Tulip Tree is the third album by the Original Harmony Ridge Creekdippers, released in 1999.-Track listing:# "Zola And The Tulip Tree" – 2:32# "Lorna Doone's Garden" – 2:43...
(1999) - My Own Jo EllenMy Own Jo Ellen-Track listing:All songs written by Mark Olson.# "Someone to Talk With" – 4:06# "Linda Lee" – 4:32# "Walking Through Nevada" – 3:15# "Meeting in Lone Pine" – 3:56# "Diamond Davey" – 3:58# "Rainbow of Your Heart" – 4:27# "Ben Johnson's Creek" – 2:54...
(2000) - December's ChildDecember's Child-Track listing:All songs by Mark Olson except as noted.# "How Can I Send Tonight " – 3:46# "Still We Have A Friend In You" – 3:52# "Alta's Song" – 3:49# "Back To The Old Homeplace" – 2:29# "December's Child" – 4:21# "Nerstrand Woods" – 4:38...
(2002) - Mystic Theatre (2004)
- Political ManifestPolitical ManifestPolitical Manifest is the seventh album by the Original Harmony Ridge Creekdippers.-Track listing:# "Poor GW"# "Walk With Them"# "Duck Hunting"# "Senator Byrd Speech"# "Where Is My Baby Boy"# "George Bush Industriale"# "Saw Song"...
(2004)