Mark Collie

George Mark Collie (born January 18, 1956) is an American country music singer, songwriter, musician, actor, record producer, and fundraiser for Type 1 diabetes study.

He has won awards and acclaim for his music, his acting, and his philanthropy.

His singing career has included five major-label albums: four for MCA Nashville and one for Giant Records.

Sixteen of his singles have charted on Hot Country Songs, including the top ten hits "Even the Man in the Moon Is Cryin'" and "Born to Love You".

Collie has also written songs for Aaron Tippin, Alabama, Garth Brooks, Tim McGraw, and JT Hodges.

His acting career includes roles in Fire Down Below, The Punisher, and Kill Switch.

From the beginnings of his performing and recording career, Collie's singing and performing style drew comparisons to Bruce Springsteen and Johnny Cash as a result of Collie’s combination of Rockabilly energy, intensity, and clever songwriting.

Collie began his career on MCA Records in 1989 after being discovered by label representatives.

Tony Brown, then-president of the label, helped Collie secure his contract.

His debut album Hardin County Line was released in 1990, with Brown and Doug Johnson co-producing.

The album produced four singles: "Something With a Ring to It", "Looks Aren't Everything", the title track, and "Let Her Go", which was the highest-charting of the four, at #18 on Hot Country Songs.

Its B-side, "Where There's Smoke", was later a Top 40 single for Archer/Park in 1994.

His second album, Born and Raised in Black & White, produced Top 40 singles in "Calloused Hands" and "She's Never Comin' Back", while "It Don't Take a Lot" peaked at #70.

Steve Huey of Allmusic described the album as "more polished" than its predecessor.

Collie's third album for MCA, Mark Collie, was produced by Don Cook.

It accounted for his two highest-charting singles: "Even the Man in the Moon Is Cryin'" at #5, and "Born to Love You" at #6.

After those two songs, "Shame Shame Shame Shame" and "Something's Gonna Change Her Mind" both made top 30 as well.

Brian Mansfield wrote that the album was "At once a move to the mainstream and a return to Collie's West Tennessee rockabilly roots."

Unleashed, was released in 1994.

Its first single, "It Is No Secret", failed to make Top 40, while the only other release, "Hard Lovin' Woman", made #13.

The album included guest vocals from Deborah Allen, Carlene Carter, and James House.

Starting in 1994 and continuing to present Collie has played a variety of characters including in 1999, Johnny Cash in the short I Still Miss Someone which he also co-wrote and co-produced with filmmaker John Lloyd Miller.

Collie has appeared as Frankie Gray on the ABC series Nashville.

Collie signed to Giant Records in 1995.

His only album for the label was Tennessee Plates, which Collie co-produced with James Stroud.

Its two charting singles were "Three Words, Two Hearts, One Night", his last Top 40 entry on the country chart, and "Steady as She Goes".

After these two songs, he charted at #72 with "Love to Burn", which he recorded for the Columbia Records multi-artist compilation NASCAR: Hotter than Asphalt.

Collie covered Jim Croce's "Rapid Roy (The Stock Car Boy)" on the 1997 tribute album Jim Croce: A Nashville Tribute.

In 1998, MCA released a budget-line compilation titled Even the Man in the Moon Is Cryin', which comprised several of his MCA singles.

He did not release another album until Rose Covered Garden in 2006.

A live album, Alive at Brushy Mountain, was released in 2012.

He has performed onstage with many artists including Tim McGraw, Kenny Chesney, and Johnny Cash.

He continues to tour actively both in the U.S. and Europe.

In September 2013 Collie signed to 101 Ranch records and was the first artist signed to them.

"I'm thrilled to have a new home with 101 Ranch Records and to be working with a terrific team with Doug, Bob and Tammy," says Mark Collie.

"There are some new and exciting projects coming up on the horizon that I look forward to debuting with the label."

Collie's songwriting credits include Garth Brooks, Tim McGraw, Alabama, and George Jones.

He is also noted with writing songs for Hollywood Movies such as Lions Gate's The Punisher starring Thomas Jane and Fire Down Below starring Steven Seagal.

In addition to his own recordings, Collie has produced or co-produced albums for Brandt Vogel, JT Hodges, Kyle Sherman, and the Horn Family.

Collie has acted in television series and movies, independent features and Hollywood feature films.