Mark Spiro
Mark Spiro (born March 28, 1957) is an American songwriter, record producer and recording artist.[1]
Mark Spiro | |
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Birth name | Mark Spiro |
Born | Seattle, Washington, United States | March 28, 1957
Origin | Los Angeles, California, United States |
Genres | Pop, rock |
Occupation(s) | Musician, songwriter, producer |
Instruments | Vocals, guitar, bass, synthesizer, keyboard |
Labels | Interscope, Sony, Empire, A Sun Hill Production AB |
Represented on over 100 million records sold worldwide, Spiro has delivered songs to artists such as Julian Lennon, Cheap Trick, John Waite, Heart, Laura Branigan, Bad English, Lita Ford, and Giant. He has also released solo material sporadically.
Career[]
Originally from Seattle, Spiro relocated to Los Angeles to pursue a career within the music industry in his early 20s. While in L.A., he met German record producer/label owner Jack White, after which he spent several years in Germany working as a singer, songwriter, and producer (Laura Branigan, Anne Murray, Engelbert Humperdinck, Pia Zadora, Hazell Dean, David Hasselhoff).
Upon Spiro's return to Los Angeles in the mid-1980s, he began building a reputation as a successful songwriter with his first major cut on the Top Gun soundtrack and has continued to write songs and produce for other artists.
Spiro was one of the first recording artists to be signed by Interscope Records/Jimmy Iovine. Scheduling conflicts/politics resulted in Spiro leaving Interscope Records. He later recorded Care of My Soul, a solo album released in Australia, Scandinavia, and Japan. In September 2012, his brand new Care Of My Soul. Vol. 2 album was released by Sun Hill Production. At the same time an extended version of the Care Of My Soul Vol. 1 album was released. Both CD albums are available in digipack packaging with 8-12 page booklets as well as found on all digital platforms and formats. In late 2012 Spiro co-wrote and produced the duet "Someday" with Julian Lennon and Steven Tyler.
Spiro also produced for his daughters Ruby and Summer Spiro, who recorded for Lyric Street Records as the duo Ruby Summer.
In 2020, Frontiers Records released a compilation called “2+2=5: Best of + Rarities” which features the best of his solo material starting from 1996's “Now Is Then, Then is Now”, until “It’s a Beautiful Life”, which was released in 2012 on the German label .
Spiro has recently announced a new solo album entitled "Traveling Cowboys" which will be released on May 7, 2021, from Frontiers Records. The first single from the album is a duet called "7 Billion People"[2] which features Julian Lennon and guitarist Tim Pierce.
Discography[]
Solo albums[]
- In Stereo (1986, Germany)
- Care Of My Soul (1994, Japan/Australia/Scandinavia)
- Now Is Then, Then Is Now (1996, Europe & Scandinavia)
- Devotion (1998, Europe & Scandinavia)
- The Stuff Dreams Are Made Of (1999, Europe & Scandinavia)
- King of Crows (2003, Europe & Scandinavia)
- Mighty Blue Ocean (2005, Europe & Scandinavia)
- It's a Beautiful Life (January 2012)
- Care Of My Soul Vol. 1 (2012, September 12. (World)
- Care Of My Soul Vol. 2 (2012, September 12. (World)
Collaborations[]
Original music for TV series[]
- One Tree Hill - "Darling It Was You"
- Marker - original music for thirteen episodes
- Fame - "Man in the Mirror"
Songwriter[]
- Julian Lennon - "Saltwater," Photograph Smile
- True Romance soundtrack - "In Dreams" by John Waite
- Selena soundtrack - "Only Love" by Selena
- Music from Another Room soundtrack - "Day After Day" by Julian Lennon
- Anne Murray - "Are You Still in Love with Me"
- Lila McCann (Multi-Platinum)
- Bad English - "Forget Me Not," "Heaven Is a 4 Letter Word," "Straight to Your Heart," "Pray for Rain," "Life at the Top"
- John Waite - "In Dreams," "How Did I Get By Without You"
- Giant
- Mike Reno
- Heart - "Cruel Tears"
- Cheap Trick - "Mighty Wings" (Top Gun soundtrack), "Ride the Pony"
- REO Speedwagon - "Half Way"
- Emmanuel
- Luis Miguel
- Luis Angel
- Mr. Big - "Ain't Seen Love Like That," "Not One Night"
- Kansas - "One Man, One Heart"
- Camy Todorow - Kamelia Todorova - "Love is a War"
- Indigo Balboa
- Seventh Key - "Broken Home" (originally a Kansas demo from 1986, previously unreleased)
Production credits[]
In addition to eight of his own records, Spiro has produced records for:
- Lila McCann (Produced 2 Records)
- Mike Reno
- John Berry
- María Conchita Alonso
- Anne Murray (Produced 2 Records)
- McAlyster (Produced 1 Record)
- Ruby Summer (Produced 2 Records)
- Leslie & Kelly (Produced 3 Records)
References[]
- ^ "MARK SPIRO". metalheaven.net. Retrieved 18 November 2015.
- ^ "Mark Spiro - "7 Billion People" feat. Julian Lennon & Tim Pierce - Official Music Video". youtube.com. Archived from the original on 2021-12-12. Retrieved 29 March 2021.
- Record producers from California
- Songwriters from Washington (state)
- Musicians from Seattle
- Musicians from Los Angeles
- Living people
- 1957 births
- Songwriters from California