SETTING YESTERDAY FREE
independent 1970 /
Spirit Records 1972
Mark's first recording -
Setting Yesterday Free - a independent 1970 release with
the group Infinity Plus Three. Rereleased in 1972 on Spirit
Records. Produced by Doug Milheim and Mark Heard. The Fingerprint
1998 CD-reissue includes the following bonus live-tracks: Washed
To The Sea/Nothing
Is Bothering Me/With Broken Wings/Rise From The Ruins (live at
Cornerstone 92)
MARK HEARD
Airborn Records
1975
Mark's
self-titled first solo album (reissued in 1978 as On Turning
to Dust). Mark's early work is often compared to James
Taylor, and the similarities are obvious on this recording. The
1998 CD-reissue includes the following bonus live-tracks recorded
in 1986: I'm Crying Again/Stuck In The Middle/The Power Of
Love/True Love
ON TURNING TO DUST
AB Records 1978 / Solid
Rock Records 1978
Reissue of the 1975-album Mark
Heard
APPALACHIAN MELODY
Solid Rock Records
1979
Mark's late
"70s album Appalachian Melody, released on Larry
Norman's Solid Rock Records. Produced by Larry Norman and Mark,
Appalachian Melody continues in the acoustic, James
Taylorish vein established on Mark's debut album, but with more
confidence. A few tracks feature Jon Linn's electric blues
guitar, hinting at new musical directions for Mark. With the
possible exception of Fingerprint, this is the album that
best captures Mark's playful, humorous side. Novelty numbers such
as "On the Radio" and "Jonah's Song" provide comic
relief from the deeper, introspective dimensions of "Here I Am
(Once Again)" and "Sidewalk Soliloquy."
FINGERPRINT
Palmfrond Records
1980
Mark's European-only release on the Swiss
label Palmfrond Records, produced, engineered, and mixed by Mark.
Here Mark continues the transition from acoustic music to
rock'n'roll, blending his folky sound with a few electric
numbers. Both his razor wit and his
sensitive artistry are in full evidence here, and the album
contains his first indisputable masterpiece, "All the Sleepless
Dreamers."
(Note: front-image - the Fingerprint/Via
Records 1995 CD reissue cover, rollover-image - the original
Palmfrond Records cover)
STOP THE DOMINOES
Home Sweet Home Records
1981
Mark's first release on Chris Christian's
Home Sweet Home label.
VICTIMS OF THE AGE
Home Sweet Home Records
1982
This album realized all of Mark's lyrical
potential, pounding Francis Schaeffer's pulpit of artistic and
poetic honesty in the face of the decline of Western culture
("Victims of the Age," "City Life Won't Let Up") and taking
christendom to task for its detachment from the world's problems
("Growing Up Blind," "Dancing at the Policeman's Ball," "Some
Folk's World," "Nothing Is Bothering Me"). Modern, relevant,
sensitive songwriting. Produced and arranged by Mark.
EYE OF THE STORM
Home Sweet Home Records
1983
Stylistically, this acoustic-oriented release
had more in common with Mark's first two albums than with the
next three. This recording is consider a little gem, offering
laid back songs of biting imagery with a richly textured
accompaniment. Standout tracks include "These Plastic Halos,"
"The Pain That Plagues Creation," and "He Will Listen to
You."
ASHES AND LIGHT
Home Sweet Home Records
1984
Eager to return to rock'n'roll after the
acoustic Eye of the Storm, Mark wrote and recorded the
Mosaics album. But his label asked him for another
acoustic record first, in hopes of capitalizing on the (relative)
success of Eye of the Storm. In five weeks, Mark wrote,
recorded, and mixed Ashes and Light, working in his new
mobile studio, Fingerprint Recorders. The ashes - some of Mark's
most incisive, acerbic writing to date ("Threw It Away," "We
Believe So Well," "Straw Men") - were mitigated by the occasional
hopeful ray of light ("I Know What It's Like to Be Loved," "In
Spite of Himself," "Washed to the Sea"). With the support of
musicians like David Mansfield and Harry Stinson, Mark created a
brilliant album, and a sure classic among his fans. Produced and
arranged by Mark.
MOSAICS
Home Sweet Home Records
1985
Recorded in 1983-84, but delayed until after
Ashes and Light. A decidedly rock album (more so than any
up to this point) with a great cover of T-Bone Burnett's "The
Power of Love." This was Mark's most focused work of social
criticism, and his last studio record for Home Sweet Home
Records.
THE BEST OF MARK HEARD - ACOUSTIC
Home Sweet
Home 1985
A compilation of acoustic-oriented songs from Mark's
Home Sweet Home releases (1981-84), 12 songs included.
Includes one new song, "Family Name," written by Bill
Batstone.
THE GREATEST HITS OF MARK HEARD
Home Sweet
Home 1986
A compilation of rock-oriented songs from Mark's Home
Sweet Home releases (1981–85), 12 songs
included.
iDEoLA
Is It Any Wonder
What?
Records/A&M 1987
Single released on CD as well as vinyl
(33 1/3 RPM)
iDEoLA
TRIBAL OPERA
What? Records/A&M
1987
Mark took the pseudonym "iDEoLA" for this
rather electronic tour de force on the new What? label
(distributed through A&M Records). Heavy on the digital
samples, synths, and drum machines, this album sounded nothing
like any of his work before or since. Mark had already
established a reputation as a formidable songwriter, but on
Tribal Opera his skills took a quantum leap forward. It's
a must have, with "How to Grow Up Big and Strong," "Hold Back
Your Tears," and "Go Ask the Dead Man" leading the pack. Recorded
and produced by Mark at Fingerprint LA (Mark apparently renamed
his studio after moving it from a mobile unit to a shed behind
his house).
Various artists
Adventures in the Land of Big
Beats and Happy Feets
Myrrh Records
1989
Combines remixes of previously recorded Word
hits buffed by in-house custom excursions in
a 60-minute salute featuring the likes of "Wise Up" [Amy Grant],
"Svengali" [Steve Taylor],"Cold Rock The Groove" [Randy
Stonehill], as well as "Jericho" - a previously unreleased song
of iDEoLA.
Re-mixes, Edits and Link Music by Lee Cahuenga
(a.k.a. Mark Heard).
DRY BONES DANCE
Fingerprint Records
1990
The first of Mark Heard's final trilogy of
albums. His songwriting became as honest, seeking, truthful, and
raw as it ever had been on these three
final works. On Dry Bones Dance, he revels in an earthy
Americana that borders on twinges of country rock, complimenting
the wry honesty of the lyrics. Powerful, emotional,
truthful.
SECOND HAND
Fingerprint Records
1991
Plaintive, passionate, heartbreaking and
hopeful music is colored by warm, acoustic production reminiscent
of his earlier
recordings, all of which dims in comparison to the lyrics, some
of the best pure songwriting ever put on
tape. Includes provocative ballads such as "Nod Over Coffee,"
"Lonely Moon" and "Look Over Your Shoulder."
"Fingerprints in Dust: A
Sampler"
Fingerprint Records 1991? (cassette)
Nod Over Coffee/Satellite Sky (Rough Mix)/Dry Bones
Dance/House Of Broken Dreams/Tip Of My Tongue (Rough Mix)/Lonely
Moon/Love Is So Blind (Rough Mix)/I Just Wanna Get
Warm
SATELLITE SKY
Fingerprint/Enclave
1992
Mark's last recording. 15 songs, electrified
and heartfelt. Handling his guitar,
accordion and 1939 National Electric Mandolin like they were his
last hope for redemption, Mark developed a sound that matched his
frenetic lyrics. Produced by Mark Heard, and co-produced by Dan
Russell and Jim Scott.
LEGACY II - a collection of singer
songwriters
High Street/Windham Hill Records
1992
A collection of 13 songs of various singer-songwriters, including "Look Over
Your Shoulder" taken from Mark Heard's album Second
Hand.
REFLECTIONS OF A FORMER LIFE
Home Sweet Home
1993
A compilation of songs from Mark's Home Sweet Home
releases (1981-85), 12 songs included.
HIGH NOON
Myrrh 1993 (CD-single)
Promotion Single including 3 tracks: "My
Redeemer Lives," "She's Not Afraid" (duet with Julie Miller) and
"Treasure of The Broken Land."
HIGH NOON
Fingerprint Records/Naked Language
1993
A compilation of songs from Mark's three
albums released on Fingerprint Records, including three
previously unreleased songs. The recordings include the talents
of brilliant musicians such as Buddy and Julie Miller, Sam
Phillips, Byron Berline (an associate of the Flying Burrito
Brothers), Burleigh Drummond of Ambrosia, stick-player Fergus
Jemison Marsh (a long-time associate of Bruce Cockburn) and
Michael Been of The Call, as well as many other great musicians.
Co-produced by Dan Russell and Buddy Miller.
STRONG HAND OF LOVE
Fingerprint Records/Epic
Records 1994
A tribute to Mark Heard - seventeen
artists covering Mark's songs. Billboard Magazine stated:
"Taken as a whole, the collection remind us once again what a
brilliant poet Heard was, and what a devastating loss his passing
has been to music
in general. Unqualified recommendation." The record was
nominated for a Grammy in 1994.
STRONG HAND OF LOVE - Long Form
Video
Fingerprint Records/Word 1994
This
approx. 50 minutes long video contains footage from Mark's last
concert on July 4, 1992, and his music
videos for "Is It Any Wonder" [iDEoLA] and "Treasure of the
Broken Land." It also features musical performances — such as
outtakes from Mark's Fingerprint sessions - and interviews with
several artists and friends including Bruce Cockburn, Michael
Been, Victoria Williams, Dan Russell, Bill Mallonee of the
Vigilantes of Love, Bruce Carroll, Phil Keaggy, Bob Bennett,
Buddy and Julie Miller, Pierce Pettis, Steve Taylor, Randy
Stonehill and Pat Terry. Excerpts from the Mark Heard Memorial
Benefit Concert at Belmont University in Nashville (January 1993)
are included as well.
Available at: Paste
Music
STRONG HAND OF LOVE - THE RADIO
SPECIAL
Fingerprint Records 1994
The Strong
Hand of Love Radio Special as aired on WXPN's World Cafe in 1994.
This 70 minutes tribute to Mark Heard includes music by
Mark as well as interviews with artists such as Bruce Cockburn,
Sam Phillips, Michael Been of The Call and Bill Mallonee of
Vigilantes of Love, among
others. Bruce Cockburn's acoustic version of "Closer To The
Light," written in memory of Mark, is only available on this
disc.
ORPHANS OF GOD
Fingerprint Records
1996
A double disc including 34 of Mark's songs
performed by 34 artists including Victoria
Williams, Buddy and Julie Miller, Bruce Cockburn, The Williams
Brothers, The Vigilantes of Love, Daniel
Amos and Phil Keaggy. [Note: 14 of the tracks from the Strong
Hand of Love album
are included on this album as well]
MYSTERY MIND
Fingerprint Records
2000
This benefit CD includes two live tracks from
Mark's final concert at Cornerstone in 1992 ("Freight Train To
Nowhere" and "Orphans of God"), 25 minutes recorded live in
concert at Calvary Chapel 1982, as well as 4 demos - the two
previously unreleased songs "Mystery Mind" and "Let Freedom Ring"
[of which "Mystery Mind" is an instant Heard classic - truly a
sparkling gem] as well as "Mercy of the Flame" and "I Just Wanna
Get Warm." The CD
also includes clips from a fascinating interview with Mark. NOTE:
Mystery Mind is compiled to benefit the Heard Family Fund
- the objective of this project is to generate funds for Mark's
family as well as perpetuate
the legacy of his work.
GREATEST HITS
BCI Music BCCD1103
(1999)
Reissue of The Greatest Hits of Mark Heard with
different track order and artwork, and two additional tracks.
14 songs included.
THE MILLENNIUM ARCHIVES - MARK HEARD
Home
Sweet Home 2000
This CD includes 13 unreleased
tracks from Mark's days at Home Sweet Home Records, digitally
remastered. Among the tracks are 3 previously unreleased songs
("Morning Is Gold," "Night to Night" and "Tell Me It's Your
Love"), as well as 3 previously unreleased instrumental
renditions of Christmas songs. The last track on the CD contains
a Jerry Houser interview with Mark on his 1985 release
Mosaics (including audio-excerpts from that
album).
THE LAST PERFORMANCE
Fingerprint Records
2001
The title says it all—Mark Heard recorded
on what would become his very last performance, at Cornerstone
Festival July 4, 1992. Mark had a minor heart attack on
stage, but finished the set. Afterward, Mark was taken to
hospital. August 16, 1992, John Mark Heard passed away.
HAMMERS & NAILS
Paste Records
2003
Hammers & Nails was released simultaneously with
Matthew Dickerson's
book on
Mark’s life of the same name. Recorded as demos from 1987-1989 and
just prior to Mark’s final series of masterworks, Dry
Bones Dance, Second Hand, and Satellite Sky,
these songs function as the prequel to his brilliant final
chapter and a bridge from his earlier work.
Various Artists:
TREASURE OF THE BROKEN LAND:
THE SONGS OF MARK HEARD
Storm Weathered Records 2017
Marking the 25th anniversary of Mark’s death, Phil Madeira
produced this crowdfunded compilation—introducing a new generation of musicians (and
fans) to Mark’s music. A planned vinyl version had to be scrapped when the manager of
one of the artists learned about the CD and objected to the artist’s involvement. An
additional track, Rayvon Pettis’s demo version of “Long Way
Down,” was offered only as a download to crowdfunding backers.
