Mark Hallman

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Mark Hallman
Born (1951-08-01) August 1, 1951 (age 72)
Benton Harbor, Michigan, U.S.
GenresRock, Indie Rock, Alternative Rock, Americana
Occupation(s)Producer, engineer, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist
Instrument(s)Keyboards, guitar, bass, drums, vocals
Websitecongresshouse.com

Mark Hallman (born August 1, 1951) is an American producer, songwriter, engineer and multi-instrumentalist. He has worked with Carole King[1] (appearing on six of her albums as a performer and producer), Ani DiFranco, and Eliza Gilkyson.[2]

In the mid-'70s, Hallman was one of the two principal singer-songwriters for Boulder, Colorado-based rock band Navarro. Navarro put out two albums on Capitol Records, Listen in 1977 (produced by Hallman) and Straight From the Heart in 1978.

While recording at Caribou Ranch in 1977, Carole King needed a backup band. Dan Fogelberg suggested Navarro and brought her to see them perform at The Stage Stop, in Rollinsville.[3] Hallman had been the guitarist in Fogelberg's band as well. Although Navarro had broken up by the time King called, she asked Hallman if the band would like to back her for an album on Lou Adler's Ode Record label. That album was never released but Navarro reformed for that gig and followed up with three albums recorded with her for Capitol Records.[4][5][6]

Navarro, and Hallman in particular, found a quick ally in King. She signed the group to her label and tapped them as her session band for Simple Things, which reached No. 17 on the Billboard pop album charts. Before long, Hallman was producing King's albums and performing in her band full-time.[7]

Hallman relocated to Austin, Texas with King in 1980. He later opened The Congress House, now the longest continually-operating recording studio in Austin. In 1990 and 1991, Hallman won Best Producer at the Austin Music Awards, held during the South By Southwest Music Conference.[8][9]

In 1995, Ani DiFranco chose Hallman's Congress House to record her album Dilate. The song "Glass House," co-engineered by Hallman off of DiFranco's 1999 CD Little Plastic Castle was nominated for a Grammy in 1998 for Best Female Rock Vocalist.[10][11]

A feature-length film, The Shopkeeper: A Documentary about Mark Hallman & the Music Business, produced by Rain Perry, was released in 2016.[12][13][14] Mark Hallman was working with Iain Matthews recording and touring.

Selected discography[edit]

Year Album Artist Credit
2015 Restless Ones Heartless Bastards Engineer, Mixing
2011 Roses at the End of Time Eliza Gilkyson Mixing, Mastering, musician, Vocal Harmony
2008 Cinderblock Bookshelves Rain Perry Producer, engineer, Mixing, Vocals, Guitar, Guitar (Acoustic), Guitar (Electric), Lap Steel Guitar, Bouzouki, Mandolin, Penny Whistle, Accordion, Piano, Organ, Chamberlin, Keyboards, Synthesizer, Drums, Tambourine, Percussion, Vocals (Background), Bass, Mastering, composer
2007 Pure and Crooked/Skeleton Keys Iain Matthews Producer, engineer, Mixing, Audio Production, Main Personnel, Guitar (Acoustic), Acoustic 6-String Guitar, Guitar (Electric), E-Bow, Harmonica, Keyboards, Bass (Acoustic), Guitar (Bass), Drum Programming, Vocals (Background), Bass, composer
2003 Evolve Ani DiFranco Engineer
1998 Little Plastic Castle Ani DiFranco Engineer
1996 Dilate Ani DiFranco Engineer
1994 Time Gone By Carole King Producer
1977 Listen Navarro Vocals, Guitar, Harmonica, Piano, Piano (Electric), Organ (Hammond)
1977 Simple Things Carole King Vocals, Guitar, Keyboards

References[edit]

  1. ^ Hoerburger, Rob (May 8, 1982). "Close Up". Billboard. Retrieved January 21, 2016.
  2. ^ "Mark Hallman at All Music". AllMusic. Retrieved January 13, 2016.
  3. ^ Brown, G (July 1, 2004). Colorado rocks!: A Half-century of Music in Colorado (1st ed.). Boulder, Colorado: Westwinds Press. ISBN 0871089300. Retrieved January 26, 2016.
  4. ^ Crowe, Cameron (September 18, 1977). "Carole King Ascends the Throne Once More". Rolling Stone / NY Times Syndicate. Retrieved January 21, 2016.
  5. ^ "Navarro Discography". Discogs.
  6. ^ Langer, Andy (November 8, 1996). "From Commune to Congress House". Austin Chronicle. Retrieved January 21, 2016..
  7. ^ "PBS American Masters Series". PBS.
  8. ^ "Austin Music Awards 1990 & 1991". Austin Chronicle. Austin Chronicle Corp. 1990. Retrieved January 21, 2016.
  9. ^ "Musicians Off the Record". Moody College of Communication. University of Texas at Austin Communication Studies. Retrieved January 21, 2016.
  10. ^ Kaufman, Gil (December 11, 1997). "Ani DiFranco Takes Chances On Little Plastic Castle". MTV. Retrieved January 23, 2016.
  11. ^ Benzuly, Sarah (May 1, 2001). "Ani DiFranco: Stretching Beyond the Periphery". Mix Magazine. New Bay Media, LLC. Retrieved January 25, 2016.
  12. ^ "The Shopkeeper: A Documentary about Mark Hallman & the Congress House".
  13. ^ Perry, Rain. "The Shopkeeper Documentary Official Site". Retrieved January 21, 2016.
  14. ^ Stone, Sasha (August 1, 2014). "Ten Questions for Musician/Filmmaker Rain Perry". Awards Daily. Retrieved January 23, 2016.

External links[edit]