Concurrently playing the harmonica and strumming his acoustic guitar until his E string snapped, Mark Mckinney joined Josh Baltzell and Brooke Lopez during the most recent Red Dirt Radio show to talk about everything from his musically talented children to his experience working with Bri Bagwell during their notable duets. While everyone anticipates the tentative release of Mark Mckinney’s newest album in January after a 3-year time lapse, co-hosts Josh & Brooke dove in with Mckinney and his fellow Austinite bandmates to talk about the Red Dirt country music scene.
Over the summer, McKinney performed at the Black Marlin Bar & Grill in Port Aransas, Texas to kick off Fourth of July weekend. With the venue surrounded by driving greens from the new golf course located on the island just South of Corpus Christi, concert-goers and dedicated fans began filling their seats in their Sunday best. It wasn’t until Mckinney and his rowdy band showed up that the audience lightened up particularly when his children, Cypress and Jagger, joined him on stage to sing alongside their father. The Mark Mckinney Band has become a family affair with Mckinney’s soon-to-be-wife managing the team while both children regularly join him on tour and perform.
To end the season of 100 sweltering degrees of heat, Mckinney detailed his time performing as a returning artist at Riverfest down in New Braunfels, Texas off of the refreshing and legendary Guadalupe River. Riverfest showcases historically red dirt country artists during the final weeks of summer after a rowdy day on the river. After that weekend came to a close for the band, Mckinney announced the release of his newest album coming to all ears later this year (specific date to be determined). He then joined RadioUTD for their Texas country music show Red Dirt Radio this past week.
While in studio, Mckinney sat alongside his bassist, guitarist, and drummer with guitar in hand; ready to perform acoustic versions of his chart topping songs including “Sunshine”, a song written in honor of his fiancé’s hard fought battle with Crohn’s Disease,
a piece taken from his earliest EP, and “Why Haven’t You Left Yet?”, a lover’s fictional spat caught on bars between Mckinney and country artist Bri Bagwell. During the discussion, Mckinney explained to co-host Josh that he cut his noted long locks from earlier in his career in accordance with his girlfriend’s request at the time. Even with a show at Hank’s Bar and Grill in Mckinney, Texas later that evening, the Austin native performed his final song with one string missing from his guitar after breaking it during a gut busting rendition of “Party Foul”.
In heavy preparation for his now upcoming wedding, Mckinney has found little time outside of his career to dedicate to anything other than his newest album. Although the release date has been pushed back, hope holds true to having a final album in our hands in January 2017. Stay tuned for a future release date.
Red Dirt Radio would like to thank Mr. Mark Mckinney and his touring band for joining the station in studio. If you want updates regarding Mckinney’s new album, follow us on Twitter @UTDRedDirtRadio.
