LIVE! Featured Artist: Mark McKinney

Mark McKinney was born just a hop, skip, and a jump down the road in Big Spring, Texas. Now known for hits such as “Stolen Cash” and “Drink Too Much,” he originally got his start in music when he formed his first band in junior high school.

“After high school, I moved to Austin to pursue music,” McKinney said. “Now, I have played all over the country and a few places abroad.”

McKinney described his music as “Americana with a lot of country roots.” He said, “I grew up strongly influenced by the Beatles, so I have always believed in creating a very strong melody in my music.”

The Big Spring native is currently working on a new album due to be released in late March.

“The first single, 'Sunshine,' just went out to radio,” noted McKinney. “It is currently number 14 on the Texas Country charts.”

The music video for “Sunshine” can be found here.

For fans ready to catch a live show, Mark McKinney will be playing at Blaine's Pub on Friday, February 5.

“The band and I all enjoy what we do; we have a lot of energy on stage,” he explained. “We try to live and feel the music during each song. Angelo is a fun town. We always have a great turnout and we have lots of close friends there. People who we stay with are truly like family. San Angelo really feels like a home away from home.”

As far as what the future holds for McKinney, he said, “I am going to keep putting music out my whole life. It's what I do, and I enjoy it. I feel like things have grown tremendously for me, especially in the last 5 years. I'm very proud to be able to do this with my life.”

Mark McKinney's music can be found on iTunes and at MarkMcKinney.com. For up-to-date information, including tour dates, follow him on Facebook here.