Mark was born in Virginia, raised in North Carolina and finished high school in Tennessee--a true "wild-eyed southern boy". His musical background started when he was twelve years old, playing clarinet and saxophone in school bands. At the age of fifteen, Mark started playing guitar and singing. After high school, Mark spent twelve years playing with military bands in Korea, Japan, Germany and the United States. Mark has also played several concerts backing "The Temptations". Mark has had a successful career playing in Bands and performing solo for the last 33 years. Mark has worked with (and also led his own) big-bands, Jazz combos, country and rock bands covering almost all genres of music. In 1996, Mark started his publishing company, Choo-Choo Seven Musik u. Verlag. In 2009 Mark took over an independent record label and soon found himself owning 4 labels (Amazing Records, Castle Road Records, Blade Records, Country Lane Records). Mark has recently combined the labels under Castle Road Records. Mark also continues to perform himself and has released to date 6 Solo CD´s, 1 Duo CD (mit Sievert Ahrend), 1 Band CD (Mark Merritt Band; mit Sievert Ahrend und Thomas Merritt). For Mark's 7th solo cd “Barrooms and Bedtime Stories”, he has combined the songwriting efforts of Sievert Ahrend, Marko Mueller and himself as well as the musical talents of several of the artists he promotes under his label, including Sievert Ahrend, Thomas Merritt and the bands Wild Bunch and Memphis Sky to create a rip-roaring Southern-Country-Rock cd. Mark also has 3 duets on the cd featuring Katja Picker, Marko Mueller and Gitty.