George Mark Collie (born January 18, 1956) is an American country music singer, songwriter, musician, actor, record producer, and fundraiser for Type 1 diabetes study. He has won awards and acclaim for his music, his acting, and his philanthropy. His singing career has included five major-label albums: four for MCA Nashville and one for Giant Records. Sixteen of his singles have charted on Hot Country Songs, including the top ten hits "Even the Man in the Moon Is Cryin'" and "Born to Love You".

Mark Collie
Collie in 2013.
Collie in 2013.
Background information
Birth nameGeorge Mark Collie[1]
Born (1956-01-18) January 18, 1956 (age 68)[2]
OriginWaynesboro, Tennessee, U.S.
GenresCountry
Occupation(s)Singer-songwriter, actor, producer
Instrument(s)Vocals, guitar
Years active1982–present
LabelsMCA Nashville, Giant, Highway 64, 101 Ranch Records
Websitehttp://www.markcollie.com

Collie has also written songs for Aaron Tippin, Alabama, Garth Brooks, Tim McGraw, and JT Hodges. His acting career includes roles in Fire Down Below, The Punisher, Kill Switch and Landman.

Singing career

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From the beginnings of his performing and recording career, Collie's singing and performing style drew comparisons to Bruce Springsteen[3] and Johnny Cash[4] as a result of Collie’s combination of Rockabilly energy, intensity, and clever songwriting.

Hardin County Line and Born and Raised in Black & White

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Collie began his career on MCA Records in 1989 after being discovered by label representatives. Tony Brown, then-president of the label, helped Collie secure his contract.[5] His debut album Hardin County Line was released in 1990,[2] with Brown and Doug Johnson co-producing. The album produced four singles: "Something With a Ring to It", "Looks Aren't Everything", the title track, and "Let Her Go", which was the highest-charting of the four, at #18 on Hot Country Songs.[1] Its B-side, "Where There's Smoke", was later a Top 40 single for Archer/Park in 1994.

His second album, Born and Raised in Black & White, produced Top 40 singles in "Calloused Hands" and "She's Never Comin' Back", while "It Don't Take a Lot" peaked at #70.[1] Steve Huey of Allmusic described the album as "more polished" than its predecessor.[2]

Mark Collie and Unleashed

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Collie's third album for MCA, Mark Collie, was produced by Don Cook. It accounted for his two highest-charting singles: "Even the Man in the Moon Is Cryin'" at #5, and "Born to Love You" at #6. After those two songs, "Shame Shame Shame Shame" and "Something's Gonna Change Her Mind" both made top 30 as well.[1] Brian Mansfield wrote that the album was "At once a move to the mainstream and a return to Collie's West Tennessee rockabilly roots."[6]

Unleashed, was released in 1994. Its first single, "It Is No Secret", failed to make Top 40, while the only other release, "Hard Lovin' Woman", made #13.[1] The album included guest vocals from Deborah Allen, Carlene Carter, and James House.

Mid 1990s-present

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Collie signed to Giant Records in 1995. His only album for the label was Tennessee Plates, which Collie co-produced with James Stroud. Its two charting singles were "Three Words, Two Hearts, One Night", his last Top 40 entry on the country chart, and "Steady as She Goes".[1] After these two songs, he charted at #72 with "Love to Burn", which he recorded for the Columbia Records multi-artist compilation NASCAR: Hotter than Asphalt.[1] Collie covered Jim Croce's "Rapid Roy (The Stock Car Boy)" on the 1997 tribute album Jim Croce: A Nashville Tribute. In 1998, MCA released a budget-line compilation titled Even the Man in the Moon Is Cryin', which comprised several of his MCA singles.[2]

He did not release another album until Rose Covered Garden in 2006. A live album, Alive at Brushy Mountain, was released in 2012.[7]

He has performed onstage with many artists including Tim McGraw, Kenny Chesney,[8] and Johnny Cash.[4] He continues to tour actively both in the U.S. and Europe.[9]

In September 2013 Collie signed to 101 Ranch records and was the first artist signed to them. "I'm thrilled to have a new home with 101 Ranch Records and to be working with a terrific team with Doug, Bob and Tammy," says Mark Collie. "There are some new and exciting projects coming up on the horizon that I look forward to debuting with the label."[10]

Songwriting and producing

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Collie's songwriting credits include Garth Brooks, Tim McGraw, Alabama, and George Jones. He is also noted with writing songs for Hollywood Movies such as Lions Gate's The Punisher starring Thomas Jane and Fire Down Below starring Steven Seagal.

In addition to his own recordings, Collie has produced or co-produced albums for Brandt Vogel, JT Hodges, Kyle Sherman, and the Horn Family.[11]

Acting

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Collie has acted in television series and movies, independent features and Hollywood feature films. Starting in 1994 and continuing to present Collie has played a variety of characters including in 1999, Johnny Cash in the short I Still Miss Someone[12] which he also co-wrote and co-produced with filmmaker John Lloyd Miller. Collie has appeared as Frankie Gray on the ABC series Nashville. Collie had a small role as assassin Harry Heck, where he played a song called "In Time" in front of Castle, in 2004's The Punisher.[12]

Philanthropy

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Collie was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes as a teenager and in the early 1990s after finding success as a country music singer. Collie began a series of celebrity/NASCAR events that included Legend Car races and concerts[9] that have raised millions of dollars for research into a cure for Type 1 juvenile diabetes.[3] Collie's efforts have resulted in a research Chair at Vanderbilt University,[13] The Mark Collie Chair in Diabetes Research, and his Mark Collie Foundation continues to generate donations.

In February 1991 Collie was part of a filmed benefit concert in Nashville's Centennial Park along with George Jones to salute American troops in Operation Desert Storm.[9] The concert was filmed by director John Lloyd Miller and distributed for free to Armed Forces Television and to United States troops throughout the Middle East.

On April 3, 1996, Aaron Tippin and Mark Collie helped organize and load a cargo plane with 25,000 country cassettes for free distribution to United States troops in Bosnia[9] and was later awarded The American Spirit Award[14] by the United States Air Force for his efforts.

Collie has performed at benefits throughout his career for a diverse collection of causes including The Nashville Food Bank, The Blue Note Fund, Fallen Police, and Victims of Domestic Violence among others.

Personal life

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In February 2001 Mark Collie delivered the eulogy for race car legend Dale Earnhardt at a memorial service that included performances by Vince Gill and Steve Wariner at the Gaylord Entertainment Center in Nashville, Tennessee.

According to American Profile, Collie married singer-songwriter and actress Coley McCabe in October 2003.[15] The two previously starred in the romantic comedy Roper and Goodie, also known as Alabama Love Story.[16]

Collie married longtime girlfriend Tammy Stewart at a private ceremony in Columbia, Tennessee, on October 24, 2009.[17] The two split their time between their home in Fort Worth, Texas, and Nashville, Tennessee.

Discography

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Studio albums

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Title Album details Peak chart positions
US Country US US Heat CAN Country
Hardin County Line 57
Born and Raised in Black & White
  • Release date: July 23, 1991
  • Label: MCA Nashville
Mark Collie
  • Release date: January 5, 1993
  • Label: MCA Nashville
38 156 6 8
Unleashed
  • Release date: July 19, 1994
  • Label: MCA Nashville
Tennessee Plates
Rose Covered Garden
  • Release date: November 22, 2006
  • Label: Highway 64
Alive at Brushy Mountain State Penitentiary
  • Release date: May 1, 2012
  • Label: Wilbanks Entertainment
Book of My Blues
  • Release date: June 4, 2021
  • Label: self-released
"—" denotes releases that did not chart

Compilation albums

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Title Album details
Even the Man in the Moon Is Cryin'
  • Release date: December 18, 1997
  • Label: Universal Special Products
Icon
  • Release date: April 15, 2016
  • Label: MCA Nashville

Singles

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Year Single Peak chart
positions
Album
US Country CAN Country
1982 "I've Got to Have You Back Again"
1990 "Something with a Ring to It" 54 Hardin County Line
"Looks Aren't Everything" 35 28
"Hardin County Line" 59 64
1991 "Let Her Go" 18 15
"Calloused Hands" 31 19 Born and Raised in Black & White
"She's Never Comin' Back" 28 38
1992 "It Don't Take a Lot" 70 84
"Even the Man in the Moon Is Cryin'" 5 11 Mark Collie
1993 "Born to Love You" 6 5
"Shame Shame Shame Shame" 26 45
"Something's Gonna Change Her Mind" 24 21
1994 "It Is No Secret" 53 59 Unleashed
"Hard Lovin' Woman" 13 9
1995 "Three Words, Two Hearts, One Night" 25 42 Tennessee Plates
"Steady as She Goes" 65
1996 "Love to Burn" 72 88 NASCAR: Hotter Than Asphalt
"Lipstick Don't Lie"[18] Tennessee Plates
1997 "Rapid Roy (The Stock Car Boy)" Jim Croce: A Nashville Tribute
2004 "In Time" The Punisher: The Album
2006 "Better Man Than Me" Rose Covered Garden
2015 "Raisin' Cain"
(featuring Billy Bob Thornton and The Boxmasters)
"—" denotes releases that did not chart

Miscellaneous appearances

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Year Song Album
1996 "Love to Burn" Nascar: Hotter Than Asphalt
1997 "Fire Down Below" (with Aaron Tippin and Jeff Wood) Fire Down Below
1998 "Born to Love You" Country Wedding Music
2004 "In Time" Punisher
2005 "More" Lost Lake
2005 "Ripples in The Mind" Lost Lake
2010 "Dare The World" (with Major Rising, Bryan White, Wayne Warner, Linda Davis, Kevin Sharp, Jimmy Fortune, John Berry, and Mila Mason) single music download only

Filmography

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Film

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Year Title Role Notes
1997 Fire Down Below Hatch
1999 Certain Guys Redneck
1999 The Kid with X-ray Eyes Morgan Direct-to-video
2000 Jericho Johnny 'O
2000 Johnny Cash: Half Mile a Day Himself Documentary video
2003 Peak Experience E.Z. Ferris
2003 Roper and Goodie Roper
2004 The Punisher Harry Heck
2008 A Father's Rights Det. Eddie Roberts
2008 Kill Switch Billy Joe Hill Direct-to-video
2015 The Secret Handshake Buck
2018 Every Other Holiday Ollie

Television

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Year Title Role Notes
1998 Walker, Texas Ranger Danny Tarpin Episode: "Paradise Trail"
1998 Early Edition CPD Detective Episode: "In Gary We Trust"
1999 Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman: The Movie Mr. Garrick Television film
1999 The Strip Lt. Wolf 2 episodes
2000 JAG Impound Lot Attendant Episode: "A Separate Peace: Part 1"
2001 Ask Me No Questions Sean Johnson Television film
2015–2016 Nashville Frankie Gray 12 episodes
2017 Still the King Chuck Episode: "Flatbushes"
2024 Landman Sheriff Walt Joeberg Main role

Music videos

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Year Video Director
2008 "Dare The World" John Lloyd Miller
1997 "Fire Down Below" (w/ Aaron Tippin and Jeff Wood)[19] Steven R. Monroe
"Rapid Roy (The Stock Car Boy)" Tom Bevins
1996 "Lipstick Don't Lie" Steven T. Miller/R. Brad Murano
1995 "Hard Lovin' Woman"[20] John Lloyd Miller
"Three Words, Two Hearts, One Night"[21]
1994 "It Is No Secret"[20]
1993 "Born to Love You"[20]
"Shame Shame Shame Shame"[20] Mark "Aldo" Miceli
1992 "She's Never Comin' Back" John Lloyd Miller
"Even the Man in the Moon Is Cryin'"[20]
1991 "Let Her Go"[20]
1990 "Something with a Ring to It"[20]
"Looks Aren't Everything"[20]
"Hardin County Line"[20]

Awards

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(all columns are sortable)

Year Title Type Award Notes
2006 Tennessean of the Year Philanthropy Tennessean of the Year, State of Tennessee Won
1999 I Still Miss Someone Short film Best Short Film, New York Independent Film Festival Won
Best Short Film, Yahoo! Online Film Festival Won
Best Short Film, Atlantic City Film Festival Won
Nashville Film Festival (2 awards)
-Best Film
-Best Short Film
Won
Method Fest, Best Actor (Mark Collie) Won
Zoie Fest (2 awards)
-Best Picture, Dramatic Short
-Audience Award, Best Short Film
Won
Best Narrative Short, South by Southwest Nominated
Best Short Film, Oberhausen International Festival Nominated
1996 US Air Force Philanthropy American Spirit Award[14][22] Won
1994 Born To Love You[23] Album BMI Award Won
Hard Lovin Woman[23] Album BMI Millionaire Award Won
Country Music Hall of Fame[9] Music Country Music Walkway of Stars Won
1993 Even the Man in the Moon Is Cryin'[23] Album ASCAP Pop Music Award Won

References

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  1. ^ a b c d e f g Whitburn, Joel (2008). Hot Country Songs 1944 to 2008. Record Research, Inc. p. 99. ISBN 978-0-89820-177-2.
  2. ^ a b c d Huey, Steve. "Mark Collie biography". Allmusic. Retrieved September 15, 2008.
  3. ^ a b "Mark Collie – Hello, I'm Mark Collie". Dale. September 11, 2012.
  4. ^ a b Hurst, Jack (December 27, 1992). "Good 'Moon' Rising Mark Collie May Soon Have Johnny Cash's Success As Well As His Looks". Chicago Tribune.
  5. ^ "Mark Collie -New on the Charts". Douglas Corner Cafe, Nashville. Retrieved January 9, 2013.
  6. ^ Mansfield, Brian. "Mark Collie review". Allmusic. Retrieved October 16, 2013.
  7. ^ "Mark Collie & His Reckless Companions Preview Songs from Alive at Brushy Mountain". Nashville Music Guide. February 16, 2012.
  8. ^ Danton, Eric R. (July 17, 2001). "Mcgraw & Co. Draw Loyal Fans". The Courant. Archived from the original on August 19, 2013. Retrieved January 9, 2013.
  9. ^ a b c d e Roland, Tom. "RolandNote™Country Music Database Searches". Roland Note: The Ultimate Country Music Database. Retrieved January 9, 2013.
  10. ^ "MusicRow Exclusive: 101 Ranch Records Launches, Appoints Doug Howard as President". Musicrow.com. September 11, 2013. Retrieved January 22, 2020.
  11. ^ "The Horn Family Signs with Raylynn Records". Raylynn Records. February 20, 2013.
  12. ^ a b "Mark Collie". IMDB. Retrieved February 9, 2013.
  13. ^ Gray, Michael (August 22, 2000). "Mark Collie Celebrity Race Runs for Checkered Flag on Diabetes". CMT News. Archived from the original on July 14, 2013.
  14. ^ a b "Veterans News & Information Service". Air Force News Service. February 10, 1996. Retrieved January 9, 2013.
  15. ^ "Ask American Profile". Daily Press. January 31, 2004. p. 54. Retrieved October 26, 2024.
  16. ^ "Country stars Collie & McCabe team for rom com". Screen Daily. December 12, 2001. Retrieved October 26, 2024.
  17. ^ Conaway, Alanna (October 29, 2009). Mark Collie Ties the Knot in Tennessee. {{cite book}}: |work= ignored (help)
  18. ^ "Single Reviews" (PDF). Billboard. March 30, 1996.
  19. ^ "Wayne Warner & Friends – "Dare the World" B-Venturous Records". YouTube. Retrieved January 9, 2013.
  20. ^ a b c d e f g h i "Artists.CMT". CMT. Archived from the original on July 15, 2013. Retrieved January 9, 2013.
  21. ^ "Three Words, Two Hearts, One Night". Allmusic. Retrieved January 9, 2013.
  22. ^ "Allgaier Receives Highest Air Force Recruiting Service Honor". United States Air Force, Office of Public Affairs. July 29, 2005.
  23. ^ a b c "MARK COLLIE AND FRIENDS BENEFIT CONCERT". WCTE. Archived from the original on September 5, 2013. Retrieved January 9, 2013.
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