Mark and McCoy

This time is special in the lives of these two friends for over forty-five years. Since Mike McCoy joined Pearson as a member of The Brothers Four in 2004, they have toured the world together as ambassadors for The American Songbook. Their album of original songs, "Between Friends," first released in the early 80's was re-mastered and released on CD with bonus tracks in 2006. Their latest album of new music, "Between Old Friends," describes in part where the journey has taken them after all these years. What helps make this collaboration special is a unique combination of professional and personal. The music illuminates the friendship, the friendship illuminates the music. For forty-five years they have literally and figuratively shared the many stages of each other's lives. The spirit is alive in the music. The musicianship is easy to measure. The friendship is easy to appreciate. "At times I felt I could not make it without him... other times I felt a needed to prove I could make it without him... this is a time where any such concerns are replaced with a spirit of all we have shared and become and I think the love we have for each other can be found in the music." - Mark Pearson talking about his professional relationship with Mike McCoy.

McCoy and I at the Seattle Concert Theater

Posted on Thursday May 9th 2013 08:34PM in Soundtrack of a Life

In 1980 and 1981 McCoy and I recorded at a Seattle studio named Big and Famous. During that same time period we did some concerts at a place called The Seattle Concert Theater. Here are some songs and pictures from those days.

McCoy singing a song he wrote called "My Friends"
Pearso singing at The Seattle Concert Theater
Two friends making music.

A Most Creative Friend

Posted on Friday Mar 1st 2013 07:14PM in Soundtrack of a Life

In the journey that is One of Those Times in a Life the campfires are currently describing experiences and sharing songs from the 70’s. With that in mind I want to talk some about my friend of nearly 50 years, Gary Drager. He and I have written songs together since college. The current campfire video, Old Man, is one of ours. Carousel Revisited from an earlier blog is also ours.

In 1978 under the name of Cooper Edens (a name taken from both of his grandmothers) he became an internationally famous children’s book author and illustrator with his book If You’re Afraid of the Dark…Remember the Night Rainbow. That book was followed quickly by Star Cleaners Reunion and Caretakers of Wonder. Many other books followed.

Sadly in 20009 Drager suffered a stroke. Ironically it was at the recording of Between Old Friends. A year later we did a concert for him. Here are some pictures from that event as well as song that he and I wrote in 1973 called Mardi Gras of the Mind. The recording was done in Minneapolis that summer with Bob Dylan’s brother, David Zimmerman, producing. We used some of the same musicians that David used a year later when he produced half the tracks for Dylan’s Blood on the Tracks.

Download the Lyrics for Mardi Gras of the Mind.

This is the cover of Cooper Edens' first publication.
In 2009 we did a concert for Drager.
For an encore we all sang "Let love go forward."

Still singing after all these years…

Posted on Monday Jan 23rd 2012 05:13PM in Soundtrack of a Life

Here are some recordings of The Mourning Ryde. In December of 1967 we recorded every song we knew in what was called the Big Room at the Phi Gamma Delta Fraternity house.

The pictures are of Mike Dwyer, Bruce Goddard, and me taken at my house a few weeks ago. Dwyer was one of our group and has been practicing law in Seattle for over forty years. It is fun to make music with him again. I met Bruce in New York City in the summer of 1968 when we were working together as social workers on the Lower East Side. He and Dwyer became friends the next year when they both were living in Washington DC. Bruce has a way of appearing at important times in my life including this one as I begin to share this journey.

Mark and friends playing together
Bruce shares a song
Dwyer gives new meaning to an old song

Thankful 2011

Posted on Tuesday Nov 29th 2011 08:33AM in Soundtrack of a Life

For Thanksgiving this year, I share my song "Thankful". We recorded a new version of it, at the Wheeler Theater in Port Townsend. I've also included a short introduction, with my feelings on this Thanksgiving Day, 2011.

Singing Our Way - Mark, McCoy and Ted

Posted on Thursday Apr 28th 2011 12:45PM in Soundtrack of a Life

Mike McCoy, Ted Brancato and I were captured at the Key City Theater last December playing the song written by Ted and I, "Singing Our Way". Another one from our December get together in Port Townsend.