Brownmark facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Brown Mark
Brown Mark in 2020
Background information
Birth name	Mark Brown
Also known as	Brown Mark, BrownMark
Born	(1962-03-08) March 8, 1962 (age 63)
Origin	Minneapolis, Minnesota, U.S.
Died	Error: Need valid death date (first date): year, month, day
Genres	R&B, funk, rock, soul, new wave, Minneapolis sound
Occupation(s)	Musician, record producer
Instruments	Bass guitar, vocals
Years active	1981–present
Labels	Motown
Associated acts	Cryptic, Prince and The Revolution, Mazarati, Stevie Ray Vaughan, Stevie Wonder, Salt-n-Pepa, Sting

Mark Brown (born March 8, 1962), known by his stage name Brown Mark, is an American musician, bassist, and record producer. He is most famous for being the bass player in Prince's legendary band, The Revolution, during the 1980s.

Early Life and Musical Start

Mark Brown was born in Minneapolis, Minnesota. He fell in love with music at a young age and was inspired by famous bass players like Larry Graham, Stanley Clarke, and Bootsy Collins. Their unique styles helped shape his own special way of playing.

Just one year after finishing high school, in 1981, Brown got the chance of a lifetime. He joined Prince's band and began his professional music career.

Playing with Prince and The Revolution

Brown, who took the stage name Brown Mark, quickly became a key member of Prince's band. One of his first big shows was opening for the world-famous rock band, the Rolling Stones. He played bass and sang backup vocals for Prince on some of the most popular albums of the 1980s.

He was part of the band The Revolution for these classic albums:

• Purple Rain
• Around the World in a Day
• Parade

Brown Mark's funky bass lines were a huge part of the "Minneapolis sound," a special mix of funk, rock, and pop music that Prince made famous.

The Story of the Song "Kiss"

While working with Prince, Brown Mark also started his own funk-rock band called Mazarati. Prince gave Brown Mark a simple version of a song that would later become the huge hit, "Kiss".

Brown Mark and his producer worked on the song, adding a unique, funky rhythm and cool background vocals. Prince loved what they did so much that he decided to keep the song for himself! He took out the bass line, added his own guitar part and high-pitched vocals, but kept Mazarati's background singing. The song became a number-one hit for Prince all around the world.

Career After The Revolution

After leaving The Revolution in 1986, Brown Mark continued to make music. He released his own albums and worked as a record producer, helping other musicians create their songs. He produced music for artists like Stacy Lattisaw and Chico DeBarge.

After taking a break from the music world, he returned with new projects. In 2016, after Prince passed away, The Revolution reunited for a world tour to honor their friend and mentor. Brown Mark joined his former bandmates to play their famous songs for fans everywhere.

Today, Brown Mark continues to write and record music in his own studio. He also wrote a book about his life and amazing career, which was published in 2020.

Discography

Here are some of the albums Brown Mark has worked on.

Albums

• Mazarati (1986), Paisley Park
• Kiss Serious by Chico DeBarge (1987), Motown
• Personal Attention by Stacy Lattisaw (1988), Motown
• Just Like That (1988), Motown
• Good Feeling (1989), Motown

Notable Singles

• "Players Ball" by Mazarati
• "Watching You" by Chico DeBarge
• "Personal Attention" by Stacy Lattisaw
• "Bang Bang" (1989)
• "Loverboy" by Sheila E. from the ... Cymbal Album