David Marks facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
David Marks
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Marks performing for the California Saga 2 Charity Concert in Los Angeles, 2019
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| Background information | |
| Birth name | David Lee Marks |
| Born | August 22, 1948 |
| Origin | New Castle, Pennsylvania, U.S. |
| Died | Error: Need valid death date (first date): year, month, day |
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| Years active | 1962–present |
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David Lee Marks (born August 22, 1948) is an American guitarist. He is best known for being an early member of the famous band The Beach Boys. David grew up in Hawthorne, California, right across the street from the Wilson brothers, who started The Beach Boys. He often joined their family music sessions.
David Marks played guitar with the Wilson brothers even before The Beach Boys became famous. He helped record their first demo song, "Surfin'", in 1961. When the band officially became "The Beach Boys" and released their first single, David continued to play with them. He became the rhythm guitarist when Al Jardine left the group for a short time in 1962.
David was a key part of The Beach Boys' early success. He played on their first four albums: Surfin' Safari (1962), Surfin' U.S.A. (1963), Surfer Girl (1963), and Little Deuce Coupe (1963). He left the band in 1963 due to disagreements with their manager, Murry Wilson. After leaving, David led his own band, The Marksmen, and worked as a session musician for other artists. He also studied jazz and classical guitar at music schools.
David Marks rejoined The Beach Boys for live shows from 1997 to 1999. In 2007, he released his autobiography, The Lost Beach Boy. He also reunited with the band for their fiftieth-anniversary tour in 2012 and played on their album That's Why God Made the Radio.
Contents
Becoming a Musician
Early Life and Music
David Lee Marks moved into a house across the street from the Wilson brothers when he was seven years old. The Wilson brothers, Brian, Dennis, and Carl Wilson, later formed The Beach Boys. David remembers their neighborhood as simple, with older houses. The Wilsons lived in a small home, and the boys shared a bedroom. Their garage was turned into a music room with instruments like a Hammond B-3 organ and a piano.
In the 1950s, David often sang and played music with the Wilson family during their Sunday night get-togethers. He was inspired by a guitarist named John Maus in 1958. David asked his parents for a guitar, and he got one for Christmas Eve that year. He then took lessons from John Maus.
In 1959, David and Carl Wilson, Brian's youngest brother, started developing their own way of playing electric guitars. Brian Wilson realized that their guitar sound would be perfect for his songs. David and Carl helped Brian with his first songwriting efforts, which led to the band's hit song "Surfer Girl" in 1963.
Joining The Beach Boys
David Marks was not on The Beach Boys' very first recording, "Surfin'", in October 1961. That recording included Al Jardine, a friend of Brian Wilson's, who played stand-up bass. Over the next few months, Brian tried different musicians.
David officially joined The Beach Boys in February 1962. He replaced Al Jardine, who had left the band. David played rhythm guitar and performed on the band's first four albums.
The Beach Boys' Early Success
On April 16, 1962, The Beach Boys recorded songs like "Surfin' Safari" and "409". These songs became their first big hits and helped them get a long-term contract with Capitol Records.
According to writer Jon Stebbins, David Marks's guitar playing with Carl Wilson changed the band's sound. Their electric guitar style made the band's music sound more modern and powerful. Al Jardine said that Carl and David brought an "electric guitar drive" to the band, which allowed Brian Wilson to create even more.
David continued to sing and play rhythm guitar with The Beach Boys on their early albums. He played on hit singles like "Surfin' Safari", "409", "Surfin' U.S.A.", "Shut Down", "Surfer Girl", "In My Room", and "Be True to Your School". David performed in over 100 concerts with the band and appeared on their first national TV shows. His playing and youthful look were important to the band's early image.
David Marks left The Beach Boys in August 1963 during a disagreement with Murry Wilson, the band's manager and the Wilson brothers' father. Although he left the touring group, he remained legally a member of The Beach Boys until 1967.
After The Beach Boys
The Marksmen and Other Bands
In 1963, David Marks took over a garage band called the Jaguars and renamed them The Marksmen. This band became his main focus after he left The Beach Boys. The Marksmen were one of the first bands to sign with Herb Alpert's A&M Records in 1964. However, their manager, Murry Wilson, reportedly tried to stop radio stations from playing The Marksmen's songs. The band later signed with Warner Bros. Records, but they did not release many more songs due to a lack of radio play. In 2009, all of The Marksmen's songs were released to the public for the first time.
In 1966, David Marks played with Casey Kasem's Band Without a Name. He then joined a band called The Moon in the late 1960s. The Moon released two albums. David also performed with other groups like Delaney and Bonnie and Colours. By the time he was 21, David felt tired of the music scene in Los Angeles. In 1969, he moved to Boston to study jazz and classical guitar at the Berklee College of Music and the New England Conservatory of Music.
Later Career and Reunions
In 1971, David Marks reunited with The Beach Boys on stage in Boston. He was offered a chance to rejoin the band but decided not to. Instead, he spent the next 25 years playing with many different artists. He became known as a skilled session guitarist, playing on recordings for others. David briefly played lead guitar for Delaney & Bonnie and Friends, and was also offered a spot in the band Paul Revere and the Raiders, but he turned it down.
In 1988, when The Beach Boys were inducted into The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, David Marks was not invited or recognized. This was later corrected in 2007.
David Marks rejoined The Beach Boys as a full-time member in 1997. He played lead guitar because Carl Wilson was battling cancer and could not tour. David played about 300 more shows with the band. He left for a second time in 1999 due to his own health issues.
In 2007, David Marks co-wrote his autobiography, The Lost Beach Boy, with Jon Stebbins. The book shared details about his early career, his health challenges, and his return to the Beach Boys community.
On May 20, 2005, The Beach Boys' six-member lineup, including David Marks and Al Jardine, was honored at the Beach Boys Historic Landmark in Hawthorne, California. In 2006, David joined Brian Wilson, Al Jardine, Mike Love, and Bruce Johnston to receive an award for their CD collection Sounds of Summer: The Very Best of The Beach Boys. In 2008, he toured the UK as a special guest with The Beach Boys. He has also performed with Al Jardine and Dean Torrence of Jan & Dean in the "Legends of Surf Music" tour.
In December 2011, it was announced that David Marks would reunite with Brian Wilson, Mike Love, Al Jardine, and Bruce Johnston for a new Beach Boys album and their 50th anniversary tour in 2012. The group performed at the 2012 Grammy Awards and then went on a 50-show tour. Mike Love praised David, calling him a "phenomenal guitarist" and a "fantastic musician." During the tour, David sang lead vocals on songs like "Hawaii" and "Getcha Back".
In 2012, David Marks released his album The Circle Continues, which featured Al Jardine singing on one of the songs.
In 2013, Brian Wilson's website announced that he was recording new music with Al Jardine, David Marks, and other musicians. This music was released in April 2015 on the album No Pier Pressure.
After the 50th anniversary tour, David Marks continued to perform with Brian Wilson and Al Jardine. They went on a short summer tour in 2013. David sang songs like "Little Bird" and "Forever" during these shows. In the fall, Wilson, Jardine, and Marks joined guitar legend Jeff Beck for a tour.
David Marks and his wife, Carrieann, moved back to southern California in 2013.
In 2014 and 2015, David Marks also made appearances with Mike Love and Bruce Johnston's touring Beach Boys group.
In July 2018, Brian Wilson, Mike Love, Al Jardine, David Marks, and Bruce Johnston reunited for a special question-and-answer session in Los Angeles. This was the first time the band had appeared together publicly since their 2012 tour.
In 2019, David performed with Al Jardine at a charity event called "California Saga 2" to help people experiencing homelessness.
In April 2021, an album called California Music Presents Add Some Music was released. It featured Mike Love, Al Jardine, David Marks, Bruce Johnston, and some children of the original Beach Boys. This album included a new recording of The Beach Boys' song "Add Some Music to Your Day," which was the first time Mike Love, Al Jardine, Bruce Johnston, and David Marks had recorded together in a studio since their 50th anniversary reunion.
In January 2023, a tribute concert called A Grammy Salute to The Beach Boys was announced. It was recorded in February 2023 and aired on CBS in April 2023. Brian Wilson, Al Jardine, David Marks, Bruce Johnston, and Mike Love were all present as special guests, watching other artists perform their songs.
In March 2024, a self-titled documentary about the band was announced. It was released on Disney+ on May 24, 2024. The documentary includes new and old interviews with various band members, including Brian Wilson, Mike Love, Al Jardine, David Marks, and Bruce Johnston. It also showed footage from a private reunion of these members at Paradise Cove, where the Surfin' Safari album cover photo was taken in 1962.
Music Albums
Solo Albums
| Year | Album details |
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| 1992 | Work Tapes
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| 2003 | Something Funny Goin' On
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| 2006 | I Think About You Often
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- The Marks-Clifford Band "Live At The Blue Dolphin '77" (2006)
- The Lost Years : Limited Edition - triple album Set (2008) Quiver Records
- The Marksmen : The Ultimate Collectors Edition (2008) Quiver Records
With The Beach Boys
- Surfin' Safari (1962)
- Surfin' U.S.A. (1963)
- Surfer Girl (1963)
- Little Deuce Coupe (1963)
- That's Why God Made the Radio (2012)
- Live – The 50th Anniversary Tour (2013)
With The Moon
- Without Earth (1968)
- The Moon (1969)
With Surf City All Stars
- Live In Concert (2007)
- Acoustic Vibrations (2009)
- Live In Concert (2013)
Other Appearances
- Mike Love, Bruce Johnston and David Marks of the Beach Boys Salute NASCAR (1998)
- A Postcard from California (Al Jardine, 2010)
- No Pier Pressure (Brian Wilson, 2015)
See also
In Spanish: David Marks para niños
- Beach Boys Historic Landmark
