Mark Linkous facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Mark Linkous
Linkous in 1992
Background information
Birth name	Frederick Mark Linkous
Born	September 9, 1962 Arlington, Virginia, US
Died	March 6, 2010 (aged 47) Knoxville, Tennessee, US
Genres	Lo-fi, indie rock, alt-country, bluegrass, folk, psychedelic, southern gothic
Occupation(s)	Musician, singer-songwriter, record producer
Instruments	Vocals, guitar, piano, keyboards, bass guitar, drums, percussion
Years active	1985–2010
Labels	Capitol/EMI, Astralwerks/Caroline/Virgin/EMI, Konkurrent, Combat, Relativity, Anti-/Epitaph
Associated acts	Dancing Hoods, Salt Chunk Mary, Tom Waits, Daniel Johnston, PJ Harvey, Fennesz, Danger Mouse, House of Freaks, Sparklehorse

Frederick Mark Linkous (born September 9, 1962 – died March 6, 2010) was an American musician. He was a singer, songwriter, and record producer. Mark Linkous was best known as the leader of the band Sparklehorse. He also worked with many other famous artists. Some of these included Tom Waits, PJ Harvey, Daniel Johnston, and Danger Mouse.

Mark Linkous was part of an indie band called the Dancing Hoods in the 1980s. He moved with the band from Virginia to New York City and then to Los Angeles. They hoped to become very popular. By 1988, the band broke up. Mark Linkous then returned to Virginia and started writing songs.

In 1995, he started his own music project called Sparklehorse. He was the only constant member of this band. Sparklehorse released four albums that were praised by music critics. These albums included Vivadixiesubmarinetransmissionplot, Good Morning Spider, It's a Wonderful Life, and Dreamt for Light Years in the Belly of a Mountain. Mark Linkous spent his last years in Hayesville, North Carolina. He passed away in Knoxville, Tennessee, on March 6, 2010, at the age of 47.

Discovering Mark Linkous's Life

Early Years and Music Dreams

Mark Linkous was born on September 9, 1962, in Arlington, Virginia. His parents were Gloria Hughes Thacker and Frederick Linkous. He had three brothers. Many people in his family worked as coal miners. Mark chose music as his career, partly to avoid working in the mines. His parents separated when he was young.

As a teenager, Mark described himself as a bit rebellious. He spent some time living with his grandparents in Charlottesville, Virginia. He went to Albemarle High School in Charlottesville. He said he mainly went to school to see his friends.

The Dancing Hoods Band

After high school, in the early 1980s, Mark Linkous moved to New York City. There, he helped start a band called Dancing Hoods. Mark played guitar and sang. Other members included Bob Bortnick, Don Short, and Eric Williams.

In 1984, the band released a short album called an EP. A year later, they released their first full album, 12 Jealous Roses. This album received many good reviews. Other bands like The Replacements and The Del Fuegos also liked their music.

In 1988, Dancing Hoods released their second album, Hallelujah Anyway. A song from this album, "Baby's Got Rockets", became popular on college radio stations. Its music video was even shown on MTV's program 120 Minutes. That same year, the band moved to Los Angeles. They hoped to become even more famous, but they broke up soon after.

Salt Chunk Mary and New Beginnings

After the Dancing Hoods broke up, Mark Linkous moved back to Virginia. Before starting Sparklehorse, he had another band called Salt Chunk Mary. This band formed in late 1989. They made some demo recordings, but they never released official music.

By 1995, Mark Linkous started his solo project, Sparklehorse. He used some of the songs he had written for Salt Chunk Mary in his new project.

The Sparklehorse Project

When Mark Linkous returned to Virginia, he kept writing songs. One song he wrote, "Sick of Goodbyes", was recorded by the band Cracker in 1993. Mark finally decided on the name Sparklehorse for his new band. He released the first Sparklehorse album, Vivadixiesubmarinetransmissionplot, in 1995. He was the only member who stayed with the band throughout its history.

In 1998, Sparklehorse released Good Morning Spider. One song on this album, "St. Mary", was about an accident Mark had and his recovery. In 2001, Sparklehorse released It's a Wonderful Life. This album featured music from famous artists like Tom Waits, PJ Harvey, and Nina Persson.

In 2003, a Sparklehorse song called "Sea of Teeth" was used in the movie All the Real Girls. In September 2006, Sparklehorse released Dreamt for Light Years in the Belly of a Mountain. This album was a new collaboration with DJ Danger Mouse.

In 2009, Mark Linkous worked with electronic artist Christian Fennesz. They created an experimental album together called In the Fishtank 15. Mark's last live shows were with Fennesz during a European tour in October 2009.

At the time of his death, Mark Linkous had almost finished a new Sparklehorse album. He was also planning to move to Knoxville, Tennessee, and set up a new music studio.

Dark Night of the Soul Album

In the late 2000s, Mark Linkous recorded an album called Dark Night of the Soul. He worked on this with producer Danger Mouse and director David Lynch. Ten other musicians also joined in. The album was first released online in May 2009. It came with a book of photographs by David Lynch. After some delays, the album was officially released in 2010, a few months after Mark Linkous passed away. It featured guest singers like The Flaming Lips and Iggy Pop.

Producing and Helping Other Artists

Besides making his own music, Mark Linkous also became a popular record producer. He helped create albums for other artists. For example, he produced Nina Persson's solo album, A Camp. He also worked on a song for Azure Ray and produced Daniel Johnston's album Fear Yourself. Mark Linkous was a big supporter of Daniel Johnston, who was a unique and talented artist.

In 2004, Mark Linkous helped create The Late Great Daniel Johnston: Discovered Covered. This was a tribute album featuring artists like Beck, Death Cab for Cutie, and Tom Waits. It also included a song by Sparklehorse and The Flaming Lips called "Go."

Mark Linkous also worked with Bangles singer-songwriter Susanna Hoffs in the early 1990s. He wrote songs and played music for her. He also provided music for rapper Sage Francis's album Li(f)e and the song "Love The Lie." These were released after Mark Linkous's death.

Mark Linkous's Passing

Mark Linkous passed away on March 6, 2010, when he was 47 years old.

How People Reacted

Soon after his death, a message from his family was posted on the official Sparklehorse website. It said they were very sad to share the news and that they would always remember him. Many famous musicians and people in the music world shared their sadness. These included Patti Smith, Radiohead's Colin Greenwood, and members of The Flaming Lips. Emily Haines of the band Metric wrote a special message about him.