MARK DEREK

Born in Hammersmith and raised in nearby Ealing, west London, Mark Derek is a Country Music Historian who specialises in the Traditional & Neo-traditional styles.

No stranger to the ‘world of entertainment’, Mark drew musical influence from his father, one of Britain’s most admired Country Music vocalists and entertainers – Jon Derek.

Mark is a former music journalist and professional singer. Known for his keen and vibrant association with Country Music, Mark oversees his late father's website, and all matters relating to his musical legacy. 

Mark says: When my father passed away in 2011 - renowned journalist/publicist, Tony Byworth paid tribute to him by saying:

"Country Music has never been a dominant force in the British entertainment scene and achievement for home-grown artists, even less so. There has only been a handful to have scored any sort of acknowledgement outside of the genre but Jon Derek certainly ranks among those elite few. In fact, he stands head and shoulders above the majority enjoying success as a singer, musician, songwriter and innovator." 

It's hard to believe that since Tony wrote those words, Country Music has evolved beyond belief. Or has it? For the first time in its history, we now have some British acts making it in this genre of music and gaining mainstream chart success - and we have a younger generation of fans seeing it as 'hip and trendy'. But is this really Country? Although I have respect for many of these groundbreaking artists - the music they, and their fellow counterparts represent, is not what many of us traditionalists would associate as Country Music. In my opinion, today's Country sound is just way too modern for me, and leans more towards a pop/rock influence. I need to hear those heartfelt lyrics, a Country twang and those conventional instruments we have long associated with Country Music. 

When I was growing up in London, back in the 1980's, confessing to liking Country Music wasn't cool. I took a lot of stick at school, and I was often made fun off. Nevertheless, labelled as 'different' then, and as frustrating as it was - I'm glad I was never swayed to turn my back on a music genre that positively ingrained my well-being with a deep respect and love for my chosen music. 

My childhood heroes were the traditional icons of the trade; George Jones, Buck Owens, Tammy Wynette and Charley Pride etc. and then I singled out Randy Travis and Ricky Skaggs among my favourites by the late 80s. All these artists had a profound impact on me. They sang songs based on real life, real love and real loss. Country music went through a revamp in the early to mid-1980's, but what it didn't lose was its identity. Fortunately, after seeing off the 'Urban Cowboy' fad, which really messed things up for a while with its mechanical bulls, country discos and line-dancing - the 'Neo-traditional' movement brought vitality and prosperity. With the emergence of such heavyweights as Garth Brooks, Alan Jackson, George Strait, Reba McEntire and Trisha Yearwood, I think from the offset, we all knew the 1990’s was going to be an incredible period in the history of country music – a golden era in which I often look back on and believe will never be emulated – a truly memorable decade. What was coming out of the US back then was extraordinary. Those consummate songwriters in Nashville’s Music Row were producing hit after hit for a number of major recording artists who all had their own unique sound and persona. My country music collection was soaring at a rate of knots! 

As a Country Music Historian, my knowledge spans from the early roots right up until the turn of the millennium. By my late teens, I was already referred to as a 'Country Music enthusiast' by the industry's dignitaries. I used to live and breathe Country Music. However, in recent years, I gave up listening to what Nashville had to offer when the sounds of a fiddle and a steel guitar all but disappeared into obscurity. There was a time you could identify with every Country singer you heard on the radio - they had their own unique sound, but this 'so called' new breed of artists, all sound rather similar. Yes, I would love to see Nashville return to its roots but, I cannot see that happening.