Mark Gibson

Mark Gibson is a singer/songwriter from Tulsa, OK, who recently transplanted to Cincinnati, Ohio. Over the years, he’s been in solo and band projects that contained a wide array of sounds and influences. After the release of his first solo album, "Beautifully Deconstructed" (2012), which still contained influences of bands like U2 and Coldplay, he decided it was time to define his own sound. Gibson’s love for music began with the guitar, so it seemed like the right place to start. He quickly realized that when he just played for himself at home, he naturally gravitated towards the blues and soul music. He decided to explore those sounds further. What he found was a more rhythmic and soulful approach to playing and songwriting. When he played and sang in that manner, it felt like he was coming home. He fell in love with the possibilities, and hasn't looked back since. Gibson released his sophomore album in 2016, "Blue Eyed Soul", and it represented four years of writing and playing the type of music he loved. 

Throughout 2017, he recorded three live shows at Soul City in Tulsa, which became his third release, “Live From Soul City” (2018). The album showcases a seven piece band of wonderful Tulsa and Oklahoma City musicians. It's raw and emotive; everything you'd expect from a soul band. This isn't the type of soul music that James Brown defined, it's the type of soul music that comes from growing up on the plains of Oklahoma. Cassidy McCants, from the Tulsa Voice added, "Songwriter, vocalist, and guitarist Mark Gibson’s Live at Soul City features 13 original tracks, ranging from weighty ruminations to rich love songs to compassionate commentary on religion and politics. Gibson and his band, consisting of Chris Wylie on drums, Ryan Magnani on bass, Kendrik McKinney on keys, Chanda Graham on vocals, Bill Gable on trumpet, and Mike Cameron on saxophone, recorded three live shows at Soul City Gastropub and Music House in 2017. Live at Soul City includes their favorite cuts from each. The result is an energetic, soulful, bluesy, heartfelt, and honest album that breathes life into both the personal and the public/political. In “Love Will Find a Way,” for instance, Gibson gives us a kind of directive: “What the world needs is your love / and the walls between all of us / they will fall and turn to dust.” 

Gibson will be spending 2018 performing and promoting “Live From Soul City.” He will also be working on the pre-production for his 3rd studio album. 

-Mark Gibson’s original songs have been featured on NPR 89.5, KOSU 91.7, KRSC 91.3.

-He’s opened for acts like Dave Matthews Band and Delbert McClinton.