Biography

Mark Holt and Kimberlee Holt Tully's music has a 1970's retro acoustic classic country and bluegrass sound with an edgy kick. When describing their sound, Mark says I'm sure if we just played straight bluegrass or western or lounge, we would be easier to market... but to me, it makes more sense if you can put your music in four or five different binsI want people to know that was me when they hear us. I don't want to sound like anybody else." With a wide range of influences like John Denver, Merle Haggard, Willie Nelson, Flatt & Scruggs, & Sammy Davis, Jr, thats easy to understand.

In 2003, this brother and sister team released their debut album, Acoustically Native, which was produced by Bil VornDick, who has also worked with Alison Krauss. While a majority of the songs are covers of country greats, Mark Holt does show off his songwriting skills on four of the tracksKimberlee Holt Tully even pitches in on one. Mark says I pick songs that move me, make me think, or make a musical statement.

Included on Acoustically Native is a song titled Cowboy Up / Riding for America. At the request of the International Horseback Trail Ride, Mark & Kimberlee became the musicians for the South Dakota leg of the Riding for America 9-11 Benefit Ride. For the ride, they wrote "Cowboy Up", a western flavored remembrance of the September 11 tragedies and set it to music in about a week. The Riding for America group rode from Alberta, Canada, to the Atlantic shore and the Statue of Liberty to raise money for the Red Cross Disaster Relief Fund.

Born in Seattle, Washington, and raised in Yakima, Washington, Mark now makes his home in the mountains of central Idaho. He is a founding board member & past president of the Washington Bluegrass Association.