From back porches to recording studios: The emergence of Mark Melloan

Mark Melloan loves Kentucky. This much is apparent.

He also loves music and songwriting, at both of which he is quite gifted.

Melloan's first album, "The Shadowlands" was recently recorded and mixed at MGP Studio in Hodgenville with Mark Goodman engineering. Additional recording was done at The Project Room and SMS Studio, both in Hendersonville, Tenn. The album was mastered by Eric Conn and Don Cobb. The album will be featured in a concert Saturday at 7:30 p.m. at Hardin County Schools Performing Arts Center. Tickets are $5 and proceeds go to help the Performing Arts Center.

"The Shadowlands" doesn't fit neatly into a genre. It's a little country, a little folk, a little just good music. The lyrics have some dominant themes: Kentucky, history, storytelling, loves of sorts.

Melloan explains, "A lot of the material is very tied to local geography. …There's a song entitled ‘Hubert Atwell's Store' about an old country store in Pascal, Kentucky. I'm always sort of enamored with Kentucky geography and Kentucky people. It's a big part of my inspiration."

On the specific nature of his songs, Melloan relates that telling a particular story is important to him.

"I like really dramatic stories. The type of stories that are very visual, so people can see what's going on and envision the story."

If that's the goal, then Melloan has scored with "The Shadowlands." Kentucky enthusiasts will adore his knack for relating the nuances of his homeland. Anyone with a penchant for days gone by will appreciate the finely tuned nostalgia of such tunes as "Hubert Atwell's Store" and "Morgan Hunt's Mill." It is clear on this album both that Melloan is a skilled songwriter and that the deeply personal lyrics are his strength.

"These songs on the album have been performed on back porches and in living rooms; in a lot of intimate settings with people I know, and have taken shape because of that," Melloan said. "I've been able to see how people react to them and it's really helped me to shape the songs, so now that they're on the album they're in a format that can move people."

The musicians participating in this album are a testament to it's promise. Melloan's excitement about the experience is not easily contained.

"It's really exciting to work with Bela Flack — he's an amazing musician, arguably the best banjo player on the planet. And Curtis Burch was wonderful as co-producer and playing dobro. Curtis was a founding member of New Grass Revival and appears on the ‘Oh Brother, Where Art Thou' soundtrack."

Flack and Burch are names widely known in music circles and the ‘Oh Brother, Where Art Thou' soundtrack has single-handedly spawned an uprising in Bluegrass music. Rounding out an all-star lineup of musicians are Casey Driessen, fiddle; Ron de la Vega, bass; Peter Young, drums and percussion; Rex Wiseman, mandolin; and Melloan on guitar.

As the album sits poised on the precipice of the "big time," Melloan reflects on its humble beginnings.

"I was in a hotel room playing him (Burch) my songs after a gig one night and he just loved the material and immediately took an interest. He's a very well-connected musician. A lot of phone calls were made," he said.

The snowball effect landed him in good hands, but Melloan remains true to his roots.

"A record label has resources that would really make it easier to make the songs available to people, so it would be really nice to be on a lable. Still, it's been a neat experience to start out with more of a grass-roots campaign, where the album was done independently."

The pride in his voice is evident, but it's not without substance. The sound and recording quality are excellent for an independent record. Not to mention that Melloan's musical upbringing is manifest in the maturity of both his lyrics and the overall sound of the album. Joni Melloan, in fact, assists in backup vocals.

Music is clearly inherent in the tapestry that is Mark Melloan. He is equally passionate and timid when speaking of his work.

"I'm always trying to reach an audience. I have a lot of ideas that I'm trying to share with people. I want people to be able to experience the song. I don't write obscure lyrics. I'm trying to get emotions across."

However, he goes on, "I hope my messages are worthwhile, worth sharing with people, worth distribution."

Melloan promises a good show this weekend, adding that "The Shadowlands" is at its best heard live.

"I think what I do is different. There's something unique about the way it's done."

Lindsay Grimes welcomes comments and suggestions. Contact her at 769-1200 Ext. 235 or via e-mail at lindsaysgrimes@hotmail.com.