Like many baby boomers, Mark-whose previous musical experience had been trumpet in the school band-was awakened to rock music by the appearance of the Beatles on the Ed Sullivan Show. Within weeks he was learning guitar and song lyrics.

Mark gained his first notoriety with The Mayfield Duck. The Duck, a four-piece band, performed in Delaware, Pennsylvania and Maryland from 1967 to 1969. The Duck performed mostly forgettable originals, written by Mark, in addition to the usual party music of the time, and lots of Doors, Cream and other pscyhedelia. Mark fronted the Duck and played some rhythm guitar.

When the Duck broke up, Mark joined a band that came to be known as The NFS Boys. NFS was together for 15 years, playing at schools, colleges and clubs. Mark played rhythm guitar, shared lead vocals, contributed to the band's CSNY/Eagles-influenced harmony vocals, and composed more mostly forgettable originals. Then as now lucky in his associations, NFS, in addition to other excellent musicians, included guitarist and nationally renowned luthier Dana Sutcliffe, the creator of Alvarez' "Dana Scoop".

When NFS disbanded, Mark noticed that he had somehow obtained college and law degrees. From then until 2002, Mark's musical activity was limited to duets in the car with Linda Ronstadt, Patty Loveless and the Dixie Chicks, and occasional gin fueled karaoke.

In the summer of 2002, Fred Dawson, whom Mark had known and admired as a musician for many years, asked Mark to participate in Club Phred. Mark sings occasional lead vocals, many background and harmony vocals, and rhythm guitar. Known in the band as The Human Jukebox, Mark prompts the other vocalists on lyrics-though he cannot recall such things as anniversaries and children's birthdays, he can be tough to stump on any lyric between 1964 and 1984.