ABOUT | Marksheldan

About.

After I saw Chuck Berry at the CNE, I begged my parents for a guitar. On my twelve birthday, there it was. A 1960's Suzuiki steel string with the worst action you could ever imagine. I loved it! I played it every day and soon surrounded myself with folk musicians around the city of Toronto. I listened to Joanie Mitchell, Bob Dylan, Leonard Cohen, David Rae, Gordon Lightfoot, Dave Van Ronk and others who inspired me.

My first song I wrote when I was thirteen. It was a two chord song about building a marijuana farm in Mexico. Needless to say it wasn't my greatest hit. However, I was hooked. Hundreds of original songs have poured out of me since then; some gems and some throw-aways. Most of them based on realities and events in my life.

I began to gather an enormous amount of harmonicas and I practiced as I walked the streets of Long Branch. My friends would listen and when I did something brilliant, they'd say, "That's a keeper". Otherwise they'd just smile and nod.

After graduation, I traveled to Saskatchewan to see where Joanie Mitchell grew up. Then I took my guitar and harps all the way to San Francisco where a blues band was formed by the great musicians I had met. We played every week and practiced every day. It was cool when I met Alvin Lee even though he didn't let me go into the jam with him.

With my eyes and ears wide open, I took in the Ann Arbor Blues Festival drooling like a kid in a candy store. Some of my idols like Son House, Big Mama Thorton and Johnny Winter blew my mind with their skill, passion and love of music. I knew then I wanted to do this till I die.

I made this site so folk music fans and people everywhere can check out my paintings, songs and poetry that has been gathering for many a year. My philosophy in life is and always will be:

1. Don't sweat the small stuff and 2. Look for the comedic side of any situation.