Mark Lowry (June 24, 1958 - )
Biography
Mark Lowry was born in Houston, Texas, on June 24, 1958. He has an older brother, Mike, and a younger sister, Melissa. Mark's mother, Beverly Lowry, speaks and sings across the country at various conferences. Beverly has been featured on two of Mark's recordings.
Lowry has been singing and recording albums and videos since age eleven. He attended Liberty College in Lynchburg, VA, from 1975 to 1980. He is known for his comedy as well as his singing.
In 1984, Mark wrote the lyric to Mary Did You Know. After several others tried to set the lyrics to music, Buddy Greene wrote a tune that suited the words perfectly. This song has become a modern Christmas standard. It was initially popularized by Michael English on his self-titled solo CD and has since been covered by many artists from various genres including Kathy Mattea, Kenny Rogers, Wynonna Judd, Billy Dean, Natalie Cole, Donnie Osmond and Clay Aiken.
Lowry joined the Gaither Vocal Band in 1988, filling the baritone position and providing comedy at their concert events. He was instrumental in the early and ongoing success of the Gaither Homecoming Series beginning in 1991. Mark continued to perform his blend of comedy and solo singing at non-GVB events during the years he was a member of the GVB, releasing several successful solo videos during that time.
Mark left the GVB in 2001. He continued to release both comedy and serious CDs on the Gaither Music Group label after leaving the GVB. LordSong and Stan Whitmire toured with Lowry for several years and joined him for key appearances at the National Quartet Convention. In 2009, Bill Gaither announced that Lowry was returning to the GVB along with popular alumni David Phelps and Michael English. Lowry left the Gaither Vocal Band after four years at the end of 2013.
Awards
Gospel Music Association Hall Of Fame (2015)
ASCAP Golden Note Award (2016)
Singing News Fan Awards - Favorite Soloist (2021)
Discography
197? He Touched Me, Plus Other Gospel Favorites
1970 Introducing Mark Lowry: The Least In The Kingdom (Impact Records) I'm The Least In The Kingdom; The Glory Road; I've Been To Calvary; Remind Me Dear Lord; Lord, Keep Your Mighty Hand On Me; Sheltered In The Arms Of God; Patriotic Medley: America The Beautiful/This Land Is Your Land/God Bless America; No Greater Love; When I Lift Up My Head; Daddy Come Home; Sittin' Round The Table Of The Lord; Had It Not Been.
197? I'd Rather Have Jesus (Impact Records):
19?? Something Old, Something New (Daybreak Records):
19?? He's Alive
1982 Resurrection Song (Twelve Oaks Records):
198? God Loves You (Big G Custom Records): God Loves You; I Want Jesus; It's A Wonderful Feeling; Slow Down; Give Them All To Jesus; Jesus Is Still The Answer; Whatever It Takes; Jesus Got A Hold Of My Life; Jesus Loves Me; Plenty Of Time.
1986 Trust Me And See (Entry Records):
1988 For The First Time On Planet Earth (Word Records):
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1991 This Is The Life (Word Records/7019171605): This Is The Life; Passin' Through Pittsburgh; Sure Beats Hell; Mama's On Hold; Na-Na-Na-Na-Na-Na; If There Were No Tomorrow; Pivot On Your Good Foot; There Is Hope; Go With God.
1993 The Last Word (Word Records):
1994 Mouth In Motion (Word Records):
1996 Remotely Controlled (Word Records):
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1999 Twenty Stories Tall (Word Records/080688592721): Take A Pill And Cook The Vegetables; Paw Paw's Chin; Praying To A Single Adult; Wrestling In The Kitchen; Mama Had "Enough"; Buses, Beds And Bill Gaither; Open Heart Surgery; The Old Sanctuary; Miss Barth; Mama's On Hold; God Likes Hyperactive Kids; Summa Cum Laude; All Mama Ever Wanted; Feelings Or Faith; Alarm Clock; The New Dentist; Exit Row; The Church Brat; Psychiatric Help; Flying With A Baby (Compilation).
1999 But Seriously (Spring House Records):
2000 Just Singing... No Kidding (Spring House Records):
2001 Mark Lowry On Broadway (Spring House Records):
2003 Some Things Never Change (Spring House Records):
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2004 The Best Of Mark Lowry - Volume One (Spring House Records/SHD2559): Bein' Happy; God Help The USA; Sweet Beulah Land; Look For Me; Search Me, Lord; Things To Do; Home; Goin' Up Yonder; Satisfied; I Don't Belong; Mary, Did You Know; I Do Believe; You Needed Me; I Thirst.
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2004 The Best Of Mark Lowry - Volume Two (Spring House Records/SHD2560): A House Of Gold; Make It Real; Get Together With The Lord; Farther On Down The Road; Lord, Feed Your Children; I Can't Even Walk (Without You Holding My Hand); Mary Was The First One To Carry The Gospel; It Wouldn't Be Enough; We Fall Down; He Touched Me; Tell Me; The Old Landmark; I'll Worship Only At The Feet Of Jesus; God Loves New York.
2004 Mary, Did You Know? (Spring House Records):
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2005 Mark Lowry Goes To Hollywood (Spring House Records/SHD2610): Ha Ha Hollywood (featuring Mark Lowry, The Issacs); Comedy - Welcome And Denominations; Friend 'Til The End (featuring The Issacs); Celebrate Jesus (featuring Stan Whitmire); Lord Of The Dance (featuring Lordsong); Some Things Never Change (featuring Mark Lowry, Lordsong); Comedy - Aging And Eva Mae; Too Big To Miss; The Star Spangled Banner (featuring Mark Lowry, Lordsong); Comedy - I Survived A Tornado; Home Where I Belong; Comedy - Mark Talks To Bill And Introduces Michael English & Reggie Smith; I'll Trade The Old Cross For A Crown (featuring Reggie Smith, Mark Lowry, Michael English, Bill Gaither); I Bowed On My Knees (featuring Reggie Smith, Mark Lowry, Michael English, Bill Gaither, the reMarkable Choir); I Call Him Lord (featuring Mark Lowry, Kim Lord, Amber Frank Ballzglier); Peace Like A River (featuring The Issacs); Comedy - Doubters; Make It Real; Wandering Heart (featuring Lordsong).
2005 Be The Miracle (Spring House Records):
2007 I Love To Tell The Story (Gaither Music Group):
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2009 Life Gets Loud... (Gaither Music Group/SHD6022): I Thank My Savior For It All; Over My Head; Keep Walking; Take It Up With Jesus; Nothing To Prove; The Inviting Christ; I Wanna Go There; When The Sun Comes Out Again; You Reap What You Sow; Life Gets Loud.
2011 Unplugged & Unplanned (Daywind Records):
2013 Unforgettable Classics
2015 How We Love
2015 The Best Of Mark Lowry (Cracker Barrel Exclusive).
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2016 Dogs Go To Heaven (Spring House Records/SHD9287): Jesus Laughing (featuring the Martins); Everybody Wants To Go To Heaven (featuring the Martins); Old Age (Comedy); Fly Me To The Moon; He Leadeth Me (featuring the Martins); Count Your Blessings (featuring the Martins); Worry (featuring the Martins); What A Lovely Name (featuring the Martins & Stan Whitmire); I Thirst (Mom's Song) (featuring the Martins); You'll Never Walk Alone (featuring the Martins); How We Love (featuring the Martins); Dogs Go To Heaven (Comedy); Glow Worm (featuring the Martins); On Jordan's Stormy Banks (featuring the Martins); Goodbye World Goodbye (featuring the Stan Whitmire); Old People (featuring the Martins); Where Amazing Happens (featuring the Taranda Greene & The First Church Choir of Hendersonville, TN); The Promise (featuring the Martins); Mary, Did You know (featuring The First Church Choir of Hendersonville, TN); Come As You Are (featuring the Martins).
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2017 What's Not To Love (Custom Records): What’s Not To Love; I Know When I’m Hearing From Home; Love Is The Golden Rule; No Room For Hate?; What If He Meant What He Said?; So You’ll Know How To Pray?; Mama Prayed?; Feels Like I’m Already There?; Didn’t I Walk On The Water?; Only Jesus; What’s Not To Love (reprise).
2021 Mark Lowry: The Early Years (Main Street Music And Entertainment): (4-disc CD compilation of previously released albums: Mark Lowry: The Least In The Kingdom, Trust Me & See, He’s Alive, and Resurrection Song).
2021 Live In Akron, OH (Main Street Music And Entertainment): (previously unreleased live recording of a 1984 concert).
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2021 Sit Up Straight And Sing: Vol. 1 (Custom Records): Leaning On The Everlasting Arms; Amazing Grace; Since Jesus Came Into My Heart; In The Garden; A New Name In Glory; Precious Memories; Victory In Jesus; I Surrender All; Dwelling In Beulah Land; Tis So Sweet To Trust In Jesus; Mansion Over The Hilltop; The Old Rugged Cross (Album includes both sung and instrumental versions of all songs for a total of 24 tracks.) (Mark Lowry and Kevin Williams).
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2021 Simply Christmas (Custom Records): It's Beginning To Look A Lot Like Christmas; Winter Wonderland; I'll Be Home For Christmas; Oh Little Town Of Bethlehem; White Christmas; What Child Is This; Joy To The World; Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas; Jingle Bells; It Came Upon A Midnight Clear; Mary, Did You Know (Album includes both sung and instrumental versions of all songs for a total of 24 tracks.) (Mark Lowry and Kevin Williams).
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2022 Sit Up Straight And Sing: Vol. 2 (Custom Records): Jesus Hold My Hand; Unclouded Day; Oh I Want To See Him; In The Sweet By And By; Jesus Loves Me; The Lily Of The Valley; This World Is Not My Home; Give Me Oil In My Lamp; Power In The Blood; What A Friend We Have In Jesus; Joy Unspeakable; I Feel Like Traveling On. (Album includes both sung and instrumental versions of all songs for a total of 24 tracks.) (Mark Lowry and Kevin Williams).
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2023 Sit Up Straight And Sing: Vol. 3 (Custom Records): Blessed Assurance; Child Of The King; Count Your Blessings; Does Jesus Care?; Goodbye World Goodbye; Heaven’s Jubilee (featuring Endless Highway); Heavenly Sunlight; How Great Thou Art; Love Lifted Me; Near The Cross (featuring The Sound); The Eastern Gate (featuring Endless Highway); Where Could I Go? (featuring The Sound). (Album includes both sung and instrumental versions of all songs for a total of 24 tracks.) (Mark Lowry and Kevin Williams).
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2024 Sit Up Straight And Sing: Vol. 4 (Custom Records): He Keeps Me Singing; Nothing But The Blood Of Jesus (featuring Jim And Melissa Brady); Jesus Saves; Redeemed How I Love To Proclaim It (featuring Jim And Melissa Brady); Saved Saved; He Looked Beyond My Fault (featuring Reba Rambo); Give Me That Old Time Religion; Little Is Much When God Is In It; Won’t It Be Wonderful There (featuring Jim And Melissa Brady); Soon And Very Soon. (Album includes both sung and instrumental versions of all songs for a total of 20 tracks.) (Mark Lowry and Matthew Holt).
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2024 There Is Hope (Gaither Music Group): This Too Shall Pass; Joy; God Doesn't Know; For Just A Glimpse Of You; Rest In The Arms; I Know What A Savior He Is; Don't Quit; Eternity With Me; There Is Hope; Mary Did You Know; Go with God.
Songwriter's Résumé
(Partial List)
Farther On Down The Road
I'll Meet You On The Mountain
Mary Did You Know
Mary Was The First One To Carry The Gospel
Stand Up For What I Stand For
There Is Hope
The Lowry Vocal Band
The Lowry Vocal Band was a special group that performed with Mark Lowry on his concert tours. Group members joining Lowry (baritone/lead) included tenor singer Riley Harrison Clark along with Jay Griggs (lead/baritone) and Jason Griggs (bass) from the group Endless Highway. A recording was released in 2024 featuring both studio and live recordings of three songs plus three more tracks.
The Lowry Vocal Band Discography
2024 Songs Of The Gaither Vocal Band (Mark Lowry Products/Gaither Music Group): Satisfied; Satisfied (Hallelujah I Have Found Him); He Touched Me; I Believe In A Hill Called Mount Calvary; God Is Good All The Time; Satisfied; He Touched Me; Make It Real/I Believe Help Thou My Unbelief; I Believe In A Hill Called Mount Calvary (Riley Harrison Clark, Jay Griggs, Mark Lowry, Jason Griggs).