Mark Ellis joined All Pro in February, 2008. In addition to his new career as a packaged systems consultant, Mark is an accomplished lead singer with his band Good Foote.
What got you interested in music?
When I was five years old my father came home from work with an LP under his arm. (That’s an analog vinyl record for you younger folks.) Through his excitement I was intrigued. Before we ate dinner that night he put it on the family turntable. The record was “The Beatles 1962-1966.” Thirty years later, I can still remember sitting on the floor listening, looking at the pictures of these four guys, and reading the lyrics and liner notes. I loved the tunes so much that by the time I had turned eight, I owned every American (Capitol Records) release Beatles album. To say I was hooked is an understatement! So it's all Dad's fault.
How long have you been singing?
I've been singing all my life. To the radio, in church, and of course to those Beatles records. I've been asked numerous times "Where did you receive your vocal training?" or "Who gave you voice lessons?". My response is always "John and Paul, sometimes George." I developed my skills of harmony as well as singing in tune from.....you guessed it… those Beatles records. In middle school and high school I sang in typical garage bands. In 1999 I started singing professionally in establishments with my band Good Foote. I'm still singing in the band today.Tell us about your Nashville days.
I moved to Nashville in 1996 from where I had been living (for six years) in Santa Cruz, CA. I had been building African style hand drums (Ashikos, Congas, Tumbas, Talking Drums) for West Cliff Percussion (in Santa Cruz). I was trained (how to build) by legendary master drum facilitators Arthur Hull and Cameron Tummel. When I arrived in Nashville, I found that Gibson Guitars USA were built there. I took one of the drums that I had constructed to Gibson. I met with the plant supervisor, showed him my work and was hired. During the day, I hand-shaped necks for Gibson's electric division; so if you have a Gibson electric guitar dating from 1996 to 1999, the neck on your guitar has passed through my hands.
During that same period my wife Tracy worked at Baptist Hospital's child care center. A parent of one child in her class was Bob Tassi, the head recording engineer at The Loft, a Warner Brothers-owned recording studio located on Division Street in downtown Nashville. Bob worked directly under producer Jim Ed Norman. Bob had asked my wife what I was doing for work. She told him about me working for Gibson. Bob asked her if I would like to come check out the studio. Of course I was interested! Upon our meeting Bob and I hit it off. He then asked me if I would like to intern at the Loft. I jumped at the opportunity! So there I was building Gibson guitars during the day and setting up recording sessions as well as making coffee for Bob by night. I watched Bob work his magic on numerous recordings. One of my favorite sessions was for the Grammy award-winning album by The Fairfield Four, "I Couldn't Hear Nobody Pray". It contained the wonderful song "That Day Is Done" which featured Elvis Costello. That song still gives me goose bumps!
You have spent some time with some well-known musicians. Who are your favorites?
While in Nashville I met a lot of great musicians. Gibson had world-renowned players coming and going all the time. I met Joe Perry when Gibson started making his signature Les Paul guitar. Super nice guy! The incomparable Chet Atkins came in quite often before his passing -- not to mention Les Paul himself. One day Phil Keaggy was playing in the cafeteria as we ate lunch! That was the first time I heard and saw a loop pedal being used. I had a great time with the legendary blues guitarist/singer Son Seals. Boy, did Son have some stories. He started his career playing drums for Albert King.
Speaking of Kings, I was fortunate enough to spend time with B.B. King on his tour bus one night. After I told him that I shaped "Lucille" necks, I was "on the bus," as they say. Warren Haynes of the Allman Brothers Band and co-founder of Gov't Mule is another one of those "one of a kind" type musicians. He is always so gracious to people who love music. My good friend Dick Boyden has made a few of his "Boyden Amplifiers" for Warren, so I have been able to chat with Warren a few times through Dick's friendship with him. I shaped a few guitar necks for him and Allen Woody (the late Allman Brothers and Gov't Mule bassist) while at Gibson.
I consider Col. Bruce Hampton a good friend of mine. We had lunch a few weeks ago. Col. Bruce is responsible for finding the finest unknown musicians and bands and making them known. Widespread Panic and Phish credit him often. You can compare him to the best baseball scout of all time in the music business.
My favorite musicians would be The Beatles, The Grateful Dead, The Band, Sly & The Family Stone, James Brown, Los Lobos, Muddy Waters, Buddy Guy, Wilco -- right now. It always changes, though.
What kind of microphone do you use when you sing?
I've been using an Audix OM5 for nearly ten years now. I actually bought it from All Pro Sound (long before I worked here)! You can't get it off my mic stand! My band (Good Foote) just recently performed for a taping for our local PBS affiliate WSRE. They had another company's mic ready for me, but I insisted on using my OM5! If it's good enough for Bruce Springsteen, Bonnie Raitt, Ani Difranco, Lucinda Williams, Shooter Jennings, and Willie Nelson, it's good enough for me!
Describe the rest of your sound equipment.
For smaller gigs I use a Yamaha EMX512 powered mixer. With its digital power amps, the piece is super lightweight but also super powerful!! The built in compressor is a nice feature also. For my mains, I use Yamaha S115's which I've abused for years, but they sound just as good today as the first time that I used them. For monitors I use a pair of Yamaha SM12's.
For larger shows in my Gator roller rack, I use a Yamaha MG series mixer and two Yamaha P7000 power amps, although I am about to purchase a few QSC power amps in the near future. For bottom end I have a pair of Yamaha SW118's. I use a DBX dual 15 band equalizer, but I will soon replace it with the incredible Driverack processor from DBX. I haven't decided whether I'm going to purchase the Driverack 260 or ante up for the Driverack 480. I'm most excited about adding this piece to my system!
How do your musical experiences help you at All Pro Sound?
Wow! Good question. I guess you could say I'm a hands-on kind of guy. I learn by doing. So since I’m not only the lead singer of the band, but also the sound man, I've learned how to do things the right way by doing them the wrong way first! The "fly on the wall" experience under Bob Tassi was priceless. I learned so much just by watching him work his magic. So I feel I can communicate through my experiences to the customer on the other end of the line. I will admit that I'm still learning. My colleagues here on the phones at All Pro Sound teach me something new every day! If one of us can't answer a customer's question (which is rare), the next sales engineer over surely can!! It's truly an honor to work in such a knowledgeable and experienced environment!!
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