Mark W. Winchester is a Grammy-winning Bassist, award-winning Songwriter, Independent Recording Artist and Live Music Performer based in Nashville, Tn.
Mark W. moved with his wife from their hometown of Monroe, NC to Music City in 1988 wanting to figure out how a songwriter gets noticed, when he got noticed sitting in with a band on his upright bass. He was demonstrating the Rock-A-Billy “slap” skills he had honed in his University of South Carolina college combo The 88’s. This led to becoming a founding member of Roots-Rock cult hero band The Planet Rockers, which led to touring with Emmylou Harris and the Nash Ramblers, which led to recording, touring and co-writing with Stray Cat frontman Brian Setzer in his Brian Setzer Orchestra, a band that won a 1999 Grammy for “Jump, Jive An Wail”.
During the ‘which led to’ period between the Ramblers and Setzer, Mark W.’s dedication to improving as a songwriter landed him a staff contract at Reba McEntire’s publishing company, Starstruck Writer’s Group, where he wrote the top-25 hit “Would I?” for Randy Travis. Other songwriting successes followed, like Setzer recording several of their co-writes on his ‘68 Comeback Special album, and having Mark W. sing lead vocal on “Rooster Rock”, as well as their “Drive Like Lightnin’” from BSO’s Vavoom!, becoming a staple of Setzer’s live shows. Balsam Range won an IBMA Song of the Year award with Mark W.’s song “Moon Over Memphis”. Carlene Carter, Sam Bush, Planet Rockers, Tall Paul, Smokestack Lightnin’ and others have recorded Mark W.’s songs.
The 2005 release of “All These Young Punks”, launched Mark W.’s parallel career of independently recording, releasing, and performing his own material. He’s released 3 other full length solo CD’s on his own Times Three Records label; “Upright”, “Flannery’s Prayers”, “Angel By Nature”, and “a serious song e.p.”
Around 2017, Mark W. formed the art-rock duo, Sizzle Went The VCR, inspired by his early love of punk and New Wave music, with friend and fellow Nashville musician, drummer Rick Lonow. The idio-syncratomatic power duo released 3 full-length CD’s; “Sizzle Went The VCR”, “Again”, “Another Cry For Help”, and a 12” vinyl e.p “Don’t Blink” in 2025.
Other Artists Mark W. has toured, recorded, and/or performed on television with include: Loretta Lynn, Shania Twain, Martina McBride, Garry Tallent, Mike Henderson, Kevin Welch & Kieren Kane, Skip Ewing, Carlene Carter and Ronnie Dunn, Ronnie Dawson, Marty Stewart, Elvis Costello, Ricky Scaggs, Mary Gauthier, Delbert McClinton, Sam Bush, Tim O’Brien, Deke Dickerson and others.
Mark W. continues to live just outside Nashville and play Upright and Electric bass for other Artists when called upon, as well as write, record, release and perform his own music, supported and inspired by, as ever, his journey-constant wife Sandra. They have 4 children and 2 grandchildren.