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Mark Strickland started playing guitar around 12, taking guitar lessons in Downtown Pittsburgh in the Werner Building, where the Greer Cabaret Theatre is now on Penn Avenue in the heart of Pittsburgh’s Cultural District. He played in several Rock n Roll bands in the 60s and 70s. In the late 60s, after seeing and hearing some of the jazz players at the Hurricane Club and the Crawford Grill, to name a few of the places, is when he started playing jazz.

He was fortunate to eventually play with some of the great jazz musicians, such as Grady Tate, Gerald Wilson, Gene Ludwig, Pete Henderson, Roger Humphries, Spenser Bey, Rabbit Barnes, Dwayne Dolphin, and vocalists Tania Grubbs, Etta Cox, and Judi Figel, to name a few. He has played on CDs with Michele Bensen, Jessica Lee, Gene Ludwig, and Eddie Manion. For the last 25-plus years, he has worked in his recording studio, producing and recording numerous upcoming and established musicians. 

Although his passion is playing the guitar, he also enjoys playing the piano after years of lessons. Mark currently plays at jazz venues around Pittsburgh, surrounding areas, and throughout the country.