Mark muddyharp Hodgson

• Born April 9,1953, Detroit, Michigan
• Family moves to Daytona Beach, Fl., July 1959
• Attends St. Paul’s Catholic School September, 1959 – 1968
• Attends Father Lopez High School 1968- 1971
• 1968 discovers Harmonica and begins listening and copying Harmonica Players, Al Wilson of Canned Heat, Paul Butterfield, John Mayall and Sonny Terry
• 1969 Forms Tommy and the Trucks with Rob Witham on guitar and Tom Darnell on bass playing Drums to fill out lineup emulating the music of the Rolling Stones and Creedence Clearwater Revival
• 1969 Plays first paying job at the local Elks Lodge: 10 dollars a man
• 1970 Forms new band, Junction, with Rich Gibbs, Joe Berardi, Steve Shanholtzer, Mike Peeper, and Benny Jackson, fronting the group on lead vocals and harmonica covering songs from B.B. King, Derek and the Dominoes, J.Geils, Deep Purple, Canned Heat, Paul Butterfield, Muddy Waters among others
• The group plays local gigs and parties and places Leadership role on Hodgson for first time as Job Contractor and Band Representative
• 1970 continues exploration of Blues History while discovering “On The Road” by Jack Kerouac
• 1971 Graduates Father Lopez and attends Daytona Beach Community College on Full Baseball Scholarship, studying Photography at Southeast School of Photography
• Writes paper for Music Appreciation class on Igor Stavinsky whose music would become major influence
• 1971 Becomes member of Armstrong Brothers Band, with Doug and Steve Armstrong, Rob Witham and Joe Letter, playing Harmonica and singing lead vocals on three songs, How Long Blues by Leroy Carr, Half Step Uptown MississippiToodoolu and Truckin’ by Grateful Dead. The band would hold down the House Job at the Days Inn in Ormond Beach, fl…breaking all Bar Receipt Records. This group would become a major influence for years to come because it combined Bluegrass and Rock, Pop and Blues that would pre date The Alternative Music style by at least a decade. Songs by the Kingston Trio, Bill Monroe, Vassar Clements would share the bill with The Beatles, Bob Dylan, Arlo Guthrie etc…and .were played to a young 20 year old crowd using Banjo, 12 String guitar, Electric Guitar and Bass along with the harmonica acting as fiddle and keyboards. Hodgson studied Charlie McCoy and Vassar Clements licks in combination with the Blues of Paul Butterfield and Sonny Terry giving birth to a unique style of harmonica playing utilizing the “Clean Acoustic Sound” as opposed to the “Dirty Amplified Sound.”
• 1972 The Armstrong Brothers move to Gainesville to attend University of Florida putting the band in limbo. Hodgson moves with the group but is soon disenchanted with the lack of time spent on moving the band ahead.
• 1972 hitchhikes to New Orleans living on the street
• 1972 Hodgson has everything stolen from him on Bourbon Street including a hand made harmonica bandellaro crafted by Charles Beck.
• 1972 After a dismal experience in New Orleans, Hodgson hitches back to Daytona Florida with a “case of the blues” finding employment as a debt collector.
• 1972 Hodgson purchases 1968 Plymouth Belvedere and heads to Louisville, KY on a tip from owner of collection agency to hook up with Guitarist/vocalist Will Perryman who had a minor regional single “Under My Thumb”
• 1972-1974 Hodgson moves to Boston working with Strayte Tayste Blues Band performing with Luther ‘guitar jr.’ Johnson at The In-Square Men’s Bar, The Speakeasy, and meeting Muddy Waters along the way
• 1974-1976 Hodgson moves to Fayetteville, Ark with Tim Alexander of Asleep At The Wheel Fame, working with The Cate Brothers (Union Man) and meeting Levon Helm
• 1976-1983 Hodgson moves to NYC travelling back and forth between Florida and the Northeast working the clubs and performing in 2 off-off Broadway plays, “BOY ON THE STRAIGHT BACK CHAIR and BUS STOP
• 1983-1985 Hodgson moves to Nashville as a writer with COMBINE MUSIC/TENNESSE SWAMP FOX MUSIC as a songwriter
• 1985-1990 Hodgson moves to Daytona Beach, FL operating MAC’S FAMOUS BAR and working with Noble thin man Watts and Bob Greenlee in association with KINGSNAKE RECORDS
• 1990-2000 Hodgson works all the hot spots in the area especially as House Band at the Famous BOOT HILL SALOON from 1995-2000
• 2001-2007 Hodgson moves to Richmond, Va. Raising his son, Anthony and travelling back and forth to Florida, taking care of his mother and working steady around the state
• 2007 Hodgson move to New Smyrna Beach, FL working full time at The Garlic as solo performer, marrying Karen Clancy and raising her daughter Emily

THE FOLLOWING IS A CONDENSED VERSION OF MY LIFE SO FAR MAKING FOR AN INTERESTING INTERVIEW FOR THE DETAILS

Born in Detroit, grew up in Daytona Beach, Mark’muddyharp’Hodgson, started listening to the music through the influence of the British Invasion. John Mayall and the Rolling Stones provided the LP’S that would turn the 12 year old on to the wonderful world of the 12 bar blues.

One day at a friend’s house in Daytona Beach, while his buddies were surfing, the youngster noticed a harmonica lying on the kitchen counter. He went over and picked it up. He blew into it and from then on he was hooked. The friend gave the ‘HARP’ to him. This simple introduction would prove to be a turning point in the lad’s life. He devoured everything he could find on the subject of the Blues sometimes walking 10 miles just to go to a record shop that was rumored to carry all the 78’s and 45’s available at the time. Discs by Muddy Waters, Howlin’Wolf, Sonny Boy Williamson, Little Walter and Sonny Terry would more than satisfy the new found hunger. As the days grew into months and the months became years, Mark’muddharp’Hodgson, became a band leader. The night club scene in Florida was strong in the 70’s and 80’s and would become a proving ground for the Budding Bluesman.

The first recording that was released under Hodgsons’ name was a vinyl LP titled ‘Mark Hodgson and The Rootie Tootie Band ‘SURVIVAL IN A TOURIST TOWN’. This was a live recording and put the group on the map. Soon the boys would travel to Nashville to record demos for Gary Lamb productions. The music was ahead of its time incorporating rock and reggae with the blues, in 1981 this was a bit much for the Nashville crowd, tuned into the likes of groups like ALABAMA. Hodgson was asked to stay on in Nashville to become a solo artist but declined out of loyalty to his friends in the band.

The years flew by and so did the members of the group. There were more recordings, concerts, nightclubs, videos, and heartaches. Through it all, Hodgson remained entrenched in the Blues and kept writing and performing. In 1985, Hodgson once again tried the Nashville game. Tony Joe White, the composer of Mega Hits, Polk Salad Annie and Rainy Night in Georgia, among others, signed Hodgson to a publishing contract. During this period Hodgson became involved with the Memphis Blues Foundation and placed 1st runner up in the National Blues Talent Search. Many notables were introduced to Hodgson at the time, which led Bob Greenlee of King Snake records to go National with his fledging Blues label based in Sanford, Florida. Hodgson was responsible for placing The Return of the Thin Man, The comeback recording of the late Tenor Saxophonist, Noble Watts, on the W.C.Handy Awards, 1985 ballot for best recording. The partnership of Mark’muddyharp’Hodgson and Noble ‘thin man’ Watts lasted almost 20 years. When Noble passed in 2004, Hodgson went solo.

In 2005, Hodgson started a scholarship fund, with the Daytona Beach Community College, in the names of Bob Greenlee and Noble Watts. The Florida Blues All-stars were formed by Hodgson to commemorate the music of his two late friends. This yearly event is held each February at the Mike Curb Center in Daytona Beach.

Hodgson is currently working at The Garlic…….www.thegarlic.net  …Wed-Sat 6pm,