Mark Daly Music

Chasing Waterfalls (Single, 2023), written about a memorable painting/learning experience.

In 2014, Mark attended Eric Rhoads Publisher’s Invitational art retreat in the Adirondacks. The first day, he joined a group of art buddies on location to paint the Saint Regis waterfalls. Having never painted waterfalls before, it was a learning experience.

At the end of the day, after scraping all attempts, a friend asked a good question, “What did you learn?” Mark blurted out, “Don’t chase waterfalls.” He got caught up in the excitement of the dynamic, moving water and did not visualize the waterfall as a static image of connected, gestural shapes. Simple lesson learned, prompted by the right question.

Mark is accompanied by two wonderful musicians/friends, Michael Cleveland on fiddle and Scott Vestal on banjo. Chasing Waterfalls is available on your favorite music streaming and download services.

Variety Pack (Album, 2023) contains ten originals and three covers (originally released as singles). This compilation is a likable assortment of rock, reggae, bluegrass, blues, and folk inspired songs.

Variety Pack, a multigenerational family effort, showcases Mark’s son Gregg Daly, singing on all tracks. Mark’s son Pat Daly, plays lead guitar on Willow Wind, and Steven Daly plays drums on Manchester Swing. Mark’s grandson, Markus Daly, created the cover painting for A New Cause.

Michael Cleveland plays fiddle and Jim Riley from Rascal Flats plays drums on a number of the tracks. Sebastian Greschuk (trumpet), Alex Sturbaum (accordion), Kasey Jo (vocals), and Mark Daly (variety of instruments) support the lyrics and add musical interest.

It has been a joy creating this family album. The Daly’s hope you enjoy the music!

Stories From Here and Away (Album, 2020), with fourteen originals, is an exciting blend of bluegrass, rock, Irish, jazz, jam-band, Latin, and acoustic roots influences. 

Stories includes performances from Grammy Award winning artists (Michael Cleveland, Randy Kohrs). Scott Vestal and CW Mundy play banjo. Mark plays the mandolin family instruments and others.

For your viewing and listening pleasure, here is a link to a YouTube music video for Windjammers with images of authentic Maine windjammer sailboats: Windjammers

The visuals on the CD cover relate to fourteen unique musical stories. Each is a personal ticket to escape life’s drama. They take you to good times and interesting places.

To start your musical journey, choose your preferred download or streaming music service (links below or elsewhere).

Inspired! (Album, 2011), with sixteen appealing originals is available at Amazon and other music streaming/download services. 

Inspired! features John Cowan (known as the Voice of Newgrass) along with Grammy Award winning musicians (Jeff Coffin, Andy Leftwich, Randy Kohrs, Jim Van Cleve). Also featured are Scott Vestal, Jeff Taylor, Todd Parks, Alice Vestal, Jeff Autry, Chris Brown, Steven and Mark Daly.

Collectivley, these musiicians contribute and perform a unique blend of music styles including acoustic, newgrass, country, jazz, Latin, and blues.

Connections (Album, 2003), contains eighteen mandolin-based compositions in a variety of styles. For your listening and viewing pleasure, here is a link to a YouTube music video of one of the tunes, Wind Shifts. It has 128 sailing related images of Maine: Wind Shifts

Connections has performances from Grammy Award winning musicians (Clay Hess, Randy Kohrs, Andy Leftwich). Noted musicians from the bluegrass world (Marc Cole, Ray Deaton, Russell Moore) are also featured on the album. Terrific musicians (Bob Kennedy, Robin Lacy, Nick Lloyd, and Joel Walsh) fill out the roster on Mark’s first solo album.

The album cover is a patchwork quilt of flags from different locations around the world, many of which Mark has traveled to share his music. 

Connections is available at Amazon and other music download and streaming services. Direct links to Spotify and Amazon are provided below:

Track/ Title/ Time/ Stream

1 Ides of March 03:22 SpotifyAmazon

2 Killer Bees 01:36 SpotifyAmazon

3 Whipper Snapper Breakdown 02:33 SpotifyAmazon

4 Glory Bound 03:57 SpotifyAmazon

5 Mediterranean Sunrise 04:26 SpotifyAmazon

6 County Cork Concerto 03:56 SpotifyAmazon

7 Wind Shifts 04:20 SpotifyAmazon

8 Running with the Bulls 02:20 SpotifyAmazon

9 The Morning After 03:16 SpotifyAmazon

10 Samba de Samba 02:29 SpotifyAmazon

11 Ne Plus Ultra 02:34 SpotifyAmazon

12 You're the One 02:31 SpotifyAmazon

13 Darwin's Circle 02:53 SpotifyAmazon

14 Boatman's Reel 02:23 SpotifyAmazon

15 Broad Reach 05:12 SpotifyAmazon

16 Irish Mon 03:03 SpotifyAmazon

17 Just One More 02:34 SpotifyAmazon

18 Nectar Jam 02:50 SpotifyAmazon

I Remember (Single, 2024). Life is a series of remembrances that we reflect upon as we age. They can spark feelings of love. I Remember, is about remembering a true love’s face, eyes, and heart.

For centuries, artists have painted portraits to capture memories that last beyond a lifetime. Portrait styles change. The emotions they portray don’t. The music video includes fifty portraits/paintings that span 600 years along with snippets of the musicians playing.

Special thanks to the visual artists who granted permission to share their wonderful work in this video. Additional thanks to the Cincinnati Art Museum, National Gallery of Art, Musée d'Orsay, Art Institute of Chicago, Musée du Louvre, New Orleans Museum of Art, Museum of Fine Arts Boston, Kröller-Müller Museum (Otterlo, Netherlands), National Gallery of Scotland, Glyptoteket (Copenhagen), Smithsonian American Art Museum, The Mauritshuis (Hague), Neue Galerie New York, Royal Academy’s Collection (England), Guggenheim Museum, Terra Museum of American Art (Chicago), New Britain Museum of American Art, Metropolitan Museum of Art, Greenville County Museum of Art, Royal Academy of Music (London), and the Los Angeles County Museum of Art for publicly displaying many of the paintings in this video.

The artist, painting title, and date created (if known) are identified at the bottom of each painting image in the video.

Musically, Michael Cleveland plays fiddle, Gregg Daly is on vocals, Mark Daly plays various instruments and Jim Riley is on drums.

Deadwood Gold (Single, 2023), is an old-fashioned country-western outlaw song. It takes you back to the wild gold rush days in the Black Hills of South Dakota in the 1870’s.

Gregg Daly sings and narrates the story of Billy, a gold nugget gambler. He is joined by Michael Cleveland, on fiddle. Jim Riley, from Rascal Flats, keeps the groove on drums. Sabastian Greschuk plays a soulful trumpet performance. Mark Daly accompanies on mandolin, guitar, and bass.

Here is a link to a music video of the song: Deadwood Gold Video

Deadwood Gold is available on your favorite music streaming services.

And A Bang On The Ear (Single, 2023). Mark and Gregg’s cover of And a Bang on the Ear is from the Waterboys, a Scottish-Irish folk rock band. The original was released on the Fisherman Blues album in 1988 and written by Mike Scott. It reached No. 1 in the Republic of Ireland charts.

The Daly’s unique arrangement support the tune’s easy-going lyrics and strong melody. Alex Sturbaum accompanies on button accordion.

Time & Money (Single, 2023), is a rock tune with Gregg Daly on lead and harmony vocals, Jim Riley (Rascal Flats) on drums, and Mark Daly playing a mix of instruments to help musically tell the song’s story. Time & Money is available at your favorite streaming/download service.

Bag Full Of Hope (Single, 2023), is reminiscent of the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band’s music. While playing mandolin with the Lashnitz Brothers Band, Mark had a memorable experience opening for the Dirt Band at My Father’s Place on Long Island on July 19, 1978. Bag Full Of Hope comes full “circle” for him with the opportunity to record a bluegrass song with his son, Gregg.

Gregg sings lead and harmony vocals. Michael Cleveland, plays masterful fiddle. Mark fills out the rest of the bluegrass instrumentation. Bag Full of Hope is available on your favorite streaming service.

Paris Rain (Single, 2023), is another tune that connects music to Mark’s art. He travels on extended trips to paint on location in Paris, France. Mark painted the cover artwork to visually represent what he attempted to musically convey in Paris Rain.

The painting is featured in an article Mark wrote for Oil Painters of America.

Michael Cleveland’s triple fiddles add to the feeling of a rainy day in the City of Lights. Click on the painting above to hear Paris Rain on YouTube.

Willow Wind (Single, 2023). This fast-paced single features two of Mark’s sons (Gregg Daly on vocals and Pat Daly on lead guitar). Jim Riley (Rascal Flats) sets the groove on drums. The song’s optimistic lyrics are supported by instrumentation that emulates the willow winds.

Light My Fire (Single, 2023). Check out Gregg Daly’s vocals on the Daly’s cover of the Doors Light My Fire. Jim Riley (Rascal Flats) plays drums. Mark Daly plays electric mandolin, and other instruments in this abridged version of the classic rock tune.

A New Cause (Single, 2023), is a high energy jump-and-sing-along song with classic rock and British punk influences. A New Cause deals with concepts of betterment and forgiveness. The lyrics were written by Gregg Daly. Jim Riley (Rascal Flats) plays drums.

Fighting Crocodiles (Single, 2023), features Mark’s son Gregg on vocals. The song has a simple, positive meaning—when you believe in something, keep moving forward, despite obstacles. Fighting Crocodiles is available on your favorite streaming and download services.

Crooked Toes (Single, 2023), is an upbeat, whimsical, feel-good song. Crooked Toes is available on your favorite streaming and download services.

Manchester Swing (Single, 2023), was inspired by the first time Mark met his wife. Two of his sons are on the recording (Gregg on vocals and Steven on drums).

Mark painted the cover to connect art to his music. If you want to “Dance to the beat of the Manchester Swing,” it can be heard through your favorite streaming and download services.

Slipping On Cold Thin Ice (Single, 2023), is another vocal song Mark recorded with his son, Gregg. Click on the image above to hear the tune or find it at streaming and download services.

Tonewoods (Single, 2021). While at the Port Fairy Folk Festival in Australia back in 2005, Steve Gilchrist asked Mark Daly what he wanted in the mandolin Steve was building for him. Mark simply said: “Make me what you would make for yourself.” Steve responded with a confident smile. 

The Wood Butcher, a nickname given to Steve by Mike Compton, outdid himself building #600. The ancient wood on the back projects more than a suburb tone. Many years of hard playing have gracefully aged the instrument’s sterling character. It is a tribute to a master-maker of magical-mandolins.

Michael Cleveland’s terrific twin fiddles and Scott Vestal’s tasty banjo track raise this bluegrass instrumental to another level of sonic delight. Big Red, a Gilchrist mandocello, adds variety to the mix. ToneWoods is available from your favorite music download or streaming service.

Chi-Town Shuffle (Single, 2021). Start your day off in an upbeat mood with Chi-Town Shuffle. Imagine a cartoon chase scene in the movie Toy Story. That gives you an idea of the playful musical energy found in Chi-Town Shuffle.

Mark Daly’s oil painting, “Rainy Day People” (a scene from the corner of Dearborn and Madison in the Chicago Loop) was used for the cover of Chi-Town Shuffle.

Slinging Paint (Single, 2021), connects music to art. It evolved spontaneously when Will Kimble (a great mandolin luthier) showed Mark a new electric guitar he made.

Will’s guitar inspired vintage rock riffs that reminded Mark of slinging oil paint on canvas. The mandola harmonics at the end of Slinging Paint signify adding a signature to a painting. They were played using a Kimble mandola to complement the Kimble guitar.

Slinging Paint is available from your favorite music download or streaming services.

Bluefish Blues (Single, 2020), is a simple sing-along song about a grumpy old man who complains while the fish get the better of him. It features Mark’s son, Gregg, on vocals. Some say Gregg sounds like Jim Morrison of The Doors.

Mark created the fish on the cover using digital paint brushes with Affinity Designer.

Bluefish Blues is available from your favorite music download or streaming service. Click on the fish image above to hear the song on YouTube.

Abstract Expressions (Single, 2020), relates to Abstract Expressionism, an art movement which emphasizes freedom to create through nontraditional styles. Jackson Pollock (1912 - 1956), well known from the Movement, dripped paint in long fluid lines on large canvases. 

Mark’s composition and cover artwork pay homage to Pollack. While enjoying the tune, listen for musical passages that emulate expressive paint being dripped on canvas.

Abstract Expressions is available from music streaming and download services or you can hear it now on YouTube by clicking on the image above.

The Winter Trail (Voodoo Loons). Mark Daly plays mandolin and octave mandolin on the Voodoo Loons The Winter Trail Video (above), as well as their The Criminal Ear and Euphobia albums.

VARIETY PACK MUSICIANS (ALBUM, TEN ORIGINALS, THREE COVERS, 2023)

• Michael Cleveland - Fiddle

• Gregg Daly - Vocals

• Mark Daly - Mandolin, Mandola, Octave Mandolin, Mandocello, Guitar, Bass, Percussion, B3 Organ, Harmonica, Synthesizer, Lap Steel, Drums (6, 9, 12)

• Pat Daly - Lead Guitar (4)

• Steven Daly - Drums (2)

• Sebastian Greschuk - Trumpet

• Kasey Jo - Vocals (9)

• Jim Riley - Drums (1, 4, 5, 10, 11)

• Alex Sturbaum - Button Accordion

Stories MUSICIANS (Album, fourteen Originals, 2020)

• Michael Cleveland - Fiddle

• Mark Daly - Mandolin, Mandola, Octave Mandolin, Mandocello, Guitar, Bass, Percussion

• Randy Kohrs - Resonator Guitar

• CW Mundy - Banjo (2, 7, 11, 13, 14)

• Scott Vestal - Banjo (1, 3, 5, 10)

Inspired! MUSICIANS (Album, Sixteen Originals, 2011)

• Jeff Autry - Guitar

• Chris Brown - Percussion

• Jeff Coffin - Tenor & Soprano Sax, Flute

• John Cowan - Vocals

• Mark Daly - Mandolin, Mandola, Octave Mandolin, Mandocello

• Steven Daly - Guitar & Vocal (9), Djembe (3)

• Randy Kohrs - Resonator Guitar

• Andy Leftwich - Fiddle (3, 4, 6, 10, 11, 12, 14, 15)

• Todd Parks - Acoustic and Electric Bass

• Jeff Taylor - Accordion, Piano

• Jimmy VanCleve - Fiddle (1, 2, 5, 7, 8, 9, 13, 16)

• Alice Vestal - Vocals

• Scott Vestal - Banjo

Connections MUSICIANS (Album, eighteen Originals, 2003)

• Marc Cole - Banjo, Vocals

• Mark Daly - Mandolin, Mandola, Octave Mandolin, Mandocello

• Ray Deaton - Vocals

• Clay Hess - Guitar

• Bob Kennedy - Piano

• Randy Kohrs - Resonator Guitar

• Robin Lacy - Vocals

• Andy Leftwich - Fiddle

• Nick Lloyd - Double Bass

• Russell Moore - Vocals

• Joel Walsh - Percussion

I Remember MUSICIANS (Original single, 2024)

• Michael Cleveland - Fiddle

• Gregg Daly - Vocals

• Mark Daly - Mandolin, , Mandola, Mandocello, Banjo, Guitar, Bass

• Jim Riley - Drums

Chasing Waterfalls MUSICIANS (Original single, 2023)

• Michael Cleveland - Fiddle

• Mark Daly - Mandolin, Guitar, Bass, Percussion

• Scott Vestal - Banjo

Bag Full Of Hope MUSICIANS (Original single, 2023)

• Michael Cleveland - Fiddle

• Gregg Daly - Vocals

• Mark Daly - Mandolin, Banjo, Guitar, Percussion, Upright Bass

Paris Rain MUSICIANS (Original single, 2023)

• Michael Cleveland - Triple Fiddles

• Mark Daly - Mandolin, Mandocello, Octave Mandolin, Bass, Percussion

Deadwood Gold MUSICIANS (Original single, 2023)

• Michael Cleveland - Fiddle

• Gregg Daly - Vocals

• Mark Daly - Mandolin, Guitar, Bass, Guiro, Percussion

• Sebastian Greschuk - Trumpet

• Jim Riley - Drums

Willow Wind MUSICIANS (Original single, 2023)

• Gregg Daly - Vocals

• Mark Daly - Mandocello, Mandolin, Guitar, Bass

• Pat Daly - Lead Guitar

• Jim Riley - Drums

A New Cause MUSICIANS (Original single, 2023)

• Gregg Daly - Vocals

• Mark Daly - Guitar, Mandolin, Bass

• Jim Riley - Drums

Time & Money MUSICIANS (Original single, 2023)

• Gregg Daly - Vocals

• Mark Daly - Mandolin, Guitar, Bass, Synthesizer, Octave Mandolin

• Jim Riley - Drums

Fighting Crocodiles MUSICIANS (Original single, 2023)

• Gregg Daly - Vocals

• Mark Daly - Mandolin, Lap Steel, Guitar, Bass, Percussion, B3 Organ

Crooked Toes MUSICIANS (original single, 2023)

• Gregg Daly - Vocals

• Mark Daly - Mandocello, Mandolin, Guitar, Bass, Percussion

Manchester Swing MUSICIANS (Original single, 2023)

• Gregg Daly - Vocals

• Mark Daly - Mandolin, Guitar, Bass

• Steven Daly - Drums

Slipping On Cold THin Ice MUSICIANS (Original single, 2023)

• Gregg Daly - Vocals

• Mark Daly - Mandocello, Mandola, Harmonica, Guitar, Bass, Drums

And A bang on the ear MUSICIANS (Cover, 2023)

• Gregg Daly - Vocals

• Mark Daly - Mandocello, Mandolin, Banjo, Guitar, B3 Organ, Bass, Drums

• Alex Sturbaum - Button Accordion

light my fire MUSICIANS (cover, 2023)

• Gregg Daly - Vocals

• Mark Daly - Electric Mandolin, B3 Organ, Guitar, Bass

• Jim Riley - Drums

Love Shack MUSICIANS (cover, 2023)

• Gregg Daly - Vocals

• Kasey Jo - Vocals

• Mark Daly - Guitar, Bass, Mandocello, Mandolin, Percussion

Tonewoods MUSICIANS (Original single, 2021)

• Michael Cleveland - Twin Fiddles

• Mark Daly - Mandolin, Mandocello, Guitar, Bass

• Scott Vestal - Banjo

Chi-town shuffle MUSICIANS (Original single, 2021)

• Michael Cleveland - Fiddle

• Mark Daly - Mandolin, Mandocello, Guitar

• Rob Dixon - Saxophone

• Nick Tucker - Double Bass

Slinging Paint MUSICIANS (Original single, 2021)

• Mark Daly - Mandolin, Mandola, Mandocello, Guitar, Bass, Keyboard, Percussion, Kalimba

abstract expressions MUSICIANS (Original single, 2020)

• Mark Daly - Mandolin, Mandocello

• Rob Dixon - Saxophone

• CW Mundy - Banjo, Guitar

• Nick Tucker - Double Bass

Bluefish blues MUSICIANS (Original single, 2020)

• Gregg Daly - Vocals

• Mark Daly - Mandolin, Guitar, Bass, Percussion