Mark Gray
b. 1952, Vicksburg, Mississippi, USA. Singer/songwriter Gray first played piano at the age of 12 and headed his own gospel group at 19. He joined the Oak Ridge Boys as a writer with their publishing company, also becoming the keyboard player with their road band. Later he became a member of pop-country band Exile and was lead vocalist on two of their albums, DON'T LEAVE ME THIS WAY (1980) and HEART AND SOUL (1981). In the early '80s, three of his songs were US country number 1s, Take Me Down and The Closer You Get, both for Alabama and It Ain't Easy Bein Easy’ for Janie Frickie. He signed with Columbia in 1983 and between 1983 and 1988, he registered 11 US country chart successes, including solo Top 10s with If The Magic Is Gone and Please Be Love, but his highest chart entry came with his 1985 duet recording with Tammy Wynette of Sometimes When We Touch. He had two minor duet hits in 1988 with Bobbi Lace, but has not scored a solo hit since 1986.