RealTracks Artist Bio: Mark Douthit

Nashville sax player Mark Douthit has been called "the most famous musician that people have never heard of" for his contributions to over 4,000 albums by leading Pop, Jazz, and R&B artists. His recording credits include Elton John, Lionel Ritchie, Amy Grant, Billy Joel, Vanessa Williams, Garth Brooks, Toby Keith, Reba McEntire, Leann Rimes, Michael W. Smith, Hank Williams Jr., Whitney Houston, Billy Ray Cyrus, Michael McDonald, Neville Brothers, Peter Cetera, Faith Hill, Vince Gill, DC Talk, Donny Osmond, Patty Loveless, Wynonna Judd, Point of Grace, Steven Curtis Chapman, Tommy Sims, Brenda Lee, Bebe & Cece Winans, Larnelle Harris,The Imperials, Bob Carlisle, Brian Duncan, David Foster, Bryan White, Keith Thomas, Michael Omartian, Ben Folds, Yolanda Adams, Larry Carlton, and many others. (His discography at www.cduniverse.com runs to 215 pages!)

In addition to these artists, he has also appeared onstage with Toni Braxton, James Ingram, India Arie, Edwin McCain, Mark Cohn, Christopher Cross, Don Henley, Natalie Cole, The Imperials, The Temptations, The Four Tops, The Spinners, John Scofield, Take 6, David Pack, Patti LaBelle, Billy Preston, Gino Vannelli, Delbert McClinton, and Donna Summer. Mark started touring with Larry Carlton in 2002, and with Vince Gill and Amy Grant in 2006.

Orginally a Classical piano student, Mark took up the saxophone and left his native Arkansas to study Jazz at Middle Tennessee University and the Cincinnatti Conservatory before graduating from the University of Tennessee, Knoxville's acclaimed Jazz degree program, where he studied with renowned musician and educator Jerry Coker. He then embarked on his professional career, earning the status of an essential session player, not only for his work on albums but also motion picture soundtracks, national radio and television commercials, and CNN and Headline News. He was a resident member of the house band for "Prime Time Country" on TNN for 3-1/2 years, and won the 1997 "Instrumental Album of the Year" Dove Award for "The Players." He was the first Smooth Jazz artist signed to Hillsboro Records, releasing his solo CD "Groove" in 2002. That was followed by "December Morning" on Green Hill Records in 2006.

You can catch up on Mark's latest news at his web site, http://www.markdouthit.com/home.html, or review his song credits at www.allmusic.com.