My Music
Passion Project
Original songs recorded at Nashville’s legendary Soundstage Studios. From patriotic tributes with Grammy Award-winning artists to heartfelt ballads, music has been one of the most rewarding creative pursuits of my life.
Passion Project
Original songs recorded at Nashville’s legendary Soundstage Studios. From patriotic tributes with Grammy Award-winning artists to heartfelt ballads, music has been one of the most rewarding creative pursuits of my life.
6
Original Songs
Nashville
Soundstage Studios
The Story Behind the Music
My musical journey has been one of the most rewarding creative pursuits of my life. What started as a personal exploration has grown into collaborations with talented artists and projects that honor the people and causes I care about.
I learned to play guitar at the age of 8, and by the mid 1970’s I was playing Coffee House’s in Cleveland, Ohio. Back then, Cleveland was the ultimate music scene. During this period of my life I met so many great musicians who were so much more talented than me, but never quite making it beyond the bars and church basements. So I decided early in my life to make music my personal escape and give up the idea on making this a career. But I never stopped playing and writing my own music.
It’s funny how life comes around and brings you unforeseen opportunities. Many years later I met Country Music Star Lee Greenwood at a charity function, and we became friends. Soon after, a friend invited me to Nashville to record some of my songs at the legendary Sound Stage Studios on Music Row. I had no real expectations other than wanting to hear what professional musicians could do with a song that I wrote. One of these songs was based on story that Lee told me about soldiers he met during his USO tours. Lee pointed out that no matter how bravely they served, they felt uncomfortable when someone thanked them for their service because they all knew someone who gave the ultimate sacrifice. This inspired me to write the song “A Hero’s Walk” as a tribute to the men and women who serve our country with courage and sacrifice. They don’t call themselves heroes, but they all took a hero’s walk.
A special thanks to Lee for recording “A Hero’s Walk” and making this amateur musician dream come true when he performed this song at the Grand Ole Opry.
Here is a collection of this and my other songs that have been professionally recorded. Vocally, I can carry a tune (but not too far:), so I used some talented studio musicians to perform the vocals. Please feel free to listen and download.
More Music
I Just Wanna Go With You
Written and Produced by Mark Waltrip
This is one of the songs that I wrote to honor my amazing wife of 44+ years. She I the kindest and most hardworking person I’ve ever met, and she still is and will always be my best friend. I still don’t know how I got so lucky. I don’t know where this road leads to, but every time it leads me back to you!
Baby Girl
Written and Produced by Mark Waltrip
I wrote and performed this song at my daughter’s wedding. She tried to make me promise to not write her a song (because that’s what dads do). You should have seen her face when I whipped out the guitar at the rehearsal dinner. A few bars in the chorus I realized she would forgive me. You’ll always be my baby girl!
I Believe
Written and Produced by Mark Waltrip
This is a motivational song that I wrote during the “great recession” to remind myself that life ain’t easy, but you can make it through anything – you just gotta believe in yourself.
On the Bayou
Written and Produced by Mark Waltrip
This is a fun song that I wrote as a tribute to my family in southern Louisiana where I was born (literally on a bayou) and partially raised. There’s no place I’d rather be, I guarantee!
Please Don't Go
Written and Produced by Mark Waltrip
I wrote this song as a tribute to my friend David Siegel who lost his 18-year-old daughter (and my wife’s cousin) to a drug overdose. I can’t imagine any pain worse than losing a child. My prayer for anyone who has experienced such a loss… Hope that there will come a day when I can say your name out loud and smile.
A Hero's Walk
Artist: Lee Greenwood, Written and Produced by Mark Waltrip
This song is a tribute to the men and women who serve our country with courage and sacrifice. They don’t call themselves heroes, but they all took a hero’s walk! I wrote and produced this for Lee Greenwood who performed it across the country. It even found its way to country radio stations and Spotify. It’s hard to describe my feelings when I watched Lee perform this song at the Grand Ole Opry and seeing him get a standing ovation. He is a true American patriot!