Editing Mark Heard (section)

== Tributes and influence ==
In 1993, [[Rich Mullins]] covered "How to Grow Up Big and Strong" on his ''[[A Liturgy, a Legacy, & a Ragamuffin Band]]''. In 1994, many artists came together to record a tribute album called ''Strong Hand of Love''. Artists lending their talents to the project included [[Phil Keaggy]], [[Randy Stonehill]], [[Victoria Williams]], [[Chagall Guevara]], [[Buddy Miller]], [[Julie Miller]], [[Daniel Amos]], [[The Choir (alternative rock band)|The Choir]] and [[Bruce Cockburn]]. The project was later reissued as a [[double album]] set with additional tracks and re-titled ''[[Orphans of God]]''. Cockburn frequently called Heard his favorite songwriter. He wrote and recorded a song dedicated to Heard for his ''[[Dart to the Heart]]'' album, "Closer to the Light". [[Daniel Amos]] dedicated their album ''[[MotorCycle]]'' to Heard in 1993, and [[The Swirling Eddies]] dedicated ''[[Zoom Daddy]]'' to Heard the same year. [[Julie Miller]] also wrote a song in tribute to Heard called "All My Tears" which has also been recorded by [[Jars of Clay]], [[Emmylou Harris]] (studio and live versions) and [[Selah (band)|Selah]] with [[Kim Hill (singer)|Kim Hill]] on ''[[Bless the Broken Road: The Duets Album]]''.

In 2000, a group of fans gathered together to help [[Fingerprint Records]] release ''Mystery Mind'', the first collection of previously unreleased material from the songwriter. There were plans to release a full length collection that same year, but those plans never came to fruition.

In 2002, the [[Cornerstone Music Festival]] held a songwriting contest in honor of Heard. The following year, ''[[Paste (magazine)|Paste]]'' magazine released ''Hammers and Nails'', a CD of previously unreleased recordings by Heard. An authorized biography of the same name was also released by Cornerstone Press, written by [[Matthew T. Dickerson]].

In September 2005, the [[Americana Music Association]] held its annual [[Americana Music Honors & Awards]] at the [[Ryman Auditorium]] in [[Nashville, Tennessee]]. The Song of the Year Award was presented to Mark Heard for "Worry Too Much", originally featured on ''[[Second Hand (album)|Second Hand]]''. [[Buddy Miller]], who performed the track on ''[[Universal United House of Prayer]]'', accepted the award on behalf of Heard. Miller also received the Album of the Year Award for ''Universal United House of Prayer''.

In a June/July 2006 ''Paste'' magazine article (from the special collector's issue featuring the 100 Best Living Songwriters), Heard was remembered under the heading ''Wish You Were Here'': "Mark Heard's lyrics are weighted with such a wry longing that they'll forever reflect a fresh turbulence."

[[Pierce Pettis]] and [[Ralston Bowles]] have covered a song by Mark Heard on each of their albums released since Heard's death.<ref name="pierce">[http://coverlaydown.com/2009/02/pierce-pettis-covers/ "Pierce Pettis Covers"] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120515160205/http://coverlaydown.com/2009/02/pierce-pettis-covers/ |date=May 15, 2012 }}. Retrieved August 4, 2012.</ref>

In 2017, an 18-song retrospective, ''Mark Heard: Treasure of the Broken Land'', was released. It focuses on Heard's last three albums and features [[Rodney Crowell]], [[Buddy Miller]], [[Over the Rhine (band)|Over the Rhine]] and others. Produced by [[Phil Madeira]] (a member of [[Emmylou Harris]]' backing band Red Dirt Boys), the album received notable attention from ''[[Rolling Stone]]'' magazine,<ref>{{Cite magazine|url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-country/hear-buddy-millers-intense-new-song-from-mark-heard-tribute-album-199755/|title = Hear Buddy Miller's Intense New Song from Mark Heard Tribute Album| magazine=[[Rolling Stone]] |date = April 24, 2017}}</ref> and [[Americana (music)|Americana music]] magazine ''[[No Depression (magazine)|No Depression]]''.