Editing Mark Farner

{{Short description|American musician (born 1948)}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=November 2022}}

{{Infobox musical artist
| name              = Mark Farner
| image             = Mark Farner (2009).jpg
| caption           = Farner performing in 2009
| birth_name        = 
| alias             = 
| birth_date        = {{Birth date and age|1948|9|29}}
| birth_place       = [[Flint, Michigan]], U.S.
| instrument        = Guitar, vocals, keyboards, harmonica
| genre             = [[Rock music|Rock]], [[hard rock]], [[Contemporary Christian music|CCM]]
| occupation        = Musician
| years_active      = 1965–present
| current_member_of = Mark Farner's American Band
| past_member_of    = [[Grand Funk Railroad]], [[Terry Knight and the Pack]], N'rG, [[Ringo Starr & His All-Starr Band]]
| website           = {{URL|markfarner.com}}
}}

'''Mark Fredrick Farner''' (born September 29, 1948) is an American musician. He was the original singer and guitarist of the rock band [[Grand Funk Railroad]], which he co-founded in 1969, and later as a [[contemporary Christian music]]ian.

== Early life and career ==
Farner began his career in music by playing in [[Terry Knight]] and The Pack (1965–1966),<ref name=mrrl>{{cite web |url=https://michiganrockandrolllegends.com/index.php/mrrl-hall-of-fame/351-mark-farner |title=Mark Farner – Michigan Rock and Roll Legends |last=Johnson |first=Gary |date=June 4, 2015 |website=Michigan Rock and Roll Legends |access-date=October 1, 2021}}</ref> The Bossmen (1966–1967),<ref name=mrrl /> The Pack (aka The Fabulous Pack) (1967–1968), before forming [[Grand Funk Railroad]] with [[Don Brewer]] (drums) and [[Mel Schacher]] (bass guitar) in 1969.  Farner attended Flint Kearsley High School.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.flintside.com/features/mark-farner-grand-funk-railroad.aspx|title=Flint native Mark Farner of Grand Funk Railroad is still bringing the funk|author=Jeff Piechowski|publisher=Flintside|date=2024-01-07|accessdate=2024-09-05}}</ref> [[Craig Frost]] (keyboards) joined the band in 1972. Farner is of [[Cherokee descent]] on his maternal side.<ref>{{cite web | last = Smith | first = Noel Lyn | title = Grand Funk's frontman to rock Jackson arena | publisher = navajotimes.com | url = http://www.navajotimes.com/entertainment/2009/1009/100109grandfunk.php | access-date = April 11, 2010 | archive-date = July 24, 2011 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20110724203854/http://www.navajotimes.com/entertainment/2009/1009/100109grandfunk.php | url-status = dead }}</ref>

== With Grand Funk Railroad ==
{{Main|Grand Funk Railroad}}
[[File:Mark Farner 1971.jpg|thumb|upright=0.85|Farner in 1971]]
Farner was the guitarist and lead singer for Grand Funk Railroad as well as the songwriter for most of their material. His best-known composition is the 1970 epic "[[I'm Your Captain (Closer to Home)]]".<ref name="btm">{{cite video | date=March 7, 1999 | title=Grand Funk Railroad | publisher=[[VH1]] [[Behind the Music]]}}</ref> He also wrote the 1975 hit "[[Bad Time (Grand Funk song)|Bad Time]]", the last of the band's four singles to make the top 5 on the [[Billboard Hot 100|''Billboard'' Hot 100]].<ref>{{cite book
| first= Joel
| last= Whitburn
| year= 2003
| title= Top Pop Singles 1955–2002
| page= [https://archive.org/details/joelwhitburnstop00whitbur/page/288 288]
| publisher= Record Research, Inc
| location= Menomonee Falls, Wisconsin
| isbn= 0-89820-155-1
| url-access= registration
| url= https://archive.org/details/joelwhitburnstop00whitbur/page/288
}}</ref>

== Post-Grand Funk Railroad ==
After Grand Funk initially disbanded in 1976, Farner released his self-titled debut solo album in 1977,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.discogs.com/Mark-Farner-Mark-Farner/master/218900|title=Mark Farner – Mark Farner|website=[[Discogs]]|year=1977 }}</ref> and his second, ''No Frills'', in 1978 (both Atlantic Records).<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.discogs.com/Mark-Farner-Band-No-Frills/release/2941421 |title=Mark Farner Band – No Frills (Vinyl, LP, Album) at Discogs |website=[[Discogs]] |access-date=November 10, 2015 |archive-date=March 11, 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160311044903/https://www.discogs.com/Mark-Farner-Band-No-Frills/release/2941421 |url-status=dead }}</ref> In 1981, Farner and Don Brewer launched a new Grand Funk line-up with bassist Dennis Bellinger and recorded two albums, ''[[Grand Funk Lives]]'' and ''[[What's Funk?]]''{{Citation needed|date=March 2011}} Farner went solo again with 1988's ''Just Another Injustice''  on [[Frontline Records (1980s)|Frontline Records]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.discogs.com/Mark-Farner-Just-Another-Injustice/release/4800363|title=Mark Farner – Just Another Injustice|website=[[Discogs]]|year=1988 }}</ref> His third Frontline release was 1991's ''Some Kind of Wonderful'', which featured a revamped Jesus version of [[Some Kind of Wonderful (Soul Brothers Six song)|the Grand Funk classic of the same name]]. Farner became a [[born again Christian]] in the late 1980s and enjoyed success with the John Beland composition "Isn't it Amazing", which earned him a [[Dove Award]] nomination and reached No. 2 on the [[Contemporary Christian music]] charts.{{Citation needed|date=March 2011}}

In the 1990s, Farner formed Lismark Communications with former Freedom Reader editor Steve Lisuk. Soon after, Farner began reissuing his solo albums on his own record label, LisMark Records.<ref name=nrg>{{cite web|url=http://www.discogs.com/Mark-Farner-Mark-Farners-NrG-Band-Live/release/4560430|title=Mark Farner – Mark Farner's N'rG Band Live!|website=[[Discogs]]|year=2003 }}</ref>

From 1994 to 1995, Farner toured with [[Ringo Starr]]'s Allstars, which also featured [[Randy Bachman]], [[John Entwistle]], [[Felix Cavaliere]], [[Billy Preston]], and Starr's son, [[Zak Starkey]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.bransontrilakesnews.com/entertainment/article_3d2d1180-d527-11e2-b015-0019bb2963f4.html|title='Funk' frontman headlines special concert|work=Branson Tri-Lakes News|date=June 14, 2013 |access-date=November 11, 2015}}</ref>

In the late 1990s, Farner reunited with Grand Funk, but left after three years to resume his solo career. He currently tours with his band, Mark Farner's American Band, which plays a mixture of Grand Funk songs and Farner's solo offerings.<ref name=nrg />

Farner had a pacemaker installed October 22, 2012, having struggled with heart troubles for the previous eight years.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.oldiesmusic.com/news.htm|title=Oldies Music News|access-date=November 8, 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181021031111/http://www.oldiesmusic.com/news.htm|archive-date=October 21, 2018|url-status=dead}}</ref>

Farner was voted into the Michigan Rock and Roll Legends Hall of Fame as a solo artist in 2015. He had previously been inducted as a member of both Grand Funk Railroad and Terry Knight & The Pack.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.michiganrockandrolllegends.com/mrrl-hall-of-fame/255-mark-farner|title=Michigan Rock and Roll Legends – MARK FARNER|first=Gary|last=Johnson|website=www.michiganrockandrolllegends.com|access-date=July 10, 2018}}</ref>

== Other interests ==
Farner was honored with the Lakota [[Sioux]] Elders Honor Mark in 1999. During the concert in [[Hankinson, North Dakota]], a special presentation was held honoring Mark's [[Native Americans in the United States|Native]] ancestry and his contributions. Members of the [[Lakota Nation]] presented him with a hand-made ceremonial [[quilt]].<ref name="awards">{{cite web|url=http://www.markfarner.com/awards.php|work=Mark Farners Official Website|title=Lakota Sioux Elders Honor Mark, Ceremonial Quilt Presented|date=August 28, 1999|access-date=February 6, 2011|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20061023140755/http://www.markfarner.com/awards.php|archive-date=October 23, 2006}}</ref> He has also been honored with the Cherokee Medal of Honor by the [[Cherokee]] Honor Society.<ref name="awards" />

An authorized biography of Farner, entitled ''From Grand Funk to Grace'', was published in 2001.<ref>{{cite book|title=From Grand Funk to Grace: Authorized Biography of Mark Farner|first= Kristofer |last=Engelhardt|publisher= Collector's Guide Publishing, Inc.|year= 2001|isbn= 978-1-896522-74-6}}</ref>

== In popular culture ==
{{in popular culture|section|date=December 2018}}
Mark Farner is mentioned by Homer Simpson in ''The Simpsons'' episode, "Homerpalooza", in season 7, episode 24 of the series. As Homer drives his children and their friends to school, Grand Funk is on the car radio. The children do not like it and ask him to change the station when he responds, "you kids don't know Grand Funk? The wild, shirtless lyrics of Mark Farner. The bong-rattling bass of Mel Schacher. The competent drum work of Don Brewer?"<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.springfieldspringfield.co.uk/view_episode_scripts.php?episode=s07e24|title=The Simpsons 3F21 Episode Script – SS|work=Springfield! Springfield!|access-date=November 11, 2015}}</ref>

Mark Farner was mentioned in episode 9 of season 8 of the HBO comedy series ''[[Curb Your Enthusiasm]]'' in September 2011.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.springfieldspringfield.co.uk/view_episode_scripts.php?tv-show=curb-your-enthusiasm&episode=s08e09|title=Curb Your Enthusiasm s08e09 Episode Script – SS|work=Springfield! Springfield!|access-date=November 11, 2015}}</ref>

== Discography ==
[[File:Mark farner.JPG|upright=1.2|thumb|Farner performing in 2011]]

=== Studio albums ===
* ''Mark Farner'', 1977
* ''No Frills'', 1978
* ''Just Another Injustice'', 1988
* ''Wake Up...'', 1989
* ''Some Kind of Wonderful'', 1991
* ''For the People'', 2006
* ''Closer to My Home'', 2024

=== with Grand Funk Railroad ===
{{Main|Grand Funk Railroad discography}}
*''[[On Time]]'' (1969)
*''[[Grand Funk (album)|Grand Funk]]'' (1969)
*''[[Closer to Home]]'' (1970)
*''[[Live Album (Grand Funk Railroad album)|Live Album]]'' (1970)
*''[[Survival (Grand Funk Railroad album)|Survival]]'' (1971)
*''[[E Pluribus Funk]]'' (1971)
*''[[Phoenix (Grand Funk Railroad album)|Phoenix]]'' (1972)
*''[[We're an American Band]]'' (1973)
*''[[Shinin' On]]'' (1974)
*''[[All the Girls in the World Beware!!!]]'' (1974)
*''[[Caught in the Act (Grand Funk Railroad album)|Caught in the Act]]'' (1975)
*''[[Born to Die (Grand Funk Railroad album)|Born to Die]]'' (1976)
*''[[Good Singin', Good Playin']]'' (1976)
*''[[Grand Funk Lives]]'' (1981)
*''[[What's Funk?]]'' (1983)
*''[[Bosnia (album)|Bosnia]]'' (1997)

=== Other releases ===
* ''Closer to Home'', 1992 (best-of)
* ''Heirlooms: The Complete Atlantic Sessions'', 2000 (re-release of Farner's two first studio albums)
* ''Red White and Blue Forever'', 2002 (mini-album)
* ''Live!! N'rG'', 2003
* ''Mark Farner the Rock Patriot'', March 9, 2003, Live Extended Versions

== References ==
{{Reflist}}

== External links ==
{{commons category}}
* {{Official website|1=http://www.markfarner.com}}
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20090412013709/http://vintagerock.com/mfarner_interview.aspx 2008 Mark Farner interview]
* {{Discogs artist}}

{{Grand Funk Railroad}}

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Farner, Mark}}
[[Category:1948 births]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:American tenors]]
[[Category:American people of Cherokee descent]]
[[Category:American performers of Christian music]]
[[Category:American rock guitarists]]
[[Category:American male guitarists]]
[[Category:American rock singers]]
[[Category:American male singer-songwriters]]
[[Category:American rock songwriters]]
[[Category:Grand Funk Railroad members]]
[[Category:American lead guitarists]]
[[Category:Musicians from Flint, Michigan]]
[[Category:Singer-songwriters from Michigan]]
[[Category:Guitarists from Michigan]]
[[Category:20th-century American guitarists]]
[[Category:Terry Knight and the Pack members]]
[[Category:20th-century American male musicians]]
[[Category:Ringo Starr & His All-Starr Band members]]