Mark Bryan

Mark Bryan (born May 6, 1967 in Silver Spring, Maryland,) is the lead guitarist for the band Hootie & the Blowfish. He also plays the mandolin, among numerous other instruments, and helps with background vocals.

Mark attended Seneca Valley High School in Germantown, Maryland and received his Bachelors Degree in Broadcast Journalism from the University of South Carolina in 1989. He is a founding member, songwriter and the guitar player for multi-platinum Hootie & the Blowfish and has spent the last 20 years recording and touring. He also has two solo albums to his credit.

Since moving to Charleston in 1999, Bryan has produced 5 full-length albums, as well as co-written, and produced countless songs, for other artists. He was also instrumental in developing the College of Charleston Radio Station.

Recently, Bryan has formed the Chucktown Music Group in order to release the material he is writing, producing, and recording, and to help promote the Charleston music scene. Mark is also the Chairman of the Board for Carolina Studios, a non-profit after school music recording and technology program for kids 8-18.

When he was not busy making music with Hootie, Bryan wrote and produced his first solo album, 30 on the Rail, which was released in March, 2000. Mark has produced several albums for other artists. These include Thank You Mark for Danielle Howle, Chances Are for Patrick Davis, Six Trips Around the World by Django Walker, and Doug Jones Everybody, Doug Jones, for Doug Jones, the former lead singer of Cravin Melon.

Mark released his second solo album, End of the Front on March 11, 2008. End of the Front finds Bryan plunging into songs slightly harder, faster, and with more distortion than we know him to do in Hootie. Bryan recorded End of the Front at his studio outside of Charleston, South Carolina with the help of some close friends who lend their vocals and musical talents to the project.

Mark is friends with the Sports Junkies on The Fan in Washington DC. He has appeared on their radio program multiple times and has called his friend golfer Jon Daly on the air.

Hootie and the Blowfish drummer Jim Sonefeld married Mark Bryan's ex-wife Laura on December 6, 2008.

Mark is currently teaching at the College of Charleston in Charleston SC.