Album Notes

Folk Star Recordings folksinger Mark Cool is releasing his second CD, Pie this May at shows in North Carolina and on his third European tour. Pie comes on the heels of Cool's self-produced debut album Introducing Mark Cool and the Folk Stars, selected by Americana UK magazine as one of the top 20 recordings of 2007.

Cool's new Pie CD showcases compelling lyrics, stories and fingerstyle guitar. His singer/songwriter talent was cultivated in childhood by hosting traveling musicians like Holly Near and Chris Williamson at home, where Cool was raised by a collective family in New York state. Cool consistently demonstrates why his voice is compared to Woody Guthrie and Townes Van Zant in his own live shows, delivering raw talent, compassion and genuine experience.

Cool is a rising star on both sides of the Atlantic, already garnering radio airplay on a few hundred US stations, with multiple CMJ chartings. Fans can get a piece of the Pie on Cool's tour of Europe in May, and the Atlantic coast on his summer tour. This is a rootsy, country, bluesy exposition of the highest order, Paul Villers of Americana UK wrote of Cool's first release in 2007.

Pie features 11 tunes; 6 new originals songs, 4 finger-style instrumentals and a cover of the classic Delta Dawn. Recorded at Durham, NC’s Overdub Lane, Cool was joined in the studio by Greenie Marley, Art Champagne, David Shore, and Scott Laird. Cool's first release also featured Dom Flemons, of the Carolina Chocolate Drops and Ben Palmer on stand up bass.

Cool's music and press kit is available at www.markcool.org.

Mark’s lyrics are impeccable...finely-crafted word pictures that take you to personal zones of introspection, memories and pure fun!
Barbara C., House Concert attendee

…, honesty, integrity, simplicity, humour, understatement, restraint, a ‘joire d’vivre’ that can only be found in folk who know exactly where the bottom and the top can be found …this is a rootsy, country, bluesy exposition of the highest order. Paul Villers, Americana UK magazine