Mark Farner is the songwriter, the guitarist and the unmistakable voice that powered Grand Funk Railroad to 12 platinum and 15 gold albums.

A true rock ‘n roll legend, Mark Farner found fame and success at 20 years of age as the leader of one of America’s biggest bands, Grand Funk Railroad.  The band recorded 17 albums with total sales of more than 30 million records, and toured the world, which isn’t bad for a guy who only had three formal guitar lessons.

Putting various bands together, Mark played the usual dates a teenage band would play – high school dances, VFW halls, wedding receptions and the like.  Upon leaving high school, Mark turned professional, working with Terry Knight and the Pack, The Bossmen (with Dick Wagner), back to Terry Knight and the Pack, then just the Pack (this time with no Terry Knight, but with drummer Don Brewer).

In 1969, Mel Schacher, who had been a member of Question Mark and the Mysterians, was invited to join Mark and Don, and Grand Funk Railroad – one of the first American power trios – was born.

Then came the Atlanta International Pop Festival in July 1969.  The only unsigned act on the show, Grand Funk Railroad played before 180,000 people in 110-degree heat and the acclaim was instantaneous.  Following their Atlanta appearance, the band was signed by Capitol Records and their first album On Time, was recorded and released within four months.