Born in East Texas, Mark Cooke joined the Navy right out of high school. In his spare time, Mark would constantly perfect his singing skills. By 1997, his time was done in the Navy and he decided to make music his priority. Soon after, he had created a band in Texas that opened for acts like Miranda Lambert and John Rich. After heading towards Nashville, Cooke signed with CVR and released the six-song "Living For The Weekend" EP with hopes of a full album in 2012.
With 2 of the 6 songs just missing the Top 40 on Music Row charts, this EP is a good start to Cooke's career. The hardest thing for a new artist is finding that one song that will put them above the rest. With "I Love It" and "Can't Cheat in a Small Town" - which are both great songs - not making that mark, Cooke is hoping that "Anyway The Wind Blows" will be that song. The song is able to show off his strong vocals in addition to his ability to pick greats songs. The song's basis is that he will be with a love interest "anyway the wind blows."
Being a sucker for songs with a slower tempo, "Stay With Me Tonight" is my top pick for the EP. I could see this song at the top of the charts one day. The raw emotions that are brought out in the song provide a different side of Cooke.
An overall strong release, I can't wait to see what Mark Cooke will do with a full album next year. I highly recommend heading over to iTunes and downloading a track or two with those gift cards you got over the holidays. If you would prefer to wait for the full release, be sure to keep up with Mark on his website (markcooke.com), twitter (@MarkCookeMusic), or facebook (facebook.com/markcookemusic).