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Marc Lawson
Marc Lawson reveals the simple truth of his songwriting career: “Something about singing along with the chords of the piano just feels right,” he says. Born in Orlando, Florida, Lawson’s music career commenced at age fourteen when his family moved to the suburbs of Atlanta to develop a church community. He began as the drummer for the church’s band and learned early that to play live in front of an audience, a musician must give himself over to his craft. As he grew into an adult, struggling with the complications of life, Lawson ventured into Atlanta's "open jam" music scene, playing his heart out on the drums in blues clubs and jam sessions with various musicians known throughout the city.
As a drummer, Lawson craved a connection with the audience greater than he was able to achieve sitting behind all of the front men in the bands he accompanied. He says, "Over time, the desire to express melody and harmony led me to the piano. It gives me the freedom to interpret the entire song, not just the rhythm.” In 2006, Lawson began singing and studying piano, experimenting with influences as diverse as U2, Train, and Elton John, and soon realized that he could achieve much more than an escape into melody.
In 2008, at Smith’s Olde Bar, a popular Atlanta venue, Lawson witnessed an open mic competition for songwriters. Inspired by the creativity of the performers, he made a deal with himself to accept the challenge of songwriting. “Just one song,” he said. One song turned into three. Two weeks later, those three songs landed him a spot in the finals of that same competition. One year later, in October of 2009, at that same venue, Lawson self-released his debut recording These Empty Streets, introducing his original songs to the public with a CD release party. Lawson’s songs captured the hearts of his audiences, drawing instant popularity; as Target Audience Magazine proclaimed, "Watching him perform that night exposed new understanding of the power of his music and the passion with which he presents it live."
Since the release of his CD, Lawson continues to please his fans, performing live at clubs in the metro Atlanta area and participating in several notable charitable events, such as 500 Songs For Kids and the Children's Restoration Network 343 Concert, an event which broke the Guinness World Record for being the longest, multi-artist concert in history. Additionally, Lawson has gone on to win several singer/songwriting competitions, including The Taste of Chamblee contest which awarded him with a Main Stage Performance at the Taste of Chamblee Festival in 2010, and most recently, The Lawrence Awards 2010, at which Lawson won Best Male Vocalist for his performance of his own song “Gypsy In Disguise” a song which, along with several of his other originals, was recently certified by the IAIRA as an International Top 50 for achieving placement on one or more international charts.
Motivated by his desire to touch as many people with his original work as he can and his need to explore his own growth as an artist and individual, Lawson shares his life through song, embodying the range of emotions and experiences all of us endure. He states, "When everything fell to pieces, I survived by turning to music: listening to it, playing it, and, eventually, writing it." While Lawson’s early songs have been dedicated to heartache, loss, and escape from personal pain, his most recent work has taken on a new direction revealing a more positive place in his life – a place of momentum, peace, and joy. According to Lawson, “There is nothing more rewarding to me than connecting with people through music."
Marc is currently in the studio working on his second EP. He has re-united with Eric Tunison of Groove Tunes Studios for this project. Says Marc, "Eric has a state-of-the-art environment and the skills to help me get the best possible sound for these songs."