MARK COLLIE HONORED BY STATE OF TENNESSEE WITH UNVEILING OF TENNESSEE MUSIC PATHWAYS MARKER ON JULY 3

June 5, 2021 - Waynesboro, Tenn. – Local artist Mark Collie was honored by the State of Tennessee with a new “Tennessee Music Pathways” marker in Waynesboro Tn. The unveiling took place Saturday, July 3 at the Courthouse Lawn, (downtown square) by the Wayne County Walk of Stars.

Executive Director, Christine Chapman began the ceremony with a short biography of Mark’s accomplishments throughout his career, along with the Wayne County Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors presenting him with a plaque replica of the Tennessee Music Pathways guitar pick, naming him “Person of Distinction” for Wayne County.

“By the power vested in me by the great state of Tennessee, as County Executive, I declare today, July 3, 2021, “Mark Collie Day.” Jim Mangubat

“I am deeply humbled by today, but none of us would be here today if it weren’t for our hard-working mama working that grocery store. Thank you, Wayne County,” Mark Collie

Mark Collie graduated from Wayne County High School in 1974. Shortly after, he moved to Memphis where his “Rowdy Rockabilly” style of music caught the attention of MCA record executives. Moving to Nashville, he released his first album: “Hardin County Line” in 1990, which launched this local hometown boy into stardom. His many follow up albums are:

            *Born & Raised in Black and White

            *Mark Collie

            *Unleashed

            *Tennessee Plates

            *Rose Covered Garden

            *Alive at Brushy Mountain State Penitentiary

And most recent

*Book of my Blues

His songwriting talents have been recorded by such artists as: Tim McGraw, Billy Ray Cyrus, George Jones, Martina McBride and many more. His music is also featured in numerous major motion pictures with the most recent being “Ice Road” starring Liam Neeson and many other great actors.

He has had acting roles in “Fire Down Below” “Johnny Cash: Half Mile a Day” “Jericho” “Fire Down Below” “The Punisher” and several others. He has also appeared in many TV series such as “Walker, Texas Ranger” “Dr. Quinn: Medicine Woman” “The Strip” “JAG”  “Nashville”  and others not mentioned.

Mark was honored by the Country Music Hall of Fame and has his own star on the Walk of Stars located outside the Hilton Downtown & Hall of Fame sidewalk. Along with that award, he was named “Tennessean of the Year” for philanthropy in 2006 and inducted into the International Rockabilly Hall of Fame in 2015. He was nominated and won the “American Spirit Award” for his dedication to our troops, performing for them throughout Europe, Asia and the Middle East.

We cannot finish this without including his passion. Being diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes early in life, Mark is a strong advocate for finding a cure. He has collaborated with several Country Music stars and NASCAR drivers to create “Race for Diabetes Cure”.  Vanderbilt University recognized his efforts and honored him by creating the “Foundation of Mark Collie Chair” which is dedicated to diabetes research.     

Launched by the Tennessee Department of Tourist Development in 2018, Tennessee Music Pathways is an online-planning guide that connects visitors to the state’s rich musical heritage at tnmusicpathways.com. From the largest cities to the smallest communities, Tennessee Music Pathways stretches across all 95 counties and features hundreds of landmarks from the seven genres of music that call Tennessee home: blues, bluegrass, country, gospel, soul, rockabilly and rock ‘n’ roll. Historians identified more than 300 points of interest to date, and additional markers will be installed for years to come.