David Lee Marks (born August 22, 1948) is an American guitarist who is best known for being an early member of

the Beach Boys The Beach Boys are an American Rock music, rock band that formed in Hawthorne, California, in 1961. The group's original lineup consisted of brothers Brian Wilson, Brian, Dennis Wilson, Dennis, and Carl Wilson, their cousin Mike Love, and frie ...

. While growing up in

Hawthorne, California Hawthorne is a city in the Los Angeles metropolitan area, located in southwestern Los Angeles County, California. It is part of a seventeen-city region commonly called the South Bay. As of the 2020 US census, Hawthorne had a population of 88,0 ...

, Marks was a neighborhood friend of the original band members and was a frequent participant at their family get-togethers.Stebbins, p. 18 Following his departure from the group, Marks fronted the Marksmen and performed and recorded as a

session musician Session musicians, studio musicians, or backing musicians are musicians hired to perform in recording sessions or live performances. The term sideman is also used in the case of live performances, such as accompanying a recording artist on a ...

. Marks joined the Beach Boys in February 1962, replacing

Al Jardine Alan Charles Jardine (born September 3, 1942) is an American musician, singer, and songwriter who co-founded the Beach Boys. He is best known as the band's rhythm guitarist and for occasionally singing lead vocals on singles such as "Help Me, Rho ...

on rhythm guitar, and performed on the band's first four albums, ''

Surfin' Safari ''Surfin' Safari'' is the debut album by the American rock band the Beach Boys, released October 1, 1962 on Capitol Records. The official production credit went to Nick Venet, though it was Brian Wilson with his father Murry who contributed ...

'' (1962), '' Surfin' U.S.A.'' (1963), '' Surfer Girl'' (1963), and ''

Little Deuce Coupe ''Little Deuce Coupe'' is the fourth album by the American rock band the Beach Boys, released October 7, 1963 on Capitol Records. It reached number 4 in the US during a chart stay of 46 weeks, and was eventually certified platinum by the RIAA ...

'' (1963). Because he did not appear on the 1961 single " Surfin'", the first performance by the band that became "the Beach Boys", most historians discount him as a true founding member of the group. In August 1963, he left the band due to personal problems with manager

Murry Wilson Murry Gage Wilson (July 2, 1917 – June 4, 1973) was an American songwriter, talent manager, record producer, and music publisher, best known as the father of the Beach Boys' Brian, Dennis, and Carl Wilson. After the band's formation in 1 ...

. Afterward, Marks worked with acts including

Casey Kasem Kemal Amin "Casey" Kasem (April 27, 1932 – June 15, 2014) was an American disc jockey, actor, and radio personality, who created and hosted several radio countdown programs, notably '' American Top 40''. He was the first actor to voice Nor ...

's Band Without a Name, the Moon,

Delaney & Bonnie Delaney & Bonnie were an American duo of singer-songwriters Delaney Bramlett and Bonnie Bramlett. In 1969 and 1970, they fronted a rock/soul ensemble, Delaney & Bonnie and Friends, whose members at different times included Duane Allman, Gregg ...

, Colours, and

Warren Zevon Warren William Zevon (; January 24, 1947 – September 7, 2003) was an American rock singer, songwriter, and musician. Zevon's most famous compositions include "Werewolves of London", "Lawyers, Guns and Money", and " Roland the Headless Tho ...

, and studied

jazz Jazz is a music genre that originated in the African-American communities of New Orleans, Louisiana in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, with its roots in blues and ragtime. Since the 1920s Jazz Age, it has been recognized as a major ...

and

classical guitar The classical guitar (also known as the nylon-string guitar or Spanish guitar) is a member of the guitar family used in classical music and other styles. An acoustic wooden string instrument with strings made of gut or nylon, it is a precursor o ...

at the

Berklee College of Music Berklee College of Music is a private music college in Boston, Massachusetts. It is the largest independent college of contemporary music in the world. Known for the study of jazz and modern American music, it also offers college-level cours ...

and the

New England Conservatory The New England Conservatory of Music (NEC) is a private music school in Boston, Massachusetts. It is the oldest independent music conservatory in the United States and among the most prestigious in the world. The conservatory is located on Hu ...

. From 1997 to 1999, Marks returned to the Beach Boys for their live performances. In 2007, he released an autobiography, entitled ''The Lost Beach Boy''. He briefly reunited with the group for their fiftieth-anniversary tour and the 2012 album ''

That's Why God Made the Radio ''That's Why God Made the Radio'' is the twenty-ninth studio album by American Rock music, rock band the Beach Boys, released on June 5, 2012 on Capitol Records. Produced by Brian Wilson, the album was recorded to coincide with the band's The Beach ...

''.

Biography

Early years

At age seven, David Lee Marks moved into a house across the street from the family home of the three Wilson brothers,

Brian Brian (sometimes spelled Bryan in English) is a male given name of Irish and Breton origin, as well as a surname of Occitan origin. It is common in the English-speaking world. It is possible that the name is derived from an Old Celtic word me ...

Dennis Dennis or Denis is a first or last name from the Greco-Roman name Dionysius, via one of the Christian saints named Dionysius. The name came from Dionysus, the Greek god of ecstatic states, particularly those produced by wine, which is someti ...

, and

Carl Wilson Carl Dean Wilson (December 21, 1946 – February 6, 1998) was an American musician, singer, and songwriter who co-founded the Beach Boys. He was their lead guitarist, the youngest sibling of bandmates Brian and Dennis, and the group's ''de ...

, later to become the founding members of The Beach Boys. Describing the neighborhood, Marks noted, "It was run down. There were no sidewalks. The houses were older and the Wilsons lived in a pretty small, modest two-bedroom home. The boys all shared a bedroom. When they got older, Brian started sleeping in the den more and more, which was a converted garage they had turned into a music room. They had a

Hammond B-3 The Hammond organ is an electric organ invented by Laurens Hammond and John M. Hanert and first manufactured in 1935. Multiple models have been produced, most of which use sliding #Drawbars, drawbars to vary sounds. Until 1975, Hammond organs ...

organ, an upright piano, and a little hi-fi in there." As the 1950s progressed, Marks sang and played music with the Wilson family at their Sunday night singalongs. Inspired by a 1958 performance by guitarist John Maus (later of the 1960s Walker Brothers), Marks asked his parents to buy him a guitar, which they did on Christmas Eve, 1958. He began taking lessons from Maus, who had been a student of

Ritchie Valens Richard Steven Valenzuela (May 13, 1941 – February 3, 1959), known professionally as Ritchie Valens, was an American guitarist, singer and songwriter. A rock and roll pioneer and a forefather of the Chicano rock movement, Valens was killed i ...

. In 1959, Marks and Brian Wilson's youngest brother Carl had begun to develop their own style of playing

electric guitars An electric guitar is a guitar that requires external amplification in order to be heard at typical performance volumes, unlike a standard acoustic guitar (however combinations of the two - a semi-acoustic guitar and an electric acoustic gui ...

. Brian realized that the combination of Carl and Marks' playing brought a rock guitar sound to his original compositions, and the two teenagers participated in Brian's first songwriting efforts, that led to the band's 1963 hit single " Surfer Girl". Marks was not on the Beach Boys first recording, " Surfin'" for

Candix Records Candix Records was an independent American record label known primarily for releasing the Beach Boys' first single, " Surfin'. Prior to releasing their first single on Candix, the Beach Boys were briefly known as the Surfers, the name included on ...

on October 16, 1961; that roster included

, a high school classmate of Brian Wilson's, who had been singing and playing

stand-up bass The double bass (), also known simply as the bass () (or #Terminology, by other names), is the largest and lowest-pitched Bow (music), bowed (or plucked) string instrument in the modern orchestra, symphony orchestra (excluding unorthodox addit ...

with the Wilson brothers and their cousin

Mike Love Michael Edward Love (born March 15, 1941) is an American singer and songwriter who co-founded the Beach Boys with his cousins Brian, Dennis, and Carl Wilson and their friend Al Jardine. Characterized by his nasal tenor and occasional bass-bari ...

. Over the next couple of months, Brian experimented with various combinations of musicians, including his mother Audree Wilson, but was not able to secure interest from a major label. Marks joined the Beach Boys in February 1962, replacing Al Jardine who had left for dental school. Playing rhythm guitar, Marks would end up performing on the band's first four albums.

The Beach Boys

On April 16, 1962, the Beach Boys recorded a demo session at Western Recorders that produced the masters for the songs "

" and " 409", that would become the band's first double-sided hit, landing them a long-term contract with Capitol Records. According to biographer

Jon Stebbins Jon Stebbins is a Los Osos, California-based musician, songwriter, documentary producer and author of four books about The Beach Boys, as well as two other books. Music career Stebbins was a member of a music band called 'The Point' which was ac ...

, Marks's guitar chemistry with Carl Wilson changed the sound of the band. Writing about the difference between the Beach Boys' Candix Records single and their first Capitol Records release, Stebbins stated:

Compared to 'Surfin', this was metal. No sign of stand-up bass or folk sensibility on this recording. And the tiny amateurish guitar sound and lazy feel of the arlier demoWorld Pacific version of 'Surfin' Safari' had now transformed into something crisp and modern. "It was Carl and Dave who brought that electric guitar drive into the band", says Al Jardine. "And because of that, Brian was able to expand a little bit."

Marks would continue to sing and play rhythm guitar with the Beach Boys long enough to record on the first four (plus) albums, including the early hit singles "Surfin' Safari", "409", " Surfin' U.S.A.", " Shut Down", "Surfer Girl", "

In My Room "In My Room" is a song written by Brian Wilson and Gary Usher for the American rock band the Beach Boys. It was released on their 1963 album '' Surfer Girl''. It was also released as the B-side of the " Be True to Your School" single. The single ...

", and " Be True to Your School". Marks also played over 100 concerts with the Beach Boys, toured across the United States with them, and appeared on their first string of national TV appearances. While his time in the band was relatively short, Marks contributed to their tightly knit foundational sound, as well as their youthful look on the early Beach Boys' album covers. Although it is often assumed that Marks left the Beach Boys because Jardine wanted to return to the band, this was not the case. Marks and Jardine were both part of the 1963 Beach Boys touring line-up. Jardine initially returned on a part-time basis to fill-in on bass for Brian Wilson, who had already begun to detach himself from the touring band as early as the spring of 1963. At the height of their first initial wave of international success, Marks quit the Beach Boys in late August 1963 toward the end of the group's summer tour during an argument with

, the Wilson boys' father and the band's manager, but did not immediately leave the band until later that year when his parents and Murry came to blows over financial and managerial issues. The first show without Marks on guitar was October 19, 1963, though he would stay friends and be in close contact with various band members for many years, and he would remain, unbeknownst to him, a legal member of the Beach Boys until September 27, 1967.

Post-Beach Boys career

In February 1963, Dennis Wilson was injured in a car accident and his replacement was Mark Groseclose, who went to high school with Carl Wilson. Marks and Groseclose became friends and Marks eventually took over Groseclose's garage band, the Jaguars, which he renamed the Marksmen. The band was initially a side project for the aspiring songwriter, who was growing tired of his songs being passed over for Beach Boys records by Murry Wilson. After Marks left the Beach Boys, the Marksmen became his full-time focus, becoming one of the first acts to be signed to

Herb Alpert Herb Alpert (born March 31, 1935) is an American trumpeter who led the band Herb Alpert & the Tijuana Brass in the 1960s. During the same decade, he co-founded A&M Records with Jerry Moss. Alpert has recorded 28 albums that have landed on the ...

A&M Records A&M Records was an American record label founded as an independent company by Herb Alpert and Jerry Moss in 1962. Due to the success of the discography A&M released, the label garnered interest and was acquired by PolyGram in 1989 and began distr ...

in 1964. Murry Wilson reportedly threatened radio deejays in order to keep them from playing the Marksmen's records. Later, the group signed with (and released a single on)

Warner Bros. Records Warner Records Inc. (formerly Warner Bros. Records Inc.) is an American record label. A subsidiary of the Warner Music Group, it is headquartered in Los Angeles, California. It was founded on March 19, 1958, as the recorded music division of the ...

, but in spite of packed concert venues up and down the state of California, lack of airplay precluded any further releases. The 2009 release of ''Marks & the Marksmen Ultimate Collector’s Edition 1963–1965'' marks the first-time the entire Marksmen catalog was made available to the public. In 1966, Marks played with

's Band Without a Name. He then worked with the late 1960s

psychedelic pop Psychedelic pop (or acid pop) is pop music that contains musical characteristics associated with psychedelic music. Developing in the late 1960s, elements included " trippy" features such as fuzz guitars, tape manipulation, backwards recording, ...

band, The Moon, along with Matt Moore, Larry Brown, and David Jackson. The band signed a production deal with producer

Mike Curb Michael Curb (born December 24, 1944) is an American musician, record company executive, motorsports car owner, philanthropist, and former politician. He is also the founder of Curb Records where he presently serves as the chairman. Curb also ...

and released two under-promoted albums on the Imperial label. He also performed with

Delaney and Bonnie Delaney & Bonnie were an American duo of singer-songwriters Delaney Bramlett and Bonnie Bramlett. In 1969 and 1970, they fronted a rock/soul ensemble, Delaney & Bonnie and Friends, whose members at different times included Duane Allman, Gregg Al ...

, Colours (recording lead guitar on their second album), and

. By the time Marks was 21 years old, he had been signed to five label deals and had grown disillusioned with the Los Angeles music scene. In 1969, he relocated to

Boston Boston (), officially the City of Boston, is the state capital and most populous city of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, as well as the cultural and financial center of the New England region of the United States. It is the 24th- mo ...

, where he studied

and

as a private student at the

and the

New England Conservatory of Music The New England Conservatory of Music (NEC) is a Private college, private music school in Boston, Massachusetts. It is the oldest independent music Music school, conservatory in the United States and among the most prestigious in the world. The ...

in 1970–71.

1971–present

In early 1971, after reuniting onstage in Boston with the Beach Boys, despite a chilly reception from both the public and Bruce Johnston, Marks received an offer from Mike Love to rejoin the band, but he declined. Instead, he spent the next 25 years playing with artists like

Buzz Clifford Reese Francis Clifford III (October 8, 1941 – January 26, 2018), known professionally as Buzz Clifford, was an American pop singer and songwriter. His biggest success came with his recording of "Baby Sittin' Boogie" (1961), which peaked at No. ...

, Daniel Moore (writer of "My Maria" and "Shambala"), Gary Montgomery,

Jim Keltner James Lee Keltner (born April 27, 1942) is an American drummer and percussionist known primarily for his session work. He was characterized by Bob Dylan biographer Howard Sounes as "the leading session drummer in America".Howard Sounes. ''Down ...

Carl Radle Carl Dean Radle (June 18, 1942 – May 30, 1980) was an American bassist who toured and recorded with many of the most influential recording artists of the late 1960s and 1970s. He was posthumously inducted to the Oklahoma Music Hall of Fame i ...

Leon Russell Leon Russell (born Claude Russell Bridges; April 2, 1942 – November 13, 2016) was an American musician and songwriter who was involved with numerous bestselling records during his 60-year career that spanned multiple genres, including rock and ...

, drummer-turned-actor

Gary Busey Gary Busey (; born 1944) is an American actor. He is best known for his portrayal of Buddy Holly in ''The Buddy Holly Story'' (1978), for which he was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Actor and won the National Society of Film Critics ...

Delbert McClinton Delbert McClinton (born November 4, 1940) is an American blues rock and electric blues singer-songwriter, guitarist, harmonica player, and pianist. From his first professional stage appearance in 1957 to his most recent national tour in 2018, ...

, and many others, earning a reputation as a solid session guitarist without cashing in on his notoriety as having been a Beach Boy. Marks briefly played lead guitar for

Delaney & Bonnie and Friends Delaney & Bonnie were an American duo of singer-songwriters Delaney Bramlett and Bonnie Bramlett. In 1969 and 1970, they fronted a rock/soul ensemble, Delaney & Bonnie and Friends, whose members at different times included Duane Allman, Gregg A ...

, but was let go and replaced by

Eric Clapton Eric Patrick Clapton (born 1945) is an English rock and blues guitarist, singer, and songwriter. He is often regarded as one of the most successful and influential guitarists in rock music. Clapton ranked second in ''Rolling Stone''s list of ...

. Marks was also offered the lead guitarist spot in Paul Revere and the Raiders, but turned down the offer because he did not want to dress up in a revolutionary war-era costume every time he played a show. Marks was a close friend of Warren Zevon for many years until they had a falling-out. In 1988, when the Beach Boys were inducted into

The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame (RRHOF), sometimes simply referred to as the Rock Hall, is a museum and hall of fame located in downtown Cleveland, Ohio, United States, on the shore of Lake Erie. The museum documents the history of rock music an ...

, Marks was neither invited nor acknowledged at the ceremony, an oversight which was finally rectified in 2007. Marks eventually rejoined the Beach Boys as a full-time member playing lead guitar in 1997, when Carl Wilson, fighting cancer, was unable to continue touring with the group. After playing another 300 shows as an official Beach Boy again, Marks left the band for a second time in 1999 due to his own health issues when he was diagnosed with

hepatitis C Hepatitis C is an infectious disease caused by the hepatitis C virus (HCV) that primarily affects the liver; it is a type of viral hepatitis. During the initial infection people often have mild or no symptoms. Occasionally a fever, dark urine, a ...

. Marks became a leader in the hepatitis C community, often appearing in the media to raise awareness of the disease. In 2007, Marks co-wrote ''The Lost Beach Boy'' with Stebbins, which detailed his early career and related his "lost years", his health problems, his musical development, and his recovery and acceptance within the Beach Boys community. On May 20, 2005, the original Beach Boys six-man line-up (including both Marks and Jardine) was memorialized on the

Beach Boys Historic Landmark The Beach Boys Historic Landmark is a memorial which commemorates the site of the childhood home of Brian, Dennis, and Carl Wilson of The Beach Boys. The monument, located at 3701 W. 119th Street, Hawthorne, California, stands on the former loc ...

. The following year, on June 13, 2006, Marks gathered with surviving Beach Boys Brian Wilson, Al Jardine, Mike Love, and Bruce Johnston on the roof of the landmark Capitol Records building in Hollywood, where all five were presented with an RIAA

Platinum record Music recording certification is a system of certifying that a music recording has shipped, sold, or streamed a certain number of units. The threshold quantity varies by type (such as album, single, music video) and by nation or territory (see ...

Award in recognition of two million in sales of the Beach Boys CD song collection '' Sounds of Summer: The Very Best of The Beach Boys''. In 2008, following the release of a career retrospective, ''The Lost Years'' (released to coincide with his book), he toured the UK as a "special guest" with the Beach Boys. He also performed with Jardine and

Dean Torrence Jan and Dean was an American rock duo consisting of William Jan Berry (April 3, 1941 – March 26, 2004) and Dean Ormsby Torrence (born March 10, 1940). In the early 1960s, they were pioneers of the California Sound and vocal surf music styles ...

Jan & Dean Jan and Dean was an American rock duo consisting of William Jan Berry (April 3, 1941 – March 26, 2004) and Dean Ormsby Torrence (born March 10, 1940). In the early 1960s, they were pioneers of the California Sound and vocal surf music styles ...

, in the "Legends of Surf Music" tour. David Marks Solo

On December 16, 2011, it was announced that Marks would be reuniting with Brian Wilson, Mike Love, Al Jardine, and Bruce Johnston for a new Beach Boys album and 50th anniversary tour in 2012. The group appeared at the 2012

Grammy Awards The Grammy Awards (stylized as GRAMMY), or simply known as the Grammys, are awards presented by the Recording Academy of the United States to recognize "outstanding" achievements in the music industry. They are regarded by many as the most pres ...

on February 12, followed by a 50-date tour that began in

Tucson, Arizona , "(at the) base of the black ill , nicknames = "The Old Pueblo", "Optics Valley", "America's biggest small town" , image_map = , mapsize = 260px , map_caption = Interactive map ...

in April.

commented on working with Marks once again, stating, "David rocks. A phenomenal guitarist. When he does those leads on " Surfin'", "

", and " Fun, Fun, Fun" it's so authentic. He and Carl committed on playing guitar since they were ten years old and were neighbors with each other from across the street in Hawthorne. He's a fantastic musician and a really fantastic guy to be with. He went through his issues with alcohol, but he's completely cooled out for maybe ten years now. It's going to be really great to be with him." Marks also took over lead vocal duties on the songs "

Hawaii Hawaii ( ; haw, Hawaii or ) is a state in the Western United States, located in the Pacific Ocean about from the U.S. mainland. It is the only U.S. state outside North America, the only state that is an archipelago, and the only stat ...

" and "

Getcha Back "Getcha Back" is a song written by Mike Love and Terry Melcher for the American rock band The Beach Boys, on their 1985 album ''The Beach Boys''. It was the band's first release since the drowning death of Dennis Wilson in 1983. The song peaked a ...

" during the anniversary tour. Following the 50th anniversary tour, it was announced that Marks along with Wilson and Jardine would no longer continue to tour with Johnston and Love; instead, Marks appeared with Jardine and Wilson along with Wilson's band for a short summer tour in 2013 featuring the three. On the tour Marks sang "Little Bird", "Forever", "This Car of Mine", and "Summertime Blues". The following fall, Wilson, Jardine, and Marks joined guitar legend Jeff Beck for a 23 city tour, the foursome appearing on the Jimmy Fallon show to promote their tour. For 2015, Marks and Jardine added vocals to Wilson's solo album (released April 2015); however, Marks was not a part of Wilson's Summer tour to promote the album, instead making several appearances with Love/Johnston's Beach Boys group during the rest of 2015. Marks and his wife, Carrieann, relocated to southern California in 2013 after living for a decade in North Salem, New York. In 2017, Marks made an appearance as himself on an episode of '' Decker''. Marks has been relatively inactive since 2015. Among his most high-profile appearances during this time was an appearance in 2019 with Jardine at the California Saga 2 event to raise money for those experiencing homelessness.

Discography

Solo * ''The Marks-Clifford Band "Live At The Blue Dolphin '77"'' (2006) * ''The Lost Years : Limited Edition'' - triple album Set (2008) Quiver Records * ''The Marksmen : The Ultimate Collectors Edition'' (2008) Quiver Records The Beach Boys *''

'' (1962) *'' Surfin' U.S.A.'' (1963) *'' Surfer Girl'' (1963) *''

'' (1963) *''

'' (2012) *''

Live – The 50th Anniversary Tour ''Live – The 50th Anniversary Tour'' is a live album by the Beach Boys released on May 21, 2013. The album was recorded during the band's The 50th Reunion Tour, 50th anniversary reunion tour. Reception Allmusic gave the album a good review d ...

'' (2013) The Moon * Without Earth (1968) * The Moon (1969) Surf City All Stars *''Live In Concert'' (2007) *''Acoustic Vibrations'' (2009) *''Live In Concert'' (2013) Other appearances *''Mike Love, Bruce Johnston and David Marks of the Beach Boys Salute NASCAR'' (1998) *''

A Postcard from California ''A Postcard from California'' is the debut solo studio album by American musician and co-founder of the Beach Boys, Al Jardine. For the album, Jardine recruited several music icons including his former Beach Boys bandmates. The album also contain ...

'' (Al Jardine, 2010) *''

No Pier Pressure ''No Pier Pressure'' is the tenth studio album by American musician Brian Wilson, released April 7, 2015 on Capitol Records. Originally planned as a follow-up to the Beach Boys' 2012 reunion album '' That's Why God Made the Radio'', ''No Pier ...

'' (Brian Wilson, 2015)

References

External links

Official website

David Marks 2008 Interview on ilikemusic.com
{{DEFAULTSORT:Marks, David 1948 births Living people American people of Italian descent American rock guitarists American male guitarists American male singers American rock singers Berklee College of Music alumni The Beach Boys members People from North Salem, New York Rhythm guitarists 20th-century American guitarists