Mark Holden
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Mark Ronald Holden (born 27 April 1954) is an Australian singer, actor, TV personality, record producer, songwriter, and barrister. He was a pop star in the 1970s and had four top 20 hit singles, "
Never Gonna Fall in Love Again "Never Gonna Fall in Love Again" is a song co-written and recorded by American pop rock artist Eric Carmen. It was released as the second single from Carmen's self-titled debut solo album, the song peaked at number 11 on the US ''Billboard'' H ...
" (May 1976), "
I Wanna Make You My Lady "I Wanna Make You My Lady" is a song by Australian singer songwriter Mark Holden. It was recorded and released as the second single from Holden's second studio album, '' Let Me Love You'' (1976). The song was a commercial success in Australia, pe ...
" (September), "
Last Romance "Last Romance" is a song by Australian singer songwriter Mark Holden. It was released in November 1976 as the third and final single from Holden's second studio album, '' Let Me Love You'' (1976). The song was a commercial success peaking at numbe ...
" (November) and "
Reach Out for the One Who Loves You "Reach Out for the One Who Loves You" is a song by Australian singer songwriter Mark Holden. It was released as the lead single from Holden's third studio album, ''Encounter (Mark Holden album), Encounter'' (1977). The song peaked at number 17 on ...
" (October 1977). Holden regularly appeared on national pop music show, ''
Countdown A countdown is a sequence of backward counting to indicate the time remaining before an event is scheduled to occur. NASA commonly employs the terms "L-minus" and "T-minus" during the preparation for and anticipation of a rocket launch, and eve ...
''. Holden is remembered for his clean-cut image, his white dinner suit and his penchant for handing out carnations to girls on the set of the popular television show ''Countdown'' – he was nicknamed "The Carnation Kid". In the 1980s he worked as a songwriter in Los Angeles providing material recorded by
Meat Loaf Michael Lee Aday (born Marvin Lee Aday; September 27, 1947 – January 20, 2022), known professionally as Meat Loaf, was an American rock singer and actor. He was noted for his powerful, wide-ranging voice and theatrical live shows. He is on t ...
,
Joe Cocker John Robert "Joe" Cocker (20 May 1944 – 22 December 2014) was an English singer known for his gritty, bluesy voice and dynamic stage performances that featured expressive body movements. Most of his best known singles were recordings of son ...
,
Gladys Knight Gladys Maria Knight (born May 28, 1944), known as the "Empress of Soul", is an American singer, actress and businesswoman. A seven-time Grammy Award-winner, Knight recorded hits through the 1960s, 1970s, and 1980s with her family group Gladys Kn ...
, Bob Welch and Steve Jones. He was one of three original judges on the TV series ''
Australian Idol ''Australian Idol'' is an Australian singing competition, which began its first season in July 2003 and ended its initial run in November 2009. As part of the ''Idol'' franchise, Australian Idol originated from the reality program ''Pop Idol' ...
'' (2003–07) and the first season (2005) of ''
The X Factor ''The X Factor'' is a television music competition franchise created by British producer Simon Cowell and his company Syco Entertainment. It originated in the United Kingdom, where it was devised as a replacement for ''Pop Idol'' (2001–2003 ...
''.


Biography


Early years

Mark Ronald Holden was born on 27 April 1954 to Helen (née King) and Ron Holden at Calvary Hospital, North Adelaide. His father's family were involved with the Holden and Sloggetts Travelling Circus; although Ron became an architect and Helen was a teacher. In the mid-1960s, Holden became involved in music after inheriting a guitar from his older brother Craig. Holden attended
Westminster School (God Gives the Increase) , established = Earliest records date from the 14th century, refounded in 1560 , type = Public school Independent day and boarding school , religion = Church of England , head_label = Hea ...
in Adelaide and formed a school band. Holden began writing songs and took classical vocal lessons with Lewis Dawe. In a 2010 interview with the ABC, Holden said the band was encouraged; "I remember we were given a room under a stairwell to rehearse our band." In 1972, Holden enrolled at the
University of Adelaide The University of Adelaide (informally Adelaide University) is a public research university located in Adelaide, South Australia. Established in 1874, it is the third-oldest university in Australia. The university's main campus is located on N ...
where he studied law for three years. In 1972, Holden was encouraged by a neighbour to audition for ''
Adelaide Tonight ''Adelaide Tonight'' was a nightly variety show, running four days a week at 9.30 pm on Nine Network, NWS-9 Adelaide. The show was broadcast live from Studio 1 between 1959 and 1973. The show was similar to ''In Melbourne Tonight'' with Gr ...
'', a local television show hosted by
Ernie Sigley Ernest William Sigley (2 September 1938 – 15 August 2021) was an Australian television host, comedian, variety performer, radio presenter and singer. Known as a pioneer of radio and television in Australian, he was often styled as a "little A ...
. Holden attended an open audition along Tynte Street, North Adelaide, singing an original song and "
I'll Walk with God "I'll Walk with God" is a popular song written for the motion picture ''The Student Prince'' with music by Nicholas Brodzsky and lyrics by Paul Francis Webster published in 1954. The film's title character, who was played by actor Edmund Purdo ...
", where he was successful and performed on the show a number of times. In 1973, Sigley moved to Melbourne and launched his own show ''
The Ernie Sigley Show Ernest William Sigley (2 September 1938 – 15 August 2021) was an Australian television host, comedian, variety performer, radio presenter and singer. Known as a pioneer of radio and television in Australian, he was often styled as a "little A ...
''. Sigley invited Holden to Melbourne, where he performed on this show. Throughout 1973, Holden travelled between Melbourne and Adelaide, balancing his music and law degree.


1974–1977: Music career

In 1974, Holden entered ''Showcase '74'', a television talent show on
Network 9 The Nine Network (stylised 9Network, commonly known as Channel Nine or simply Nine) is an Australian commercial free-to-air television network. It is owned by parent company Nine Entertainment and is one of five main free-to-air television netw ...
where he sang original folky songs. Holden ultimately placed fifth. John Bromwell from Essex Music encouraged Holden to relocate to Sydney and arranged a meeting with Peter Dawkins a
record producer A record producer is a recording project's creative and technical leader, commanding studio time and coaching artists, and in popular genres typically creates the song's very sound and structure.Virgil Moorefield"Introduction" ''The Producer as ...
with
EMI Music EMI Group Limited (originally an initialism for Electric and Musical Industries, also referred to as EMI Records Ltd. or simply EMI) was a British transnational conglomerate founded in March 1931 in London. At the time of its break-up in 201 ...
who signed Holden. Holden's debut album ''
Dawn in Darkness ''Dawn in Darkness'' is the debut studio album by Australian singer and songwriter Mark Holden. The album was recorded and released in 1975. In an interview on the ABC TV program Talking Heads, Holden said that it sold about 2,000 copies only a ...
'' was released in 1975, in which Holden wrote or co-wrote all tracks. From 1975 to 1976, Holden performed as Joseph in the first Australian production of ''
Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat ''Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat'' (often colloquially known as ''Joseph'') is a sung-through musical with lyrics by Tim Rice and music by Andrew Lloyd Webber, based on the character of Joseph from the Bible's Book of Genesis. Thi ...
'' at the Seymour Centre, Sydney. He was the first pop star in the world to play the lead role. In April 1976, Holden released a cover of
Eric Carmen Eric Howard Carmen (born August 11, 1949) is an American singer, songwriter, guitarist, and keyboardist. He was first known as the lead vocalist of the Raspberries. He had numerous hit songs in the 1970s and 1980s, first as a member of the Rasp ...
's "
Never Gonna Fall in Love Again "Never Gonna Fall in Love Again" is a song co-written and recorded by American pop rock artist Eric Carmen. It was released as the second single from Carmen's self-titled debut solo album, the song peaked at number 11 on the US ''Billboard'' H ...
". The song became a hit peaking at number 13 on the Australian
Kent Music Report The Kent Music Report was a weekly record chart of Australian music singles and albums which was compiled by music enthusiast David Kent from May 1974 through to January 1999. The chart was re-branded the Australian Music Report (AMR) in July ...
. He released "
I Wanna Make You My Lady "I Wanna Make You My Lady" is a song by Australian singer songwriter Mark Holden. It was recorded and released as the second single from Holden's second studio album, '' Let Me Love You'' (1976). The song was a commercial success in Australia, pe ...
" in August and "
Last Romance "Last Romance" is a song by Australian singer songwriter Mark Holden. It was released in November 1976 as the third and final single from Holden's second studio album, '' Let Me Love You'' (1976). The song was a commercial success peaking at numbe ...
" in November, which both peaked at number 11. Note: Used for Australian Singles and Albums charting from 1974 until
Australian Recording Industry Association The Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA) is a trade association representing the Australian recording industry which was established in the 1970s by six major record companies, EMI, Festival, CBS, RCA, WEA and Universal replacing th ...
(ARIA) created their own
charts A chart (sometimes known as a graph) is a graphical representation for data visualization, in which "the data is represented by symbols, such as bars in a bar chart, lines in a line chart, or slices in a pie chart". A chart can represent tabul ...
in mid-1988. In 1992, Kent back calculated chart positions for 1970–1974.
Holden issued his second studio album, '' Let Me Love You''. At the ''TV Week'' King of Pop Awards of 1976 he won Most Popular New Talent. In 1977, Holden released "
Hey, My Love "Hey, My Love" is a song by Australian singer songwriter Mark Holden. It was released in February 1977 and peaked at number 32 on the Kent Music Report. Holden performed the song live on Countdown A countdown is a sequence of backward count ...
" in February which peaked at number 32, and "
Reach Out for the One Who Loves You "Reach Out for the One Who Loves You" is a song by Australian singer songwriter Mark Holden. It was released as the lead single from Holden's third studio album, ''Encounter (Mark Holden album), Encounter'' (1977). The song peaked at number 17 on ...
" in August, which peaked at number 17. Holden's third album ''
Encounter Encounter or Encounters may refer to: Film *''Encounter'', a 1997 Indian film by Nimmala Shankar * ''Encounter'' (2013 film), a Bengali film * ''Encounter'' (2018 film), an American sci-fi film * ''Encounter'' (2021 film), a British sci-fi film * ...
'' was released in September 1977. Both ''Let Me Love You'' and ''Encounter'' were each certified double gold for shipment of 50,000 copies.


1976–1978: TV & film

In 1976, Holden played the role of Greg Mason on the TV
soap opera A soap opera, or ''soap'' for short, is a typically long-running radio or television serial, frequently characterized by melodrama, ensemble casts, and sentimentality. The term "soap opera" originated from radio dramas originally being sponsored ...
''
The Young Doctors ''The Young Doctors'' is an Australian early-evening soap opera originally broadcast on the Nine Network and produced by the Reg Grundy Organisation, it aired from Monday, 8 November 1976 until Wednesday, 30 March 1983. The series is primar ...
''. In 1977, he starred in ''
Blue Fire Lady ''Blue Fire Lady'' is a 1977 Australian film directed by Ross Dimsey and starring Cathryn Harrison and Mark Holden. It was a rare children's film from producer Antony I. Ginnane who was better known for his horror and sex films.David Stratton, ...
'' and ''
Newsfront ''Newsfront'' is a 1978 Australian drama film starring Bill Hunter, Wendy Hughes, Chris Haywood and Bryan Brown, directed by Phillip Noyce. The screenplay is written by David Elfick, Bob Ellis, Philippe Mora, and Phillip Noyce. The original mus ...
'' and ''Reach for the Stars'' and
Case for the Defence ''Case for the Defence'' is a 1978 Australian legal TV series.Albert Moran, ''Moran's Guide to Australian TV Series'', AFTRS 1993 p 102 It starred John Hamblin as Sydney defence lawyer John Case and Judith Arthy as Winsome Blake. Supporting cast ...
in 1978. At the
Logie Awards of 1977 The 19th Annual ''TV Week'' Logie Awards were presented on Friday 25 March 1977 at Southern Cross Hotel in Melbourne and broadcast on the Nine Network. Bert Newton from the Nine Network was the Master of Ceremonies. American film star Burt Lan ...
, Holden won Most Popular Australian TV Teenage Personality and the
George Wallace Memorial Logie for Best New Talent The George Wallace Memorial Logie for Best New Talent was an award presented annually at the Australian TV Week Logie Awards The Logie Awards (officially the TV Week Logie Awards; colloquially known as The Logies) is an annual gathering to ...
. He won Most Popular Australian TV Teenage Personality in
1978 Events January * January 1 – Air India Flight 855, a Boeing 747 passenger jet, crashes off the coast of Bombay, killing 213. * January 5 – Bülent Ecevit, of Republican People's Party, CHP, forms the new government of Turkey (42nd go ...
also.


1979–1983: Music in Los Angeles

In 1979, Holden relocated to
Los Angeles Los Angeles ( ; es, Los Ángeles, link=no , ), often referred to by its initials L.A., is the largest city in the state of California and the second most populous city in the United States after New York City, as well as one of the world' ...
and signed with American label
Scotti Brothers Records Scotti Brothers Records (typically spelled Scotti Bros. Records) was a California-based record label founded by Tony and Ben Scotti in 1974. Their first success was releasing singles and albums from teen pop star Leif Garrett. They later helped ...
. His first release on this label was "Stay" which he co-wrote with Gloria Sklerov. The song didn't chart but was covered by John Schneider on his 1981 album, ''Now or Never''. Mark recorded "Scintillating Lady" which he co-wrote with Roger Atkins, and was due to launch his American career with a performance of the song live on
CBS CBS Broadcasting Inc., commonly shortened to CBS, the abbreviation of its former legal name Columbia Broadcasting System, is an American commercial broadcast television and radio network serving as the flagship property of the CBS Entertainm ...
; however, just before the performance, his wisdom teeth needed removing and he sang the song though pain and a swollen mouth. The song was poorly received and not released. Holden and Scotti Brothers Records parted ways. In 1983, Holden released his fourth studio album, ''
Mark Holden Mark Ronald Holden (born 27 April 1954) is an Australian singer, actor, TV personality, record producer, songwriter, and barrister. He was a pop star in the 1970s and had four top 20 hit singles, "Never Gonna Fall in Love Again" (May 1976 ...
'' on
Casablanca Records Casablanca Records is an American record label owned by Universal Music Group and operated under Republic Records. Under its founder Neil Bogart, Casablanca was most successful during the disco era of the mid to late 1970s. The label currently f ...
, in which he co-wrote all of the tracks. The album did not chart and Holden began to focus on writing and producing.


1984–1996: Music producer in Los Angeles

After the lack of success of ''Mark Holden'', Holden focussed on becoming a songwriter and music producer. He formed a company called Multimedia with Anthony Curtis and Dan Wilson and over the next decade co-wrote two top ten hits on the
Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs The Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart ranks the most popular R&B and hip hop songs in the United States and is published weekly by '' Billboard''. Rankings are based on a measure of radio airplay, sales data, and streaming activity. The chart had 100 ...
for
the Temptations The Temptations are an American vocal group from Detroit, Michigan, who released a series of successful singles and albums with Motown Records during the 1960s and 1970s. The group's work with producer Norman Whitfield, beginning with the Top ...
, "Lady Soul" (June 1986) and "Look What You Started" (1987). Note: requires user to enter details, e.g. click on 'Writers' tab and enter 'Mark Ronald Holden', then select track title. There were also hits with
Tracie Spencer Tracie Monique Spencer (born July 12, 1976) is an American singer–songwriter, actress, and model. Spencer first came to attention in 1987, when the then 11-year-old won the junior vocalist competition on the television show ''Star Search''. ...
, Joey Lawrence,
Will Downing Wilfred "Will" Downing (born November 29, 1963) is an American singer and songwriter. He is married to singer Audrey Wheeler, who was a member of the R&B group Unlimited Touch. Biography Downing enrolled in Erasmus Hall High School in Brooklyn, ...
, a #1 dance hit with
Kathy Sledge Kathy Sledge (born January 6, 1959) is an American singer–songwriter and producer. Sledge is best known as the youngest and founding member of Sister Sledge, an American vocal group which is made up of her sisters that formed in 1971. After ach ...
, and over 50 cover recordings of his songs from artists as varied as
Belinda Carlisle Belinda Jo Carlisle ( ; born August 17, 1958) is an American singer. She gained fame as the lead vocalist of the Go-Go's, the most successful all-female rock band of all time, and went on to have a prolific career as a solo artist. Raised in ...
, Steve Jones of the
Sex Pistols The Sex Pistols were an English punk rock band formed in London in 1975. Although their initial career lasted just two and a half years, they were one of the most groundbreaking acts in the history of popular music. They were responsible for ...
,
The Manhattans The Manhattans are an American popular R&B vocal group. Their work "Kiss and Say Goodbye", recorded in 1976, and 1980's " Shining Star", both sold millions of copies. The Manhattans have recorded 45 hits on the ''Billboard'' R&B Chart, includi ...
,
Donny Osmond Donald Clark "Donny" Osmond (born December 9, 1957) is an American singer, dancer, actor, television host, and former teen idol. He first gained fame performing with four of his elder brothers as the Osmonds, earning several top ten hits and gol ...
,
José Feliciano José Montserrate Feliciano García (born September 10, 1945) () is a Puerto Rican musician, singer and composer. He recorded many international hits, including his rendition of the Doors' "Light My Fire" and his self-penned Christmas song " ...
,
Fleetwood Mac Fleetwood Mac are a British-American rock band, formed in London in 1967. Fleetwood Mac were founded by guitarist Peter Green, drummer Mick Fleetwood and guitarist Jeremy Spencer, before bassist John McVie joined the line-up for their epony ...
,
David Hasselhoff David Michael Hasselhoff (born July 17, 1952), nicknamed "The Hoff", is an American actor, singer, and television personality. He has set a Guinness World Record as the most watched man on TV. Hasselhoff first gained recognition on ''The You ...
,
Scarlett and Black Scarlett and Black were a pop duo from the UK, whose birth names were Robin Hild and Sue West. Robin Hild was previously the keyboard player for the Big Supreme; Sue West was a former backing vocalist for Doctor and the Medics. They release ...
and
Branford Marsalis Branford Marsalis (born August 26, 1960) is an American saxophonist The saxophone (often referred to colloquially as the sax) is a type of single-reed woodwind instrument with a conical body, usually made of brass. As with all single-reed inst ...
. He also developed and produced artists including
Calvin Klein Calvin Richard Klein (born November 19, 1942) is an American fashion designer who launched the company that would later become Calvin Klein Inc., in 1968. In addition to clothing, he also has given his name to a range of perfumes, watches, and ...
model and film star
Milla Jovovich Milica Bogdanovna Jovovich; sr-Latn, Milica Bogdanovna Jovović; russian: Милица Богдановна Йовович; uk, Милиця Богданoвна Йовович ( ; born December 17, 1975), known professionally as Milla Jovo ...
('Chaplin', 'Blue Lagoon 2', 'Dazed and Confused', 'The 5th Element'), for
EMI Records EMI Records (formerly EMI Records Ltd.) is a multinational record label owned by Universal Music Group. It originally founded as a British flagship label by the music company of the same name in 1972, and launched in January 1973 as the succ ...
Group, New York. This led to her debut album; a US Top Ten Post Modern hit, it won critical raves including a 3 star review in Rolling Stone magazine. For three years between 1992 and 1995, Holden worked with
David Hasselhoff David Michael Hasselhoff (born July 17, 1952), nicknamed "The Hoff", is an American actor, singer, and television personality. He has set a Guinness World Record as the most watched man on TV. Hasselhoff first gained recognition on ''The You ...
, producing and coordinating his albums, live promotion and musical projects for television, particularly in Europe where David enjoyed multi-platinum successes including the Top Ten hit in Germany, Austria and Switzerland, 'Wir Zwei Allein Heut Nacht' ('Together alone tonight') which Mark wrote with David Hasselhoff.
Jeremy Jackson Jeremy Dunn Jackson (born October 16, 1980) is an American actor and singer. He is best known for his role as Hobie Buchannon on the television show ''Baywatch''. Career Television Jackson appeared in 159 episodes of the TV series ''Baywatch'' ...
, the actor who played David Hasselhoff's son on ''
Baywatch ''Baywatch'' is an American action drama television series about lifeguards who patrol the beaches of Los Angeles County, California, and Hawaii, starring David Hasselhoff. It was created by Michael Berk, Douglas Schwartz, and Gregory J. Bonann, ...
'', was signed to Mark Holden's production company and had two hits in Europe including 'You Can Run' which was Top 5 in the Netherlands. In 1995, Holden's second child Katie was born. Amid the rising violence in
Los Angeles Los Angeles ( ; es, Los Ángeles, link=no , ), often referred to by its initials L.A., is the largest city in the state of California and the second most populous city in the United States after New York City, as well as one of the world' ...
in the early 1990s, Holden and his partner Anna decided to move back to Australia in September 1996.


1996–2007: Marjac Productions, ''Australian Idol'' & ''The X Factor''

In 1996, Holden recommenced his law degree and by 1997 was keen to get back into the music business. He teamed with Jack Strom who he knew from the early 1970s and was the producer of
Red Faces ''Hey Hey It's Saturday'' was a long-running variety television program on Australian television. It initially ran for 28 years on the Nine Network from 9 October 1971 to 20 November 1999, with a recess in 1978. Its host throughout its entire ...
on ''
Hey Hey It's Saturday ''Hey Hey It's Saturday'' was a long-running variety television program on Australian television. It initially ran for 28 years on the Nine Network from 9 October 1971 to 20 November 1999, with a recess in 1978. Its host throughout its entire ...
''. The pair listened to a number of demos before visiting a Russian restaurant in Carnegie where they met a 15-year-old
Vanessa Amorosi Vanessa Joy AmorosiSharon Verghis"Back on track" ''The Sun-Herald'', 18 October 2009, Archived fro''the original''on 6 March 2016. (born 8 August 1981) is an Australian singer-songwriter and recording artist. Her combined album and single sales ...
. They signed her and launched her career in 1999. Amorosi's debut album '' The Power'' peaked at number 1 and was certified 4 times platinum in Australia. At the
APRA Music Awards of 2001 The APRA Music Awards of 2001 were a group of awards given on 28 May 2001, as one in the series of APRA Awards. These are presented annually by Australasian Performing Right Association (APRA) and the Australasian Mechanical Copyright Owners ...
, Amorosi's " Shine" won Most Performed Australian Work, in which Holden co-wrote. Strom and Holden formed Marjac Productions and wrote songs and helped launch careers of
Delta Goodrem Delta Lea Goodrem AM (born November 9, 1984) is an Australian singer, songwriter, and actress. Goodrem signed to Sony Music at the age of 15. Her debut album, '' Innocent Eyes'' (2003), topped the ARIA Albums Chart for 29 non-consecutive week ...
,
Nikki Webster Nicole Marie Webster (born 30 April 1987) is an Australian pop singer. She is best known for her role in performing at the 2000 Sydney Summer Olympics opening ceremony and her song " Strawberry Kisses", which made number 21 on the list of Top ...
and
Sophie Monk Sophie Charlene Akland Monk (born 14 December 1979) is an Australian singer, actress, model, and television personality. She was a member of the pop girl group Bardot, winners of the first season of '' Popstars Australia'' in 2000, and later re ...
. In 1999, Holden performed his show "100 Years of Australian Music" at the School of Arts Café in
Queanbeyan Queanbeyan ( ) is a city in the south-eastern region of New South Wales, Australia, located adjacent to the Australian Capital Territory in the Southern Tablelands region. Located on the Queanbeyan River, the city is the council seat of the ...
and hosted the Silver Jubilee edition of ''
Countdown A countdown is a sequence of backward counting to indicate the time remaining before an event is scheduled to occur. NASA commonly employs the terms "L-minus" and "T-minus" during the preparation for and anticipation of a rocket launch, and eve ...
''. In 2002, Holden was honoured by '' This is Your Life''. In 2003, Holden was a judge on the inaugural season ''
Australian Idol ''Australian Idol'' is an Australian singing competition, which began its first season in July 2003 and ended its initial run in November 2009. As part of the ''Idol'' franchise, Australian Idol originated from the reality program ''Pop Idol' ...
'', where he remained for five seasons until 2007. Holden executive-produced the "Final 12" cast CD for ''Australian Idol'' which went double platinum and included the song " Rise Up" which he co-wrote with
Vanessa Amorosi Vanessa Joy AmorosiSharon Verghis"Back on track" ''The Sun-Herald'', 18 October 2009, Archived fro''the original''on 6 March 2016. (born 8 August 1981) is an Australian singer-songwriter and recording artist. Her combined album and single sales ...
and peaked at number 1 on the
ARIA Charts The ARIA Charts are the main Australian music sales charts, issued weekly by the Australian Recording Industry Association. The charts are a record of the highest selling songs and albums in various genres in Australia. ARIA became the offici ...
. His phrase "Touchdown" became the highest form of accolade for the contestants.
Cosima De Vito Cosima De Vito (born 1 November 1976), also known as Cosima, is an Australian pop and R&B singer-songwriter. Born and raised in Perth, Western Australia, she is best known for her cover of the classic Australian hit " When the War Is Over" (20 ...
received the first touchdown, for her rendition of
Cold Chisel Cold Chisel are an Australian pub rock band, which formed in Adelaide in 1973 by mainstay members Ian Moss on guitar and vocals, Steve Prestwich on drums and Don Walker on piano and keyboards. They were soon joined by Jimmy Barnes (at the ...
's "
When the War Is Over "When the War Is Over" is a power ballad of Australian band Cold Chisel from their 1982 album ''Circus Animals''. The song was written by drummer Steve Prestwich and issued as the third single from the album, peaking at number 25 on the national ...
". In 2003, Holden appeared in cameo acting roles on ''
Kath & Kim ''Kath & Kim,'' (also written as ''Kath and Kim'') is an Australian sitcom created by Jane Turner and Gina Riley, who portray the title characters of Kath Day-Knight, a cheery, middle-aged suburban mother, and Kim, her self-indulgent daughter ...
''. In 2004 Holden signed and managed Joel Turner, a beat-boxer from ''Idol''. Credited to Joel Turner and the Modern Day Poets, their first single "
These Kids "These Kids" is a song by Australian beatboxer Joel Turner and Australian hip hop duo the Modern Day Poets. It was independently released as the lead single from their self-titled debut album on 27 September 2004. The song was written in Dece ...
" reached #1 on the ARIA Charts and achieved double platinum status. Their self-titled album was released in late 2004 was also certified platinum. In 2004, Holden recorded a live DVD titled '' Live at the George Ballroom''. The DVD was produced by Drew Thompson and released in 2005 as a DVD + CD through Thompson Music. In 2004, Mark's family group, The Holdens, released their first CD, ''A Tribute to Tex Morton''. The album featured songs made famous by the legendary country singer
Tex Morton Tex Morton (born Robert William Lane in Nelson, New Zealand, also credited as Robert Tex Morton; 30 August 1916 – 23 July 1983) was a pioneer of New Zealand and Australian country and western music, vaudevillian, actor, television host and ...
. In 2005, Holden appeared as a judge on the first season of ''
The X Factor ''The X Factor'' is a television music competition franchise created by British producer Simon Cowell and his company Syco Entertainment. It originated in the United Kingdom, where it was devised as a replacement for ''Pop Idol'' (2001–2003 ...
'', along with John Reid and
Kate Ceberano Catherine Yvette Ceberano ( or , born 17 November 1966) is an Australian singer and actress who performs in the soul, jazz, and pop genres, as well as in film and musicals such as '' Jesus Christ Superstar''. Her song " Pash" received a gold ...
. The R&B group he mentored during the show,
Random In common usage, randomness is the apparent or actual lack of pattern or predictability in events. A random sequence of events, symbols or steps often has no :wikt:order, order and does not follow an intelligible pattern or combination. Ind ...
, went on to win, becoming the first group anywhere in the world to do so. On 14 June 2005 Holden was one of the guest hosts that stood in for Bert Newton on morning program '' Good Morning Australia''(GMA). Both Australian Idol and GMA aired on
Network Ten Network 10 (commonly known as Ten Network, Channel 10 or simply 10) is an Australian commercial television network owned by Ten Network Holdings, a division of the Paramount Networks UK & Australia subsidiary of Paramount Global. One of five ...
. By late 2005, Amorosi ended her 7-year contract with MarJar and signed with Ralph Carr Management,
Sony BMG Sony BMG Music Entertainment was an American record company owned as a 50–50 joint venture between Sony Corporation of America and Bertelsmann. The venture's successor, the revived Sony Music, is wholly owned by Sony, following their buyout o ...
were in dispute with Holden regarding
Delta Goodrem Delta Lea Goodrem AM (born November 9, 1984) is an Australian singer, songwriter, and actress. Goodrem signed to Sony Music at the age of 15. Her debut album, '' Innocent Eyes'' (2003), topped the ARIA Albums Chart for 29 non-consecutive week ...
and Turner had requested to cease his contract with Marjar, involving Holden in a legal dispute to being 2006. In 2007, Holden featured in '' The Starter Wife'' and ''
Pizza Pizza (, ) is a dish of Italian origin consisting of a usually round, flat base of leavened wheat-based dough topped with tomatoes, cheese, and often various other ingredients (such as various types of sausage, anchovies, mushrooms, onions ...
''. Holden's radio career includes co-hosting ''The Drive Home'' with
Cal Wilson Cal Wilson (born 5 October 1970) is a New Zealand stand-up comedian, author, radio and television presenter. Early life After attending high school in Christchurch, New Zealand, Wilson completed a Bachelor of Arts at the University of Canterbu ...
while regular host
Akmal Saleh Akmal Saleh ( ar, أكمل صالح Coptic: AKMAΛ CAΛΕϨ) (born 21 July 1964) is an Egyptian-Australian comedian and actor. He was born in Egypt and arrived in Sydney with his family in 1975 at the age of 11. He has been performing comedy si ...
was sick. He also hosted the short lived show in 2007, ''The Dicko, Holden and Chrissie Show'' on Nova FM. At the end of the fifth season of ''Australian Idol'' in 2007, Holden was told he wasn't required on the show any longer.


2008–present: Theatre, ''Dancing with the Stars'' and autobiography

From January to May 2008, Holden played the role of
Johnny O'Keefe John Michael O'Keefe (19 January 1935 – 6 October 1978) was an Australian rock and roll singer whose career began in the 1950s. Some of his hits include " Wild One" (1958), " Shout!" and "She's My Baby". In his twenty-year career, O'Keefe rel ...
's manager Lee Gordon in ''
Shout! The Legend of The Wild One ''Shout! The Legend of the Wild One'' is an Australian musical based on the life of Johnny O'Keefe. It premiered in Melbourne at the State Theatre (Melbourne), State Theatre in December 2000, before seasons in Sydney, Adelaide and Brisbane through ...
''. In 2010, Holden had a cancer removed from his neck, affecting his vocal cords. In 2010, he guest starred as Doctor Wallace in Season 5 of ''
Sea Patrol ''Sea Patrol'' is an Australian television drama that ran from 2007 to 2011, set on board HMAS ''Hammersley'', a fictional patrol boat of the Royal Australian Navy (RAN). The series focused on the ship and the lives of its crew members. Despi ...
'', which aired in July 2011. From 2010 to 2011 he was a fill-in presenter of the weekday afternoon show on South Australia's
891 ABC Adelaide ABC Radio Adelaide (call sign: 5AN) is the ABC Local Radio station for Adelaide. It is broadcast at 891 kHz on the AM band. It is also available on Digital TV in Adelaide. History 5AN started transmitting on 15 October 1937 with equipmen ...
, where his focus has been on musical discussion. In early 2011 he has been fill in presenter of
ABC Local Radio ABC Local Radio is a network of publicly owned radio stations in Australia, operated by the Australian Broadcasting Corporation. ABC Local Radio stations broadcast across the continent using terrestrial transmitters and satellites. Its programm ...
nationally. Mark is one of the regular fill-ins for
Richard Stubbs Richard Stubbs (born 4 November 1957) is an Australian radio and television presenter, writer and comedian. Career Stubbs was educated at Wesley College, Melbourne, where he was school captain. He then completed a Bachelor of Economics degree ...
on
774 ABC Melbourne ABC Radio Melbourne (official callsign: 3LO) is an ABC Local Radio station in Melbourne, Australia. It began transmission on 13 October 1924, and was Melbourne's second licensed radio station after 3AR. Most Local Radio stations in Victoria sim ...
. In early 2012 he was fill-in presenter for the nationwide ABC Local network show ''Nightlife with Tony Delroy''. From 2012 to 2014 Holden began researching and placing together information from his great-uncle Aldophus Holden's travelling circus from the 1890s. Holden made five 24-minute short films about the circus, including footage from the 1950s and 60s. Holden recorded a soundtrack with his family, including his daughter Katie singing and his son Cain co-writing "Rambling Man". The ''Holden Brothers Travelling Circus'' documentary and soundtrack were released on iTunes in September 2014. To promote the series, Holden appeared on '' Celebrity Come Dine With Me Australia'' in January 2014. On 28 August 2014, it was announced Holden would be a participant on the 14th season of ''
Dancing with the Stars ''Dancing with the Stars'' is the name of various international television series based on the format of the British TV series '' Strictly Come Dancing'', which is distributed by BBC Studios, the commercial arm of the BBC. Currently the forma ...
'' commencing in September. Holden had been asked in early seasons but declined. He saw this as an opportunity to promote ''Holden Brothers Travelling Circus'' and Network Seven agreed to air the show in December, although this never occurred. In week one of ''Dancing with the Stars'', Holden did a dance tributing "The Carnation Kid" from 40 years ago. In week two, he danced a waltz to
The Beatles The Beatles were an English Rock music, rock band, formed in Liverpool in 1960, that comprised John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison and Ringo Starr. They are regarded as the Cultural impact of the Beatles, most influential band of al ...
' "
She's Leaving Home "She's Leaving Home" is a song by the English rock band the Beatles, written by Paul McCartney and John Lennon, and released on their 1967 album ''Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band''. Paul McCartney wrote and sang the verse and John Lennon ...
". Holden was receiving positive feedback from judges and audience despite his lack of dancing ability. In week three, Holden dressed up and danced as Bobo the Clown. Intended to be homage to a childhood clown, the performance received high-profile condemnation with people calling his performance a "disaster on the dance floor", "one of the scariest things I've ever seen" and "a train wreck". Holden received 4 out of 40 (the lowest score possible) and was voted out of the show. Holden subsequently apologised for his behaviour saying "I want to apologise to everyone I've offended, I want to apologise to Channel Seven, to all the contestants on DWTS, and to the judges." Following the Bobo incident, Holden self-released ''Holden Brothers Travelling Circus'' on CD/DVD in December 2014. In May 2017, Holden released his autobiography, titled, ''My Idol Years''. Holden produced
Judith Durham Judith Durham (born Judith Mavis Cock; 3 July 1943 – 5 August 2022) was an Australian singer, songwriter and musician who became the lead singer of the Australian folk music group the Seekers in 1963. The group became the first Australian p ...
's 2018 album, '' So Much More''. During the Adelaide Cabaret Festival in June 2018 Holden said "I'm about to do a limited release of a CD called ''Mark Holden – The Lost '80s Album''. It's a collection of songs I recorded in the '80s when I was a journeyman songwriter in LA. Looking back on all those songs and recordings I was rewriting the same song over and over again centred on my relationship with my now wife and the ultimate conception and birth of our now 22-year-old daughter Katie." In September 2020, Holden and his daughter Katie commenced releasing ''The Idol Archives'' podcast, which sees the duo chat to formed Idol contestants about their memories, in this behind-the-scenes look at the reality show.


Personal life

Holden became a father at the age of 20. His son Cane was born in 1974. Holden's second child Katie was born in 1995. Holden graduated with a
Bachelor of Laws Bachelor of Laws ( la, Legum Baccalaureus; LL.B.) is an undergraduate law degree in the United Kingdom and most common law jurisdictions. Bachelor of Laws is also the name of the law degree awarded by universities in the People's Republic of Chi ...
from the
University of Adelaide The University of Adelaide (informally Adelaide University) is a public research university located in Adelaide, South Australia. Established in 1874, it is the third-oldest university in Australia. The university's main campus is located on N ...
in 2001, which he completed externally at
Monash University Monash University () is a public research university based in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. Named for prominent World War I general Sir John Monash, it was founded in 1958 and is the second oldest university in the state. The university has a ...
. He was close to completing the degree in 1974 when his music career took off. In November 2009 he signed the Victorian Bar roll, reading with barrister William Lye, and is now practising full-time at the
Victorian Bar The Victorian Bar is the bar association of the Australian State of Victoria. The current President of the Bar is Roisin Annesley KC. Its members are barristers registered to practice in Victoria. On 30 June 2020, there were 2,179 counsels ...
. He has suffered several
bone fracture A bone fracture (abbreviated FRX or Fx, Fx, or #) is a medical condition in which there is a partial or complete break in the continuity of any bone in the body. In more severe cases, the bone may be broken into several fragments, known as a '' ...
s as a direct result of
osteoporosis Osteoporosis is a systemic skeletal disorder characterized by low bone mass, micro-architectural deterioration of bone tissue leading to bone fragility, and consequent increase in fracture risk. It is the most common reason for a broken bone ...
, and featured on an awareness ad on Channel 7. He also suffered from
thyroid cancer Thyroid cancer is cancer that develops from the tissues of the thyroid gland. It is a disease in which cells grow abnormally and have the potential to spread to other parts of the body. Symptoms can include swelling or a lump in the neck. C ...
in 2010. In September 2015 he announced that his cancer had returned. He is a long-time supporter of the
Adelaide Football Club The Adelaide Crows (officially the Adelaide Football Club) are a professional Australian rules football team based in Adelaide, South Australia. Founded in 1990. The Crows has fielded a men's team in the Australian Football League (AFL) since ...
, and was made an ambassador of the club in 2006. Holden is an ambassador of Blue September, an organisation supporting men with cancer.


Discography


Albums


DVD/extended play


Singles


Awards and nominations


King of Pop Awards

The King of Pop Awards were voted by the readers of
TV Week ''TV Week'' is a weekly Australian magazine that provides television program listings information and highlights, as well as television-related news. Content ranges from previews for upcoming storylines of popular television programs, particu ...
. The King of Pop award started in 1967 and ran through to 1978. , - , 1975 , himself , Best New Talent , , - , 1976 , himself , Most Popular New Talent , , -


Bibliography


Contributor

*


References


External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Holden, Mark 1954 births APRA Award winners Australian Idol Australian male film actors Australian male singers Australian male television actors Living people Logie Award winners Monash University alumni People educated at Westminster School, Adelaide Musicians from Adelaide Male actors from Adelaide Scotti Brothers Records artists