Mark was born in Florence , Alabama just a stones throw across the river from R&B music mecca Muscle Shoals.  He is the son of legendary keyboard player and record producer Barry Beckett. 

          In 1989 Mark realized he wanted to play drums after hearing Nashville session great Eddie Bayers.  At the young age of fourteen, Mark received his first set of drums from his father, Barry and mentor Eddie.  After school (when he didn’t skip) his mother would drive him to his father’s sessions.  Mark would hang out in the studios and be a fly on the wall sitting behind Eddie with no headphones on, watching and listening. Later he realized that recording sessions would be what he wanted to do.

          On average Mark does hundreds of recording sessions per year. The sessions range from song writer demos of the best Nashville has to offer (Jason Matthews, Leslie Satcher, Phillip White, Gary Burr, Doug Johnson, Brett James, Dillon Dixon, Gary Harrison, Roger Murrah, Wynn Varble) to recording with top artists (Dolly Parton, Confederate Railroad, John Michael Montgomery, Doug Stone, Mac Davis, George Jones, Rebecca Lynn Howard, Jerrod Neman, Jo Dee Messina, Jamey Johnson, Luke Bryan) just to name a few.  Mark has also done his share of live work with artists such as Earl Scruggs, Michael McDonald, Billy Bob Thornton and Vince Gill.  Mark is currently on a recording in the new motion picture “Flicka” starring Tim McGraw.

          Most recently, Mark was part of the house band for the “Steve Cropper 50 Year Music Journey” show held at the historic Ryman Auditorium.  Mark played with a who’s who of legendary music talent ranging from Mark Farner(Grand Funk Railroad), John Kay(Steppenwolf) to Randy Owen ( Alabama ), Delbert McClinton, Lee Roy Parnell to James Burton and the man himself, Steve Cropper.  It was a packed house to benefit the T.J. Martell Foundation.

          Mark is rapidly becoming a first call drummer in the Nashville music scene.  His “laid back” feel and attitude is here to stay in the “ Music City .”