A singer, songwriter, filmmaker, former U.S. Marine, and nature conservationist, folk-rock devotee Mark Blacknell began performing in bands in the mid-'90s after military service in the Gulf War. Starting out in Pennsylvania and Australia, where he attended universities, he eventually fronted Philadelphia's Asperilla Mint, formed in 1996 with guitarist Kevin Timothy. With time off in the early aughts for graduate studies and work as a state park ranger, he formed Blacknell Band in 2005. Soon after, he left Pennsylvania to direct and produce the 2009 documentary Woke Up Alive, about experiences during a two-year exploration of Israel, where he also performed. His first solo record consisted of some songs written prior to his time in Israel, some written during the making of the film, and some written afterward during a multi-year stay in Maui, Hawaii. This stay included a trip back to Israel in 2011, during which he recorded several tracks with producer and prior collaborator Noam Lavi. The resulting debut, Blue Arrow, was released in 2013 by Mondo Tunes. With an education and background in conservation policymaking, Blacknell then relocated to Vero Beach, Florida, in part to work on restoring the Everglades. His sophomore effort, the sometimes political full-band folk release When Rain Was Fun, followed in 2014, again with producer Noam Lavi but now on the Sugo Music Group label. Soon after, he began recording his third full-length album in Orlando, Florida. ~ Marcy Donelson