BIOGRAPHY

Mark is an award winning artist who was born into a very musical family in Lake Loon Nova Scotia, just outside of Dartmouth. Along with 9 siblings, Mark grew up singing in choirs, gospel groups and family sing a longs. Following in his father's footsteps, singing and playing guitar in Churches and gospel Concerts. 

 

Mark moved on to performing R&B and Hip Hop music while living in Toronto and was featured in a film produced for the Department of Education called “Know Your Rights”, with a recording group called "Triple Life' . Mark also had the privilege of opening for the world famous group “the Nylons” while being a member of this group.

 

Mark in his earlier days  also played in a few bands in Toronto, including Sharman Hayman, Simply Pleasure, Two Shades, and  the Cash Money Brothers. 

 

   Upon returning to Nova Scotia Mark joined the ECMA Award winning Nova Scotia Mass Choir as a Tenor and a Soloist. Mark also played in Halifax bands the Nova Gospel Ensemble, the East Coast Posse, Brother to Brother, and the Reflections Band.

 

He moved to the Annapolis Valley and then joined the Band Shoulder to Shoulder as a fill-in drummer, sang one song and the rest was history. Mark then formed the Mark Riley Band, going through various members, the group eventually changed their name to the Mark Riley Project, which still remains one of the busiest bands in the Nova Scotia area. The PM Blues and the 9 piece "Radical Soul Band" are also two of Mark’s bands that perform a few times a year.

 

Mark Riley, with many working music groups, then formed The Mark Riley Quartet. The Mark Riley Quartet (originally named the “High Tide Shuffle Jazz Crew”.....but the name was obviously too long. haha)  was and is the  jazz band that is fully musical and operational.

 

Mark Has performed in the TD Halifax Jazz Festival in 2023 as well as the ECMA Awards Showcase in 2023. Also the ANSMA Awards Showcase in 2025. Mark has also played in several Festivals throughout Nova Scotia.

 

Mark has three albums, "One Step", "PM Blue" and Classic Duets as well as appearances on a few compilation albums recently.
 

Mark is also a former front man of a 15 piece  Funk/Motown band from the Annapolis Valley. 

 

 Mark is trained as an electrician and ran his own business for several years.  They used to call him Mr. Tech, the singing electrician because he was known around the city and in the churches.

 

After making the move to Wolfville while his wife attended university studying Ministry, Mark made the decision to concentrate on music on a full time basis. He took a job at Long & Mcquade which allowed him to feed his musical passion and meet others in the music community in Canada and the U.S.

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Mark has lived, loved, and epitomized music, all of his life, and is also known as the man with the bands!