Mark Winegar started singing with garage bands and in coffee houses back in the late 60's. He stopped in 1973 when he enrolled at Michigan State University. He picked up the guitar to learn a few songs to entertain my grandchildren back in 2001. Since then, Mark has been playing music every chance I get.
His first exposure to folk music was singing along with Grover Heyn and his 12-string Gibson. It was the late 60's:
"We'd just walk around town doing our music and being a couple of hippy kids. We eventually opened a coffee house in the basement of the local YWCA in Saint Joseph, MI. We called it Grover's Landing. We didn't make any money at it but we had a lot of fun! "

Influences?
My greatest influences would have to be Eric Clapton, Pete Seeger, and Bob Segar & the Silver Bullet Band.

Age: 57 years old
Hometown: Vermillion, SD, USA
Separated, 2 children.
Assistant Professor of Computer Science

Causes: Human Rights, Indigenous Peoples Rights, Civil Rights, Education, Peace & Nonviolence, Poverty, Refugees, Religious Tolerance, Pro Unions, Womens Rights
Activities: My real passions are playing the guitar, Walking, Games - Board games, Concerts, cycling, Singing, Cafes, Music - Concerts, Listening to Music, People Watching, Movie watching, Baseball - Watching

Equipment used:
"My guitars are a Martin DM and a Martin J12-16GT. I also play a mandolin from the Mid-Missouri Mandolin Company mandolins and a handmade Native American flute. The flute was a gift from my lovely bride and was handmade by a Lakota friend who lives on the reservation. "

Anything else...?
"I teach Computer Science at Mount Marty College in Yankton, South Dakota. I'm serve as the President of the Vermillion Area Arts Council in Vermillion, South Dakota. I also host a monthly coffee house at the Washington Street Arts Center in Vermillion, SD. "