Biography:
“Gibson is as good as the people you see on the Grammys.”
~Kevin Smith of Maggie’s Music Box/Soul City/Luna Arts & Elixirs
Born in Los Angeles, CA, but raised in Oklahoma after his parents' divorce, Gibson became a daydreamer on the plains. He struggled to pay attention in class. His mind wandered into more interesting worlds than what loomed on the chalkboard. He felt out of place. It was as if he was living and struggling in an alternate timeline and he was the only one aware of that heartbreaking fact. Life in Oklahoma was hard on him, his two brothers, and single mother. Summer trips to California gave him glimpses of a life that could have been. Encino, Santa Monica, Zuma Beach, Universal Studios, Six Flags, Dodger games… he wanted that life. The goodbyes every summer to his father and the Gibson side of the family were devastating. Eventually, in the name of self-preservation, he constructed walls made up of his own scar tissue. It worked until it didn't. He needed a way to express himself. He needed a way to feel normal, seen, and heard. The guitar became that outlet. For the first time in his life, his mind, heart, and body felt like they were in the same room. At the age of 16 he summoned the courage to start singing and writing songs. He became obsessed with recording on his Tascam tape recorder. He eventually graduated to recording demos at various local studios in the greater Tulsa area.
While in college, he sharpened his craft through constant writing and performing, often playing several open mics a week. After graduating, he moved to Austin, Texas in 2005 and formed the band Meridianwest, a group that found regional success and released multiple EPs and live recordings. They opened for acts like Dave Matthews Band and Blue October. Other band career highlights were headlining the Sundance Film Festival (2008) and Playing the Final Four Basketball Tournament in San Antonio in (2008). Gibson stepped away in 2009 to pursue a solo career.
Since releasing his debut solo album, Beautifully Deconstructed, in 2012, Gibson has become a consistent force in the Tulsa music scene, balancing a busy live schedule with a strong and growing catalog that includes Blue Eyed Soul in 2016, Live from Soul City in 2018, and Hymnals from the Plains in 2021. He is currently working on a new studio album. In addition to his solo work, he performs full band shows under the name Mark Gibson & The Boomtown Revival. Gibson is also a member of the Tulsa-based band, The Holdouts, who recently opened up for the band, Bowling For Soup, in Tulsa for the “Big Ride” concert. He is a burgeoning producer that enjoys helping other artists reach their potential. His music has been featured on NPR and college radio, and his song “Hymn for America (Change)” was named a 2022 runner-up in the International Songwriting Competition for Social Causes. He’s performed at Tulsa staples like Cain’s Ballroom, Guthrie Green, Gathering Place, Mercury Lounge, Tulsa PAC, and many more. He has also toured the US as a solo artist, and even has performed in Canada and Ireland.
Gibson’s sound has been described as “Okie Soul.” He blends soul, blues, gospel, and rock and roll to create a musical signature. His voice is soulful, and has a dynamic range capable of moving from intimate confession to a full-band, revival-style release. His songs live where love, loss, and hard-won hope meet; cinematic in scope, but grounded in the mess of real life. Gibson currently resides in Tulsa, OK.
