Marc Barnhill

Born in Brooklyn, New York, and growing up "between the Boardwalk and the Verrazano Bridge," Marc Barnhill was an avid Beatles fan at the age of nine and a belated classic-rock teen. In the 1980s, he wrote poetry and found his musical tastes drifting toward the introspective "singer-songwriter" genre.

Citing such artists as James Taylor, Joni Mitchell, Bob Dylan, Paul Simon, David Wilcox, Tracy Chapman, Indigo Girls, Nick Drake, and Jules Shear as major influences, he began writing music in the late 1980s and collaborated with brother Scott on a collection of guitar tracks called CLOUDY SKIES.

In the early 1990s Marc was instrumental in the formation (and later the dissolution) of the rock band Fall Out, serving as occasional lyricist and backing vocalist. Other side projects included writing and singing duty for poststructuralist concept band Ontology and for experimental funk duo Urbal T.

Marc became an English teacher in 1993 and over the next decade worked at CUNY community colleges, New York University, and alternative high schools (including The Bronx Guild, which he co-founded). Meanwhile, he was writing songs that combined literary craftsmanship with personal exploration. Many of the songs written during this period were recorded as the CHASING AFTER demos and promptly shelved.

After performing live with Joey Figgiani at New York City's now-defunct Psychic Cafe in 2002, Marc began work on his debut solo CD, BLUE TIME, which was completed in November 2003 and independently released in 2004.

Another arrival came in February 2004, in the form of Marc's daughter, Liana, who attended many of her father's performances during the first few months of her life.

In addition to his participation in weekly open-mic events, Marc has performed at such venues as CBGB, The Listening Room, DT-UT, and The Bitter End.

Marc is currently working on his second album, CIRCLES OF SURPRISE, which is scheduled to be released in 2006. He lives in Manhattan with two cats.