BIO

Also available as a DVD or YouTube video

(This is the show in the video sampler = https://youtu.be/I7lZTWSaYGI, and, looking at the set list below, everything in the show is excerpted in the sampler, except 1] most of the opening singalong medley [nine songs total, including “Yankee Doodle Dandy/Grand Old Flag”], and 2]  seven of the ten musical knock-knock jokes)

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Hello, I Must Be Going (Groucho Marx)                  
Opening Singalong Medley

   Mairzy Doats/Four-Leaf Clover/Yankee Doodle Dandy/Grand Old Flag/

   Give My Regards To Broadway/This Land Is Your Land/You Are My Sunshine/

   Bye Bye Blackbird/Five-Foot Two, Eyes Of Blue               
Mark Tells A Joke                                  
Right Field (Peter, Paul & Mary)                     
If I Had A Hammer (The Weavers)                                  
What A Wonderful World (Louis Armstrong)
I’m My Own Grandpa (Homer & Jethro)    
Mark Tells Another Joke  
Musical Singalong Knock-Knock Jokes (Various)                
Crabs Walk Sideways  (The Smothers Brothers)
Goodnight/Happy Trails (The Beatles/Dale Evans & Roy Rogers)

(With only the opening and closing songs [*] in the video sampler, this show is a celebration of the glorious era of hot rods, poodle skirts, and - yowsah! - greasy kid stuff)

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Hello, I Must Be Going (Groucho Marx) *

Opening Medley 

   Hello Mary Lou/Yakety Yak/Poor Jenny/Travelin’ Man/Charlie Brown

Mark Tells A Joke

Sinatra Medley

   Chicago/Young At Heart/I Get A Kick Out Of You

American Pie (Don McLean)

Buddy (Elvis) Holly Medley

   Peggy Sue/(Hound Dog/Blue Suede Shoes)/That’ll Be The Day

Mark Tells Another Joke

Johnny Cash Medley

   Folsom Prison Blues/Ring Of Fire

Willie And The Hand Jive/We Go Together (Johnny Otis/“Grease”)

Goodnight/Happy Trails (The Beatles/Dale Evans & Roy Rogers) *

Also available as a DVD or YouTube video

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(This show is - amen! - not in the video sampler, except *, and comes with large-print senior-friendly singalong books, all the good old favorites, which I bring along with me; when you see the hymnal, you'll note on the set list an additional opening medley, two jokes, and two songs beyond the eight numbers in the book)

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Hello, I Must Be Going (Groucho Marx) *
Opening Singalong Medley

   What A Friend We Have In Jesus/Oh Happy Day
   Dropkick Me, Jesus/When The Roll Is Called Up Yonder
   Softly & Tenderly/In The Sweet Bye And Bye/Plastic Jesus
   He’s Got The Whole World In His Hands/Amen
Keep On The Sunny Side (The Carter Family)
Put Your Hand In The Hand (Anne Murray)
I Saw The Light (Hank Williams)
Digression #1
   Mark Tells A Joke
The Unclouded Day (The Staple Singers)
Amazing Grace (John Newton)
I’ll Fly Away (Alan Jackson)
Have A Little Talk With Jesus (Elvis Presley)
Digression #2
   Hallelujah (Leonard Cohen) 
Will The Circle Be Unbroken? (The Carter Family)
Goodnight/Happy Trails (The Beatles/Dale Evans & Roy Rogers) *

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Also available as a DVD or YouTube video

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(This show, while not in the video sampler, except *, has the same basic structure as #1, but obviously with different songs, and more of an emphasis on my unique singalong song posters, on which I represent all the lyrics of a song in picture form - e.g., “If I Had A Hammer" on the sampler - there are three in this show instead of just that one in #1)

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Hello, I Must Be Going (Groucho Marx) *  
TV Theme Song Medley
   Rawhide/Flintstones/Andy Griffith/Mr Ed/Beverly Hillbillies/Jeopardy/Gilligan’s Island

   Addams Family/Green Acres/Monkees/Brady Bunch/Sesame Street/All In The Family

Mark Tells A Joke
Do Re Mi (from “The Sound Of Music”)                                                      
Yellow Submarine (The Beatles)  

The Dutchman (Steve Goodman) [**]

Polka Medley

  Beer Barrel Polka/Pennsylvania Polka/In Heaven There Is No Beer

Mark Tells Another Joke
I Won’t Grow Up  (from ”Peter Pan”)                                 
YMCA (The Village People)                                   
Goodnight/Happy Trails (The Beatles/Dale Evans & Roy Rogers) *

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[** In the month of May, I perform this show as a Mother’s Day/Month tribute, and I replace “The Dutchman” with four songs about Mom - “Your Mother Should Know” (The Beatles), “Mama Told Me Not To Come” (Randy Newman/Three Dog Night), “M-O-T-H-E-R” (Eddy Arnold), & “Too-Rah-Loo-Rah-Loo-Ral” (Bing Crosby) - interspersed throughout the hour.]

Also available as a DVD or YouTube video

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(This is - salute the flag! - not in the video sampler, except *, but, as you can see below, contains a plethora of medleys = an opening patriotic singalong, the seven armed forces anthems, three songs honoring lost comrades (two of which are specific to Vietnam vets), and what I call my “Three-Stages-Of-Service" Medley - going in [“Over There”], being in [“Oh, How I Hate To Get Up In The Morning”], and coming home [“Don't Sit Under The Apple Tree”])

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Hello, I Must Be Going (Groucho Marx) *               
Patriotic Medley
   This Is My Country/America The Beautiful/Yankee Doodle Dandy *
   You’re A Grand Old Flag */God Bless America/This Land Is Your Land
   My Country ’Tis Of Thee/The Star Spangled Banner    

Mark Tells A Joke                                                
Armed Forces Medley
   WACs/Merchant Marine/Coast Guard/Air Force/Navy/Marine/Army     
Mark Tells Two Jokes
Lydia The Tattooed Lady (Groucho Marx)

Mark Tells Two More Jokes
Lost Comrades Medley
   Not Just A Name On A Wall (The Statler Brothers)
   Riding With Private Malone (David Ball)
   Will The Circle Be Unbroken? (The Carter Family)

Mark Tells Two Last Jokes
The Three-Stages-Of-Service Medley
   Over There (George M Cohan)
   Oh, How I Hate To Get Up In The Morning (Irving Berlin)
   Don’t Sit Under The Apple Tree (The Andrews Sisters)
Bless ‘Em All/Goodnight */Happy Trails * (George Formby/The Beatles/Dale Evans & Roy Rogers)

(This is - salute the flag again! - not in the video sampler, except *, but, as I have a client who requested, and for whom I performed, my Patriotic/Veterans Show three times in two years [twice in 2023], and who desired a patriotic program again in 2024, I decided I needed another wave-the-flag show - one which doesn’t mention our veterans, but rather celebrates our United States in song)

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Hello, I Must Be Going (Groucho Marx) *               
Patriotic Medley
   This Is My Country/America The Beautiful/Yankee Doodle Dandy *
   You’re A Grand Old Flag */God Bless America/This Land Is Your Land
   My Country ’Tis Of Thee/The Star Spangled Banner    

Better In The U.S.A. (Glenn Frey)   

Abraham, Martin, & John (Dion)

Take Me Home, Country Roads (John Denver)

American Medley

   America (Simon & Garfunkel)

   American Tune (Paul Simon)

(What's So Funny 'Bout) Peace, Love, & Understanding (Elvis Costello)

American Pie (Don McLean)

U.S. Blues (The Grateful Dead)

City Of New Orleans (Arlo Guthrie)

America (Neil Diamond)
Goodnight */Happy Trails * (The Beatles/Dale Evans & Roy Rogers)

Also available as a DVD or YouTube video

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(This show is - ho! ho! ho! - not in the sampler, but rather a combination of the Gospel and Requests Shows, insofar as I would bring the large-print senior-friendly singalong books and the residents would choose their 15-20 favorite sacred and/or secular and/or winter tunes from a total of 35 classics on the list below)

Adeste Fideles*
Away in a Manger*
Blue Christmas**
The Chipmunk Song**
Carol of the Drum*
Christmas Dinner**
The Christmas Song**
Christmas Time is Here**
Deck the Halls**
Do You Hear What I Hear?*
Feliz Navidad**
Frosty the Snow Man***
God Rest Ye Merry, Gentlemen*
Happy Xmas (War is Over)**
Hark! The Herald Angels Sing*
Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas**
I’ll Be Home for Christmas**
It’s Beginning to Look Like Christmas**
Jingle Bell Rock***
Jingle Bells***
Joy to the World*
Let It Snow! Let It Snow! Let It Snow!***
Must Be Santa**
Rudolph, the Red-Nosed Reindeer**
Santa Claus is Coming to Town**
Silent Night*
Silver Bells**
This Christmas**
Twelve Days of Christmas**
We Wish You a Merry Christmas**
Westminster Carol*
What Are You Doing New Year’s Eve?***
White Christmas**
Winter Wonderland***
You’re a Mean One, Mr. Grinch***
•••
* Religious Christmas Songs (9)
** Secular Christmas Songs (19)
*** Non-Holiday Winter Songs (7)

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(This show is - faith and begorrah! - not in the video sampler, except *, but I think the song list tells you all you need to know, although I’ll mention that I learned “O’Brien Is Trying To Learn To Talk Hawaiian" from the inestimable Tiny Tim, via the equally inestimable Johnny Pineapple [honestly! don't you want to hear that story?], and - yes indeed! - Allan Sherman had three songs on his first two albums that were parodies of those specific Irish songs)

Hello, I Must Be Going (Groucho Marx) *
Opening Medley
   When Irish Eyes Are Smiling/Danny Boy/MacNamara’s Band

Mark Tells A Joke
Whiskey In The Jar
Irish Lullaby Medley
   All Through The Night/Too-Ra-Loo-Ra-Loo-Ral
O’Brien Is Tryin’ To Learn To Talk Hawaiian

Mark Tells Another Joke
Seven Drunken Nights
Allan Sherman (!) Irish Medley
   Harrigan (Horowitz)/Molly Malone/
   Shake Hands With Your Uncle Mike (Max)
What Do We Do With The Drunken Sailor?
Goodnight/Happy Trails (The Beatles/Dale Evans & Roy Rogers) *

(BOO!!! You know the drill = not in the sampler, except *, and, of course, probably only valid the last week or two of October, but one of my clients ordered this show up and maybe someone else would like to schedule this as well - only three-and-a-half (Mr Silverstein’s song is the .5) actual Halloween songs (the genre is a skimpy one), but five scary jokes and, in “Skin And Bones”, nine Knock! Knock! groaners, plus, of course, “John Denver Looks Like A Jack O’ Lantern”  Pts. 1-4)

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Hello, I Must Be Going (Groucho Marx) *

Monster Mash (Bobby “Boris” Pickett)

Mark Tells A Joke

John Denver Looks Like A Jack O’ Lantern,  Pt. 1

Werewolves Of London (Warren Zevon)

Mark Tells Another Joke

John Denver Looks Like A Jack O’ Lantern,  Pt. 2

You’re Always Welcome At Our House (Shel Silverstein)

Mark Tells - Yes! - One More Joke

John Denver Looks Like A Jack O’ Lantern,  Pt. 3

Skin And Bones (Jean Ritchie)

Mark Tells One Last Joke

John Denver Looks Like A Jack O’ Lantern,  Pt. 4

Zombie Jamboree (Harry Bellefonte/Kingston Trio)

Goodnight/Happy Trails  (The Beatles/Dale Evans & Roy Rogers) *

(This show is - yah! ya betcha! - not in the sampler, except *, but, whether your community is celebrating 1) the beginning of summer, 2) the middle of summer, 3) the end of summer, and/or 4) the Minnesota State Fair, this is the program, with 18 songs about the best three months of the year, to meet all of those festive moment needs)

Hello, I Must Be Going (Groucho Marx) *  

Medley #1

   Summertime (George Gershwin)

   Summer’s Here (James Taylor)

   Those Lazy Hazy Crazy Days Of Summer (Nat King Cole)

Summer Joke #1

Medley #2

   Summer Breeze (Seals & Crofts)

   Itsy Bitsy Teeny Weeny Yellow Polka Dot Bikini (Brian Hyland)

   Summertime Blues (Eddie Cochran)

Summer Joke #2

Medley #3

   Summer Nights (from “Grease”)

   Under The Boardwalk (The Drifters)

   Dancing In The Street (Martha & The Vandellas)

Summer Joke #3

Medley #4

   Summer In The City (The Lovin’ Spoonful)

   Up On The Roof (The Drifters)

   Summer Rain (Johnny Rivers)

Summer Joke #4

Medley #5  

   A Summer Song (Chad & Jeremy)

   Summer Wind (Frank Sinatra)

   How I Spent My Summer (Richard Harris)

Summer Joke #5

Medley #6 (The Beach Boys)

   Surfin’ USA

   Fun, Fun, Fun

   All Summer Long
Goodnight/Happy Trails (The Beatles/Dale Evans & Roy Rogers) *

(This show is - uff dah! do yah hafta ask? - not in the sampler, except *, but a celebration in song of all things from the Great White North, including our seven most famous musical daughters and sons, plus, of course, Ole & Lena)

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Hello, I Must Be Going (Groucho Marx) *

Andrews Sisters Medley 

   Rum & Coca Cola

   Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy

Yah Sure Yah Betcha (Bruce Bradley) 

Mark Tells An Ole & Lena Joke

Judy Garland Medley 

   The Trolley Song

   Over The Rainbow

Paul Bunyan (The New Christy Minstrels) 

Eddie Cochran Medley

   Twenty Flight Rock

   C’mon Everybody

Mark Tells Another Ole & Lena Joke

The Most Minnesotan Time Of The Year Medley 

   Winter Wonderland

   Let It Snow! Let It Snow! Let It Snow!

Bob Dylan Medley 

   Girl From The North Country

   Blowin’ In The Wind

Rhode Island Is Famous For You (Blossom Dearie) 

Mark Tells One Last Ole & Lena Joke

Prince Medley

   Purple Rain

   Rock ’N’ Roll Is Alive (And It Lives In Minneapolis)

Goodnight/Happy Trails (The Beatles/Dale Evans & Roy Rogers) *

(After five years of entertaining senior communities, I identified these artists and/or songs that audiences consider favorites; as usual, only songs marked with an * are in the sampler)

Hello, I Must Be Going (Groucho Marx) *

Beatles Medley

   With A Little Help From My Friends/Yellow Submarine/Hey Jude

John Denver Medley

   Leaving On A Jet Plane/Take Me Home, Country Roads

Mark Tells A Joke

Piano Man (Billy Joel)/Mr Bojangles (Jerry Jeff Walker)

Sinatra Medley

   Young At Heart/That’s Life

Neil Diamond Medley

   I'm A Believer/Sweet Caroline

Mark Tells Three Short Jokes

Elvis Medley

   I Can’t Help Falling In Love With You/Little Sister

City Of New Orleans (Steve Goodman)

Hallelujah (Leonard Cohen)

Goodnight/Happy Trails (The Beatles/Dale Evans & Roy Rogers) *

(Okay, so here’s the deal = in 2022-23 I was asked on two occasions by two different clients to provide a show with a tropical/Hawaiian theme, and for them I performed a half-hour of Hawaiian music [mostly from Tin Pan Alley, which i learned from Tiny Tim via Johnny Pineapple] mixed in with other non-Hawaiian material, but in February 2023 I learned some authentic Hawaiian songs from an authentic Hawaiian friend of mine, and so now I can perform, on request, a full-hour Hawaiian show - Aloha! P.S. I bring the leis...)

Hello, I Must Be Going (Groucho Marx) 

Don’t Sing “Aloha” When I Go *

Waikiki **

Hello, Aloha, How Are You? *

Beautiful Kauai/For You And I **

Blue Hawaii *

Home In The Islands **

Keep Your Eyes On The Hands *

The Hukilau Song **

Honolulu Baby *

Flying **

Little Grass Shack *

Hawaiian Lullaby **

Ukulele Lady *

All Hawaii Stand Together **

Tiny Bubbles */Aloha Oe **

Goodnight/Happy Trails (The Beatles/Dale Evans & Roy Rogers)

* from Tin Pan Alley, with an interspersed Hawaiian joke

** an authentic Hawaiian song

(This show is - Hit me! Roll dem bones! See ya and raise ya! - not in the sampler, except *, but a walk down the gaudy, neon-engorged strip of Sin City, Lost Wages, “fabulous Las Vegas” - where what happens therein stays therein…or so we all hope)

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Hello, I Must Be Going (Groucho Marx) *

Viva Las Vegas (Elvis Presley)

Ace Of Hearts (Alan Jackson)

Luck Be A Lady (Frank Sinatra)

Mark Tells A Joke

King Of Hearts (Kim Petras)

Viva Las Vegas Medley (Elvis/Ann-Margret)

   The Lady Loves Me/What’d I Say/C’mon Everybody

   Appreciation/I Need Somebody To Lean On/My Rival

Mark Tells Another Joke

Queen Of Hearts (Juice Newton)

The Gambler (Kenny Rogers)

Lily, Rosemary, And The Jack Of Hearts (Bob Dylan)

Ooh Las Vegas (Gram Parsons)

Mark Tells One Last Joke

You’re My Best Poker Hand (T-Bone Walker)

Viva Las Vegas (Elvis Presley)

Goodnight/Happy Trails (The Beatles/Dale Evans & Roy Rogers) *

(From various and sundry sources - internet lists, personal polls, a good pal's senior community songbook, stabs in the dark - come 40 songs most every golden-ager will know - they’re not in the sampler, except *, but, as Mark will bring the senior-friendly, large-print songbooks, no one has an excuse not to sing along; the largest challenge at every performance will be = can Mark get through all 40 in 60 minutes…?)

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Hello, I Must Be Going (Groucho Marx) *

Medley #1

   Sentimental Journey

   Side By Side

   King Of The Road

   Button Up Your Overcoat

   When I’m 64…(74…84…94…)

   Don’t Fence Me In

   I’m Gonna Sit Right Down And Write Myself A Letter

   On The Sunny Side Of The Street

Medley #2

   Tennessee Waltz

   Goodnight Irene

   Oh! What A Beautiful Morning

   Always

   Que Sera Sera

   Moon River

   My Blue Heaven

   Blue Moon

Medley #3

   Don’t Get Around Much Anymore

   Catch A Falling Star

   Love And Marriage

   You Belong To Me

   Joy To The World

   Ain’t Misbehavin’

   Lemon Tree

   Pennies From Heaven

Medley #4

   Georgia On My Mind

   As Time Goes By

   You’re Nobody ’Til Somebody Loves You

   All I Have To Do Is Dream

   Sloop John B

   I’m Always Chasing Rainbows

   Stand By Me

   Makin’ Whoopee

Medley #5

   New York, New York

   Hey Good Lookin’

   They Call The Wind Maria

   Chattanooga Choo Choo

   It's Only A Paper Moon

   Jeepers Creepers

   Bye Bye Love

   The Happy Wanderer

Goodnight/Happy Trails (The Beatles/Dale Evans & Roy Rogers) *

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