While 13 Seeds officially formed in the Spring of 2005, the individual members have played together on several projects throughout the years. So it was natural that when they all got together in Mark and Lori's living room that a real chemistry existed, which could not be ignored.
Lori and Mark Lyon's original songs found a perfect match with the rhythm section of Rob Spears and Roger Myers.
The vast influences of the individual members is key to the band's signature sound. The common ground is thoughtfully crafted lyric, a keen sense of melody, with an exciting dynamic delivery.
The music ebbs and flows with a sound that is organic and never forced.
Some of Mark’s first memories are of playing on the floor while his mother would spin records of Les Paul and Mary Ford, Oscar Peterson, The Four Freshman and others. Both his mother and grandmother played the piano. He watched his grandmother play “Glow Worm” in a jaunty, effortless display of happiness. Although taking piano lessons at the age of nine had no real appeal, a hand me down Harmony guitar (with only 4 of the original 6 strings still attached) from his cousin was certainly intriguing. The neck was bent so far that it was nearly impossible to play, so Mark saved his spare change, and by the age of 12, he rode his bicycle to a nearby general store and bought a nylon string guitar for $23.00. The guitar was awful, but he was hooked.
Two years and two guitars later, he bough his first electric guitar. His mother cried that night. She though he was going to run away to San Francisco and become a marauding rock and roll hippie. It didn’t quite happen that way. But he did practice that guitar night and day, before and after school, every spare moment. And there were all the jams with various friends trying to work out songs by The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, The Allman Brothers, The Grateful Dead, Eric Clapton, The Band, Frank Zappa, and many others of the day. And he listened to who inspired his favorite artists and began learning Blues, Folk and Country. His first gig was in a bar on New Years’ Eve, 1973 at the age of 16.
Guitar in hand, Mark moved to Stillwater, Oklahoma in 1976 to get a college education, and while he did finally get through school, he worked harder at playing music than anything else. He played in various bands there, and with the precursor core of the Red Dirt artists of Oklahoma, including Jimmy LaFave, The Skinner Brothers, Chuck Dunlap, Bob Childers and others. He was also soon to join up with Randy Crouch and Flying Horse.
Lyon moved to Tulsa in 1981 to play with Flying Horse. Although the band he moved there to join only lasted for another 6 months, it was a band where he could start to blend all of his musical influences together, as well as gain some insight into jazz, dynamics, and improvisation. And while Mark had written a few songs in Stillwater, his songwriting in Tulsa became a little more polished. After Flying Horse broke up, Lyon stayed in Tulsa for a few more years, playing with various members of Flying Horse. But he was going broke. In 1983, he decided it was time to go back to Oklahoma City.
The next seven years in Oklahoma City were the honing years. He would spend many days on the porch practicing the guitar, and many nights writing songs. On one of these afternoon porch sessions, fate would come walking down the street by the name of Lori Waldrop. She was a neighbor who lived less than a block away, and was a songwriter with a large catalog. They encouraged each other, became fast friends, and would figure quite importantly in each other’s lives. But that would be well in the future.
Although still playing with Randy Crouch, by 1985 Mark started his own band. He had written enough decent songs by then, and started the band, The Grapes of Wrath. A few band members later, the name would change to Ball of Wax, which included, at different times Roger Myers on drums and later, Rob Spears on bass. Ball of Wax had a good run for a few years, gaining the respect of other OKC musicians and holding court at the Deli in Norman. The band was a solid rock band that wasn’t afraid to take chances with long improvisations.
Then came the Austin years. In 1990, Mark went to Austin with Keri Leigh to form the Blue Devils. They would record 3 cd’s, and tour relentlessly for 6 years. While playing predominately blues was somewhat limiting, the years on the road were not wasted. Highlights include a 13 city tour of the east coast opening up for Little Feat, playing blues festivals all through the country, and getting to perform with such legends as Johnny Johnson (Chuck Berry’s piano player), Ruth Brown, Tom “Bones” Malone, Kim Wilson, Luther Johnson, Coco Montoya, and many other blues artists. Another highpoint was getting to open up for Ringo Starr’s All Star band, which included Joe Walsh and Todd Rundgren. Lyon also received 2 W.C. Handy Award nominations for Blues Song of the Year and Performance of the Year for his collaboration with Thomas Anderson on the song “Here’s Your Mop, Mr. Johnson”
By 1996, the Blue Devils were basically done, and Lyon stayed in Austin to heal up from the music business, get a life, and write more songs. These were listening and absorbing years. Lyon turned back to some of his early musical influences, while incorporating new elements such as world, reggae, and native music. His spiritual connection with music and the world at large was alive. And he reconnected with Lori Waldrop.
Lori and Mark married in the spring of 2003, and within a year, moved back to Oklahoma City to be closer to family. And when they hooked up with Roger Myers and Rob Spears, 13 Seeds was born. The beauty of 13 Seeds is that there are no rules. The band plays what it wants to play. It can play rock, folk, psychedelic, blues, country, punk, ballads and whatever else, but still in a 13 Seeds style. Lyon sees it as the perfect open canvas for his many musical inspirations. 13 Seeds Norman, Oklahoma Arrival No Beginner Blue Devil Blues Southern Shades of Blue Shades of Blue Bad Prospects Trail Broken Line Restless Spirit I Ain’t No Jukebox Daze Gone By Take Two Natural Selection The Music of our Language
Mark Lyon Discography
13 Seeds
Smudgemonkey Records SMR08001
2008
Thomas Anderson
Red River
2003
Keri Leigh and the Blue Devils
Waldoxy WCD2810
1995
Keri Leigh and the Blue Devils
Amazing Records AMZ1035.2
1993
Keri Leigh and the Blue Devils
Amazing Records AMCD1023
1991
Jammin’ For the Kids
Compilation
Keri Leigh and the Blue Devils
JFK 200-01
Track # 5
2000
Compilation
Keri Leigh and the Blue Devils
Waldoxy WCD1900
Track #’s 6,11
1995
Debbie Henning
Independent Release
2001
Dorothy “Miss Blues” Ellis
Skinner Audio
Track # 5,7,9
2008
Jimmy LaFave
Bohemia Beats Records 0009
Track # 5
1998
Jimmy LaFave
Track # 6
1981
Bob Childers
Binky Records 1050CD
Track # 38
2005
Bob Childers
Snowbound Records 910/71
Track # 4
1979
Chuck Dunlap
Snowbound Records
Track #2
1980
Randy Crouch
Mars Records
Track # 5
1995
Randy Crouch
Mars Records
Track # 4
1996
Carolyn Meyer
Good Apple Records
Tracks #’s 1,5,6,9
1983