Mark Bright (record producer)

Mark David Bright (born December 22, 1959 in Longview, Texas) is an American, multi-award winning record producer, songwriter, and publishing company executive.^[1][2] His production projects include Carrie Underwood,^[3] Rascal Flatts,^[4] Shakira,^[5] A Rocket To The Moon,^[6] Reba McEntire,^[7] Sara Evans,^[8] The Swon Brothers,^[9] and Scotty McCreery,^[10] among many others. His initial success in production was launched with the group Blackhawk,^[11] which resulted in two #1 singles, nine Top Ten singles, and multi-platinum record sales for the group. Bright produced the three-week #1 hit, Sara Evans Real Fine Place To Start, as well as Reba McEntire’s longest running #1 Consider Me Gone. He also developed, produced, managed, and published country super group Rascal Flatts. Bright’s current success with Carrie Underwood has resulted in 21 #1’s including Jesus Take The Wheel, Before He Cheats, Cowboy Casanova, Blown Away, Something In The Water, and Church Bells. He produced Underwood’s NBC Sunday Night Football intro/theme song the last four years running, as well as producing Billboard’s Country Album of The Decade (Carrie Underwood’s Some Hearts). Cumulatively, Bright’s production work has resulted in over 86 million units sold worldwide. Bright has also worked with Sting, Randy Travis, Keith Urban, Allen Menken, Peter Cetera, Jo Dee Messina, The Isaacs, Lonestar, Brad Paisley, Vince Gill, and Steven Tyler.

Bright formerly served as Vice President of EMI Music Publishing Nashville and co-founded music publishing co-venture, Teracel Music. Staff writers included Brett James, Rascal Flatts, and Danny Wells. He sold the catalog to Dimensional Music Publishing in 2006.^[12] The Teracel catalog included the multi-week #1 songs, When The Sun Goes Down by Kenny Chesney, These Days by Rascal Flatts, Blessed by Martina McBride, and Who I Am by Jessica Andrews. Bright then founded My Good Girl Music, a co-venture with Sony/ATV Music Publishing.^[13] The company had multi-week #1 songs, Do You Believe Me Now by Jimmy Wayne, American Ride by Toby Keith, and Without You by Keith Urban.

As a songwriter, Bright owns Delbert’s Boy Music (ASCAP), which includes George Strait’s 60th #1 hit, Give It All We Got Tonight. Bright's songs have also been recorded by Shakira, Hayley Orrantia,^[14] Whitney Duncan, Ashley Gearing, and Carter Winter.^[15]

He is the former President and CEO of Word Entertainment,^[16] signing Grammy-winning artists For King & Country (band). Bright was a former National Trustee and serves as a current Governor of The Recording Academy, as well as on the CMA Board of Directors. He currently holds membership in the following organizations: CMA, ASCAP, Leadership Music, The Recording Academy, and ACM.^[17]

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