Mark Goldenberg


Mark Goldenberg is an American guitarist and songwriter, noted for his session work and composition of successful songs for Linda Ronstadt, the Pointer Sisters, and others.

Biography

Early career

Raised in Chicago, Illinois, Goldenberg studied at the Music Conservatory at the Chicago College of Performing Arts and its Chicago Musical College division at Roosevelt University. When the band he was in, Eddie Boy Band, signed a record deal with MCA, Goldenberg moved to California. Though the band broke up, he remained there as a singer-songwriter. In 1976, Goldenberg began playing guitar with Al Stewart.
After playing with Wendy Waldman, Goldenberg started the Cretones with bassist Peter Bernstein, and the band went on to record two albums: Thin Red Line and Snap! Snap!. Linda Ronstadt covered three of their songs on her 1980 Mad Love album, and the Cretones served as her backup band for a time. Goldenberg later formed the band Our Town, who recorded one album that was never released. In 1989, he studied guitar with Ted Greene. He also studied classical guitar with Richard Pick and piano and counterpoint with Abe Fraser.

Session work and songwriting

Goldenberg has played on recordings by Bob Dylan, Jackson Browne, Bonnie Raitt, Linda Ronstadt, Peter Frampton, Eels, Natalie Imbruglia, Chris Isaak, Karla Bonoff, Waylon Jennings, Willie Nelson, and William Shatner.
Goldenberg co-wrote "Automatic," a hit for the Pointer Sisters; and co-wrote "Novocaine for the Soul" for the band Eels. He also wrote "A Kick In The Heart" for Kim Carnes. His co-write "How Can This Be Love" was a UK hit single for Andrew Gold, and the opening track of Gold's 1978 album "All This and Heaven Too". Goldenberg played lead guitar in Jackson Browne's band from 1994 until 2010.
In 2015, Goldenberg finished a two-year tour with Hugh Laurie and his Copper Bottom Band.
Goldenberg released his self-titled solo album of fingerstyle guitar music in 2005. He plays in a guitar duo with Eric Skye, with whom he has recorded one album, Artifact.

Discography

Solo albums

  • 2005: ''Mark Goldenberg''

    Mark Goldenberg and Eric Skye

  • 2016: ''Artifact''

    With [the Cretones]

  • 1980: Thin Red Line
  • 1981: ''Snap! Snap!''

    With [Jackson Browne]

  • 1993: I'm Alive
  • 1996: Looking East
  • 2002: The Naked Ride Home
  • 2008: Time the Conqueror
  • 2015: ''Standing in the Breach''

    As composer (and sometimes also performer)

  • 1978: Andrew Gold - All This and Heaven Too - track 1, "How Can This Be Love"
  • 1980: Mary Burns - Mary Burns - track 8, "How Can This Be Love"
  • 1980: Andrew Gold - Whirlwind - track 8, "Stranded on the Edge"
  • 1980: Linda Ronstadt - Mad Love - track 1, "Mad Love"; track 7, "Cost of Love"; track 8, "Justine"
  • 1982: Peter Frampton - The Art of Control - co-wrote all songs with Peter Frampton
  • 1983: Kim Carnes - Café Racers - track 9, "A Kick in the Heart"
  • 1983: Pointer Sisters - Break Out - track 2, "Automatic"
  • 1984: Chicago - Chicago 17 - track 6, "Along Comes a Woman"; track 9, "Prima Donna"
  • 1985: Olivia Newton-John - Soul Kiss - track 2, "Soul Kiss"
  • 1985: Pointer Sisters - Contact - 6, "Bodies and Souls"
  • 1986: Robbie Nevil - Robbie Nevil - track 8, "Simple Life "
  • 1986: Peter Frampton - Premonition - track 1, "Stop" ; track 6, "Moving A Mountain"
  • 1986: Shonentai - Diamond Eyes B-side "Rainy Express"
  • 1987: Cher - Cher - track 8, "Skin Deep"
  • 1988: Akina Nakamori - Femme Fatale - track 3, "Dakishimeteite "; track 5, "I Know Kodoku no Sei"; track 8, "Paradise Lost ";
  • 1990: Judy Collins - Fires of Eden - track 4, "Fires of Eden"
  • 1991: Cher - Love Hurts - track 4, "Fires of Eden"
  • 1992: Peter Cetera - World Falling Down - track 2, "Even a Fool Can See" ; track 3, "Feels Like Heaven"
  • 1993: Anne Murray - Anne Murray - track 11, "Shame on Me"
  • 1993: E - Broken Toy Shop
  • 2006: Eels - Eels with Strings: Live at Town Hall - track 11, "Novocaine for the Soul"
  • 2008: Jackson Browne Solo Acoustic, Vol. 2 - track 1, "Never Stop"; track 2, "The Night Inside Me"; track 8, "Casino Nation"

    As producer

  • 1988: Karla Bonoff - New World
  • 1996: Eels - Beautiful Freak
  • 1997: Jann Arden - Happy?
  • 1997: Jill Sobule - Happy Town
  • 1997: Natalie Imbruglia - Left of the Middle
  • 2001: Jann Arden - ''Blood Red Cherry''

    Also appears on

1978–1993