“ ... brilliant songwriting, evoking that gentle, poignant place John Prine brought us to so often, merging the sorrow with some laughter ...” - Paul Zollo

EPK

MARK MONTIJO

There may be a 40-year gap in Mark Montijo’s performance resume, but the Americana songwriter from San Diego is busy making up for lost time, winning over listening room crowds at local venues like Lestat’s and Navajo Live. An avid reader of fiction, observer of non-fiction, and practitioner of the Golden Rule, Montijo touches hearts and tickles funny bones with his John Prine-like knack for sharp wit and unpretentious storytelling. In his latest album History (self-produced along with Phil Gross and Dennis Caplinger), Montijo builds beautiful bridges between the deeply personal and universally relatable. American Songwriter Magazine called the title track “remarkable,” and two-time Grammy Award winner Rodney Crowell could only offer the word “congratulations” when he attempted to critique it. Another Montijo song, the yet unreleased “Someone Can Fly” earned him an Outstanding Achievement in Songwriting Award at the 19th Annual Great American Song Contest.