In the Summer of 1995 while at an event in his hometown of Alameda, Ca, Mark was invited on stage to sit in with local hotshots the Alameda All Stars. As a respected band in the Bay Area they hosted a revolving door of respected players and their reputation was strong and notorious. Occasional jams led to Mark filling in on shows and the fill-in gigs quickly morphed into a new, consistent line-up. With keyboardist Tommy Thompson, bassist Tommy Miller and drummer Preston Thrall the quartet performed frequently around the Bay Area and the vibe was fresh and lively. Their blend of blues, rock, funk and extended jams, was a very different platform to explore and together they harnessed a strong chemistry. And while Mark didn't see this as a long term situation, the easy going nature of the band facilitated a relaxed and welcomed platform following the not stop grind of his previous decade in the Metal scene.

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For a few years the band members had been working with southern blues icon Gregg Allman and when a guitar slot came available, Mark was invited to audition. He secured the slot and on Dec 26th, 1995 performed his debut show as lead guitarist  Gregg Allman & Friends, a position he held from 1995-2004 and again in 2007. This would make Mark the longest running guitarist to date in Gregg's solo career.​

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As Mark was always an original music artist, he'd expressed to the All Stars his desire to collaborate and write original songs with the All Stars for a full length album, but the same interest and commitment amongst his bandmates was never fully reciprocated. To have captured the immense talent and chemistry that was brewing between them, truly would have resulted in a most special musical outing that would've documented the incredible energy of the band. Unfortunately as it seems, it was just not meant to be.

 

The All Stars were often involved in community based events and causes, donating their talents and time. They were also called upon relentlessly for large scale events to backup artists such as Leslie West, Denny Laine (Moody Blues, Wings), David and Linda LaFlamme (It's A Beautiful Day) and Brian Auger to name a few.

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By summer of 2019 with some members departing and returning, the band wasn't as active as in previous years and Mark's opportunities with his longtime group Luvplanet were growing and demanding more of his attention. Then shockingly out of the blue, after 24 years of loyalty to the All Stars, Mark was now being asked to choose between his commitments with Luvplanet and the All Stars. Without even blinking an eye Mark wished them well and moved forward focusing all his energies on his original band's music and mission!​​