Mark O'Connor is playing mandolin again!

[mrmando]

A couple of decades ago or thereabouts, word got out that Mark O'Connor was suffering from bursitis and tendinitis that flared up whenever he played guitar or mandolin. He sold off a number of plucked instruments through Gruhn's and declared he would be strictly a fiddler/violinist thenceforth, since that was the one instrument he could play without pain.

Well, things apparently have changed. Mark's on tour with his new family bluegrass outfit, The O'Connor Band, and although he spent most of last night's set on fiddle, he also took turns on mandolin, guitar and even upright bass.

Purists like me would argue that up till now, Mark's never really worked much in a bluegrass setting, but when your set list includes "Ruby," "Blue Moon of Kentucky," and "Jerusalem Ridge," what else would you call it?

Mark's son Forrest handled most of the mandolin work, but Mark still has his old Luke Thompson F5, and brought it out for "Butterfly's Day Out" and a smokin' duet version of "Macedonia."

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uMT8DDGBla0

High level of musicianship, triple fiddles and intricate arrangements -- what's not to like? Best of all, Mark spent no more than thirty seconds plugging his O'Connor Method education books.

[Marty Jacobson]

Best of all, Mark spent no more than thirty seconds plugging his O'Connor Method education books.

Yeah, less of that and more of this. Can't wait to hear him.

[Ivan Kelsall]

Thanks for the info. on Mark. As a sufferer of Tendonitis myself (to a small extent) in both hands,i can understand his reason for quitting mandolin etc.,so it's nice to see him ''back on the hoss'', no matter how little he's doing it right now. A terrific musician in all respects,
Ivan

[Jim Garber]

I was a little confused. I guess he is playing mandolin in his new musical configuration but that video is prob from 20+ years ago before he put mandolin aside. He looks a lot younger that he is now. It was uploaded in 2012 but I believe that it was created considerably before that.

[Ivan Kelsall]

I think that mrmando posted the clip purely as an 'example' of Mark's mandolin playing,
Ivan

[roberto]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JvjJJJYIp0M

[Jim Garber]

¡Gracias, Roberto!

[mrmando]

I think that mrmando posted the clip purely as an 'example' of Mark's mandolin playing,
Indeed. And to observe that he still has the same Luke Thompson mandolin. I think there's also a video of Mark and Sam Bush playing twin mandos on "Macedonia" with Strength in Numbers.

[tmsweeney]

O'Connor Family band played at Grey Fox - they did "Butterflies day out" with Mark on Mandolin a real treat, he played guitar, fiddle , even bass on one tune.

[drbluegrass]

Great. Yet another instrument he makes me sound like a total amateur on.

[Marc Ferry]

Now that's good to hear! I first came across Mark O'Connor several years ago when I was blown away by his solo mandolin piece "A Bowl of Bula"... I was quite disheartened to find upon further research that the man playing this beautifully nuanced mandolin tune could no longer play mandolin. So it goes.