Mark Chesnutt’s stature is easily gauged. He has 14 #1 hits, 23 Top 10 singles, four platinum albums and five gold records to his credit; he maintains a front-and-center presence with a hefty tour schedule year after year. Country music critics and fans alike need look no further when it comes to Country music basics. If you ask Chesnutt, he’ll tell you, “It’s the music and the fans that have kept me around this long.” In a creative forum that sometimes confuses style with substance, Mark Chesnutt possesses both.
Remaining true to himself as a traditional country artist, while keeping the pace with the ever-changing country recording landscape, Mark Chesnutt has a knack for picking great songs, delivering them with world-class style and a heart-felt emotion that’s lived-in. With a trademarked voice, Chesnutt has set the bar for his generation and those that follow in his footsteps shaping the music of today’s country music newcomers and the new country music format. Mark Chesnutt’s personal integrity combined with his principal to record a genuine country song has made him a fixture on radio and in honky tonks across the globe.
Chesnutt got his start in the honky-tonks of Beaumont, Texas, learning from his father, Bob Chesnutt, a singer, record collector and major fan of classic country music. Playing alongside his dad, Mark embraced his father’s influence one set at a time and to begin making a name for himself. Mark sang covers by Lefty, Merle, George and Waylon to develop his unmatched crowd-pleasing rapport and his authentic country style.
Bob Chesnutt often traveled to Nashville to record and to broaden his exposure. He began taking Mark along to record when he was just 17. After nearly a decade of recording on regional labels, word got out about this young country vocalist. Music Row executives came to hear Mark on his own Texas turf and recognized the depth of Mark Chesnutt’s raw talent.
In 1989, he was signed to MCA Nashville and his list of accolades tells the rest of his story. With the release of his first single“ Too Cold At Home,” Mark established himself as one of country’s most authentic and talented vocalists. He won the CMA Horizon Award attracting the attention of country legend [and Mark’s greatest mentor] George Jones who introduced him as “A boy from Beaumont, Texas who is the real deal.” That recognition and initial success opened the door to offer Mark his chance of a lifetime, to do what he loved most—sing country music for country fans; this time, on a national level. “The first couple years it was non-stop.” Mark says.
“I can remember one time during a tour, I didn’t step foot on the front porch for ten months, with exception of a day or a day-and-a- half, then, it was right back out again.” Mark’s dedication paid off. He developed a true blue fan base. Fans, he confides, “are the reason for my success.”
His fans helped his records to climb the charts one right after the other making him one of Billboard’s Ten Most-Played Radio Artists of the ‘90’s. Mark’s singles were some the decade’s most memorable; from the fun tempo “Bubba Shot The Jukebox” to emotional ballad “I’ll Think Of Something.” Mark is easily identified for his string of hits including “Brother Jukebox,” “Blame It On Texas,” “Old Flames Have New Names,” “Old Country,” “It Sure Is Monday,” “Almost Goodbye,” “I Just Wanted You To Know,” “Going Through The Big D,” “It’s A Little Too Late,” “Gonna Get A Life,” and one of his biggest, “I Don’t Want To Miss A Thing;” a song that held its position at the top of the charts for four consecutive weeks.
Of all the recorded highlights Chesnutt has enjoyed, they take a back seat to his first love; Mark Chesnutt lives to perform on stage. “I just make records because want people to come see my show,” he says with a grin. “Recording music for folks to just listen to music is great,” he says, “but I’ve got to be out there on stage making it.” Fans who have seen him perform agree. Known as one of the industry’s hardest-working concert performers, maintaining a hefty tour schedule and steady presence in front of his fans, Mark’s dedication to deliver live music is unsurpassed. Mark has been on the road since 1990. Whether you hear Mark Chesnutt with a new release on the radio, or see his face on the cover of a new CD, folks can always find Mark doing what he was born to do playing. “The clubs and honky tonks are home for me; it’s comfortable and I’m always with friends,” says Chesnutt.
Married since 1992, Mark and Tracie Chesnutt are the loving parents of three boys, Waylon, Casey & Cameron.
Man in the Mirror
Mark Chesnutt Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
If my memory is rifght I was sever or eight
In the eyes of a child he was no less than great
But time would prove anything could change.
'Cause he was to old fashioned when I was eighteen
Not near as smart as my buddies an' me
But the only friend I'd grow up to need
Now the man in the mirror look so familiar
He's wearin' that same crooked smile, same lines of worry
Kids growin' up to early and grey hairs from extra mouths
I thought I'd never see him again but little did I know
I'd turn into the man in the mirror..
Now I realize just how wise he was
Sometimes without talkin' he still taught us
His strong hands of justice would end with a hug
He knew nothing was stronger than the power of love.
I can truthfully say that I know how he felt
'Cause just the other night when my son needed help
When I fixed his little plane with the one piece left
He looked at me in a way I never saw myself.
Now the man in the mirror looks so familiar
He's wearin' that same crooked smile, same lines of worry
Kids growin' up to early and grey hairs from extra mouths
I thought I'd never see him again but little did I know I'd tuen in,
I thought I'd never see him again but little did I know
I'd turn into the man in the mirrir...
The "Man in the Mirror" by Mark Chesnutt is a nostalgic country ballad that reflects on the progression of life and the realization of how much we become like our parents or other role models as we grow up. The song starts with the singer looking back on his childhood memories, watching his dad shave, and admiring him as a child. As he grows older, the singer becomes rebellious and disapproves of his father, and in turn, the father becomes a little distant. The song then describes how the singer later becomes a father and sees himself reflected in his own child's eyes, just as he once looked up to his own father. The song ends with the singer's realization that he has become just like his father, even though he didn't think it was possible.
The lyrics of the song convey the message that as we grow older and have our own children, we begin to understand the lessons our parents tried to teach us. We realize we have become our parents in some way, and our love for them grows stronger. The song's beautiful melody and poignant lyrics can evoke a sense of melancholy and longing for childhood memories and the people who were once such an integral part of our lives.
To sum up, this song is a beautiful tribute to fathers and the lessons they teach us as we grow up. It reminds us that even though we may not always understand our parents' actions, as we grow older, we begin to appreciate the valuable lessons they taught us.
Line by Line Meaning
I used to sit on the stool watch him shave
As a child, I used to watch my dad shave while sitting on a stool.
If my memory is right I was seven or eight
I think I was seven or eight years old at the time.
In the eyes of a child he was no less than great
To a child, he was a great man.
But time would prove anything could change
But as time passed, things changed.
'Cause he was too old-fashioned when I was eighteen
When I was eighteen, I thought he was old-fashioned.
Not near as smart as my buddies and me
I didn't think he was as smart as me and my friends.
But the only friend I'd grow up to need
But he ended up being the only friend I needed.
Got called home just shy of sixty-three
Sadly, he passed away just before he turned sixty-three.
Now the man in the mirror looks so familiar
Now I see myself in the mirror and it reminds me of him.
He's wearing that same crooked smile, same lines of worry
I have the same smile and lines of worry as he did.
Kids growing up too early and gray hairs from extra mouths
My kids are growing up too fast and there's extra stress from providing for them.
I thought I'd never see him again but little did I know
I didn't think I'd see him again, but it turns out I've become him.
I'd turn into the man in the mirror
I've become the man I used to watch in the mirror as a child.
Now I realize just how wise he was
Now I understand how wise he really was.
Sometimes without talking still taught us
He didn't always need to talk to teach us valuable lessons.
His strong hands of justice would end with a hug
He used tough love to teach us right from wrong, but always ended with a hug.
He knew nothing was stronger than the power of love
He understood that love is the strongest force in the world.
I can truthfully say that I know how he felt
Now I can relate to how he felt as a father.
When I fixed his little plane with the one piece left
I recently helped my son fix his toy plane, just like my dad used to help me.
He looked at me in a way I never saw myself
My son looked at me with admiration, which made me realize how much I've grown.
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind