Like all the guys in Big Smith, Mark Bilyeu's first musical training came at the hands of his guitar-playing uncles and aunts at family gatherings. It was his uncle/cousin Rick Thomas, in fact, who showed him the three chords of Burl Ives' version of the "Blue Tail Fly." His first performing experience was with his parents in the Southern Baptist church where the Bilyeus served as music leaders. Gospel music couldn't entirely contain his ambitions, however, and high school found him playing a Lowery Micro Genie keyboard in the satirical punk band Johnny Comet and the Vomit Explosion. His older brother Jody's guitar playing showed up in the Explosion's basement recordings as well, but more importantly, his big brother pointed Mark in the direction of blues and rock-and-roll guitar, and this discipline consumed him as he began cutting his teeth in Springfield, Missouri's downtown music scene. He didn't discover his singing and songwriting voice, however, until he bought his great uncle Chester's 1946 Martin D-18 guitar. With this instrument he re-discovered his roots. It was Mark's weekly gig as a solo performer that eventually evolved into Big Smith, as his cousins and brother were added to the act one by one. Prior to his decision to try to make it as a full-time musician, Mark studied music at Missouri State University and went on to write his master's thesis on the traditional fiddle tune "Durang's Hornpipe." An archivist by obsession, Mark collects and maintains his own collection of audio recordings of Ozarks music, comprised mainly of field recordings of his large extended family. In 2005 Mark released a solo CD, First One Free, which found him again exploring his rock & roll identity, a sound that has now been safely absorbed into the Big Smith repertoire through songs like "Brady & Duncan." With his wife Lizzy he owns and operates MayApple Records, through which he has had the opportunity to produce other artists.
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Like all the guys in Big Smith, Mark Bilyeu's first musical training came at the hands of his guitar-playing uncles and aunts at family gatherings. It was his uncle/cousin Rick Thomas, in fact, who showed him the three chords of Burl Ives' version of the "Blue Tail Fly." His first performing experience was with his parents in the Southern Baptist church where the Bilyeus served as music leaders. Gospel music couldn't entirely contain his ambitions, however, and high school found him playing a Lowery Micro Genie keyboard in the satirical punk band Johnny Comet and the Vomit Explosion. His older brother Jody's guitar playing showed up in the Explosion's basement recordings as well, but more importantly, his big brother pointed Mark in the direction of blues and rock-and-roll guitar, and this discipline consumed him as he began cutting his teeth in Springfield, Missouri's downtown music scene. He didn't discover his singing and songwriting voice, however, until he bought his great uncle Chester's 1946 Martin D-18 guitar. With this instrument he re-discovered his roots. It was Mark's weekly gig as a solo performer that eventually evolved into Big Smith, as his cousins and brother were added to the act one by one. Prior to his decision to try to make it as a full-time musician, Mark studied music at Missouri State University and went on to write his master's thesis on the traditional fiddle tune "Durang's Hornpipe." An archivist by obsession, Mark collects and maintains his own collection of audio recordings of Ozarks music, comprised mainly of field recordings of his large extended family. In 2005 Mark released a solo CD, 
