Mark McGuinn, Singer Behind Country Hit "Mrs. Steven Rudy," Dies at 58
Country singer and songwriter Mark McGuinn, known for his 2001 top 10 hit "Mrs. Steven Rudy," has died at 58. He died October 26 in Greensboro, North Carolina, according to his obituary.
Mark McGuinn, the North Carolina country singer and songwriter best known for the 2001 top 10 hit "Mrs. Steven Rudy," has died at the age of 58. According to his obituary, he died on October 26 in Greensboro, North Carolina. Tributes from relatives, friends and radio stations have spread across social media since the news emerged, with the mark mcguinn name trending in searches.
A breakout debut in 2001
McGuinn was born on August 19, 1968, in Greensboro, where he attended Grimsley High School. He played guitar, piano and trumpet, and he trained in a jazz band before moving to Nashville in 1994 to focus on songwriting. An injury had earlier ended his hopes of a professional soccer career.
He signed in 2001 with VFR Records, a newly formed independent label, which released his self-titled debut album that May. The label had planned to lead with "That's a Plan," but a disc jockey at KPLX in Dallas began playing "Mrs. Steven Rudy," a song McGuinn wrote with Shane Decker. Stations across the region followed, and the single climbed to No. 6 on Billboard's country chart and No. 44 on the Hot 100.
The album entered the Top Country Albums chart at No. 18, which one report describes as a record debut for a first release from an independent label. Follow-up singles "That's a Plan" and "She Doesn't Dance" reached No. 25 and No. 29.
Songs recorded by other artists
McGuinn also wrote songs for other performers. "Unusually Unusual," recorded by Lonestar on its 2001 album, reached No. 12 on the country chart as a single. Country star George Jones released "You and Me and Time," which McGuinn co-wrote, in 2008.
After VFR Records closed in 2002, McGuinn stepped away from the spotlight to start a family. He returned in 2006 with "One Man's Crazy," released on Blue Flamingo Records, an independent label he founded with songwriting partner Jim Foster. He released the single "Til U Got Home" in 2011.
Tributes from family, friends and radio
His niece, Jamie Lynn, wrote on Facebook that she would miss his sense of humor and hugs, and that she had been listening to his music on repeat. Longtime friend and neighbor Eric Kim described him as an incredible talent whose soulful voice brought joy to those around him, and said he would cherish McGuinn's warmth and kindness.
Georgette Jones, who met McGuinn through a shared publishing company, said he had encouraged her to sing on a duet he wrote. Radio station KQKI 95.3 FM said his distinctive sound brought a memorable spark to country radio.
What we know so far
The family has asked that memorial donations go to the MusiCares Foundation or to Christ United Methodist Church in Greensboro. Reports describe a memorial service held shortly after his death, though the date of that service is not clear from the material available. McGuinn is remembered as a country artist who helped open the genre to independent labels, and whose song "Mrs. Steven Rudy" remains his best-known work.
