Miko Marks Releases 'Peace Of Mind (Live at Feldman’s)'

Miko Marks has unveiled a live recording and performance video of “Peace of Mind,” a track from her critically acclaimed album, Feel Like Going Home, released in 2022 via Redtone Records.

Of the song, written with Justin Phipps and Steve Wyreman, Marks says: “Peace of Mind” is a song that I hold close to my heart as it reminds me to pause for my peace as I navigate my life from day to day. Feelings of worry, fear, anxiety, and stress can really take me to dark places where I feel overwhelmed and sometimes I'm unable to see my way out. This song reminds me to take time to step away, to get a larger perspective. Rain falling down, stars shining down, those are symbols that the Universe keeps doing what it does, beyond the problems and stresses in our world; that I'm a part of the Universe and part of the natural world and I can find that connection. As the world hurries and worries itself along, we're part of something bigger and more constant than our struggles, our careers, our politics. Right now in particular, we feel so divided and angry as a nation. Regardless of where we fall politically, we all need to find peace of mind in place of rage, blame, and despair. When I sing this song, I am always able to find the serenity and calm that I need and I hope the listeners are able to tap into the same. Of all the songs in my live set, this is the one most likely to draw out some of my tears, and you can hear it in this live version. They're tears of release and hope and of gratitude for the present and for days to come.

After living what seems to be multiple lives over, Miko Marks has finally come into the life she was born to live. With a unique sound that deftly blends Americana, blues, southern rock, and even gospel, her powerful voice and warm, soulful spirit literally brings every audience to its feet. Though, her life as a Black woman in country and roots music is only a small part of the story.  

She was born in Flint, Michigan to a politically active single mother who raised her to fight for equal rights for all. As her mother spent nights working third shift at the automotive factory, Marks’ grandmother played a pivotal role in her upbringing. For Marks, the women in her life were of utmost importance; their hopes and dreams for her were cautiously optimistic while pragmatic due to the barriers they faced in their own lifetimes. 

Even with a show-stopping voice, it seemed singing was mostly just a hobby - not a career to pursue. She attended Grambling State University, studying Political Science with her sights set on law school. Those plans were paused after marriage and young motherhood. With some encouragement from her husband, she began to sing again and released two country albums - 2005’s Freeway Bound and It Feels Good in 2007. Though she received great critical praise and was a regular participant at CMAFest in Nashville, growth was stymied by industry gatekeepers.  

After over a decade-long hiatus and no grand vision of success, Marks recorded a few songs with bandmates Justin Phipps and Steve Wyreman; that collection of songs became Our Country, which Phipps released on his small non-profit label, Redtone Records. Soon after, she released a covers EP called Race Records, which highlighted the arbitrary divisions forced upon artists and audiences in the early days of music marketing in the 1940s.  

Her latest LP, 2022’s Feel Like Going Home, is an amalgamation of where Marks has been and where she is going, what she has learned, and what she wants to teach - the stories she wanted to tell but hadn’t been able to speak into existence before. Its message of healing and restoration is profound. Be sure to follow her at the links below for all the latest news and updates.

Photo Credit: Karen Santos 

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