Mark Hogue, a live event industry professional for over 50 years, has agreed to join the Parnelli Board of Advisors. Hogue has spent those years as an Audio Engineer or Production or Tour Manager for the biggest acts in music. “I’ve known Mark since 1979 when I was publishing the Indianapolis weekly arts magazine Hot Potato,” says Parnelli Awards Executive Producer Terry Lowe. “Impressively, he worked as a production manager without ever leaving his home in Indiana, and never lost his Hoosier roots. His Midwest sensibilities served him well in this business, and his experience and knowledge of hundreds of other industry professionals will make him huge asset to the board.”
Even besides all this, he’d be invited because of one unique accomplishment: Hogue, also a car racing enthusiast, knew “both Parnellis’” – Rick “Parnelli” O’Brien, for whom the award is named after, and the race car champion Parnelli Jones (O’Brien got the “Parnelli” nickname early in his career for his death-defying truck driving skills.)
In the 1970s, Hogue worked with Broad Ripple Audio, a pro-audio company. “These were the days when regional sound companies handled regional tours,” he says. Dan Kasting, who owned Broad Ripple and taught him how to mix, got him on his first big rock tour with the English heavy metal band Uriah Heep. “When I first saw the movie Spinal Tap I didn’t laugh once because it was that tour!” He also started supporting Bob Seger on tours and stayed friends with that organization for decades. J. Geils Band, Manhattan Transfer, and comedian and musician Martin Mull are just a few of the other diverse acts he toured with in those early years.
He “moved to LA” via a couple of phone numbers tied to answer machines out there, which took calls from the likes of Melissa Manchester, Stevie Wonder, Chicago, and Anita Baker, among others. Hogue also worked as a consultant to audio companies and several promoters. Later he took on Aerosmith. “That was really a huge challenge.” It was followed by 10 Poison tours and 15 years as Tour Director for the Moody Blues. “You don’t retire in this business, but I’m on the older end of my career.” But he adds that if he gets the right call, he’d go out again. (For more on Hogue, see the 2019 feature PLSN did on him here.)
“I’m very honored to be named to the Parnelli Board of Advisors, and as I know so many others on the board and have worked with many of the Parnelli Lifetime honorees over the years,” he states. “I’m really looking forward to contributing.”
Further information from the Parnelli Awards: www.parnelliawards.com
