Mark "The Loveman" Pender (born August 21, 1957, in Kansas City, Missouri) is a trumpet player and vocalist who has played with Southside Johnny, Little Steven and Bruce Springsteen. Since 1993 he has performed on '' Late Night with Conan O'Brien'' and '' The Tonight Show with Conan O'Brien'' as a member of The Max Weinberg 7 and The Tonight Show Band. He formerly performed on '' Conan'' as a member of the Basic Cable Band from 2010 to 2018. He is a member of The Miami Horns, leads his own band, The Mark Pender Band, and plays regularly with La Bamba & The Hubcaps. As a member of The Miami Horns he has toured and/or recorded with, among others

Diana Ross Diana Ross (born Diane Ernestine Earle Ross March 26, 1944) is an American singer and actress. Known as the "Queen of Motown Records", she was the lead singer of the vocal group the Supremes, who became Motown#Major divisions, Motown's most suc ...

, Gary U.S. Bonds, Joe Cocker, Darlene Love, Robert Cray and Bon Jovi. As an individual he has sessioned with David Bowie, They Might Be Giants, Buster Poindexter and Blackmore's Night.

History

Mark Pender graduated in 1975 from Grandview Senior High School in Grandview, Missouri. In the mid-1970s, while still in Kansas City, Pender played with Mass Transit and saxophonist Stephen Harvey. This band played a fusion of R&B,

jazz Jazz is a music genre that originated in the African-American communities of New Orleans, Louisiana, in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Its roots are in blues, ragtime, European harmony, African rhythmic rituals, spirituals, h ...

and disco. He also played with the Inner City Orchestra from 1977 until 1979. This gave him the opportunity to play with the likes of Jay McShann, Joe Turner, Ella Fitzgerald and

Gladys Knight & the Pips Gladys Knight & the Pips were an American Rhythm and blues, R&B, soul music, soul, and funk family music group from Atlanta, Georgia, that remained active on the music charts and performing circuit for over three decades starting from the early ...

. He would also occasionally front the band on trumpet and vocals. Pender and Harvey also played regularly at the Mutual Musicians Foundation. It was there they first met the jazz organist Charles Earland. In 1979, Pender and Harvey accepted Earlands offer to join his touring band. The tour finished in

Newark, New Jersey Newark ( , ) is the List of municipalities in New Jersey, most populous City (New Jersey), city in the U.S. state of New Jersey, the county seat of Essex County, New Jersey, Essex County, and a principal city of the New York metropolitan area. ...

. Pender opted to stay while Harvey returned to Kansas City where he was murdered on November 5, 1980. Once in New Jersey, Pender linked up with The Miami Horns and toured with

between 1980 and 1981. He was invited to join Little Steven & The Disciples Of Soul and while on tour with them in Paris, he met his current wife Francoise while still married to Connie his first wife whom he married in Ft. Lee, NJ. Connie and Mark were married from 1982 - 1992. It was Little Steven who nicknamed him ''The Love Man''. He subsequently became a member of Southside Johnny & The Asbury Jukes and led The Jukes' Horns on the albums ''Trash It Up'', ''In The Heat'' and ''At Least We Got Shoes''. In 1988, as part of the group The Tunnel Of Love Horns, he went on tour with Bruce Springsteen. Pender continues to record with both Southside Johnny and Springsteen and featured on the latter's 2005 album '' Devils & Dust''. He also played in the halftime show for NFL's Super Bowl XLIII. Pender also continues to play regularly with La Bamba & The Hubcaps, led by friend Richie "La Bamba" Rosenberg. This band recorded an eponymous album in 1991 which gave Pender the chance to showcase his skills as a lead vocalist. He also linked up Max Weinberg in the band Killer Joe. This band recorded one album, ''Scene Of The Crime'', which featured Pender playing trumpet and singing lead vocal on a rousing rendition of "Chicken Shack Boogie." He also fronts The Mark Pender Band, playing a blend of R&B, jazz and funk, a reflection of his Kansas City roots. This band has featured both Rosenberg and Harrison in its line-up. In 2003, Pender independently released an eponymous CD/DVD package featuring live and studio recordings. Pender currently tours with They Might Be Giants.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Pender, Mark 1957 births Living people The Max Weinberg 7 members American trumpeters American male trumpeters American male singers Southside Johnny & The Asbury Jukes members Jersey Shore musicians Singers from New Jersey Jimmy Vivino and the Basic Cable Band members The Tonight Show Band members The Miami Horns members The Sessions Band members