Making Music
/With commitment, resolve and patience, musician and luthier Mark Braley turned his passion into a paycheck
By Jennifer Jordan
“I’m finally doing something for a living that brings me fulfillment and joy.” There are few sweeter words than these. To be able to express this sentiment is a cause for celebration. It’s something that most people dream or pray to achieve one day.
Mark Braley realized this accomplishment on June 24, 2021, at the ripe age of 50. On this date, after years spent tinkering, Mark devoted himself full-time to being a luthier. With a name derived from the French word for “lute,” a luthier makes or repairs stringed wooden instruments. This is a skilled art form that requires creativity, patience and self-motivation to learn. Mark specifically builds and repairs guitars, an instrument he knows well.
Mark with his wife, Sundee, and their twin girls, Caroline and Katharine.
Mark grew up in Simms, on land cultivated by five generations of Braleys. He received his first guitar at the age of 15, a gift that ignited his passion for music. After graduating from James Bowie High School, Mark took a few college classes and then obtained a job at a local auto parts store at the age of 21. He later became the parts manager at Orr Hyundai in Texarkana when the dealership opened in 2005.
For the next 16 years, Mark worked at his day job while playing in local bands at night, alongside raising two daughters with his wife, Sundee. In 2012, “after years of reading online forums dedicated to building guitars,” he took the plunge and invested in luthier tools. He spent his free time building and repairing guitars as a dedicated hobbyist and craftsperson.
Kris Tanton displays the guitar Mark made for him out of an ammo crate.
“I have always tinkered with guitars, even my first one,” he recalled. “Woodworking was always something I wanted to try my hand at.”
After seven years of developing skill and honing his craft, Mark launched his luthier business, which he named after one of his old bands, Kinghat. He ran it as a side job until June 24, 2021, when he stepped into full-time self-employment.
Kevin Rice with his red S-type guitar, which Mark designed for him.
Kinghat has weathered the common challenges of small businesses everywhere—concern about paying bills and keeping customers satisfied. “So far, all of my customers have been super easy to deal with, thankfully. I’ve made some truly great friendships out of meeting new customers,” Mark said. He appreciates the support of his family and friends and is especially grateful to Sundee. “Without her, none of this would have happened. I hate the paperwork side of things, and she does all of that. She’s always proud of me and my work. It hasn’t always been easy financially, but she’s been my rock.”
Many of Mark’s guitars feature his favorite Bible verse, Proverbs 3: 5–6: “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to Him, and He will make your paths straight.” He has played in Cross Pointe Baptist Church’s praise and worship band since around 2010.
Additionally, Mark plays in several local bands. “I’m blessed to be able to play with some of the best musicians in town,” he said. “Between Trophy Husband, The Moss Brothers Band, Dave Howe and The Howelers, and Paul Holder and the Hot Snakes I get to play a lot of different music almost every weekend.” Mark has further channeled his passion for music into a podcast that he co-hosts with other members of The Moss Brothers Band. Called “Music Mercs,” the hosts interview local musicians, compiling an oral history of the Texarkana music scene.
“Being onstage with an instrument that I made from a few pieces of wood is a pretty good feeling”
Music is not the only art form important to Mark, who is an avid comic-book collector. “In another life, I would have loved to have been a comic artist,” he said. A proud father, he recognizes “quite a lot of [artistic] talent” in both of his children, Katharine and Caroline; he aims to empower them to excel without projecting his own dreams onto them. “I don’t want to be the parent that regrets not being something and then pushes my kids into my dream field,” he said. Besides, he knows from experience that every artist, no matter the medium, must forge their own path.
A talented musician, Mark performed with Trophy Husband at Fat Jack’s on February 24. (Photo by Jason Standridge)
Mark Braley’s path to full-time artistry began at age 15 and unfolded throughout auto parts shops, churches, bar stages, online forums, and a full family home. Two years into running Kinghat full-time, Mark has found that the creative fulfillment he seeks in adulthood is not so different from that which he sought in his teen years: it’s still all about making music.
“Being onstage with an instrument that I made from a few pieces of wood is a pretty good feeling,” he said.