Mark Holden is releasing a selection of his songs and hits from the 70’s, on all streaming platforms TODAY on his own label Dream Dealers through MGM simply titled Mark Holden – The 70’s
The decade was good to Mark! He was riding high in the era, and the wins and his profile made him a household name.
He was the good-looking, swoon-worthy pop idol who had four top 20 hits: ‘Never Gonna Fall in Love Again’ (May 1976), ‘I Wanna Make You My Lady’ (September), ‘Last Romance’ (November) and ‘Reach Out for the One Who Loves You’ (October 1977) that all make it onto this release.
Mark is thrilled to be releasing these songs and more for the first time on all streaming platforms. They were never released digitally through his then record label EMI.
Holden regularly appeared on the revolutionary national music show, Countdown in the 70’s. Remembered for his clean-cut image, his white dinner suit – he was nicknamed “The Carnation Kid”.
Mark Holden said appearing on Countdown was “life-changing.” The support for his music was immense. Performing on the cult ABC TV show resulted in his penchant for long-stemmed red carnations, a ploy to win over teenage fans.
“I was thinking, this is my first big shot on Countdown’’, Holden said. “I know there’s going to be girls there, I’ll bring flowers!”
While studying Law at the University of Adelaide and the University of New South Wales, he was signed by EMI Australia, for whom he recorded three albums.
He was the first pop star in the world to play the role of Joseph in Joseph and the Amazing Technicolour Dreamcoat. Performing at the Seymour Centre in Sydney was thrilling for the Adelaide-born star. He also co-hosted Target on the ABC with Jane Fennel from Mr Squiggle and Sunday Mornings on ABC Radio nationally. And Holden appeared as Dr. Greg Mason in the Australian soap opera The Young Doctors between 1976 and 1977.
Glenn A. Baker wrote about Mark in Billboard Magazine, (30 April 1988) “He enjoyed smash singles (‘Never Gonna Fall In Love Again,’ ‘Last Romance,’ ‘I Wanna Make You My Lady,’ ‘Reach Out For The One Who Loves You’ and ‘Hey My Love’); platinum albums; roles in television (‘The Young Doctors’, ‘Target’) and two feature films (‘Blue Fire Lady’, ‘Newsfront’) – achieving an astonishing level of teenage adoration.”
Watch out for Mark’s brand new album out on 28th August too which will deliver a new set of original songs and a cover of note. The first single ‘Every Little Thing’ will drop July 3 coinciding with his appearance on The Morning Show on Channel 7. He is back and on top of his game!
www.markholdenmusic.com
ABOUT MARK
Teen idol, international hit songwriter, hit record producer, hit publisher, Australian Idol Judge, author, barrister, Mark Holden turned 70 in 2024.
He made his name as the carnation-carrying pop star on Countdown in the 1970s recording a string of Top 10 hits on E.M.I. Australia, including ‘Never Gonna Fall in Love Again’, ‘I Wanna Make You My Lady ‘and ‘Last Romance.’ He played Dr Greg Mason on the international hit soapie ‘The Young Doctors’ At the Logie Awards of 1977, Holden won Most Popular Australian TV Teenage Personality and the George Wallace Memorial Logie for Best New Talent. He was the first pop star in the world to wear Joseph’s Amazing Technicolour Dreamcoat.
In the 1980s, Mark wrote three Top Ten Billboard Black Singles, including two with The Temptations. His song ‘Lady Soul’ is on the ‘Motown Greatest Hits: Hitsville USA’ album.’
Hits around the world included a #1 on Billboard’s Dance chart with ‘Take Me Back to Love Again’ by Kathy Sledge, hits with David Hasselhoff in Germany, and over 50 covers, including songs on Belinda Carlisle’s five million-selling smash album, Heaven is a Place on Earth, Donny Osmond, Branford Marsalis and Fleetwood Mac.
In 1999, he formed the production, publishing and management company Marjac Productions with Jack Strom and launched Vanessa Amorosi. Four hit singles co-written by Mark followed, including ‘Shine’, which received the APRA Award for the #1 most performed work in Australia for 2001. Vanessa’s album ‘The Power’ was #1 on the ARIA album chart and the #4 ARIA album of the year 2000.
She was the first Australian female artist to achieve this milestone with a debut album and was certified 4x platinum by ARIA. It stayed on the ARIA Top 50 Albums Chart for 62 weeks.
Mark’s song Absolutely Everybody’ was #7 in the UK, #2 in Ireland, Top Five Germany (Gold), Austria (Gold) and Switzerland; and Top Ten in 21 European and Asian countries. Vanessa’s album ‘The Power’ went gold in Germany with 4 hit singles, including the #5 German Single ‘Shine’.
In 2000, Marjac Productions signed with Sony Australia to consult for the Delta Goodrem project, which reached #1 in Australia and the Top 5 in the UK.
From 2003 – 2007, Mark was a judge on the ratings juggernaut Australian Idol and produced the double-platinum-selling Australian Idol Cast Album and the #1 ARIA single Rise Up, which he also co-wrote.
In 2005, Mark’s record label and publishing company Dream Dealers had a #1 ARIA single with ‘These Kids’ by Joel Turner and the Modern Day Poets.
In 2008 Mark was fired from Australian Idol which led to the sliding doors experience of him becoming a member of the Victorian Bar in 2009 and practicing as a barrister for the next 14 years before retiring in 2023.
While at the Victorian Bar, Mark found time to pay homage to his family, The Holden Brothers Travelling Circus. He was invited to guest star as Bobo the Clown [of Dancing With The Stars infamy] with the original members of Circus Oz in their show ‘The Classics’ at the Melba Speigeltent in 2014.
In May 2017, he released his first book, My Idol Years.
In 2018 he premiered his one-man show; ‘The Greatest Show On Earth” at the Adelaide Cabaret Festival to rave reviews – “what follows is an hour and a half of magic … his personal triumph, no, make that, a Touchdown.” – Anna Vlach – The Adelaide Advertiser.
In 2023 Dream Dealers resigned Joel Turner and released his track ‘Mullet’ featuring Macca the Rapper and in October 2024 is releasing These Kids 20th Anniversary Remix with a retooled groove and remix by Kiwi DJ Jonathan Schnell featuring a new rap by DubLT:
In 2024, Mark was invited to become a special board member of 3KND, Melbourne’s first Indigenous-owned and managed AM radio station.
Mark has written his second book ‘The Ngeering’ which is a fictionalised version of his family circus history set in colonial Victoria. He is presently working with Elders and stakeholders to acknowledge the cultural ownership of the stories told in his manuscript. ‘The Ngeering’ has been submitted to the Yoorrook Justice Commission pending that process.
Dream Dealers has co-produced an album of the works of Gunditjmara elder Richard J Frankland (SBS Elder in Residence) with his company, Koorreen Enterprises. ‘Discovering Leerpeen Mara’ released in June 2026.
Mark is part of an industry advocacy group, #genuinearticle, that is fighting for Australian musicians’ and performers’ rights to payment for the broadcast of their performances on records on radio and TV at a rate comparable to the rest of the world.
