Mark Stein

Stein has also guest appeared on stage with Deep Purple, Steve Miller Band and Carl Palmer. Stein also worked prominently with Dave Mason and toured in his backing band.

• Name — Mark Stein • Landscape — yes • Alias — Mark Stevens • Born — 11 March 1947 • Birthplace — Bayonne, New Jersey, U.S. • Died — YYYY MM DD • Instrument — * Vocals • keyboards • accordion • guitar • Genre — Rock, psychedelic rock, hard rock • Occupation — Musician, composer, arranger • Years Active — 1958–present • Current Member Of — Vanilla Fudge • Website — Mark Stein's official website

Stein was born and raised in Bayonne, New Jersey. His uncle had an upright piano and used to watch him play, and sometimes played short one finger melodies when his uncle left the piano. Stein's family saw he had a natural talent for the piano and started having lessons at age four and later attempted the accordion.

Upon being exposed to rock and roll in the 1950s, Stein settled on the guitar. He worked his way through various bands in his high school. In 1958, aged eleven, his local band actually cut a record for a small New York label. That same year, he appeared on television in Washington, D.C. on the same episode as Sam Cooke. While at Bayonette High School he was in a band called The Charmers under the name "Mark Stevens". Stein formed Vanilla Fudge in 1967 with friend Tim Bogert, and Vince Martell and Carmine Appice. The bands debut album was released in August 1967 and is a Gold Record. Their cover of The Supremes' You Keep Me Hangin' On is their most well known track. Vanilla Fudge has been cited as; "one of the few American links between psychedelia and what soon became heavy metal."

From 1970 to 1974, Stein was a member of Boomerang, a hard rock band based in New York. Stein was joined by Jo Casmir on bass, James Galluzi on drums and Richard Ramirez on guitar. They released two albums under RCA Boomerang (1971) and Two (1973). Stein met Tommy Bolin in February 1976 while Bolin was a member of Deep Purple, and became a member of the first incarnation of the Tommy Bolin Band. Bolin died in December 1976, ended the band. In 1977, Stein auditioned to be the new keyboardist for Rainbow but lost to David Stone. Mark was in the Alice Cooper band in 1977 and toured with him during his "Australian Welcome To My Nightmare Tour.

He also worked with Dave Mason on the album "Old Crest on a New Wave, also writing a few songs and performing on the track "Save Me" which featured backing vocals from Michael Jackson. In 1986, Stein and Carmine Appice took part in Hear 'n Aid, a heavy metal supergroup who recorded an album for charity, with its proceeds helping raise over $3 million for famine relief in Africa. Mark published the autobiography, You Keep Me Hangin’ On in 2011. Stein released the solo album There's A Light was on November 26 2021. During the pandemic of 2020, Mark wrote, recorded and released the single “We Are One”, a reflection on the Black Lives Matter movement. As of March 2023, Stein, Appice and Martell still continue to tour as Vanilla Fudge. Stein is a current touring member for Dave Mason.

• Vanilla Fudge (1967) • The Beat Goes On (1968) • Renaissance (1968) • Near the Beginning (1969) • Rock & Roll (1969) • Mystery (1984) • The Return (2002) • Out Through the In Door (2007)

• Boomerang (1971) • Two (1973)

• White Magik (2003) • There’s A Light (2021)

• Private Eyes - Tommy Bolin (1976) • Master's Brew - Tim Bogert (1983)