HOBO
NEWS

The Tracklist

Behind the Music

Every song on this record has a story older than the recording. Tap a track to hear it.

1. 

   01Hobo New

   Good times · 3:37

   The Story Behind "Hobo News" If you've ever lived in a small town, you know there aren't many secrets. For me, that town is Knights Ferry, California—a place of about a hundred people, three bars, and a church. It’s the kind of town where everyone knows everyone, and if something happens, it doesn’t take long before the whole town knows about it. We joke that if your story got around town, you'd made the front page of the *Hobo News*... One of the characters who made that town so special was Benny Cassineto. Benny was a local winemaker, and every Tuesday night he'd open the wine caves at his home for anyone in the community who wanted to stop by. Friends would gather, share stories, laugh, solve the world's problems, and enjoy a glass of wine together. If a batch of wine didn't turn out quite right, Benny would turn it into what he called "Grappa." Let me tell you—that stuff only took one little sip before you knew you were drinking something special! Those evenings, those people, and those stories became part of who I am. That's where "Hobo News" came from. People often ask me how I write songs, but the truth is, most of the time I don't feel like I'm writing them at all. They write me. An idea will suddenly appear, a memory comes rushing back, a melody starts playing in my head, and the lyrics just keep coming. They won't leave me alone until I sit down and get them out. "Hobo News" is one of those songs. It's a tribute to small-town life, unforgettable characters, good friends, laughter, and those moments when, whether you wanted to be or not, you became the talk of the town. I hope when you hear it, it reminds you of your own hometown, the characters who made it unforgettable, and the stories that still make you smile years later.

   Coming soon
2. 

   02Baby What About Me

   Dance

   ## Behind the Music: “Baby, What About Me?” “Baby, What About Me?” was born years ago from one simple request: “Please put down your guitar.” Someone I was dating had come by to spend time with me, but I was completely lost in the music. I was sitting there picking away, deep in the zone, when she reminded me that she hadn’t come over to see my guitar—she had come to see me. Instead of immediately putting it down, I started singing her words as she said them. That didn’t help the situation. In fact, it upset her even more—but somewhere inside that awkward moment, a song was born. The story may have started with a guitar, but the song is really about something much bigger. When we become passionate about something—a career, a dream, music, a hobby or any goal that consumes us—the people we love can begin to feel like they’re taking a back seat. Sometimes we become so focused on what we’re pursuing that we don’t notice the person beside us quietly asking: “Baby, what about me?” I’ve seen it happen in every area of life. Passion can give us purpose, but it can also create distance if we aren’t careful. This song is a reminder that while we’re chasing the things we love, we shouldn’t forget the people who love us.

   Coming soon
3. 

   03Beautiful Dreamer

   Success and struggle

   🎵 The Story Behind "Beautiful Dreamer" Every dream comes with a price. Over the years, I've opened my home to musicians traveling from town to town. They'd stay for a night or two, get a hot meal, a good night's sleep, and then head back out chasing the next stage, the next audience, the next opportunity.

   Coming soon
4. 

   04Sunday Night Blues

   Country blues · 4:50

   "People ask where 'Sunday Night Blues' came from. One Sunday evening I was on the phone with my buddy Ray. The weekend was winding down, and I just had that heavy feeling you sometimes get before Monday. I asked him, 'Ray, you ever get the Sunday Night Blues?' He laughed and said, 'Yeah... sometimes.' That one conversation inspired the song. As they say... the rest is history."

   Coming soon
5. 

   05Hell Being Me

   Slow blues

   "After my wife passed away... I guess my 'give-a-damn' just broke. I tried to stay strong, but for a while it felt like I was living through hell. That's where this song came from. People ask me if I wrote this song. Honestly... I wish AI had. I wish I hadn't had to live it."

   Coming soon
6. 

   06Hit Me One Time

   Soul-searching

   The Story Behind "Hit Me One Time" "Hit Me One Time" came from one of the biggest internal battles of my life. Back in the mid-1990s, I was selling Kirby vacuum cleaners and working as hard as I knew how. I wanted to build a successful life, but I didn't have a mentor to show me the way. I believed that if I worked harder than everyone else, success would eventually come. One week, I shared my frustrations with the pastor of my small church in Modesto. I told him about my desire to succeed, the long hours I was putting in, and the questions I was wrestling with. The very next Sunday, his sermon was about not "selling out." As I sat there listening, I couldn't help but wonder, *Is pursuing success the same as selling out? Can I chase my dreams without compromising my faith?* It stirred up a real struggle inside me. I wanted to honor God, but I also believed I was created to accomplish something meaningful with my life. I left church that morning with more questions than answers. When I got home, I picked up my guitar, and "Hit Me One Time" began pouring out. The song became my way of working through that conflict—the tension between staying true to your values while refusing to settle for an ordinary life. Most of my songs don't feel like they're written by me. They arrive unexpectedly, almost demanding to be put on paper. "Hit Me One Time" was one of those songs. Looking back, I realize the song isn't about choosing between faith and success. It's about discovering that true success isn't measured by money or status, but by becoming the person God created you to be—without compromising who you are along the way.

   Coming soon
7. 

   07Half Staff

   Love and loss

   Life is full of joy and heartbreak, victories and losses. You can't appreciate the highs without living through the lows. But one thing I've learned is that time keeps moving. Like a kaleidoscope, the picture is always changing. No season lasts forever. This is 'Half Staff.'"

   Coming soon
8. 

   08Starting Right Now

   Inspirational

   ### Behind the Music: “Starting Right Now” “Starting Right Now” was inspired by a phone call with my friend Bob Proctor, the renowned motivational speaker featured in *The Secret*. Something clicked inside me during that conversation. It felt like a switch had been flipped. For some time, I had been listening to a beat and trying to find the right words for it. After that call, the lyrics suddenly came to me. We jumped into the limousine and headed straight to the recording studio. Jerome stepped up to the microphone and nailed the song in almost the very first take. That happened more than 15 years ago, but the meaning of the song is just as powerful today. “Starting Right Now” is about deciding that you will never waste another moment of your life. It is about believing in something greater than yourself, believing that your dreams are still possible, and finding the confidence and courage to take that first step. You don’t have to have the entire road figured out. You just have to stop waiting—and start right now.

   Coming soon
9. 

   09Daddy Got The Jail Cell

   Story telling

   This song began in the mid-1980s, when I was in my early 20’s. A friend’s father used to sing an old song about a traveling salesman and a jealous husband. I could never remember exactly how the original song went, but the story stayed with me for years. Later, I began playing around with the idea and bringing it into modern times. I kept adding new characters, situations, and emotions until the chorus finally came to me: “Daddy got the jail cell, Mama got the gravesite.” Once I had that line, the rest of the song began falling into place. I wanted the finished song to feel like a complete storytelling experience—a tragedy told through music. It’s about jealousy, betrayal, irreversible decisions, and the innocent people who are left to live with the consequences.

   Coming soon
10. 

    10Whats It Worth

    Motivation

    ### Behind the Music: “What’s It Worth?” “What’s It Worth?” came from a time when I was frustrated and struggling through the early years of trying to build a business. Things weren’t working out the way I had hoped, but I also knew I didn’t want to settle for less or follow a path that didn’t truly belong to me. At the time, I was dabbling—doing a little of this and a little of that—but I wasn’t fully committed or playing full out. Eventually, I had to make a decision: either continue living according to other people’s expectations or become the person I truly wanted to be. There will always be people who try to hold you back, put you down, or tell you that your dream isn’t realistic. They’ll tell you to give it up, get a “real job,” and choose the safer path. But what is a dream worth if you never have the courage to pursue it? We only get one life. “What’s It Worth?” is about refusing to settle, committing fully to your own path, and finding the courage to live life on your own terms.

    Coming soon
11. 

    11Where’s My Baby At?

    Home for the holidays

    🎄 The Story Behind "Merry, Merry Christmas" I've always been a huge Elvis Presley fan. Growing up, his Christmas music was part of every holiday season. When my first wife and I separated, Christmas felt different. It wasn't just another holiday anymore—it carried a little heartache with it. Instead of writing another sad Christmas song, I wanted to capture what so many people experience during the holidays: missing someone while still trying to smile. So I mixed a little Elvis-inspired Christmas spirit with a little heartbreak... and a little fun. Merry, Merry Christmas is for everyone who's ever celebrated the holidays with happy memories, a few tears, and hope that next Christmas will be a little brighter. No matter where life finds you this Christmas, I hope this song reminds you that you're never alone. Merry Christmas. — Mark Wilson

    Coming soon

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