Alton Byrd ’97 writes, “This is a note to all my friends.
Markmichael—upcoming R&B star from UMass—just dropped his second
CD. Check it out, drop Mark a line, buy his CD! He sang at my wedding!”
Something about this class note caught my eye.
It turns out the former roommates, Mark Abdullah ’97 (aka Markmichael)
and Alton Byrd ’97, began their careers on similar paths, but they
quickly diverged.
“We both studied accounting so we took similar classes in the business
school. While Mark studied accounting as a backup for his goal of a
music career, I was focused on joining corporate America,” explains
Alton.
“I worked at Ernst & Young, where I got my CPA, moved from Boston
to New York City in 2000, then went to business school and received
an MBA from the University of Chicago. I now work at Aon Corporation
there.”
Mark worked as an accountant for a time after leaving UMass Amherst.
“I ended up in the mutual-fund world and worked at State Street Bank
and Fidelity in Boston. Two CDs and 10 years later I’m in Los Angeles
and pursuing music full-time.”
Mark is the sole proprietor behind Bevlo Records and is hard at work
on his third CD. His second release, “Confirmed,” is listed on CD Baby
in the top 40 for Solo Male
Artist in Los Angeles and described a “R&B music that’s not afraid
to tell the truth while
soothing the soul.”
Trading a lucrative career for the risky business of music may pay off for this talented musician. Take Alton’s advice and check him out. You won’t be disappointed.
To find out more about Mark visit www.markmichaelsongs.com |
