Mark McGuinn, Singer Behind “Mrs. Steven Rudy,” Dies at 58
Mark McGuinn, the country singer and songwriter whose 2001 debut single "Mrs. Steven Rudy" cracked the top 10, has died at age 58. His niece,
Mark McGuinn, the country singer and songwriter whose 2001 debut single "Mrs. Steven Rudy" cracked the top 10, has died at age 58. His niece, Jamie Lynn, announced the news on social media.
"My Uncle Mark passed away at the end of October. His memorial service is tomorrow," she wrote. "I will miss his sense of humor and hugs. Luckily, I can still hear his voice."
McGuinn's obituary says he died October 26 in Greensboro, North Carolina, his hometown. No cause of death has been reported.
An independent-label breakthrough
"Mrs. Steven Rudy" came out on VFR Records, a brand-new independent label. It climbed to No. 6 on Billboard's country chart and No. 44 on the Hot 100.
The song was reportedly the first top 10 country hit by a new independent-label artist in more than four decades. His self-titled debut album, released that May, also set independent-label records.
The track was not the label's first choice. VFR had planned to lead with "That's a Plan," but a disc jockey at KPLX in Dallas began playing "Mrs. Steven Rudy" instead. Listeners responded, stations in the region followed, and the label switched. McGuinn wrote the witty song with Shane Decker.
From jazz band to Nashville
Born August 19, 1968, McGuinn attended Grimsley High School in Greensboro. He played guitar, piano and trumpet, and sharpened his skills in a jazz band. He also hoped to play professional soccer, but an injury changed his course.
He moved to Nashville in 1994 to write songs. Lonestar and George Jones later recorded his work.
After the September 11, 2001 attacks, McGuinn wrote and recorded a tribute, "More Beautiful Today." He asked that radio not promote it and offered it as a free download. Listeners and stations embraced it anyway, and it still reached the country chart.
Georgette Jones, who met McGuinn through a shared publishing company, wrote on Facebook that he was loved. She asked people to pray for his friends and family.
In place of flowers, the family invites donations to the MusiCares Foundation, which provides health and human services to music professionals in need, or to Christ United Methodist Church in Greensboro.
