Celebration of Life for Local Music Legend Mark Anderson

DULUTH, Minn. — There was an outpouring of support at R.T. Quinlan’s on Sunday where musicians and the Twin Ports came together to honor and remember the life of Mark Anderson who passed in early March.

“It’s wonderful. I wouldn’t miss it, I wouldn’t miss it,” that’s what Mark Anderson’s mother, Marolyn Martinson said, after seeing hundreds of people gather in honor of him on Sunday.

A musician, a community member, and a friend to many, Anderson passed after losing a battle to pancreatic cancer on March 5th 2022.

“It’s very heartwarming to see this support and everybody saying goodbye to a good friend and a local music hero,” Scott Lillo, a Friend Of Mark’s, and an Organizer of the Memorial said.

Anderson was well known among the Duluth music community for his style, and original twist on jazz renditions of pop songs.

“Mark was a community builder, Mark, played every style of music, he knew everybody, he was helpful to everybody, he was a larger than life personality and people were drawn to him,” Andrew Perfetti, also a Friend Of Mark’s and an Organizer of the Memorial said.

Names like John Seguin, the Maxi Child’s Trio and the Jane Gang were three of nine artists who came to play for Mark’s memorial.

“It’s so great when you see this kind of turnout for anybody in the local arts and music scene,” Lillo said.

“Mark would just be laughing and having a good time and really appreciating all the music. Everybody playing today and performing has a relationship with mark and he would just really love it,” Perfetti added.

Mark’s music didn’t just entertain people, but it created a community through the lives he touched. His mother says she didn’t realize the extent to how impactful his talent was, “I was surprised yeah, I didn’t realize how much he impacted the area. I knew he played music, I know about that, but you don’t know how much it means to people,” Marolyn said.

As hundreds filed through the doors in the first hour of mark Anderson’s memorial, there was no doubt, that Mark was looking down smiling.

“Getting all of these people together was very easy to do, Perfetti said.

Friends and family want to remind people to get screened for cancer concerns, because an early screening might save a life.