Gary Marks announces Crossroads: A cult-classic singer-songwriter comes to vinyl for Record Store Day 2026

American singer-songwriter Gary Marks will release Crossroads, a vinyl album spanning a lifetime of work, as an official Record Store Day UK & Europe exclusive on April 18, 2026.

This one-day RSD exclusive comes from an artist whose first three albums have become highly collectible cult classics in Europe and Japan, with original copies reselling for between $400 and $1,000.

Gary Marks first emerged in the 1970s with three self-produced albums — Gathering, Upon Oanda’s Wing, and Thoughts of Why — now regarded as classics among vinyl collectors in the U.S., Europe, and Japan.

Those early recordings featured musicians who would later become giants of modern jazz, including guitarist John Scofield, Paul McCandless (of the jazz group Oregon), David Samuels, Mark Isham, Art Lande, and Michael Cochrane. Marks’ debut album, Gathering, marked the first-ever studio appearance of a then 21-year-old John Scofield.

While his early releases earned critical praise, Marks stepped away from touring in the mid-1980s, choosing instead to continue writing and recording independently. Over the following decades, he quietly released eight albums through his own website, building a devoted following while remaining largely outside the industry’s touring-driven spotlight — until now.

Released via Lantern Heights Records, Crossroads is both a rediscovery and a reckoning: a rare opportunity to encounter a songwriter whose music remains vital, and whose lyrics speak directly to the socio-political climate of the present day.
Crossroads offers a rare chance to rediscover an American singer-songwriter whose work reminds listeners why albums — and ideas — still matter.

“Marks is a meticulous craftsman, injecting his modern rock sound with interesting harmonic subtleties and powerful lyrics.” — San Francisco Bay Guardian, 18th Annual ‘Best of San Francisco’ Issue

“Superb song craft and keen arrangements. If familiar reference points are Steve Winwood and Bruce Hornsby, Marks demonstrates as much care for the architecture of a song as those certified platinum artists did on their most recent outings. Each song is intelligent and exceptional.” — Derk Richardson, BAM (Bay Area Music Magazine)

“Gary Marks was, and still is, a truly unique voice in rock — and therefore was ignored by the industry power brokers who, to this day, only think in dollar bills, not artistry.” — Dusty Groove

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