Mark Gormley

Mark Donan Gormley (May 7, 1957 – May 24, 2024) was an American singer-songwriter from Pensacola, Florida, who achieved internet fame for his music videos on YouTube.

Early years Gormley learned to play the guitar as a teenager and later wrote and recorded a number of original compositions in the 1970s and 80s. His musical influences included Led Zeppelin, Bob Dylan, Rush, James Taylor, Jimi Hendrix, and Boston. Gormley was given a platform when his music videos appeared on The Uncharted Zone, a weekly public-access television music show that plays original and cover videos by local artists. The Uncharted Zone is shown on the Blab Television cable station The two can be found introducing each video with quirky commentary and anecdotes about each featured artist.

Internet fame Gormley's music videos have reached an audience of millions on YouTube. In an article on Gormley, UK-based newspaper Metro proclaimed "The internet has a new musical hero in the form of singer-songwriter Mark Gormley". Gormley has been the inspiration for several fan-made videos, including remixes of his songs, cover versions, and parodies of his music videos. The standing posture adopted by Gormley in several of his music videos, known as the "Power Stance", became an internet meme.

Gormley had been asked to perform by concert bookers and TV shows including the late-night talk show Jimmy Kimmel Live!, but he decided to decline the offers. Gormley avoided the spotlight and was notoriously reclusive. Woot found the song "thought-provoking" and noted the profound insights offered by the lyrics. Gormley considered the song his personal favorite. Videogum listed the "Little Wings" music video as one of the best viral videos of 2009. As of September 2013, "Little Wings" has received over one million views on YouTube. In December 2013, "Little Wings" was featured on the ITV2 television show MC Hammer's Big Shot Academy.

"Gray Days" is one of Gormley's darkest songs, that LimeLife referred to as a "moving, Zeppelinesque tribute". "Gray Days" and "Little Wings" were featured on the website of Seattle-based newspaper The Stranger, who argued that although the quality of Gormley's videos had garnered him much of the initial attention, "what really should be considered is his music, for all the right reasons, as credit is due...his voice and his song writing certainly shoot for the realms of greatness" adding that "his song writing and voice approach the league of rock's finest angelic singers", comparing his vocals to Jon Anderson, Bryan MacLean, and Tim Buckley.

The music video for "Stars" shows Gormley performing the song while backed by footage of the night sky and the beaches of Perdido Key, Florida.

Gormley's breakthrough music video is for "Without You", released in 2008. "Without You" is a love song about heartbreak and loneliness that music website The Daily Swarm described as a "soft metal masterpiece". Alternative culture magazine Coilhouse called the track "an honest, well-crafted song" and noted Gormley's "soulful voice". and listed it among the 'Most Memorable Amateur Music Videos of the 2000s'. On January 14, 2009, "Without You" was named a viral video by music magazine Blender and Comedy Central. On January 16, 2009, "Without You" was the daily featured music video on the website Today's BIG Thing. Later that same year, it was featured on G4's Web Soup where Gormley would shortly be parodied by the show's guest "Weird Al" Yankovic. Commentators on the music video included actor Daniel Baldwin, comedian Loni Love, and writers Billy Kimball and Michael Loftus.

The music video for "Sing Me Your Song" largely takes place on the Moon and in space. Music website Video Static described the song as "haunting" and praised the music videos use of product placement.

The music video for the song "Together" was released on February 7, 2017. The video features Gormley in space and on the beach.

Death Gormley died in Pensacola on May 24, 2024, at the age of 67.