Based out of Northeast Ohio, Chadbourne's opened for major recording acts and many acts that have opened for Chadbourne have gone on to their own successes. Born in Southern Illinois, Chadbourne moved around the country as a child of minster - living in Atlanta, Georgia, Corinna, Westbrook, Cheabeague Island, Portland, Kittery Maine, Rome New York, Kent & Cleveland Ohio most recently in Lakewood Ohio. Chadbourne started writing songs at the early age of 9 years old. At age 13, he had his first published song with "Everywhen". Performing as "Mark Mars", Chadbourne was frontman of bands "Godspeed", and then later with gospel group "All God's Children", "The Kerouacs", "Tent Sleeps 4" and "Bla". Chadbourne held two degrees in music. Chadbourne graduated from Rome Free Academy, received a Bachelor of Music Theory/Composition degree from Houghton College where he minored in Creative Writing.  He went on to Kent State University with a fellowship in the Music Department where he studied Ethnomusicology.  Along with his work as a recording and performance artist, Chadbourne had scored for TV, films, commercials and won several awards for his compositions. Works have been featured on cable and national TV networks. Chadbourne's video art piece "You Too Can Win Over Depression and Have a Happy Marriage" was showcased on PBS's "Live Off Center". Chadbourne was awarded twice in "Who's Who Among American Composers and Musicians". He was commissioned by the Cleveland Orchestra in 1988 and his fixed harpsichord sonata "Area Sets" was lauded as a breakthrough compostion by critics around the country. Music wasn't been Chadbourne's only vocation.  Chadbourne has worked for  US Intelligence and Reconnassiance, as the manager of the famous "Jerry's Diner" in Kent Ohio, as a merchandiser for the famous Higbees Department Store,  in social service positions, and even as a lobsterman.  In additon, Chadbourne wrote the weekly column "Artspeak", and his paintings and soundscapes installation pieces have been displayed in galleries and spaces and featured in shows at the Cleveland Institute of Art. Trivia: Eugene Chadbourne of Shockabilly is a distant cousin. The two met by accident in 1986 playing the same venue and discovered that they were related.