Mark Hummel was born on December 15, 1955, in New Haven, Connecticut. Hummel is a blues harmonica player, vocalist, and songwriter who began a professional career in the early 1970s in the San Francisco Bay Area. In 1979, he formed the band Blues Survivors. Hummel has toured or recorded with artists including Sue Foley and Willie "Big Eyes" Smith. Since 1991, he has produced the Blues Harmonica Blowout tour, which features veteran harmonica players. Discography releases include the albums Playin' In Your Town (1985), High Steppin' (1987), Ain't Easy No More (2006), and Wayback Machine (2020). He also released the live compilation Chicago Blues Party: Recorded Live! 1980–1992 (2009).
