It is not every day that you walk into your first period class as an aspiring musician and walk out with a manager, but that is exactly what happened for members of the Florida pop group Mark & James.
Mark Russell and James Friedman met their manager when she was a guest speaker in Russell's entertainment marketing class at the University of Central Florida, Russel said.
Following her speech, the two gave her a copy of their CD and about two weeks later, after playing a game of cat and mouse, she became their manager.
But this isn't the only odd yet fortunate coincidence in the group's career.
Russell and Friedman met at a hurricane shelter in 2004 at UCF. Friedman brought his guitar with him "just to jam," he said.
Russell, who played the acoustic guitar too, approached Friedman and they shared an instant bond, Friedman said.
"Every musician has the desire to get together and play," he said.
Soon after meeting, Friedman started opening for an acoustic band Russell played in. Eventually the two got together and Mark & James emerged.
The band, which Friedman describes as "two friends having a good time," has a sound of pop, rock and a touch of acoustic-soul all held together with strong lyrics and melodious lead vocals contributed by both Friedman and Russell.
"If you took John Mayer and Ryan Cabrera and they had a kid and he played in The Fray, that would describe us," Friedman said.
Since June 2007, they have played with national acts such as Matchbox Twenty and Alanis Morissette, Aly & AJ and the Jonas Brothers to name a few.
They will be opening for Avril Lavigne in Tampa, Fla., on April 19 and in West Palm Beach, Fla., on April 20.
Music and touring aren't the only things on the duo's minds. Both Russell and Friedman are 22 year-old students at UCF who balance school and their careers.
"It's pretty tough," Friedman said. "We play certain shows and are out until the early morning. It's not easy but we handle it pretty well."
Either way, the reward of performing in front of and pleasing thousands of fans is worth it, Russell said.
They recently won the NBC/CW Best Central Florida Band competition, but having other people relate to their songs means the most to them, Russell said.
In addition to other dates, they are hosting the "Bandemonium tour," which is a 16 date national tour starting in Las Vegas on May 1.
"We're excited but pretty nervous because we've never been on tour," Russell said. "The thought is awesome, but you never think about what is behind the scenes with it."
They are also the first act added to the already-scheduled Bandemonium 2 tour, which will be an all pop/rock show launching in late summer 2008.
As though the summer isn't already busy enough, Mark & James is releasing an acoustic album, "Hello, I Love You & Goodbye," on June 10 at the Virgin Megastore in Orlando.
Their first single is called "Letting Go".
Both Friedman and Russell write songs, and the inspiration behind the first single was Russell's breakup with his girlfriend of four and a half years, he said.
"People love "Letting Go" because anybody can identify with it," Russell said.
Although they are two "radically different" people, Friedman said, they are two opposites that attract.
"We are constantly contradicting each other," but the chemistry "really comes across" when performing, he said.
With such looming success, fame might get to one's head, but the two have stayed well-grounded.
Their experience performing as worship leaders in church has helped them remain humble despite all of the recent accomplishments they have had and are encountering, Russell said.
They both said hard work and "a hell of a lot of luck" got them to where they are today.
Despite what comes, they are ready and enjoy every minute of their journey as professional musicians, Friedman said.
"We never expected to make it this far," he said. "Everything we get to do has really been a blessing."
