Starship Guitarist Mark Abrahamian Dies Following Concert
09/04/2012
. Starship lead guitarist Mark Abrahamian suffered a fatal heart attack following a concert on Sunday night. He was 46.
Starship was performing a concert with Boston and Survivor in Norfolk, Neb and Abrahamian collapsed following the show according to road manager Scott Harrison, reports Mercury News .
"We had just finished the show. We were back in the dressing room eating. He apparently told the bass player he wasn't feeling well," Harrison said. Then Abrahamian reportedly collapsed in his room while talking to his fiance on the phone.
He was pronounced dead at a local hospital. The band wrote on their Facebook: "We are all shocked and saddened at the sudden loss of our guitar player Mark Abrahamian. Mark was a kind, thoughtful and innovative soul. He was also a friend and family member. Mark also happened to be one hell of a guitar player. We are devastated by the loss of our brother and just dealing with it the best we can."
According to the road manager, Abrahamian had told his fiancé that he had been having chest pains for a while.
According to his website bio, Abrahamian has been on tour with Starship starring Mickey Thomas since 2000.
Mark Abrahamian
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Born February 23, 1966, Mark Abrahamian was taught to play guitar at the age of 10 after being prompted by his mother to "pick something to do this summer". Mark chose the guitar and was encouraged by her to practice for 15 minutes each day. However, inspired by Kiss guitarist Ace Frehley, Mark was soon practicing on his own within a few months.
The turning point in Mark's life came in the Seventh Grade when he heard Edward Van Halen's song entitled Eruption from the album Van Halen..
"I went home and didn't leave my room until the Ninth Grade."
For the next few years Mark practiced for hours on end taking the guitar very seriously. He even modified his Dads record player by filing down the gear that drove the turn table so it would play at half speed, so he could take the riffs off the record. It wasn't long before he was playing for his friends at parties as well as local bands.
When he was seventeen, Mark applied and went to GIT (The Musicians Institute). Being the youngest in his class, "I lived , breathed, ate and slept music." It was during this period that he discovered such players as John Mclaughlin, Al De Meola, Allan Holdsworth, Jeff Beck, Stevie Ray Vaughan. Discovering different types of music was a big part of his development as a guitar player. Jazz, Funk, Blues and classical all intrigued and inspired him. Upon graduation he began playing around town with local bands as well as taking on some fifty students a week teaching his own method.
"I like to give the student the tools of music. After that, they can then learn whatever they want".
Mark has been on tour with Starship starring Mickey Thomas since 2000. The band plays some 100 to 125 shows a year all over the country and the world.
Mark has worked with the following greats live on stage:
Jimmi Jameson of Survivor
Bobby Kimble of Toto
Mike Reno of Loverboy
Chuck Negron of Three Dog Night
Fee Waybill of The Tubes
Joe Lynn Turner of Rainbow
John Cafferty of John Cafferty and the Beaver Brown Band
Mike Atunes "Tunes" of John Cafferty and the Beaver Brown band
Larry Hopin of Orleans
Dave Jenkins of Pablo Cruise
Steve Walsh of Kansas
Peter Rivera of Rare Earth
Jimmy Hall of Wet Willie
Cliff Williams of ACDC
Alex Ligertwood of Santana
Pat Travers of Pat Travers
Kevin DuBrow of Quite Riot
Frankie Banali of Quiet Riot
Floyd Sneed of Three Dog Night
Doug Fieger of The Knack
Eric Troyer of ELO
Jack Blades of Night Ranger
Michael Lardie of Great White / Night Ranger
Kevin DuBrow of Quiet Riot
Tommy Tutone (867-5309)
Ace Young from American Idol
Brian Howe of Bad Company
Wally Palmer of The Romantics
Mike Skill of The Romantics
Greg Walker of Santana
Skip Martin of Kool And The Gang
Mary Wilson from the Pointer Sisters
Christopher Cross
Love, Jodi
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