About

Mark Thomas Speakman is a cardiologist with over 40 years of experience as a medical doctor. Yet his most powerful work may be healing hearts through music. A lifelong, highly accomplished musician with a love for harmonically rich pop, Speakman has recently begun releasing his music through a series of singles shaped by his Christian faith and a deeply personal mental health journey.

“I have a story to tell—I didn’t have one before—and I have a testimony,” says the Los Angeles–based artist. “I want to reach people who are suffering or in discomfort with music and lyrics that bring comfort, solace, and hope.”

Speakman is the Christian music artist for fans of the golden eras of 1970s and 1980s FM radio who also long for themes of redemption, searching, and God’s love. Speakman is a pop sophisticate steeped in music theory and inspired by harmonic structures and song forms beyond blues-based rock, though he loves that stuff, too. Big hooks and lush harmony vocals abound within thrillingly adventurous arrangements brimming with modulations, odd-time signature passages, and unique chord sequences. To date, he has released nine singles, with more on the way.

As an intriguing contrast to his brainy musicality, Speakman is, pun-intended, a heartfelt lyricist. His words span personal and shared experiences and often contain dual interpretations. On one hand, they could be written about a wife or a husband, but theycan also be interpreted as being about God. “No matter what, I always want to share an uplifting message. There is always hope, a purpose, and there is always a way out of hard times,” he says.

Speakman might be being introduced as a new artist, but he’s already earned validation from LA studio musician royalty. His guitarist for recording is the legendary Carl Verheyen who has worked with The Bee Gees, Supertramp, Dolly Parton, and on soundtracks for The Crow, Mission Impossible, and Ratatouille, among many, many others. On drums is Alex Acuña, another heavyweight, who has played with Elvis Presley, Paul McCartney, U2, Christina Aguilera, and Weather Report, among many, many others. Speakman recorded his singles at Sunset Sound Recorders, the iconic studio that has hosted more than 200 Gold records, including Purple Rain, Exile on Main St., and Led Zeppelin IV.

Born and raised in England, Speakman grew up torn between music and academics. While he studied music seriously in his youth, his fascination with physiology—particularly the human heart—ultimately led him to pursue medicine. Still, music remained a constant calling. He often brought his guitar to hospital shifts, practicing during downtime. Determined to pursue both paths, he moved to the United States to attend the Musicians Institute, while also repeating three years of medical residency to practice in America.

For years, Speakman balanced both careers—until severe depression brought him to a turning point. A devout Christian since age 19, he found his faith deepening during this difficult period.

“During those wilderness years, I found the Lord in a more personal way—it wasn’t religious, it felt like a spirit within me,” he says. “Once you feel God’s heart for mankind, you begin to see people differently.”

That transformation gave his music a renewed sense of purpose. While he had written songs before, his newer work became a form of ministry—one that also connects with his medical understanding of the heart.

“I’ve always been fascinated by the heart—not just physically, but emotionally,” he explains. “We see clear connections between emotional states and heart function in everyday life.”

That connection resonates throughout his music. On the anthemic pop-rock track “OurStory,” he frames a love relationship with a tone that’s both realistic and devotional. Within the lyrics, he recounts hard-fought growth in coupledom balanced by unwavering love and belief in the other person. In the chorus he sings: Of all the faces in the crowd/All I see is yours/And when the music gets too loud/The only voice I hear is yours. The song features the kind of double meaning Speakman often employs, as you can also interpret the subject to be about faith in God.

“Thousand Times” presents Speakman’s gift for writing beautifully concise ballads. This is a song of faith and love with vintage 1980s soft rock overtones. With “For Crying Out Loud” he addresses the challenges of having difficult conversations with loved ones about heaven and hell. He says: “You can only have these types of conversations with tears in your eyes.” One particularly rousing passage is: Will my streams of tears wash away the stains/ is there any value in my righteous claims/It’s a cunning craft and the schemer’s slick how can we heal If we don’t know we’re sick. The song’s musical theater presentation brings its messaging into stark dramatic clarity. “Outrageous Grace” channels 1970s California country-rock, pairing sunlit harmonies with jazzy pop chord changes in a warm devotional expression.

These songs may have just come out in 2025, but they are born from a life of faith, struggle, and perseverance. With more music planned for 2026 and beyond, Speakman embraces this new chapter with gratitude and anticipation.

“I feel like I am just getting started,” Speakman says. “Music is my second act. It feels like I’m trying on a whole new set of clothes, but they seem to be fitting just fine, so far.”