Not to be confused with the actor and comedian from the popular comedy troupe the Kids in the Hall, Mark McKinney is a singer and songwriter from Austin, Texas, whose rowdy blend of country and rock and swaggering style have earned him a loyal following in the Lone Star State and a rising profile on the national country scene. Born in Big Spring, Texas, McKinney began his career in music in the early '90s with his brother Eric McKinney; they formed the group the McKinney Brothers and were a frequent presence on the Austin club scene. In 1997 the group went on hiatus, and with their friend Rob Dennis, the brothers put together a roots rock outfit called the Cosmic Cowboys. The Cosmic Cowboys quickly attracted the attention of a major label's Nashville division, but several years of dealing with A&R people and attempting to craft material to suit the label's idea of what the group should be led to a dead end, and the Cosmic Cowboys instead opted to release their album through their own independent label, Texas Time Records.