Waltham Artist Nabs International Singer-Songwriters Nominations

WALTHAM, MA — Waltham-based singer-songwriter Linda Marks is known locally for her hyper-topical, heart-to-heart songs about topics ranging from loss and managing grief to sports figures.

Now, Marks has the chance to broaden that acclaim after garnering nominations in four categories at the International Singer-Songwriters Association Awards.

Marks has been chosen in four categories: Emerging Artist, Vocalist of the Year, Album of the Year (Everyday Legends) and ISSA Representative. She will be present in the Atlanta area when the awards take place in 2023 at the Sandy Springs Performing Arts Center.

ISSA is a global professional association for independent artists with nearly 16,000 members founded in 2018 by Tamanie Dove. This year there were 777 nominations and over 38,500 votes.

Marks, released her 13th album, "Everday Legends", this year, which features “Our Children’s Prayer”, a prayer to end gun violence written in the voices of the children of Uvalde, Texas.

The album has charted in the Top 20 on the Alternative Folk Charts on Roots Music Report for 15 weeks.

Earlier this year, Marks released a song written after Damar Hamlin injury on Monday Night Football dedicated to his mother, Nina.

Marks said she felt connected to Nina Hamlin as both a mother and as someone who has been with their child through injury — though, she acknowledged, nothing as severe as Hamlin's.

"Like so many others, I watched Monday night football this week, and was shocked, saddened and prayerful when Damar Hamlin collapsed in cardiac arrest. The experience was even more riveting because I am the mom of a 26-year-old son, who while thank God did not have as grave an injury as Damar, did have two bad concussions in 10 months time, and felt the after-effects for two years," said Marks.

Read more: Waltham Singer Dedicates New Performance To Damar Hamlin's Mother