Mark Kendall - Part 3 (Rhythm, Recovery, and the Road Between Music and the Game)
In this third installment of Legends of the Cue’s four-part conversation with Mark Kendall, the legendary guitarist and founding member of Great White, we explore the deep parallels between two of his lifelong passions — music and pool. Joined by hosts Mike Gonzalez, Mark Wilson, and Allison Fisher, Kendall opens up about the rhythm of discovery that links his guitar playing to his cue stroke, and how both crafts demand timing, creativity, and relentless discipline.
From his early days pounding the pavement with posters and dreams to headlining arenas, Kendall reflects on how technology reshaped the music industry — and how he’s adapted from analog grit to digital hustle. His stories of the 1980s rock scene are laced with humility and gratitude, as he recalls the raw determination that took him from backyard jam sessions to platinum records.
But it’s Kendall’s honesty about personal growth and recovery that resonates most. He speaks candidly about overcoming alcoholism, finding purpose in helping others, and channeling that same energy into his practice at the pool table. Whether chasing his dream of a 100-ball run or mentoring a struggling friend, Mark’s philosophy is rooted in perseverance and giving back.
Along the way, he and the hosts swap memories about training with top players, the nerves of competition, and the enduring joy of mastery — whether on stage or in the billiards hall. Blending rock ‘n’ roll authenticity with cue sport precision, this episode captures the heart of an artist who continues to find rhythm, redemption, and meaning in every note and every shot.
“When the lights go down, whether it’s a concert or a match, it’s the same rush — you just want to play your heart out.”
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Music by Lyrium.
About
"Legends of the Cue" is a pool history podcast featuring interviews with Pool Hall of Fame members, winners of major championships and other people of influence in and around pocket billiards. We also plan to highlight memorable pool brands, events and venues. Focusing on the positive aspects of the sport, we aim to create and provide an engaging and timeless repository of content that listeners can enjoy now and forever. Co-hosted by WPBA and BCA Hall of Fame member Allison Fisher, Mosconi Cup player and captain Mark Wilson, our podcast focuses on telling the life stories of pool's greatest, in their voices. Join Allison, Mark and Mike Gonzalez for “Legends of the Cue.”
Founder and Lead Guitarist - Great White Band
Mark Kendall is one of those rare guests whose life story makes perfect sense only after you hear him tell it: a Southern California kid raised on jazz and melody, who grew into the soulful, blues-rooted lead guitarist of Great White, and, at the same time, became a serious, “put-the-time-in” pool player whose love for the game runs far deeper than a celebrity hobby. On Legends of the Cue, Kendall doesn’t arrive as a rock star dropping in for a few quick pool stories. He shows up as a student of two crafts, music and cue sports, still chasing feel, still chasing precision, still chasing that elusive flow state where everything clicks.
Born April 29, 1957, in Loma Linda, California, Kendall’s early environment was steeped in sound. He describes a musically gifted household, his father a jazz trumpet player, his mother a jazz singer, and his grandfather a pianist, the kind of home where rhythm isn’t an abstract idea; it’s the wallpaper. Kendall has often cited Jimi Hendrix, Cream, and The Doors as formative influences, not merely for their technical brilliance, but for their emotion, the sense that every note is a confession. That focus on feel would later become a signature in both his guitar playing and his approach to the pool table: when it’s right, you know it; when it isn’t, no amount of explanation can fake it.
His guitar journey began young, he was hooked early, and the instrument became his voice. But what makes Kendall so compelling for Legends of the Cue listeners is that his pool origin story is just as authentic: the family garage table, the p…Read More