Mark Nesler

Nesler played guitar at an early age. Inspired by the bluegrass music his father listened to, he soon learned to play banjo as well. After graduating high school, he played in a band called the Two Dollar Pistols.[2] In 1994, he was signed to a songwriting deal with MCA Publishing, and soon joined Tracy Byrd's touring band.[2] Byrd also recorded and released "Heaven in My Woman's Eyes", which Nesler wrote, as a single in 1996.

In 1998, Nesler scored his first Number One as a songwriter, when Tim McGraw spent six weeks at Number One on the Billboard country music charts with "Just to See You Smile".[3] The same year, Nesler's first album was released on Asylum Records. Its leadoff single, "Used to the Pain", peaked at No. 47 on the country charts. The album also produced his highest-charting single in "Slow Down" at No. 46, followed by "Baby Ain't Rockin' Me Right" at No. 62. He also co-wrote Aaron Tippin's late-1998 single "For You I Will."

Also in 1998, Nesler married country music artist Jennifer Hanson.[2][4] Although he exited Elektra in 1999, Nesler continued to write for Byrd, who released "Take Me with You When You Go" (which Hanson co-wrote) and "Just Let Me Be in Love" in 2000 and 2002 respectively. George Strait recorded two of his songs: "Go On"; and "Living and Living Well" which was a No. 1 single. In 2005, Tracy Lawrence reached No. 35 on the country charts with a cover of "Used to the Pain". Nesler and Hanson co-wrote Bucky Covington's 2007 debut single "A Different World", while Nesler's other credits included "Why, Why, Why" by Billy Currington and another Number One in Keith Urban's 2008 single "You Look Good in My Shirt".