Mark Goffeney | |
|---|---|
 Goffeney plays withManá in 2017 | |
| Born | (1969-05-22)May 22, 1969 San Diego, California, U.S. |
| Died | March 2, 2021(2021-03-02) (aged 51) |
| Occupation | Musician |
| Children | 3 |
| External videos | |
|---|---|
 Mark Goffeney on Real People w/ Byron Allen onYouTube |
Mark Goffeney (May 22, 1969 – March 2, 2021) was an American musician fromSan Diego, California,[1][2] known as "Big Toe" because, being bornwithout arms, he playedguitar with his feet. He was bassist and vocalist for the 'Big Toe' band and played the principal role onFox Television'sEmmy-nominated commercial 'Feet'.
Goffeney's mother was British. Starting at age 4, Goffeney appeared on telethons forMarch of Dimes andVariety Club charities. He interviewed celebrities such asMagic Johnson,Henry Winkler andPrince Charles.
Initially cast to be the son ofDavid Hasselhoff's character onThe Young and the Restless but a corporate board decided a character with no arms would be too controversial so he was let go. He felt disheartened by this and decided to concentrate on music.
He playedtrombone in his school band, but later his father brought home an old guitar (with four strings) that he had found at a garbage dump. Goffeney asked a guitar-playing neighborhood friend for instructions. With his friend's help, Goffeney developed his own technique, learning guitar andbass. He would lay the guitar on the ground, supporting the neck with whatever he could get his feet on. He would strum with his left foot and make chords with his right.[3]
He started aheavy metal band in high school and stated that he acted like a "punk". He attended Grossmont Adult School andGrossmont College.[4][5]
In 1992, he founded the band "Big Toe" with another guitarist, and by the end of the 1990s, had successfully completed his first CD, titledBig Toe, sponsored by PSB Records and produced by Steve Dudas, the former producer forAerosmith.[6]
He was recognized for his work internationally and was nominated for an Emmy Award in 1999 for his principal role in the Fox Network commercial "Feet" that aired during theSuper Bowl in 2000 and 2001.[6][7][8]
Goffeney performed on "Lippe blöfft" (ARD TV in Germany) as an opening act forLeAnn Rimes. The station forwarded over 100 emails received the day following the show from viewers wanting Goffeney's CD. To date, CDs have been mailed to fans in Germany, Switzerland and Austria.[citation needed]
'Big Toe' appeared onThe Next Great American Band onFox TV and inStarTomorrow, an online-only musical talent search premiered onNBC and NBC.com on July 31, 2006, competing with 92 bands head-to-head competition on a weekly basis. 'Big Toe' made it to the semi-finals of the competition.[9][10][5]
Goffeney was known forbusking inBalboa Park and spots around San Diego.[11][12]
In 1999, PSB Records signed the band to an album deal on the condition that Goffeney work with Steve Dudas (former producer forAerosmith,Ozzy Osbourne andRingo Starr) to refine the songs for the band's self-titled album. At an interview, Goffeney recalled him to be very professional and that at the time, Dudas let him know "in no uncertain terms" that he needed to listen to him.[6]
The album is a collection of Mark Goffeney's original songs. It was featured in theSan Diego Reader's "Best of the Best".[citation needed]
He married AnnMarie Alburg in 1988 and had three children shortly after high school.[6] They were divorced but reunited many years later after Mark raised the children on his own.[citation needed]
On March 2, 2021, both Goffeney and his ex-wife AnnMarie were found dead in their home inEl Cajon. A spokesman for theEl Cajon Police Department said there were no signs offoul play.[5][4][13] Their daughter, Amanda Goffeney, posted on the official Big Toe website that the cause wasFentanyl addiction.[14][15]
