Mark Hiscock was born on March 12, 1972, in St. John’s, Newfoundland and Labrador, into a warm, loving, and very close family. He spent his childhood living on the water in the scenic community of Fort Amherst.
His father, Norman Hiscock, made his life on the water as a bosun, while his mother, Linda Boland, was a homemaker who also worked in the fish plant and at a convent preparing meals and baked goods for the nuns. Mark has one younger brother, Matthew.
Growing up in this setting steeped Mark in the rhythms of Newfoundland’s outport lifestyle: the sea, the weather, the music, and the community. At age four, his father taught him how to play the accordion. Music was in the family, and Mark took to it naturally.
From a reserved young boy, Mark’s voice and accordion playing grew in skill and confidence over the years. His family roots in music and his early start gave him a foundation that would carry him into a storied musical career.
He began performing for audiences as a child: schools, community halls, and shows like “I’s e the B’y” featured his early work. As he matured, Mark became known for his mastery of the button accordion and for his warm vocal style. He co-founded the iconic Newfoundland band Shanneyganock with his bandmate Chris Andrews. Their collaboration drew from traditional Newfoundland music, Irish Newfoundland influences, and lively “shanty-ized” reinterpretations.
With Shanneyganock, Mark released multiple albums, toured widely, and helped embed their music deeply in Newfoundland and Labrador’s culture.
In a feature interview, Mark reflected on his solo album The Old Fishing Schooner, describing it as a tribute to the songs he grew up with, the house-party tunes, kitchen-party traditions, and stories of life by the sea.
Beyond the stage, Mark was generous with his time and talents. He taught accordion to many young and adult students, and it was through one of these teaching connections that he met his wife, Kelly Traverse. He never turned down a request to play for community events: elderly homes, church services, funerals, and charity functions. He was deeply involved with causes such as Easter Seals NL, supporting children and families across the province.
In 2016, Mark began teaching Kelly the accordion. Their musical relationship deepened into friendship and then love. By early 2020, they had become life partners. They married on October 8, 2022, and made their home in Bay Bulls with Kelly’s son, Daniel, and their two beloved dogs, Dory and Beaumont. Mark continued his maritime roots as a ship’s captain (returning to that role at age fifty) alongside his musical career.
When Mark tragically passed away in 2025 at the age of fifty-three, his loss was deeply felt across Newfoundland and Labrador’s music community. People continue to describe him as the finest and most celebrated button accordion players and a gentle, good, kind, humble man.
His legacy lives on through the music he created, the students he taught, the performances he gave freely, and the devotion to his family. One of his final creative pursuits was this children’s book series inspired by his dog pal Dory travelling around Newfoundland. It was carried forward by Kelly in his honour.
Mark Hiscock’s life blended the traditions of Newfoundland and Labrador – the sea, the music, the people – with a personal commitment to sharing that heritage. He showed how the accordion could tell stories of place and belonging. His warm, unassuming nature, his openness to helping others, and his enduring musical impact made him a cherished figure in his home province and beyond.
• In 2021, Shanneyganock received the Dr. Helen Creighton Lifetime Achievement Award from the East Coast Music Association (ECMA) in recognition of the group’s long-standing contribution to Newfoundland and Labrador music.
• In 2024, Shanneyganock was honoured with the MusicNL Lifetime Achievement Award at the gala of the provincial music industry association MusicNL.
• Following Mark Hiscock’s passing in 2025, the provincial legislature via the House of Assembly of Newfoundland and Labrador publicly paid tribute to him, recognizing him as “one of the finest and most celebrated button accordion players in this province, if not the entire country.”
Mark’s memory will live on through his music, his family, and the kind gentle soul he was.
