Diesel (musician)
Mark Denis Lizotte, (born 31 May 1966,Fall River, Massachusetts, United States) is an American-born Australian musician, who has released material as leader of Johnny Diesel & the Injectors, under his birth name, or by the pseudonym Diesel. Two of his albums reached No. 1 on the Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA) Albums Charts, Hepfidelity in 1992 and The Lobbyist in 1993.
Since 1987, Diesel has played on several albums by well-known Australian rock singer and brother-in-law, Jimmy Barnes. Although better known as a singer-songwriter and guitarist, Diesel is also competent on bass guitar, drums, percussion and keyboards; and has also produced an album by Richard Clapton and one by Vika and Linda Bull. He has won five ARIA Music Awards with three for 'Best Male Artist' in 1993, 1994 and 1995.
Early years
Diesel was born in 1966 in Fall River, Massachusetts, United States, and emigrated to Australia with his family, in November 1971. His father, Henry Bertram Lizotte (born 19 June 1929), and his mother, Theresa Rita (née Morin, born 18 January 1930) were parents of Jeannine, Bruce, Michael, Laura, Donna, Brian and Mark. They settled in Perth, Western Australia, where he later had a job pouring petrol—an experience that provided inspiration for his music. Henry was a professional saxophonist performing in the US and Australia, Diesel and his siblings were surrounded by music from an early age. While his siblings became teachers, Diesel eventually settled on electric guitar as his main instrument. He later recalled a time in Year 8 (c. 1979) at Scarborough Senior High School when he decided on a musical career: "I was trying to get my head around algebra [...] and suddenly I thought: 'Hang on, I don't have to do this. I can play music as a job!'".
