▁Later ▁he ▁was ▁a ▁member ▁of ▁the ▁band ▁Organ ic ▁Ice ▁C ube ▁and ▁wrote ▁his ▁first ▁song ▁" H ell ▁In ▁the ▁Sky " ▁as ▁a ▁member ▁of ▁the ▁band ▁Dead ▁Flow ers ▁( G reg ▁P oth ier , ▁Scott ▁Collins , ▁Brian ▁Mo yn ih an , ▁Kevin ▁Lar imore , ▁K ris ▁T usc ano , ▁Chris ▁K err igan ▁Bor ning ). ▁E rel li ▁was ▁introduced ▁to ▁the ▁music ▁of ▁Pat ty ▁L ark in , ▁Chris ▁Sm ither , ▁and ▁other ▁singer - song writ ers ▁by ▁listening ▁to ▁ ▁the ▁radio ▁station ▁W B OS . ▁He ▁formed ▁the ▁Mark ▁E rel li ▁Band ▁and ▁in ▁ 1 9 9 7 ▁released ▁the ▁album ▁Long ▁Way ▁From ▁Heaven . ▁After ▁att ending ▁the ▁North ▁East ▁Fol k ▁Alliance ▁Conference ▁in ▁ 1 9 9 7 , ▁E rel li ▁signed ▁a ▁recording ▁contract ▁with ▁Sign ature ▁S ounds ▁Record ings . ▁He ▁was ▁awarded ▁the ▁I gu ana ▁Music ▁Fund ▁Fellow ship ▁award ▁from ▁Cambridge ' s ▁Club ▁Pass im ▁and ▁used ▁the ▁proceed s ▁to ▁build ▁a ▁home ▁studio . ▁ ▁E rel li ▁attended ▁B ates ▁College ▁in ▁Lew ist on , ▁Maine ▁and ▁in ▁ 1 9 9 7 ▁en rolled ▁at ▁the ▁ ▁University ▁of ▁Massachusetts ▁Am her st ▁where ▁he ▁obtained ▁a ▁master ' s ▁degree ▁in ▁evolution ary ▁bi ology ▁in ▁ 1 9 9 9 . ▁ ▁Career ▁E rel li ' s ▁self - t itled ▁debut