The Dying Buffalo was formed in 2021 by Marcus Gillis. Marcus is a singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist, who group on the outskirts of Atlanta, GA.  Prior to moving to Colorado, he moved around a lot, has lived in four countries including the US, and lived in multiple spots from coast to coast in the lower 48.  He has now called Colorado home for more than 15 years. 

The Dying Buffalo's songs give listener's an intimate and introspective look into Marcus’ both tumultuous and blessed life. The current TDB catalogue is often poetic and painful, gracefully maneuvering through many of the darkest and most challenging pieces of Marcus’ life, including some that he hid from even the closest people in his life. Tired of hiding from his experiences and dedicated to a living an authentic life, The Dying Buffalo's original catalogue confront the many topics that, until just a few years ago, Marcus feared to think about, let alone share with others.  

Marcus shares his journey with recovery and reclamation through his music, hoping to inspire other's to stop running from their past, to stop living in fear and shame, and to join him on a path of growth and revival. Though many of the Dying Buffalo's songs were created from a place of suffering, there is a through line of love, hope, and evolution. Like "the dying buffalo" all we can do as humans is keep moving forward and hope. 

Marcus got his start as a musician playing stand-up bass in his middle school orchestra and then moving on to playing guitar and singing in punk and alt/indie bands in the 90s and into the 2000s. Marcus always had a deep appreciation for music, and it was his first true love, saving him many times throughout his life. However, Marcus’ life has taken him to many places prior to spitting him back out at the same place he started nearly 30 years ago, living and breathing music.    

The inspiration/The “Age of Anxiety”: 

A few years ago, Marcus was at a crossroads, and all roads seemed to reach the same destination.  With support and helpful guidance from his wife, he began working with a therapist, and shortly after, his next journey, recovery.  Though quickly progressing in many areas of growth, he was having difficulty working through some trauma he had previously hidden from everyone in his life.  He was told that when you shine a light in a dark corner, it’s no longer dark, and there is nothing to fear. Thus, he began to open up to others about his experience. His shame began to subside, but his anger about the darkest moments of his childhood did not.  He knew he couldn’t live like that. 

A friend, mentor, and fellow musician in recovery suggested that Marcus write a song about it.  Marcus had spent the last few years studying the banjo and hadn’t put much time into singing or writing songs. However, he was desperate to change his frame of mind, so he pulled out his acoustic guitar and wrote TDB’s first song, “Shadow." (Now available on all streaming platforms)

Writing the song did prove cathartic.  Surprised at how easily the song came to him, he tried another. Though Marcus had written songs throughout his life, it was always challenging. Finally, writing from a much deeper and more vulnerable place, navigating mental health, fear, addiction, abuse, and trauma, the songs poured out of him.  After writing a dozen or more pieces, he had half a dozen songs he was truly proud of and decided he needed to shine a bit more light in his corner.  He was also curious about what an outside audience would think. 

Marcus started playing his handful of new songs at many open mics around Denver.  He played at different venues and neighborhoods, rarely returning to the same spot twice in a row.  However, as he continued to write more songs, his favorite place to try out a new song was the Mercury Café in downtown Denver.  The Dying Buffalo booked their first gig in late 2021 and played their third show and first headlining gig at Denver’s legendary “Merc” in 2022. Since first hitting the stage, TBD has played multiple venues in the metro Denver area. The Dying Buffalo was also blessed to perform a couple of international sets in 2023, including opening up for Colorado’s beloved “Gasoline Lollipops” and Bonnie and Taylor Sims in San Pedro, Belize. 

“Second star on the right and straight on ‘til morning”: 

The Dying Buffalo is currently booking shows in the Denver area, and working on finishing recording multiple songs to be released 2025/2026.

The Dying Buffalo’s sound is an amalgamation of Marcus’ life in music, spanning folk, punk, outlaw country, indie rock, soul, classical jazz, blues, grunge/alt. rock and more. The Dying Buffalo’s Americana-Esque genre-bending sound seems to be perfectly timed for a music scene where attachment to a commercial genre is no longer the determining factor for success. 

The origin of “The Dying Buffalo” moniker: 

During Marcus and his wife Crystal's first summer together, they spent two weeks camping and climbing their way across WY, when Marcus made his first visit to Yellowstone National Park.  One day, while driving across the park's west side, they came to an abrupt halt by way of road construction. While sitting in his parked pickup, a bison came from the woods with an undeniably severely broken leg.  All alone, with no other “buffalo” in sight, the bison limped forward slowly but never stopping. In an environment where buffalo protect themselves from wolves and grizzly bears by traveling and grazing in packs, this lone buffalo was vulnerable and likely destined to meet a short and tragic end.  However, he pressed on, following the path of trampled grass made by his brothers and sisters, no longer in sight.  Thus, the path was his own. 

Marcus studied this stoic and majestic creature. He imagined the buffalo trudging onward, knowing that was all he could do. Just keep moving forward, never look back, and hope. Marcus mused with Crystal about this perfect metaphor for life, The Dying Buffalo.  When all is lost and broken, all we can do is keep moving and hope.  We keep moving headlong until our consciousness in this time and space is no more, and in the end, alone, we all pass on to the unknown.  At that moment, he told Crystal, "the next time I start a band, I am gonna call it The Dying Buffalo.”