The band went back to work at Big Mo Studio in Kensington, MD—working again with the production talents of Steuart Smith. The result was the album “Pain & Paradise,” a smooth sounding yet powerful showcase for their blues/rock band skills that ranks among their best studio recordings. During these sessions The Nighthawks crossed paths at the studio with D.C. area guitar legend Danny Gatton. They had played with him on double bills many times over the years, and Gatton—the super lead player that he was—ironically sat in on rhythm guitar with The Nighthawks a few times. There was the hope that they might record together, but that turned out to be a missed opportunity with Gatton’s tragic suicide. In tribute, The Nighthawks did not include any rockabilly song on the album and dedicated the album to Danny.

With another album under their belt, the band continued to do 150-200 shows a year, touring across the U.S. and going back to Japan multiple times and returning to Europe multiple times as well.

In 1996, Mark’s side project Switchblade held a reunion show at the Wheaton, MD club Tornado Alley. The lineup for this show included Ratso (Jim Silman) and Steuart Smith on guitars, Johnny Castle on bass and Pete Ragusa on drums. It was a rockin’ good time, and a number of songs from this show can be heard on Mark’s solo release “Runs Good, Needs Paint.”

Throughout the late 1990s the band continued their very active touring schedule, as always covering the U.S. from coast to coast and returning to Europe and Japan.

In 1999, The Nighthawks were back in the studio to record their next album—“Still Wild.” This album was recorded at Cue Studios in Falls Church, VA with engineer Chris Murphy, who was very much in sync with what The Nighthawks were trying to do. And it was produced by Mark, along with James Solberg. The result was a slightly harder edged and once again energetic set that showcases the band in fine form. Released on the German label Ruf, it’s further testimony to the band’s enduring ability to crank out top flight blues/rock that works in the studio and comes alive on stage.

To celebrate the 30th anniversary of the band, The Nighthawks staged a series of four reunion shows to close out 2001. The venues included the Double Door in Charlotte, NC, the Cat’s Cradle in Chapel Hill, NC, and the Ram’s Head Inn in Annapolis, MD. And the last show was on New Year’s Eve at the State Theater in Falls Church, VA.

All of these shows brought back Danny Morris along with his current band, Jimmy Thackery and his band, and the current line-up of The Nighthawks. For the New Year’s show they were also joined by keyboard playing alumni Gregg Wetzel and Peter Bonta.

Also in commemoration of their 30th anniversary, in 2002 the band released “Live Tonight!,” a high energy compilation of live recordings from a number of shows at D.C. area venues in Maryland and Virginia. This album displays The Nighthawks accomplished on stage musical talents and is testimony to their continued vitality and relevance as one of the best live blues/rock bands going.

Continuing to maintain his other musical outlets, Mark also released another solo album with the Bel Airs—called “Mama Tried.”

In recent years, the band has also gotten some TV exposure, appearing first on the show “Homicide” on NBC and then on the HBO program “The Wire.”

The entire band past and present deserve a huge amount of credit both for energizing and maintaining a dedicated fan base for great blues/rock music, and for enlivening the D.C. music scene throughout their career.

The current band still plays 175-200 shows a year, sharing their energetic live performances with fans old and new. They are still going strong, as anyone who goes out to see them play live will see for themselves.

In September 2003, they kicked off the day long celebration of the Year of the Blues at Washington’s Kennedy Center. With their special guest, longtime Howlin’ Wolf guitarist Hubert Sumlin, they played an energetic set that Mike Joyce of The Washington Post described as a “suitably raucous performance.” For mid-day on a Sunday, there was a large and enthusiastic audience that was multi-ethnic and multi-age in make-up—
running the gamut from blues enthusiasts to families with kids to a few little old ladies with walkers. It was a great show and testimony to The Nighthawks great music and wide-ranging appeal.