Mark Daniel Sanders (born September 7, 1950) is an American country music songwriter.

While majoring in literature, Sanders also enjoyed surfing at the University of California, San Diego, where he wrote his first songs.

He and his first wife returned to California in 1975, where he taught for three years in the Orange Unified School District.

There were more menial jobs awaiting Sanders in Nashville: cooking at the Sailmaker and Ruby Tuesday's, substitute teaching, two years in charge of In School Suspension at Hillsboro High School and driving a tour bus.

Sanders' first songwriting credits included tracks on Garth Brooks' 1990 album No Fences.

On November 7, 2011, Mark D Sanders released "History & Hope", an album that features him singing 10 of his songs spanning his career, including "I Hope You Dance," and in 2017 he released a second CD entitled "First Fast Car."

Sanders collaborated with Tia Sillers on the Lee Ann Womack song "I Hope You Dance".