Mean Mary Explained

Mean Mary
Image Upright:yes
Birth Name:Mary James
Birth Date:22 March 1980
Birth Place:Geneva, Alabama
Genre:Country, folk, Americana
Instrument:Banjo, guitar, fiddle, mandolin
Years Active:1986–present

Mary James (born March 22, 1980), known by the stage name Mean Mary, is an American singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, novelist, producer and YouTube personality. She has been described as having “the unique ability to mix together a variety of musical styles, which can appeal to a wide audience”[1] and her childhood has been described as “a nomadic life that could have been plucked from an adventure novel.”[2]

Biography

Mean Mary was born on March 22, 1980, in Geneva, Alabama, though her family lived near Bonifay, Florida, about two miles from Alabama.[3] She was the youngest of six children. She could read music before she could read words and wrote original songs at age five. After recording her first original tune (and theme song), "Mean Mary from Alabam'", at age six, the song went public and it was then she was given the name Mean Mary by the press.[4]

From 1986 – 1989 she was a regular on the Country Boy Eddie Show on WBRC-TV in Birmingham, Alabama.

On February 14, 2003, she was the passenger in a car accident. Her head broke the windshield and her neck cracked the dashboard leaving her right vocal cord paralyzed with little hope of recovery. She performed as just an instrumentalist for the next year until in 2004 she was informed by a specialist that there was slight movement in the vocal cord with a possibility of full recovery.

Career

Mean Mary tours extensively in the US and has performed in Canada, UK, Ireland, and Europe. Venues and events have included The NAMM Show[5] Alberta Rose Theatre[6] The Triple Door[7] The Trumbull County Antique Tractor Show[8] The Atkinson[9] and Folk Alliance International.[10] In 2018, Mean Mary appeared on The Red Jacket Jamboree, an old-time radio variety show recorded at the historic Calumet Theatre and distributed by PRX.[11]

She has guested on many BBC radio shows including The John Toal Show BBC Radio Ulster where she performed live her original song "Born to Be That Woman."[12] The show was later replayed as highlight of the year.[13]

She was the on the May 2016 cover of Banjo Newsletter.[1]

Discography

Mean Mary has published four solo studio albums with genres including Country, folk and Americana. Additionally she cooperated with other artists like her brother Frank on another two albums.[14]

Solo albums

Studio albums with other artists

Singles

Bibliography

As a writer, Mary James has published a number of mystery novels together with her mother Jean, as well as a devotional and a music book for banjo and guitar.

Fiction

Others

Awards

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Banjo Newsletter. Banjo Newsletter. 2018-01-29.
  2. News: Life is pretty sweet for Mean Mary. Krewen. Nick. 2016-02-12. The Toronto Star. 2018-01-29. 0319-0781.
  3. Web site: Mean Mary - Bio. meanmary.com.
  4. Web site: Tillsonburg News. meanmary.com. 2018-01-29.
  5. News: Mean Mary. NAMM.org. 2018-01-29.
  6. Web site: Willy Porter and Mean Mary at Alberta Rose Theatre in Portland, OR on Fri., March 11, 8 p.m. 2016 - Portland Music Events Calendar - Portland Mercury. Portland Mercury. 2018-01-29.
  7. Web site: Tickets Jane Siberry w/ Mean Mary. The Triple Door. 2018-01-29.
  8. Web site: vindy.com Mean Mary grows a following with Trumbull tractor show song. www.vindy.com. 2018-01-29.
  9. News: Mean Mary - The Atkinson. The Atkinson. 2018-01-29.
  10. News: Folk Alliance puts down roots in KC, with plans to expand annual folk festival. kansascity. 2018-01-29.
  11. Web site: RED JACKET JAMBOREE.
  12. Web site: Mean Mary performs 'Born to be that Woman' - Singer Mean Mary & Gino Lupari - The John Toal Show 16/04/16, The John Toal Show - BBC Radio Ulster. BBC. 2018-01-29.
  13. Web site: Highlights from the past year so far....., The John Toal Show - BBC Radio Ulster. BBC. 2018-01-29.
  14. News: The 15th Independent Music Awards Nominees - Independent Music Awards. Independent Music Awards. 2018-01-29.
  15. Web site: Mean Mary plays a mean banjo . March 9, 2016 . . September 20, 2018.
  16. Web site: Mean Mary "Blazing: Hell is Naked Soundtrack" (Woodrock Records 2018) . Dave . Jennings . Americana UK . June 25, 2018 . September 20, 2018.
  17. Web site: Album Review of Cold by Mean Mary. August 23, 2019 . . November 18, 2020.
  18. Web site: Mean Mary – Alone: Album Review . September 24, 2020 . . November 18, 2020.
  19. News: Winner and finisher of the 2017 Will McLean Best New Florida Song Contest Named. 2017-01-28. Donna Green-Townsend. 2018-01-29.
  20. Web site: 2013 Book Award Contest Winners. Readers' Favorite. 2018-01-29.

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