Mean Mary
Background information
Birth nameMary James
Born (1980-03-22) March 22, 1980
Geneva, Alabama
GenresCountry, folk, Americana
Instrument(s)Banjo, guitar, fiddle, mandolin
Years active1986–present
Websitemeanmary.com

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[5] 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[6] Alberta Rose Theatre[7] The Triple Door[8] The Trumbull County Antique Tractor Show[9] The Atkinson[10] and Folk Alliance International.[11] 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.[12]

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."[13] The show was later replayed as highlight of the year.[14]

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.[15][16]

Solo albums

  • Walk a Little Ways With Me (2010, CD Baby, WoodRock)
  • Year of the Sparrow (2013, CD Baby)[17]
  • Sweet (2016, self-released)[1]
  • Blazing (2018, self-released/Woodrock Records); soundtrack to the 2018 novel Hell Is Naked[18]
  • Cold (2019, self-released/Woodrock Records)[19]
  • Alone (2020, self-released/Woodrock Records)[20]

Studio albums with other artists

  • Thank You Very Much (2006, CD Baby, WoodRock): Mean Mary and Jamestown
  • Down Home (2017, Woodrock), Mean Mary and Frank James

Singles

  • "Ding Dong Day" (2008, WoodRock)

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

  • James, Mary; James, Jean (2011). Sparrow Alone on the Housetop. 4rv Publishing. ISBN 978-0-982-659489.
  • — — (2013). Wherefore Art Thou, Jane?. WoodRock House. ISBN 978-0-984-860524.
  • — — (2014). Sea Red, Sea Blue. Harbourlight Books. ISBN 978-1-611-163278.
  • — — (2016). Methinks I See Thee, Jane. BookBaby. ISBN 978-0-984-860555.
  • — — (2018). Hell Is Naked. WoodRock House. ISBN 978-0-984-860562.

Others

  • James, Mary; James, Frank (2012). The Sparrow and The Hawk – 8 New Songs For The 5-String Banjo. WoodRock House. ISBN 978-0-984-860500. Tablature book and DVD.
  • James, Jean; James, Mary; James, Frank (2013). God Knew There Would Be a Today. WoodRock House. ISBN 978-0-984-860517. Christian devotional literature.

Awards

  • Will Mclean Best New Florida Song Contest 2017 - 1st place winner: "Choctawhatchee Waltz" by Mean Mary (Mary James). 2nd Place: "We Never Hear the Song" by Mean Mary (Mary James) & Jean James.[21]
  • 15th Annual Independent Music Award song nominations: "Brand New Day" (Love Song category), "Trumbull County Antique Tractor Show (Bluegrass category), "Born to Be That Woman" (Americana category).[16]
  • 13th Annual Independent Music Awards Vox Populi winner (Americana Song): "Iron Horse"
  • 2013 Readers Favorite International Book Awards - Gold Medal Winner Mystery Novel: "Wherefore Art Thou, Jane?" by Mary James (Mean Mary) and Jean James.[22]

References

  1. 1 2 3 "Banjo Newsletter". Banjo Newsletter. Retrieved 2018-01-29.
  2. ↑ Krewen, Nick (2016-02-12). "Life is pretty sweet for Mean Mary". The Toronto Star. ISSN 0319-0781. Retrieved 2018-01-29.
  3. ↑ "Mean Mary - Bio". meanmary.com.
  4. ↑ "Tillsonburg News". meanmary.com. Retrieved 2018-01-29.
  5. ↑ Mean Mary when she was a child (age 6) singing Long Tall Texan, 2008-09-12, retrieved 2018-01-29
  6. ↑ "Mean Mary". NAMM.org. Retrieved 2018-01-29.
  7. ↑ "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. Retrieved 2018-01-29.
  8. ↑ "Tickets | Jane Siberry w/ Mean Mary". The Triple Door. Retrieved 2018-01-29.
  9. ↑ "vindy.com | Mean Mary grows a following with Trumbull tractor show song". www.vindy.com. Retrieved 2018-01-29.
  10. ↑ "Mean Mary - The Atkinson". The Atkinson. Retrieved 2018-01-29.
  11. ↑ "Folk Alliance puts down roots in KC, with plans to expand annual folk festival". kansascity. Retrieved 2018-01-29.
  12. ↑ "RED JACKET JAMBOREE".
  13. ↑ "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. Retrieved 2018-01-29.
  14. ↑ "Highlights from the past year so far....., The John Toal Show - BBC Radio Ulster". BBC. Retrieved 2018-01-29.
  15. ↑ Mean Mary at AllMusic. Retrieved September 20, 2018.
  16. 1 2 "The 15th Independent Music Awards Nominees - Independent Music Awards". Independent Music Awards. Retrieved 2018-01-29.
  17. ↑ "Mean Mary plays a mean banjo". Mail Tribune. March 9, 2016. Retrieved September 20, 2018.
  18. ↑ Jennings, Dave (June 25, 2018). "Mean Mary "Blazing: Hell is Naked Soundtrack" (Woodrock Records 2018)". Americana UK. Retrieved September 20, 2018.
  19. ↑ "Album Review of Cold by Mean Mary". Roots Music Report. August 23, 2019. Retrieved November 18, 2020.
  20. ↑ "Mean Mary – Alone: Album Review". At The Barrier. September 24, 2020. Retrieved November 18, 2020.
  21. ↑ "Winner and finisher of the 2017 Will McLean Best New Florida Song Contest Named". Donna Green-Townsend. 2017-01-28. Retrieved 2018-01-29.
  22. ↑ "2013 Book Award Contest Winners". Readers' Favorite. Retrieved 2018-01-29.
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