duck names, new songs, and the beach

Okay, it’s been awhile since I’ve written anything in my blog so forgive me if I ramble just a tad. 

Yesterday I was inspired to work on a new banjo instrumental in the kitchen while I paced back and forth from the oven to the dishwasher. This morning I found myself sitting cross-legged in our little hallway with no lights on singing an unfinished love song . . . Would you marry me before you’ve kissed me, Would you wait for me before I’ve even gone, Would you celebrate all the things I should have won,  And start a brand new day with me . . . before the old day is done . . . Later today I’ll probably be jumping on the roof with a tambourine making strange yodeling calls to the neighborhood squirrels. I’m inspired to just play music right now so it’s hard to settle down to the hard work of writing a song. I’ve got all these little pieces of songs and tunes in my head and I love the possibilities. Right now, I’m enjoying playing them over and over and imagining how wonderful they all could be. Tomorrow I’ll make it happen . . . or maybe the day after.

I had a great time in Tampa and I’m excited to go back in early February. I was busy making music most of the time but I did get to enjoy  the Gulf a little. The water was gorgeous and Clearwater Beach was beautiful. And here I am in Nashville - no beach, cloudy skies, 40 degrees and I can’t finish one song. This is not what I signed-on for Maybe if I finish one of those songs they’ll be a big hit and I can enjoy more time at the beach . . . ah, that’s incentive now to get busy writing.

Before I totally get lost in a new train of thought let me take a few minutes to thank some of the people in Tampa that booked me and invited on their radio programs:

Shelley Eckert – Gloria Holloway - John Kelly of The Hideaway Cafe – Cameron Dilly,  The Florida Folk Show, (and everyone at WMNF) –  Erik & Doris Anderson of Sacred Lands – Lee Wolfson of Vinyl Fever – Carl & Beth Ann vom Eigen – and my loyal, wonderful listeners and watchers that supported me! THANK YOU EVERYONE!

Y’all know I had a wonderful time making the Big Red Barn music video – I can’t say I’ve had that much fun shooting any kind of video EVER! Most of the fun came from three little baby ducks.  Well, the baby ducks aren’t so little now, but they are still adorable! And I’m still having fun! My mom, the overachiever, made them a home, complete with their own swimming pool. 

They enjoy it so much. They’ve finally ventured out into the yard where Mom has a small outside swimming pool for them as well. They quack like crazy! It appears they are all girls – we still don’t have names for them but they come running when Mom yells ”Come here, Babies” – with high-hopes she has a treat for them. No, they’re not spoiled. Anyway, some people gave me some very good suggestions for names – here are just a few:

Winkin, Blinkin and Nod

Larry, Curly, & Moe

Chico, Harpo, & Groucho

Faith, Hope, & Charity

Quacky, Smacky, & Wacky

Huey, Dewy, & Louie

Since they’re all girls I’m thinking Dolly, Loretta, and Emmylou – this is Nashville after all

Well, that’s all I got. Thank you so much for reading this far. I’ll keep you posted with all the details of my upcoming shows and projects

New Album – Coming Soon

RETURN TO OFFICIAL MEAN MARY WEBSITE (HOME)

Wow! Didn’t think it’d happen there for awhile but it’s finally done! I’m finally done, I should say – there are still some people hard at work with the project, like the disc manafacturers for one, and of course the employees of UPS need to get their opportunity to throw some boxes of my cds around for a bit!

The official release date is June 1 – however, those who took advantage of the presale will be receiving their copy weeks before. There will also be a couple of opportunities to purchase the cd before June 1 at my shows. My cd release party on May 21st at Greener Groundz in Bowling Green, KY, and the Florida Folk Festival in White Springs, Fl.

I’m super excited about this new album and I’m chomping at the bit to start the arduous task of pitching  to radio (among other tasks)! I hope to bring everyone along for the ride every step of the way. Every success is all of ours to share and every disappointment, well . . . just know that I’ll be whining to all of you about it

New Album – First Update

RETURN TO OFFICIAL MEAN MARY WEBSITE (HOME)

The recording is going awesome! I still have a few songs that are in the works (as far as arrangements and even lyrics) but I really wanted to offer some BRAND NEW stuff on this cd. There will definitely be some songs on this album NO ONE has heard yet and a few I’ve been playing at my live shows for the last year or so. The sound I’m going for is really raw and natural without being too antiquated and so far everything is falling into place!

Here is a tentative list of the songs that will go on the new album. Things might change a little but this is the group I’m betting on:

• Ballad of the Wildwood
• Joy  (banjo instrumental)
• Where Were You
• Rose Tattoo
• Big Red Barn
• The Rebel Soldier
• Choctawhatchee Waltz
• Fugitive  (fiddle instrumental)
• Shepherd’s Hill
• Walk a Little Ways With Me (duet)
• Rough Road Ahead
• Sparrow Alone on the Housetop

Thank you to everyone who is buying in advance – you’re really making this possible!

Wrapping Up 2009

RETURN TO  OFFICIAL MEAN MARY WEBSITE (HOME)

Had a great time in BG, KY! My TV appearance on WBKO went awesome for two reasons: #1 - Laura, Jim, and everyone at the studio rocked, #2 – the interview was mercifully short and I didn’t do “a Mary”, as my loved ones would put it, and say something totally dorky like usual (at least I hope I didn’t).  Below are the videos of my performance and interview.

http://www.wbko.com/video/?autoStart=true&topVideoCatNo=default&clipId=4378473&flvUri=&partnerclipid=

http://www.wbko.com/video/?autoStart=true&topVideoCatNo=default&clipId=4378468&flvUri=&partnerclipid=

It was such a lovely night at Greener Groundz. This place is on the top of my reccomendation list. Great atmosphere, great natural food, and some of the sweetest people on the planet. It’s great to play a place that’s small and intimate and you can make your money just off of cds and tips instead of cover charge or ticket sales. It takes the commercialism out of playing music as a career and turns it into everyone just giving gifts to each other. I play a song and they show me what it’s worth to them by taking home my music or stuffing some bills into a jar - if only it was always so simple! Anyway, Molly and Bonita treated me like gold so I will definitely find my way back to their cafe soon and I highly suggest that anyone in the area or passing through the area check it out!    http://www.greenergroundz.com/ 

I’ve wrapped up my shows for 2009 - now I gotta survive the holidays! (I’ll be in the studio working hard after that, then back with a busier tour schedule with the release of my new cd in late spring.)   Have a great Christmas everyone!

Sing Your Song

RETURN TO  OFFICIAL MEAN MARY WEBSITE (HOME)

 

Well I had a blast making this video – there was so much to do. The video didn’t include half of the scenes we shot – I think we could have made a full length feature with all the footage! I’d love to tell everybody I was the diva in this video but I have to say the star of the production was my baby Apache – a Tennessee Walker/Thoroughbred mix. He spent most of the shoot munching on marshmallows (he requested the pink ones) and relaxing in his trailer while catching up on the script. I, however, was busy doing the grunt work and spent most of the time shoveling the aftermath of his marshmallow binging. When the time came for Apache to do his part though he came in like a real professional and never missed a cue. Thank you, Apache.

My brother Frank also starred in the video and did in the shoot what most brothers do best—ruining their sister’s life. My mom Jean did the majority of the camera work and co-wrote the script with me, she also did what most Moms do best—making sure everything runs smooth. So thank you, Mom, and you too Frank (I guess).

I also want to take this time to thank everyone who worked on this song with me. My Mom (again) who co-wrote the song with me, Allen Marshall on drums, Gary Jaworski on bass, Jennifer Brown on back-up vocals, and Frank (I guess you again too) who did guitar and back-up vocals.  Jim Brown who mixed the whole mess! And VisionSound for the final mastering. And last but not least I would like to thank my pink paisley Stratocaster – I know I neglect you sometimes while playing around with all those other instruments like banjo and fiddle but you are my guy and someday soon we will spend quality time together. In the meantime, I’m a player and a players gotta play – so my upcoming album (which I now hope to release in Spring 2010) I will be back playing the field with all my acoustic beaus.

Take care everyone and have a happy holiday season! Hope you enjoy the video!

New Website

I’m so excited! 2009 has brought so many new things for me and there is so much more to come. The new website is launching this weekend and though there’ll still be some updates throughout the rest of the month this is the start of me staying ahead of the game! or something like that! I promise to keep this website and all my other sites updated frequently – and “no” I”m not crossing my fingers behind my back this time. Just so you know what’s gonna happen in the next few months (drum roll please):

New single (Yeah!)

New full length album – hoping to be ready for release by mid-November (Finally! Double Yeah!)

New episodes on my Nashville TV show “Cafe Americana” (Which means more youtube fun! Yeah again!)

New tour in the works and show dates being added regularly (Would that be a quadruple Yeah!????)

I better stop here because I really don’t know what comes after qaudruple and my peppy vocabulary seems to be stuck . So thanks for reading and give yourself a big YEAH!!! from me – because you deserve it! And I know you agree.