Mean Mary (born Mary James), is a Florida-native musician and author renowned for her lightning-fast fingers and raw, haunting vocals. A multi-instrumentalist virtuoso with roots in Americana, folk, and bluegrass, Mean Mary's music deftly blends traditional sounds with a modern twist. Her stage name belies the intricate sweetness and complexity of her music and novelistic storytelling, which is anything but mean.

Mary began her music career at the tender age of five, touring with her family band. She perfected her skills on the banjo, fiddle, and guitar, with a rich vocal range that imparts a unique blend of tenderness and ferocity to her songs. In recent years, Mary's discography has expanded with a string of memorable releases, such as the whimsical "I'd Rather Be Merry" and the introspective "Portrait of a Woman, Pt. 1." Her album "Wild Dreams" showcases her prolific songwriting and the depth of her sonic imagination, leading listeners through a landscape of lush melodies and compelling narratives. With each new release, from "Cold" to "Year of the Sparrow," Mean Mary continues to solidify her place as a distinctive voice in the landscape of contemporary folk music.

Genres

Singer-songwriter

Folk

Indie Folk

Contemporary Folk

Country

Bluegrass

Traditional Folk

Related Artists

Sarah Jarosz

Brandi Carlile

The Avett Brothers

Margo Price

Gillian Welch

Rhiannon Giddens

Aoife O'Donovan

The Milk Carton Kids

Courtney Marie Andrews

Phoebe Bridgers

The Lumineers

Kacey Musgraves

Latest Release

Woman Creature (Portrait of a Woman, Pt. 2)

Mean Mary

Album - 10 Tracks - Released October 4, 2024