Mean Mary Bio

Mary began singing and playing the guitar when she was four years old, and could read music before she could read words. At five years of age she did her first TV show in Alabama, and then went on the road entertaining audiences across the US with her vocal and instrumental skills. She wrote her first song called Mean Mary From Alabam' with her Mom (authoress, Jean James). The song earned her the nickname Mean Mary - which stuck to her like glue. She learned to play the violin at age six, the banjo at seven, and now also plays the keyboard, saxophone, mandolin, bass, castanets, and percussion.

Life has been one long tour for her, and her unique sound has taken her from concert stage to film to TV. She has performed more than 500 live TV show, over 3,900 road shows—including the Ryman auditorium, the Delta Queen, and 3 years at the world famous Nashville Palace. Her performances have encompassed national festivals and fairs, musical theatre, conventions, rodeos, dance parties and everything in between. Today you may find her working on a movie in Hollywood, or dance on Catalina Island, or a concert somewhere in Sunny Florida, or in the popular little night spot in your home town. She’s also a prolific songwriter, playwright, novelist, and the spirited host of Nashville’s new TV show “Mean Mary’s Café Americana” (TV19) where she brings music and pertinent “Americana” topics to an enthusiastic TV audience

“Having spent 30 years in the radio and music business, I haven’t heard a stronger and more unique sound in years. … truly a crowd pleaser … personality and energy light up the room, and the crowd goes crazy.”

“Mary James tickled the notes from her violin like fingertips on a cat. She stroked and it purred. Her brother Frank strummed an orchestra from his 12-string guitar.”