She plays a mean banjo but she's actually really nice

February 2, 2019 8:00 PM

"Mean Mary" James is a dazzling multi-instrumentalist, singer, and songwriter based in Nashville, TN. Mean Mary writes and performs ballads like Iron Horse with fast banjo and haunting vocals. Sea Red, Sea Blue is a bittersweet song with a beautiful video featuring Mean Mary on underwater violin. She has a lighter side too, dancing in sugar to Sweet, a sweet and catchy little love song. There's plenty more to delight you on her website - enjoy!
posted by Quietgal (6 comments total)

Thanks for this.

This is a pretty great St. James Infirmary on fiddle she does. Bonus cat in the video, too!
posted by mandolin conspiracy at 9:22 PM on February 2, 2019 [2 favorites]

This is great. Thanks for posting it, Quietgal.
posted by MrBadExample at 10:02 PM on February 2, 2019

Thank you for this! This is exactly the kind of stuff I've been listening to lately and it's nice to have a new artist for the playlist :)
posted by sunset in snow country at 11:15 AM on February 3, 2019

That's mighty fine pickin' and a-singin'. Off to see if she's coming up Boston way any time soon.

And do read her bio (on her home page, first link in the FPP).
posted by Sheydem-tants at 11:43 AM on February 3, 2019

I took my kid to see Mean Mary at an anti-capitalist bookstore in Asheville one Sunday afternoon a few years back. She shreds!
posted by Bob Regular at 3:40 PM on February 3, 2019 [1 favorite]

This video of Europe Tour Vlog - Mean Mary with Frank James with her and her brother Frank back in November is awesome.
posted by dgeiser13 at 9:37 AM on February 4, 2019