The banjo is a glorious instrument that can do a lot of ill in the wrong hands. It’s not easy to proudly, confidently pluck out some hot licks and really hard to play it with the proper force, delicacy and restraint. It takes a fair helping of craft, smarts and good taste to channel what has made the banjo worth listening to since before the turn of the 20th century. But it takes more than lightning-fast fingers and skill – both musical and in terms of songwriting – that’s needed, but an intelligence and intentionality required to write really strong songs that are a combination of bluegrass, folk and blues with probably another style or three thrown into the stew. And Mean Mary’s albums are not filled with warmed-over dross, dull songs propped up by flamboyant playing.
That said, Mean Mary James began life as a musical prodigy. She could read music before she could read words and co-wrote songs at the tender age of five. By age seven, she was proficient on the guitar, banjo, and violin. Janet Deering of Deering banjos has described her playing as “giving her chills.” Her story-songs are thoughtful and lyrically rich, not latching onto tired topics well past their sell date, but sifting through a broad range of the right inspirations, and the results are well worth reckoning with.
Across its ten songs, Portrait of a Woman Creature, Part 2 (Woodrock Records, 2024) remains patient, unhurried, and melodic, with judicious use of flash and speed only when it fits the song and the flow of the album. You can hear the tightness and resolve with which she approaches her music. This album gives off the high energy and warmth of The Devil Makes 3 at their most direct, or like Molly Tuttle, moved by an urgent desire to rock without shameless aping other artists. Nice stuff.
It’s commendable that Mean Mary has skipped the discourse and made a record that sounds not just like today or 1962 but potentially timeless, although this hasn’t been her first rodeo in the one genre that really counts – the good music one. There is more of that on the way soon, judging by a preview of her new single, When I’m Wearing Red, where she relies on her guitar chops for a teasing blues on slow burn. “Don’t call me honey that sexy way that you do, And don’t call me sweet thing, when I’m feeling sexy too, Don’t call me on the phone, when you know I’m in bed, And don’t come around, ever – when I’m wearing red.” Why she is not wearing a red dress in the cover photo is a mystery.
“This is a song I’ve been waiting years to release,” she enthused. “I loved the chance to pull out the electric guitar and embrace my blues side. Some people know me mostly as a banjo player, especially from social media, which sometimes shows only a small slice of the music I make due to algorithms and how things get shared. But this isn’t me moving away from my roots — it’s actually a return to them. I wrote and played this song long before Iron Horse and some of the more bluegrass-leaning material. It’s just another facet of what I’ve always loved doing. Plus, I’ve always wanted to release a sexy song for Valentine’s Day. Let’s just say this is my feisty, spicy year!”
She is also working on a new album, one that will likely satisfy some hardcore banjo fans. “A lot of the songs lean into a darker bluegrass feel, which interestingly seems to connect with fans from a completely different world — heavy metal. I’ve had metal fans tell me they relate to my music because of the riffs and drive, and I love that. It’s always been about energy and emotion, no matter the style. So apparently, I’m working on a dark, gothic, heavy-metal, bluegrass, blues, americana, western country-rock album.”
Whatever Mean Mary will be stirring into the stew pot, rest assured, the ingredients will be bursting with wit and panache. Full disclosure, I was spurred into listening to her music after reading her bio, which is a clever and not your run-of-the-mill profile. She had me at the horse-person section: “Mary had always wanted a horse, and being a wise teenager, she slyly told her parents that the only reason she had worked so hard on music was so she could one day afford one! When her brother Frank, who was equally drawn by equestrian interests, seconded her resolve, Mom and Dad gave in.” Mary’s mom started selling her baked fudge at live shows, and the revenue was used to buy an Arabian for Frank and a Thoroughbred-mix for Mary, which she named Apache. To find out about the thrills and spills of making “horseback music” and other tales from a vagabond childhood to recording artist, you should click the link to her website. Before you do that, however, check out the ten questions we asked one Mean Mary James.
1. Who would you most like to cover one of your songs? Whose song would you like to cover?
To be honest, anyone. If they’re a big star, that’s even better for me. I think there’s nothing more honoring to an artist or songwriter than having someone else want to play your music. I’m always flattered when I receive emails from people asking permission to perform my songs or telling me they played one at a show, in front of friends, or at church.
I’ve performed a lot of cover songs over the years, and there are quite a few more I’d love to play. I’m sure I’ll cover them in the future. We’ll just have to wait and see which ones show up!
2. If you could collaborate with someone, any person, living or dead, who would it be, and why?
Ludwig van Beethoven. I’m a huge fan. He’d be brilliant to work with, but probably a bit of a jerk too. I’d love to see his process and see if I’m right about him. I’m hugely stubborn when it comes to creative work and prepared to die on the sword when I really think something should be a certain way, so I imagine it would be an interesting spar. He’d probably be right, but I’m pretty good at getting my way!
3. What was the last song you wrote, and how did it come about?
The last song I wrote is basically right now, and it still might not be finished. It’s called Ghosts and Fire. I started it while I was on the road, staying at an Airbnb that was basically just an old trailer. I had a day with no shows, took out my guitar, and the song just began. When I’m on the road and free from daily thoughts, songs tend to just happen. Like most songs I write, I saw the images in my head along with the lyrics.
4. Favourite gig played and watched?
When the audience shows up, and I have good sound — that’s my favorite gig. I think that’s every artist’s favorite. We’ve all played tough shows at some point. Maybe no one knew who you were in that town, and you ended up playing for a handful of people. Or you booked a bar where everyone just came to talk. Or you had a nice crowd, but the sound was terrible, and the monitors made everything feel like you were playing through a tin can. But when people show up to see you, it’s a full house, and the music sounds warm and full on stage — that’s always a great gig.
I didn’t grow up going to concerts, buying tickets, and attending shows. I saw other artists at festivals or events where I was performing, but that’s not quite the same thing. Years ago, though, I bought tickets to see Buddy Guy in Nashville. That was probably my first concert, just sitting and watching, so it felt pretty special.
5. Favourite winter activity?
Staying indoors with a blanket over me.
6. What advice didn’t you follow and sometimes wonder about?
I was often told, growing up in Nashville, that I didn’t fit into a category and that if I wanted a contract, I was going to have to make myself commercially viable. I needed certain songs and to do them in a certain way that was popular at the time. The idea was, once you’re successful, then you can do what you really want, but first you have to play the game. That was something I just couldn’t do.
I often wonder how things would be different. I wouldn’t change anything, but I’m curious whether I’d be able to do things the way I want now if I had started off doing what I was told. I know I do what I want now — just with a lot less money, I’m sure.
7. Top 3 most beloved albums?
When I was about nine, I had a bootleg cassette of Bonnie Tyler’s greatest hits. One of my brothers sent it from overseas when he was in the Navy. I loved it and played it a thousand times.
Alanis Morissette’s Jagged Little Pill came out when I was an impressionable teenager, and I played that album over and over. I loved how unique it felt and the way she sang.
I also loved movie soundtracks growing up, and one of my favorites was the Immortal Beloved soundtrack. The film is about Ludwig van Beethoven, portrayed by Gary Oldman, who has always been one of my favorite actors. When I listened to that album, I could see the movie in my mind, and I thought they did a marvelous job pairing scenes with his music.
8. Something funny from childhood?
When I was about four, I ran around with a toy gun tucked into my waistband like a tiny outlaw. The problem was, I didn’t have a belt, so my pants kept sliding down while I charged around. There are plenty of pictures of me mid-adventure, pants at my knees. (Editor’s note: sadly, we could not locate one of these pictures, and no, we are not pervs. Just thought it would be cute, funny, embarrassing.)
9. Most important thing to know about you right now?
I love what I do and put everything into my work, but I don’t take myself that seriously. I’ve never been a fan of artists who can’t laugh at themselves. Everyone has deep feelings and thoughts, just because you put yours into words or melodies doesn’t mean they’re more important than anyone else’s. I’m just grateful there are people who care about what I create, so I’m always going to give it everything I have.
10. How did Mary James become Mean Mary?
The name came from the first original song I wrote when I was about 4½ years old, called Mean Mary From Alabam. It was my first original song, and people started requesting it. I was touring at a very young age, so the local press picked up on it and started calling me “Mean Mary.” It stuck.
11. Is Portrait of a Woman complete with volume 2?
Yes, but some of that theme is being carried forward into my next projects. Those albums were a bit of a self-portrait, and the album I’m currently working on is definitely autobiographical, maybe even more so than the Portrait albums, just with a little more of my wild side showing.
12. A song people misunderstood?
I can’t say I’ve really had major misinterpretations of my songs. But when I was a kid, I had a thick Southern accent, and I remember someone thinking I was saying a word in a song that I definitely was not saying. I’m sure they were a little embarrassed to approach me and my mom about it, only to find out it was something completely different.
