Being the youngest of six children, and being named Mean Mary, didn’t hold back Mary James in the slightest – one would say quite the reverse. Picking up the guitar at the age of 4, making local TV appearances by the age of 6 and nailing that tricky first album at the same age is some proof of early musical success. Then, with five to seven hours a day of instrument practice she soon progressed to the fiddle and also to a mastery of God’s Chosen Instrument – the Banjo.
Roll the clock forward a little and Mean Mary is now an accomplished recording artist with multiple albums to her credit, including her most recent which has been written as a score to her mother’s latest novel (the review is here). She tours and records in a range of roots styles – folk, bluegrass, folk-rock all shine through on her albums – with her brother Frank. She’s hitting Europe for a pretty long tour this month and all through September and into early October. The tour kicks off with UK dates, then off to the continent, and back again to these shores. Travelling to just about everywhere there’s no excuse (except for the usual ones) not to catch her live.
Tour Dates
AUGUST
Wed 15 Castlebar, Co. Mayo Bridge St.
Thu 16 Dublin The Cobblestone
Fri 17 Castlerock, N. Ireland Crusoes Coffee Shop
Sat 18 Armagh, N. Ireland The Marketplace Theatre
Sun 19 Belfast Crescent Arts Centre
Tue 21 Southport House Concert, Grateful Fred Concert Series
Wed 22 Baldock, Herts. The Orange Tree
Fri 24 Atherstone, Warks. The OSCA Centre
Sat 25 Isleworth The Woodlands Pavilion
Sun 26 Upper Poppleton, nr. York The Red Lion
Mon 27 Beverley St. Mary’s Parish Hall
Wed 29 Heusden, NL Bistro Burchtplein, Roots in Heusden
Fri 31 Steendam, NL The Podium Café
SEPTEMBER
Sun 2 Cologne Kulturcafe Lichtung
Wed 5 Geldrop, NL Roots in ‘t Groen /Heerenhuys23
Thu 6 Gemert, NL Tuney Thursday / De Bunker
Fri 7 Olgod, DK Strellev Forsamlingshus Sat 8 Fanø, DK Cafe Nana’s Stue
Sun 9 Esbjerg, DK Danhostel Esbjerg
Mon 10 Frederikssund , DK Parkteatret
Wed 12 Steinbergkirche, DE Café Kommodig im Landhaus Schütt
Fri 14 Vsetín, CZ Hospoda U Splavu
Sat 15 Metylovice, CZ Bluegrass Theatre
Sun 16 Frýdlant nad Ostravicí, CZ ZUŠ
Wed 19 Sömmerda, DE Piano
Fri 21 Golbey, France Complex L’artiste
Sat 22 Epinal, France Master Class
Sun 23 Horsham Normandy Hall
Tue 25 Caersws, Powys Mid Wales Arts Centre
Thu 27 London Green Note
Fri 28 Saltaire The Live Room, Caroline Social Club
Sat 29 Buxton The Green Man Gallery
Sun 30 Sparrowpit, Derbyshire The Wanted Inn
OCTOBER
Tue 2 Ardersier, Scottish Highlands Pace Heritage Cafe
Wed 3 Corran, Scottish Highlands The Ceilidh House & Heritage Centre
Fri 5 Stockton, nr. Southam, Warks. The Nelson Club
Sat 6 Scarborough Woodend Gallery
Sun 7 Leek, Staffs. Foxlowe Arts Centre, Leek Blues & Americana Festival
Sun 7 Poynton, Cheshire Bluefunk Rhythm & Blues Club
Ah the Byrds, what a supremly talented amd creative musical force. They opened my mind and heart , to the concept of americana music long before the expression was applied.
I got oto the ‘Magic Swirling Ship’ back in ’65 and have been aboard ever since.
Now waiting for Roger and Chris to honour that wonderful history with one last creative collaboration.