@@richgl31 pop-up notifications with clickbait titles like this are SO annoying - made me just unsubscribe. a shame really; I kinda thought Mary was above all that.
DeArrow extension. Google it and thank me later lol. It's crowd sourced, so this one got me too, but now I can make sure it doesn't get anyone else (or at least anyone who has the extension).
Pat Metheny comes to mind. Though not a vocalist, his entire career has been an exploration of the world of jazz with something new every time. No one has been decorated with more awards. He’s fearless and his virtuosity and curiosity to try new collaborations are apparently endless.
I remeber when I was 18 and at my first folk club gig in Auckland, hearing a song that a guy introduced as his new song, just finished writing it. I loved it and told him so afterwards. I asked where I could get the lyrics. "Hang on" he said and took the sound guy s pad, sat down and wrote it out for me. I still play it. Generosity! Wayne Gillepie, NZ songwriter of the year 1986. Inspiration, as in deed are you.
Oh Mary! Such a melodramatic opening! Follow your heart as you forage into your musical future and don't be afraid to try new ideas. Experimenting can lead to a whole new awakening of thought and emotion. Before you know it, your next album will be done. Keep creating!
Currently I’m inspired by Samantha Fish, Dum Dum Girls, Stray Cats, Sade, Swing Out Sister, Paco de Lucia, Bach, Weather Report, Return to Forever Bowie and you.
@@oceanbeliever681 she knows many folks in her audience struggle with being relevant and build an audience/monetize using social platforms (most won't make it, most likely). So the "I'm done, I'm gonna quit" seems like a good bait. I dislike such strategy, as it seems a bit like mocking the audience.
Go the kick ass rock route! We need more of that. Put together a rough and tumble hard rock band with a powerhouse rhythm section and a heavy Hammond B3 based keyboard player. It’s a bonus if everyone can sing too.
Hi Mary, I am not a musician but I love music. I tried to play the guitar for nearly 20 years and eventually gave it up completely. It was a really good decision and gave me much more time for riding my bike--which I hope you still do. Anyway, here's my 3 inspirational songwriters. One has been at if for a decade and is still writing in obscurity but with complete commitment. The next created a remarkable first album and faded into obscurity. The final is an icon who seems to always write the songs that he wants to write. Haley Reardon, David and David (a duo), and Sting. These 3 are the range of artists that I love. They make music because they love to surprise themselves with what they create.
Frankly, you need one that is easy to play, then either a good method or a good teacher and start with the super-easy stuff: forget about being Steve Vai : it'd take many years of daily hard work and even if you reach this, you'll still have to practise 10 hours a day to maintain this level. With daily practise of 1h30-2h, it's feasible to play most of Gilmou's solos within 2 years... Frankly, start with basic blues, 3 chords songs...
I love it when you use the term "album", it brings back the memory of my hours at Tower Records looking through the bins back in the '80s... You're so cute!
Just do it & remember you are not your brand or your image, you are who you are and who you always will be. That's to be celebrated. Always express yourself, never someone else's idea of who they think you ought to be.
Great video Mary. I've always loved Gordon Lightfoot's music. He wrote about love, failed relationships, the environment, natures beauty and disasters. An amazing writer and performer that wrote about almost everything with tremendous passion. He was also very humble.
Mary, the transitional artist that first comes to mind is Darius Rucker. From Hootie and the Blowfish, to singing all the various songs and styles he does now. But as Billy Joel sings, "I love you just the way you are." Please come to Tulsa, OK sometime!
I can think of a few things I would recommend. One is to play around with a cover album of songs that have influenced you. I think of an album like Siouxsie and the Banshees, Through the Looking Glass. As an artist who has a base of followers it would be a fun way for us to hear how you would interpret songs that for you have special meaning. I would also say if you look at a band like Everything But the Girl, they went through many changes in sound. But connecting them all was very strong songwriting. That carried the day no matter what sound they were experimenting with at the time. At the heart of whatever they did though was a pop sense that also worked for them. So ask yourself, what is your sensibility? Also it is important to know what kind of an artist you want to be. My wife is an education professor and one thing they discuss with teachers is visioning. What is your vision for your classroom? You can do the same for your musical career. What is your vision? Maybe you want to be the lead guitarist in a band and contribute to the songwriting, while also doing solo work on the side.
I got one for you. Anna Lapwood. She was, last I checked, organist-in-residence at Royal Albert Hall... she's also a choral director when she's not pulling out all the stops... and she lives to bring the joy of the organ to people who may not expect it. One night she was practicing after a Bonobo concert, and the band heard her... and asked her to sit in on closing night. 12 hours later, they'd written her a part... and then this happened: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-AdyAF9M3XVw.html The joy on her face as the crowd reacts to hearing not just synths but the BIG ORGAN... yeah. (What I would give just to be a fly on the wall for one of those after-hours practice sessions.... )
OK....here you go. I am going to strip this down to two musicians. One, Jimmy Buffett gave birth to a genre and allowed us to accompany him on his journey through blue waters, warm sand and smiles. This one is totally out of the blue. The voice that soared is that of Judith Durham. It was pure and powerful and lovely. Her story is one of discovery, ascension and tragedy. There are others...but these two popped into my head very quickly. And, of course, I love your music, your infectious smile, and your tenacity. You define musical career courage. Keep it up. Benton
Jimmy Buffett was a one man Grateful Dead. And that's a compliment, by the way. Not in genre, but in music, followers and staying true and keeping it his thing.
If you have to think about it and make a clinical decision then by definition you are not being naturally creative and that will come out in the music.
I really admire the late Nanci Griffith. Her cover of Jimmy Webb's "If These Old Walls Could Speak" and her own song "Love at the Five and Dime" (especially the live version done at the Anderson Fair in 1988) are among my favorites. They both sound a little melancholy to my ear - she was a troubled soul, apparently always looking for something she couldn't quite find. (Maybe Eddie from the latter song?) But wow, did she make beautiful music!
Jay Shetty wrote, “You can’t be anything you want, But you can be everything thing you are.” AND you are a talented, intelligent, thoughtful, and passionate artist. Be Everything you are!
Jay, I totally love what you wrote to Mary, "You can't be anything you want, But you can be everything you are." How profound! Don't know if that's original, but I imagine it probably is. I Love your stuff on Spotify! - Stuck
Cheeky, but convincing intro. As a German, I can testify that your go at "Gesamtkunstwerk" was not perfekt, but pretty close. One musician who inspired me is Dion di Mucci, usually just referred to as Dion. Had his first hits with the DooWhap group Dion and the Belmonds and as a solo artist in the very early 60s as a teen, later overcame alcoholism and during the pandemic still published a new album at the age of 82. If people like Joe Bonamasso drop by to contribute a solo to your album, your standing among your fellow musicians can't be too bad.
the phrase shoot for the moon if you miss youll end up in the stars is hilarious, the closest star is the sun. So if you shoot for the moon and miss youll just die in space
Greg Spawton - founder and principal songwriter of the band Big Big Train and a huge inspiration to me. An abject lesson in commitment, belief and drive to get your music heard, through many trials and tribulations. Talk about songs that tell a story? - Greg is a master of those. A seriously big hitter in songwriting terms, it is a real shame that his chosen genre of progressive rock isn't perceived as 'cool' these days, so many people missing out on such great music. Keep going Mary - I would love to catch one of your gigs
I guess I never thought much about who inspired me, but thinking back I would have to say it's Dan Fogelberg. The guy was an incredible vocalist, guitarist, pianist, arranger, and of course songwriter. He's without parallel. He was a Midwesterner like myself, from Peoria, Illinois. I enjoyed and studied all of his albums, and I can say that I have unintentionally emulated the soft rock vibe in my own writing and producing. Without even trying, he became a part of what I do. May he rest in peace.
I am in South Africa and I'd like to see your concert, but I'm much too far away to afford the plane tickets etc.. I hope that after the tour is done, we might see video of the tour. I wish you the best , Mary, for the next album. May you find the words and melodies and feelings. Some of my favorite musicians of my past: I only recently found, and really respect, the songwriting of the late Daniel Johnston, an 'outsider musician', who was actually a very skilled and honest songwriter, and rather talented bedroom music producer :-) who will always be a very special person to his fans. Some might call Daniel the Sixth Beatle, (after Jeff Lynne , the Fifth Beatle.) An album that REALLY impressed me as a young teen in the 1970's, and ever since, was "Serenade", by Neil Diamond. Really worth a listen for it's fine arrangements and perceptive lyrics. As a South African, I will always consider the songs of the late Sixto Rodrigues, on his albums 'Cold Fact, and 'After the Fact" to be part of my upbringing, and his lyrics are definitely worth hearing, and the movie about him, 'Searching for Sugarman', is a must see. I am also a 1000% level fan of Hako Yamasaki, of Japan, whose every album, from folk roots, to sophisticated popular arrangements, was always top notch songwriting and production, and every album is a new discovery. I have no idea what she is saying (in Japanese) , but she is amazing, and just listening to her songs is an education in songwriting. Best wishes for the tour!!.
There's never really been any artist that I aspired to be like, until 2013 when the Winery Dogs came out. Their guitarist/vocalist Richie Kotzen is possibly the greatest musician I've ever seen. As many others have commented, "no singer can play guitar like him, and no guitarist can sing like him". I hope you can give him a listen, even just his solo stuff. Btw I'm a big of yours, all the way from the Philippines. Keep rocking!
The Carpenters recorded a song called "Where Do I Go From Here". The universe is speaking to you. I believe that song would be a great cover song for you. Well done on your album! I love the artwork as well!
Sigrid inspired me, and was a wonderful muse for so many of my songs. One of the most beautiful artist but she never pushed that side of it herself, the music came first. And the amount of work she put in, an album recorded in the pop production format then re recorded entirely acoustically, art style videos for every song. She was not fucking around, and I like that as I don't either, but she's next level. Great admiration really. ❤️
Jazz blues is the place you ought to be 🎸😎 Load up the guitar's and move to beverly ,🌞 hills that is 🙂🌅🗽 Swimming pools , movie stars✨✨ and Norman's Rare guitar 🎸😎🤘 California Dreaming 🌞🌱🌈💛 ☮️kevin Many guitar heroes 🎸 Terry Kath, Sister Rosetta Tharpe, Hughie Thomasson &Billy Jones ,Stevie Ray Vaughan , Buddy Guy ,Roy Clark, Jim Stafford ,Les Paul, Ronnie Montrose ,Chet Atkins, Peter Frampton , James Martin Gurley 🤘🎸🤘🎸🤘🎸🤘 ☮️kevin
Would love more of your guitar in the mix--maybe stronger and rougher vibe? Would love some of your Rory Gallagher influence to come through. And rock on!
To paraphrase John Mellencamp, 'Forget about all that inspirational shit, go out and play guitar!" I am a big fan of Larkin Poe, and if you can get a chance I'd love to hear you do something with them. I would also love to see you play with Molly Tuttle and her band. What next? Start a band! Duh. Did you hear how much fun Chris Buck is having?
'Shoot for the moon, and even if you miss, you'll find yourself amongst the stars.' Well, you can also shoot for the moon, adjust often for error and hit your target! Also, 'Do more of what makes you happy.' Even better, Let more of what you do make you happy. Perspective is everything, isn't it? Oh, and my personal favorite... "It's what it's!" 😏 One more, 'Oh', From my father... "Son. Try to learn from my mistakes. You can't possibly live through them all yourself." I think he got that from his father who may have got it from his father who got it from his... etc. They all obviously took the advice... I'm here! 😁
I won't lie, a title like "what do i do now?" Kinda felt very personal, and felt like it took a meaningful angle. My guess is there are a lot of unfulfilled musicians in your audience, and being one of them, I was at first expecting a meaningful video. Perhaps to be cheered up. To be honest right now, I needed to relate a little. But you're just cheekily talking about yourself again. Please genuinely stop the clickbait, there's no substance to be gained from it.
You are an amazing documentarian along with being an incredible artist. Next thing? Whatever it is, I hope you don't stop what you are doing now. I'm a big fan.
Peter Green, Atlanta Rhythm Section, Snowy White, Robben Ford, John Scofield, and Larry Carlton. Mary my list is probably very different than most but I think they are very important just the same. I picked them because I am trying to learn guitar and they are masters of the guitar. I was always told if you want to learn something go to the masters of it and study them. I wish to learn Southern and British Blues so they are my teachers but I think all can learn a great deal from them. I hope you enjoy them.
Mary, I recommend that you watch this video-(lol), it's inspired me! My wife and I are finishing the last two songs on our record, and I am at the point of rethinking what fulfillment means to me on the next one. Your video helps me focus on that. Thanks.
Hey Guy, your comment to Mary really inspires me. When you say "I am at the point of rethinking what fulfillment means to me..." It stopped me in my thoughts! I think we all need that periodically, actually the more often the better! Mary Spender does that to me as well!
Keep sailing captain Spender - you have enough compasses to avoid goin' wrong. Let them stay in synch, but remember : Storms & reefs no one can hold down. Ship-o-hoy
Haven't seen this much hate for "clickbait" in about 10 years. It's simply the norm now and transparent. This was obviously done in a tongue-in-cheek way as well, lighten up people
Lenny Kravitz has been inspiring for me lately...especially the interview in his house in Paris...talking about his process of writing songs...his time on Now we Feast, hot ones, eating vegan chicken wings with chilli sauce
Lianne La Havas is one of the UK's most underrated artists. I've enjoyed her music for years but rarely meet anyone who's heard her name. The two artists I'm listening to the most right now are Síomha (from Ireland) and Black Pumas (from the US). Highly recommended!
I assume that you are striving to balance a strategic choice with a more organic decision- something true to you. I have been a music geek for many decades and, more recently, a music photographer and periodic writer. But I am not a musician myself. I don't see that you need to make a change on your second album, but of course, that is your choice. Growth is not the same thing as change. You are in a privileged position in that you do not have to answer to the dictates of a record company. I am inspired by many artists these days. I love Allison Russell for her music and incredible life story. Valerie June is a great singer-songwriter who has charted her own direction and continues to evolve. Adrianne Lenker is a superb songwriter, and I am very moved by her music. On the jazz front, Muriel Grossman is a brilliant musician/composer and band leader. She has amassed an exceptional body of work that is both forward-leaning and steeped in the tradition. It also has a fantastic groove. I will end by saying that I immensely enjoy your videos.
The intro didn't fake me out, but did make me wish you'd become an actress somewhere on that long and winding road. You put in a very good effort, better than the drama queens raking in the millions. Godspeed on album 2. Beth Orton's 'Weather Alive' is a song I listen to when time allows.
It really is a very difficult German word "Gesamtkunstwerk". And you have spoken it good enough so every German could easily understand it. This word is typical in German, we like to combine several words as a short explanation in one artificial word. It says: all aspects of art and creativity in one event or artform. If you have ever seen the early Genesis-conserts in the 70s or a Peter Gabriel-concert, than you got an experience of what we call in German "Gesamtkunstwerk".
This may sound a little strange as an answer to your question, since I am not a musician. I am truly inspired by you, Mary. Take a look at all that you do. Write, play, perform manage your tour. That is plenty and I am impressed by that. What you do that really inspires me, is create videos like this that make me step back and think about things I normally don't think about. I can think of 3 books right away that I have readjust based on your speaking about them in a video. All 3 have had an impact on my life. They say that you can't teach an old dog new tricks. At 66, you have taught me a lot (I'm still working on the guitar thing) just by your introspection of things around you. Thank you.
One musician who's been inspiring me over the last year or two, and in particular for their storytelling, even if some of the stories are dark and even where some of them I don't like or have issues with or whatever, but just the raw storytelling of it all, is Ren. I got my first taste with "Hi Ren", and would likely recommend that as a first thing to check out for anyone unfamiliar, though... there's so much more, and I don't even know how to say what to check out, as I'd tend to tailor recommendations to knowing someone. Anyway, lots there.
Are you familiar with Dan Fogelberg? His first album pretty folky & country rock style. He progressed into a jazz flavored instrumental album. Then into a very successful pop rock style. Check out a sampling of his music.
For the last couple years I have been somewhat obsessed with two Nashville guitarists; Tom Bukovac and Guthrie Trapp. Their recent instrumental album “In Stereo” is an amazing production from two guys that get to play with and be around some of the top names in the U.S. music business. Also, it’s hilarious to me that a couple of, folks were upset in this day and age with your clickbait.
Lorrie and I love Brandy Carlisle, and have seen her in concert three times. She is an inspiration to use as well in many ways and she is just cool. I know you'll get your ideas down into another album when it's ready to come out of you for the rest of us to hear.
I'm playing guitar in one of the first regional productions of Waitress right now (Denver-area Arvada Center for the Performing Arts). It's a terrific show. I would love to see you get involved in theater. In fact, the cello player in our production - Neyla Pekarek, formerly of the Lumineers - developed her own somewhat experimental show for a "new theater" event in Denver. There ARE opportunities in the theater world for upcoming artists like yourself. With your internet exposure, presence and following, you would no doubt find receptive collaborators. Be warned, it's a lot of work with no guarantees...but you understand those risk/reward tradeoffs, so it's an avenue worth pursuing if you're interested.
I think you should slip in a sort of anthology of songs before your next fully fledged solo album. I first heard you singing ‘Dreams’ on the Rick Beato channel and I really enjoyed it. I then heard you sing ‘Sultans of Swing’ (with another) and also really enjoyed it. So the anthology would be a collaborative effort with various artists. An example list of songs might be: 1. Sultans of Swing - Dire Straits 2. Dreams - Fleetwod MAc 3. I drink wine - Adele 4. Love and Affection/The Weakness in Me - Joan Armatrading 5. Fast Car - Tracey Chapman 6. Kiss Me - Sixpence none the Richer 7. Midnight Train to Georgie (slow version) 8. One Day I’ll Fly Away - Randy Crawford 9. Yesterday - Beatles 10. Following - The Bangles 11. The Queen and the Soldier/Cracking - Suzanne Vega 12. Verdi Cries - 10,000 Maniacs 13. Alone - Heart 14. Strange Magic - ELO 15. Over My Shoulder - Mike and the Mechanics 16. The Air That I breathe - The Hollies Note: Not sure how you get on for copyright etc
Josh Homme has always seemed fearless to me in his willingness to experiment, and be vulnerable with emotions he expresses through his art. Definite a point of inspiration as an artist to me!
First, thank you for continuing to create your music; especially given the stress, effort and fear of failure. I'm generally fed up with record companies and their supposed experts of what sells. I can't stand the main-stream garbage that artists, including ones I like, have pumped out over the past 20+ years. It's the same beat, hook and melody pieces thrown in a blender and given different lyrics. This landscape caused me to slowly disconnect with music as a whole. I got to a point where I got angry about not having newer artists to listen to so I made it a bit of a mission to find them. The research and discovery journey is fun and interesting. My ear didn't immediately connect with your sound but there was something about it I found interesting. I continued checking it out and found that each time I listen to your album I like it even more; so much so I just picked up a copy. As a side note, even artists that I'm used to have released albums that didn't hit me at first but grew on me and I ended up loving them. For your next album, have you ever considered doing a bit of a duet with yourself or having yourself on backing vocals? Apologies if you've already done this.
I saw Lianne La Havas in 2013 in Melbourne Australia. Was a great show. One of the most memorable shows i've seen, small venue, intimate show. I was in the UK for three months til Jan this year. Wish I was there still as I would love to go to one of your shows, probably The Cavern, Liverpool...😁
Youre already pretty amazing. Im amazed at your achievements on Yt, still managing a new record and touring. A single, super talented, beauty of a lady. Im a fan. 🤩 You are certainly capable of these achievements, Mary.
To continue, I think that the most brilliant constant reinvention has to be that of wonderful NY guitarist Gary Lucas. I’ve seen him perform nearly 20 times since 2002 and have had many discussions with him. Starting as Captain Beefheart’s last lead guitarist, he moved on to make his first solo albums and then met a young man called Jeff Buckley with whom he composed several songs, including Grace and Mojo Pin (see the album Songs to No One 1991-1992). In recent years, apart from collaborating with musicians from John Cale to John Zorn (check out his Wikipedia page), he has started composing music to accompany silent films (‘Dracula’, ‘The Golem). And I introduced him to my Friend Jean-philippe Rykiel and they played together several times.
You're always over thinking it. Your oozing of desperation and constant obsession of making it big is something people can smell on you miles away. Hit the road, do your thing and let the muse find you, not the other way 'round.
Funny how many people lack a sense of humor, right? Being a professional artist myself, a fine art painter, listening to another artist remind me that a sense of humor is important for overcoming that normal part of our lives that we all experience - much more rejection and insecurity than acceptance. I love your attitude, Mary. It’s clear from the comments that you have some followers who don’t have a clue what being an artist means personally. My pallette has four basic colors, red, blue, yellow, and coping.
Dar Williams is an artist I hope is already in your music collection. I would love to see some sort of collaboration between you and her. Her song "When I was a Boy" still makes this cranky, 59 year old man tear up.
Thank you for opening my ears to Brandi Carlile and the others. I let myself get in the rut of listening to my favorites from the 70s because there is so much mediocre music on the waves today. I just started listening to Brandi and fully understand how you model yourself, or let yourself be influenced, by her style. Good luck for album #2.
Inspired by songwriters: John Lennon , George Harrison, Paul McCartney, Carol King, Paul Simon, Gordon Lightfoot, Dan Fogelberg , Jimmy Webb, Travis Meadows, Adele, Dolly Parton, Merle Haggard, Willy Nelson, James Taylor, John Denver, Peter Gabriel, Sting, Michael Jackson, Prince, Billy Joel. There are more influences but these are some of the songwriters whose poetry in lyric stand equal to their timeless melodies.
We'd all love to teach you how to say "Gesamtkunstwerk" if you come over to play a show here in Germany some day in the future 😀 (but to be fair: It was already so good, I got it immediately without looking to the screen in that moment)
Strangely... Ritchie Blackmore - a consumate rocker - at the top of his game for many, many years... and then he completely reinvents himself with mediaeval folk-rock. That takes genius and a hell of a lot of skill.
Kelly Melissa Sweet, better known as HALIENE. She lost both of her parents to different forms of cancer before she was even 21, and yet she not only pressed on, but is now one of the most popular woman singers and songwriters in the EDM sphere.
