Mary James, the youngest of 6 children, learned to read music before she could read words and was an official singer/songwriter before she’d started her first day of kindergarten. With the help of her mom, she wrote her theme song “Mean Mary from Alabam’.” The press immediately baptized her with this handle, and she’s been Mean Mary ever since. It was clear that Mary had the appetite and talent for music and writing.

Mary was now playing guitar, banjo and fiddle. She recorded her first album at age six, and spent five hours a day on instrumental and vocal practice along with her live performances. At the end of the second grade, she went into home study and also started appearing daily on the Country Boy Eddie Show, a regional TV program out of Birmingham, Alabama. During this time, she also appeared regularly in Nashville, Tennessee at the Nashville Palace, on the Nashville Network, the Elvis Presley Museum, and on Printer’s Alley.

A horrendous car accident almost ended Mary’s singing career..her right vocal cord was paralyzed. Music was her life. She was not and did not give up! The hard road to recovery began.

Today she produces music, produces videos (her YouTube videos have received over 15 million visits), tours extensively across the US and overseas, is co-writing a novel trilogy about the music world, and is an endorsing artist for Deering Banjos. The Deerings have named her their Goodtime Ambassador. Mary plays 11 instruments and has recorded 16 albums, her newest being Cold. There is not room here to tell the whole life story of Mean Mary, but if you would like to hear more of it, come listen as she once again brings her talent to our ACMA stage!!

Opening the show is ACMA member, JD Lashley, If singer songwriter/ troubadour Todd Snider had dropped his kid brother on his head, he’d have probably wound up a lot like JD Lashley. JD works hard and writes harder, trying to pluck jokes and rhymes out of the grind. His style is heavily influenced by Americana and Roots music, and he’s not afraid to sneak in a little Hip Hop… Something for everyone.

Door donations:
Members – $12
General Public – $18

Tickets are available at the door.