Mary McAdams

April 30th, 2013

I’m about to type the words that I’ve dreamed of typing for over 10 years.

“I am a Kerrville New Folk Finalist.”  

What does it mean to me to be a Kerrville New Folk Finalist?  I am not even sure I can convey that to you.  Let me just say that it has been my deepest dream and highest goal.  And now I’m going to need a new dream.

I will be one of 32 Grassy Hill New Folk Songwriting Finalists chosen from over 700 songwriters from 48 states, Japan, New Zealand, Australia and the UK.  We will each perform our two songs on May 25 and 26 during the 42^nd annual 18-day Kerrville Folk Festival in Texas.  

The Kerrville Folk Festival is known as a Mecca for singer-songwriters.  It is a legendary songwriter’s festival.  I am going to meet my tribe.  I am going to my Mecca.  

I will be joining the New Folk Class of 2013 and we will be added to some pretty elite names.  Former New Folk finalists include Lucinda Williams, Lyle Lovett, Nanci Griffith, David Wilcox, John Gorka, Jimmy LaFave, Tish Hinojosa, Tom Prasada-Rao, Jonathan Byrd, Tom Russell, Ray Bonneville, Steve Earle, Hal Ketchum, Robert Earl Keen..

Am I worried about winning?  No.  I have already won, because my dream was to be a finalist.  

I have received emails, phone calls and Facebook messages from friends, fans and past finalists.  Everyone has been so kind and is so happy for me.  I hear the love in their voices.  They tell me to just soak it in.  Don’t be scared, don’t be worried.  They tell me that when I walk out on that stage with my two tiny songs, that I will be overwhelmed by the love.  From people who don’t even know me yet.  That it’s that tangible. They will announce me, and everyone will hoot and holler like they’re my best friends.  It will be packed, because everyone shows up and knows what a big honor it is.  And, “they are right there with you, every word.”  And that is why I have already won.  Because….”they are right there with you, every word”.  

I am going to Mecca.  I am going Home.  

Aaaaaand, I’m in the studio recording an album.  Which I am over the moon about…but more about that next month.  One mountain at a time.  We’re having a blast and I’m super proud of it!  I wrote a grant to the Iowa Arts Council to help fund the project.  So much good news.

With a heart that is overflowing, 

Mary

January 31st, 2013

That guy

You know that guy
The guy who you see in your rear view mirror
In your side mirror
When you look to see if you can change lanes

And you see that yes, you have enough room
and enough time
to change lanes
And you put on your directional
And he pulls up fast
so you can’t get in
Then he hangs there for a while
next to you
And then he finally passes you

I’m going to pray for that guy today
and send him love

And when we come to the stop light just up ahead
and I pull up next to him
I’m going look straight ahead
because I don’t have a pretty profile

And I’m going to let him look at me

I am going to let him win
Because I think he needs it today

Mary McAdams © 2013

November 30th, 2012

Hello everyone and Happy Holidays!

I am heading into the studio to record 6 new songs and release them as an EP.  I’ve always fought against this new trend to release anything less than a full-length album.  I guess I’m old school.  Even so, I think these six songs are ready to be released and it should be sooner rather than later.

After 20 years, I’m still learning things about songwriting.  Like how a song changes over time.  When you play a new song over and over, in different settings, the song sort of tells you what’s wrong with it.  Maybe the tempo was too fast and I only realized it when I finally played it at a “quiet” gig and heard it open up and heard the lyric finally breathe.  Maybe I accidentally played a song in the wrong key (whiskey anyone?) and suddenly heard something in my voice that was never there before, and I liked it.  There seems to be a pocket that a road-tested song finds on its own.  I can listen to a song I recorded two years ago and say, “That’s not how we play it anymore…and it’s so much better now”.

These six new songs were all written around the same time; born together like a litter of puppies, they relate to each other and belong together.  I will figure out how I’m going to pay for this EP later.  Jump and the net will appear.

The older I get, the less tightly I cling to once firmly-held beliefs.  “I will never, ever release an EP”, becomes “I’m releasing an EP”, even, “I SHOULD release an EP”.  There is a freedom in letting go of tightly-held philosophies.  Things that I once thought defined who I was, but don’t work anymore, can be ditched.  I don’t see that as a weakness, I see that as a strength.  It makes me laugh at life, like I’m outgrowing myself.  Or maybe growing into myself.  It’s good to be open to such things.

I’m about to record an EP.  Ha!  Never thought I’d say that!  Stay tuned.

Holiday Music-

If you like holiday music, you can check out my two holiday covers on iTunes.  I’d love it!  I’ll include Jolly Old St. Nicholas here for free.  I added my own verse about peace on earth at the end.  Download Jolly.

May this holiday season bring Peace to your heart, Peace to your mind and Peace to our Earth.

~Mary

November 30th, 2012

Download Jolly Old St. Nicholas by clicking Jolly Old St. Nicholas.

Or, if you prefer, right click on it and choose “Download Linked File As…” (for Mac) or “Save Target As…” (for PC users), and download it to your Desktop.  Then you can drag it into iTunes.

If you have any trouble, shoot me an email and I’ll send you the MP3.  mary@marymcadams.com

~Mary