Today we’d like to introduce you to Mary Martin.
Hi Mary, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today?
From an early age, music was my highest passion! I was enrolled in piano lessons as a child and always enjoyed writing my own songs and using music as a form of expression. When I was a teenager, I picked up the guitar and immediately fell in love.
At 24 (2017), I began playing at any local open mic night I could find – anywhere I could perform my original songs, as well as hone my performing skills, was of extreme value to me. Around this time, I released some of my original home recordings on SoundCloud and began to see my original work resonating with an audience. Things shifted about a year into playing open mic gigs for fun to booking more professional gigs with local bars and restaurants.
In 2020, I realized how prominent and important music truly was to my life. With the absence of live music, I wrote, recorded, and honed my engineering skills – some of this work would later turn into my first EP, No Man’s Land (2021), and the beginnings of releases that are yet to come.
Within the last year, I made a lot of changes for myself to prioritize and streamline my music. I quit my full-time job to focus on my music career (scary, right?), recorded at the amazing Real2Reel studios, performed and toured in other states across the Southeast, and overall strengthened my passion and love for music.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Being a self-made independent musician is extremely rewarding, but the journey is full of peaks and valleys. In the social media age, I highly value the opportunity to be my own manager, booking agent, and content creator – you name it. I take a grass-roots approach to growth and engagement with my music, and this does make things challenging.
Social media provides a platform to share a highlight reel of all accomplishments while the struggles exist behind the curtain. The music industry can be a pay-to-play arena, but instead, I rely heavily on self-promotion, word of mouth from my audience, and the influence of connections I make and maintain for myself. While this is a slower growth process than shelling out money for promotion and placement, the authenticity and genuine support of my audience is invaluable.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
I am a solo performing and recording musician based out of Newnan, GA. I specialize in a blend of genres between alternative rock, blues, and I often lean into a country or R&B influence to create my unique sound.
One thing that sets me apart is my passion for guitar. I love getting creative with every aspect of my music, which is why I usually opt for my Fender Stratocaster over the standard acoustic guitar. I love playing an unexpected song in a different style and surprising my audience by covering two totally different genres next to each other without breaking a cohesive sound.
I take pride in my ability to always stay true to myself and my style, whether that be in my writing, performing, presence, or otherwise. Being a full-time musician is such a huge blessing, and getting there by being genuinely “me” is something I will always be thankful for and proud of.
What are your plans for the future?
My new single, ‘Whiskey’d Out’, is the beginning of a new era and direction for my music. I have finally leaned into my local roots and am embracing a more Southern sound. I am working on three more songs with Real2Reel studios to be released in the near future, and each song reflects a different side of the sultry, bluesy, Southern-rock feel I have been enjoying creating lately.
I am planning to take my performance to larger stages, venues, and new cities next year. Preparing and making plans for that is so exciting! I look forward to breaking out of my shell even more with full-band shows and stepping into the role of front-woman as opposed to being an exclusively solo musician.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.marymartinmusic.com
- Instagram: http://www.instagram.com/colormemary
- Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/marymartinmusic.ga
- Youtube: https://youtube.com/channel/UCpZIBSWZmVVEjCe8bCHHNOA
- SoundCloud: https://on.soundcloud.com/UEFpb4NYcNK6ahnh9
- Other: https://open.spotify.com/artist/0j9cqKirxnWBBFV9ACsGp9?si=80Aiw4JBQP6Ps6v2PfTnJA
Image Credits
Hannah Doris Ashley Anderson Kristie Williams Kasandra Garrison
