- Mary Ramsey
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Mary Ramsey
Mary Ramsey with her viola in 2005.Background information Birth name Mary Jeanne Ramsey Born December 24, 1963
Washington, D.C.Origin Buffalo, NY, United States Genres Folk
Folk rockOccupations Musician, Singer-songwriter Instruments Vocals, violin, viola Years active 1989–present Labels Rykodisc
Geffen Records
Bar/None RecordsAssociated acts John & Mary
10,000 ManiacsWebsite maryramsey.net Mary Ramsey (born 24 December 1963 in Washington, D.C.), currently a resident of Buffalo, NY is a member of folk duo John & Mary and lead singer for alternative rock band 10,000 Maniacs.
Contents
Biography
Ramsey is a classically trained violinist who has been playing the violin since age 5. She has worked with the Erie Philharmonic and was a founder of the Lexington String Trio. She has also performed with the Fresno Philharmonic, the Santa Cruz Symphony and the Monterey Symphony in California and is currently a member of the Western New York Chamber Orchestra.
With John Lombardo, former member of 10,000 Maniacs, Ramsey formed the folk-rock duo John & Mary in 1989. The pair made two recordings under the name John & Mary, Victory Gardens in 1991 and The Weedkiller's Daughter in 1993. Both albums were released on Rykodisc and are out of print. Mary Ramsey played violin and viola for 10,000 Maniacs and sang backing vocals on the 1993 album MTV Unplugged.
Ramsey returned to the Maniacs as lead singer and songwriter in 1995 after Natalie Merchant's departure, along with Lombardo. The duo released two albums with the Maniacs, 1997's Love Among the Ruins, which contained a cover of the Brian Ferry song More Than This that became a top 40 hit on the U.S. charts, and The Earth Pressed Flat in 1999. While with 10,000 Maniacs, Ramsey toured throughout the U.S. and in Brazil, Puerto Rico, Panama, England, Portugal, Germany, Holland and Austria. The band also played USO shows in Kuwait and Bahrain. One of the highlights of her career was a performance at the inaugural ball for Bill Clinton's second term as president. In 2002, after leaving the Maniacs following the death of guitarist Rob Buck, John & Mary released The Pinwheel Galaxy (2003). With their current band, the Valkyries, they released Peace Bridge (2007).
Ramsey was rehired by 10,000 Maniacs as a viola player and backing vocalist for the 2006 shows with Oskar Saville and returned to the lead vocalist spot after the departure of Saville in 2007. She continued as lead vocalist through 2011 during which she performed on a 30-city 30th anniversary tour as well as a new EP Triangles which was released in 2011.[1]
Other projects
Recently, Ramsey has been performing with a group of friends under the name Mary Ramsey and the Healers (formerly Mary Ramsey and Friends).[2] In yet another recent project, she is joined by fellow Buffalonians Theresa Quinn, Susan Rozler, and Alison Pipitone in a group called Girls Gone Mild.[3] Ramsey has also worked as a performer and music director for the Irish Classical Theater in Buffalo, New York. She teaches private lessons in violin, viola, voice and piano.
Discography
With John & Mary
- Victory Gardens (1991)
- The Weedkiller's Daughter (1993)
- The Pinwheel Galaxy (2002)
With 10,000 Maniacs
- Love Among the Ruins (1997)
- The Earth Pressed Flat (1999)
- Triangles (EP) (2011)
With John & Mary & the Valkyries
- Peace Bridge (2007)
Solo
- Whipperwill (2007) – single
Other credits
- Don't Try This at Home (1991) – with Billy Bragg (violin, viola)
- Our Time in Eden (1992) – with 10,000 Maniacs (violin, viola)
- Imperfectly (1992) – with Ani Difranco (viola)
- Candy Everybody Wants (EP) (1992) - with 10,000 Maniacs (violin, viola)
- MTV Unplugged (1993) – with 10,000 Maniacs (viola, background vocals)
- Puddle Dive (1993) – with Ani Difranco (violin)
- Superstar Car Wash (1993) – with Goo Goo Dolls
- Between Us (1998) – with Jules Shear (vocals, viola, fiddle)
- Coming of Age (2002) – with Jude Johnstone (viola)
- Songs for the Uninvited (2002) – with Zoomer (electric violin, viola)
- Heads or Tales (2003) - with Jamie Notarthomas (violin)
- Campfire Songs: The Popular, Obscure and Unknown Recordings (2004) - with 10,000 Maniacs (background vocals, violin, viola)
- On a Good Day (2005) – with Jude Johnstone (viola)
- Take My Life (2005) - with Scott Underwood (viola)
- Live Twenty-Five (2006) – with 10,000 Maniacs (electric violin)
- Billy Bragg, Vol. 2 (2006) - with Billy Bragg (violin)
- Innocent Bystanders (2007) – with Innocent Bystanders (strings)
- Extended Versions (2009) – with 10,000 Maniacs (lead vocals, viola)
- Machines of Love and War (2009) - with The Dreaming (violin, viola)
- Quiet Girl (2011) – with Jude Johnstone (viola)
Trivia
- "Yes, Mary Ramsey" is a palindrome, a word or phrase that can be read the same way in either direction.
References
External links
- Mary Ramsey official website
- 10,000 Maniacs official website
- John and Mary and the Valkyries MySpace
- Mary Ramsey and the Healers Facebook page
- Girls Gone Mild official website
John Lombardo · Mary Ramsey · Albums Related articles 10,000 Maniacs Jerome Augustyniak · Dennis Drew · Jeff Erickson · Steve Gustafson · Mary Ramsey
Rob Buck · Duane Calhoun · Chet Cardinale · Jim Colavito · Tim Edborg · Jim Foti · Debbie Heverly · John Lombardo · Natalie Merchant · Terry Newhouse · Oskar Saville · Bob WachterAlbums Human Conflict Number Five · Secrets of the I Ching · The Wishing Chair · In My Tribe · Blind Man's Zoo · Hope Chest: The Fredonia Recordings 1982–1983 · Our Time in Eden · MTV Unplugged · Love Among the Ruins · The Earth Pressed Flat · Campfire Songs: The Popular, Obscure and Unknown Recordings · Live Twenty-Five · Extended Versions · TrianglesSingles "Peace Train" · "Like the Weather" · "What's the Matter Here" · "Trouble Me" · "Eat for Two" · "Candy Everybody Wants" · "These Are Days" · "Few and Far Between" · "You Happy Puppet" · "Everyday Is Like Sunday" · "Because the Night" · "More Than This"Related articles Two Thousand Maniacs! · Christian Burial Music · Evening in Torpor · League of Blind Women · John & Mary · The Mighty Wallop!Categories:- 1963 births
- Living people
- 10,000 Maniacs members
- John & Mary members
- American female singers
- American pop singers
- American folk singers
- American rock singers
- Folk rock musicians
- American singer-songwriters
- Musicians from New York
- People from Buffalo, New York
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