Mary Ramsey

Mary Ramsey
Mary Ramsey with her viola in 2005.
Background information
Birth name	Mary Jeanne Ramsey
Born	December 24, 1963 (1963-12-24) (age 47) Washington, D.C.
Origin	Buffalo, NY, United States
Genres	Folk Folk rock
Occupations	Musician, Singer-songwriter
Instruments	Vocals, violin, viola
Years active	1989–present
Labels	Rykodisc Geffen Records Bar/None Records
Associated acts	John & Mary 10,000 Maniacs
Website	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.

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

1. ^ 10,000 Maniacs official website, Band News.
2. ^ Mary Ramsey and the Healers Facebook page
3. ^ Girls Gone Mild official website

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

Persondata
Name	Ramsey, Mary
Alternative names
Short description
Date of birth	24 December 1963
Place of birth	Washington, D.C.
Date of death
Place of death