Mary Lou Lord

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Mary Lou Lord as she was in 1995 on the cover of her self-titled album
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Mary Lou Lord as she was in 1995 on the cover of her self-titled album

Mary Lou Lord (b. March 1, 1965, Salem, Massachusetts) is an indie/folk rock musician, busker and recording artist. She is most well known for her association with fellow musicians Kurt Cobain and Elliott Smith.

Contents

[edit] Biography

Mary Lou Lord first gained notice playing acoustic guitar and singing in and around Boston's subway stations (particularly on the Red Line, as noted by the name she chose for her music and lyric publishing company, On the Red Line Music, administered by BMI.)

She allegedly knew Nirvana frontman Kurt Cobain before the group was signed to Geffen Records. Lord also toured three separate times with Elliott Smith during the 1990s. Her recordings have been a mixture of covers (including songs by Elliott Smith and Richard Thompson) and original material, with a number of songs written by, or in collaboration with, Nick Saloman of the British band the Bevis Frond.

Her recording of Daniel Johnston's "Speeding Motorcycle" (which originally featured on her self-titled 8-song Kill Rock Stars release) was featured in commercials for Target stores, after which her label reissued the song as the lead-off track of a CD single which also included two demo recordings from the sessions for Got No Shadow.

Her major label debut Got No Shadow was released in January of 1998 by Sony Records to lukewarm reviews, and poor sales. Sony quickly dropped Lord from its roster. As of 2006, Lord still owes Sony Music the production expenses from this commercial failure, which many complained was over-produced, and the wrong showcase for Lord's unique vocal stylings and performing strengths. The only song that managed (light) airplay was "Lights Are Changing".

A far better showcase of Mary Lou's talents was the 2001 release Live City Sounds. This was a self-released disc of Mary Lou busking in the Boston subway, and found her more in her element. The disc was later re-released after Mary Lou signed to Rubric Records.

She announced in 2005 that she suffered from a rare vocal chord affliction known as spasmodic dysphonia. She thereafter became more involved in A&R work and started a new management company with her husband Kevin Patey.

[edit] Discography

1998's Got No Shadow
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1998's Got No Shadow

[edit] Albums

[edit] EPs and singles

[edit] Compilation and soundtrack contributions

  • Stars Kill Rock: "Camden Town Rain" - Kill Rock Stars (1993)
  • A Slice of Lemon: "Eternal Circle" - Kill Rock Stars/Lookout Records (1996)
  • Working Class Hero - A Tribute To John Lennon: "Power to the People" (with The Minus 5) - Hollywood Records (1995)
  • Saturday Morning Cartoons' Greatest Hits: "Sugar, Sugar" - MCA Records (1995)
  • Safe and Sound: "Polaroids" - Big Rig Records / Mercury Records (1996)
  • Jabberjaw: Pure Sweet Hell: "Birthday Boy" - Mammoth Records (1996)
  • Yo Yo A Go Go: "Helsinki (live)" - Yo Yo Recordings (1996)
  • Everybody Wants Some: "Jump" - Cherrydisc (1997)
  • 107.1 KGSR / Radio Austin - Broadcasts Volume 6: "His N.D.World (live)" - KGSR (1998)
  • Zero Effect Motion Picture Soundtrack: "Some Jingle Jangle Morning" - Sony Music (1998)
  • SXSW Volume 5: "I'm Talking To You (live)" - SXSW (1999)
  • Transmission 1: Tea At the Palaz Of Hoon: "The Outdoor Miner" - Cosmodemonic Telegraph Inc. (2000)
  • Rubric 01: "From Galway to Graceland" - Rubric Records (2000)
  • Gordon Gano: Hitting The Ground: "Oh Wonder" - Cooking Vinyl (2002)

[edit] External links

Persondata
NAME Lord, Mary Lou
ALTERNATIVE NAMES
SHORT DESCRIPTION Musician
DATE OF BIRTH March 1, 1965
PLACE OF BIRTH Salem, Massachusetts
DATE OF DEATH
PLACE OF DEATH
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