Mary Sarah

Mary Sarah
Mary Sarah
Background information
Birth name Mary Sarah Gross
Also known as Mary Sarah
Born July 7, 1995
Tulsa, Oklahoma, U.S.
Genres Country
Occupation(s) Singer, songwriter
Instruments Vocals
Years active 2007–present
Website marysarah.com/

Mary Sarah (July 7, 1995) is a country music singer and songwriter.

Early years

Mary Sarah Gross was born in Tulsa, Oklahoma on July 7, 1995 to Richard and Patricia Gross. She has one sister, Emilee Elizabeth, born in 1993, and a brother, Christopher Thomas, born in 1989. Christopher has had a liver transplant and is a type 1 diabetic. For this reason, she is a spokesperson for the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation (JDRF) and for Caden's Hope, raising awareness for Neonatal Intensive Care Units (NICU) for families with children in financial needs do to extended illness for the premature babies [1][2]

Singing career

Mary Sarah began performing in church at the age of 8, and began to appear on radio stations and at several regional Opry Theaters. In 2007, at the age of 12, she toured the U.S. for six months as a featured lead vocalist and dancer in Kidz Bop, an 18-song rock concert produced by Razor & Tie Records and Vee Corporation production.[3] Mary Sarah was signed to the Osbrink Talent Agency in Los Angeles at age 11 and remained on their roster until she was 14, when she returned to Texas and continued to perform in local and regional Opry Theaters, Town Squares and at charity fundraisers refining her vocal and guitar skills.

In January 2011, Mary Sarah received an invitation to meet the The Oakridge Boys after Joe Bonsall viewed her video of performing "Don't Stop Believing" at the Sugar Land, TX Idol competition. After visiting with them backstage before the show at the Galveston Grand Opera House for a sold out show, Joe and Duane Allen invited her onstage to sing the iconic classic "Where The Boys Are" [4] originally performed by Connie Francis and subsequently re-recorded with Neil Sedaka on the album "Bridges" featuring a duet on that same song with the writer himself. Mary Sarah herself credits the support and love of The Oakridge Boys [5] for helping her career move forward [6] The Oakridge Boys also appear on the album "Bridges" singing with Mary Sarah on their former hit "Dream On" [7]

In 2011, she hosted a four part series for the 2011 season of “OPRY on the Square – Country Now and Then” in Sugarland Town Square.[8]

Mary Sarah won Second Place in the TEEN CATEGORY of the 2011 International Songwriting Competition, for her self-penned song "A New Crush."[9]

In December, 2011, the Houston Texans held a vote-in contest to see who would sing the National Anthem for their annual Home for the Holidays game. Mary Sarah was the winner over 7 other finalists.[10][11] Her anthem sparked controversy as Carolina Panther Jeremy Shockey was upset that the Houston Texans players were, in his opinion, not respecting the rendition of Mary Sarah's anthem.[12]

In April 2014, Mary Sarah made her Ryman Auditorium debut on the Opry Country Classics night appearing with Lynn Anderson and The Oakridge Boys on a night honoring the late Ray Price [13]

On June 4, 2014, Mary Sarah was named among the best dressed for the CMT Awards show after a last minute add to walk the Red Carpet with luminaries Jason Aldean Carrie Underwood Cassadee Pope Brooklyn Decker Lady Antebellum and many more, in spit of not having a music video spinning on the channel. E!online called her "Flirty and Fit" [14]

On July 8, 2014, Mary Sarah released the album entitled "Bridges" - Mary Sarah and Friends, via independent music label Cleopatra Records which featured duets with Dolly Parton, Merle Haggard, the late Ray Price, Willie Nelson, Tanya Tucker, Lynn Anderson, The Oakridge Boys, Ronnie Milsap, Big & Rich, Vince Gill and Freddy Powers.[15][16][17]

On July 29, 2014, Mary Sarah appeared on Mike Huckabee 's conservative program on Fox News with the Governor playing bass in accompaniment the Vietnam Era Patriot Song written by Merle Haggard "The Fightin' Side Of Me" live on the show in support of the album release "Bridges" to high critical acclaim. ,[18]

Discography

Title Album details Peak chart positions Sales
US Heatseeker
Bridges
  • Release date: July 8, 2014
  • Label: Cleopatra
  • Formats: CD, music download
 28

Further reading

References

  1. ↑ Caiden's Hope Promo
  2. ↑ Allenah Mary Sarah Conservative Daily News, retrieved April 20, 2011
  3. ↑ Mary Sarah's Rockin Around The KidzBop Tree Video Kidzbop.com
  4. ↑ Galveston Grand Opera House
  5. ↑ Associated Press
  6. ↑ BitRebels
  7. ↑ Dream On
  8. ↑ Opry on the Square
  9. ↑ ISC http://www.songwritingcompetition.com/previouswinners#2010
  10. ↑ Houston Texas an Zone
  11. ↑ Joey Guerra Mary Sarah to sing National Anthem for Texans 29-96.com
  12. ↑ The Country Site
  13. ↑ http://www.billboard.com/articles/columns/the-615/6055537/spotlight-mary-sarah-bridges-album-song-premiere
  14. ↑ http://www.eonline.com/news/548347/white-dresses-dominate-the-2014-cmt-music-awards-red-carpet-miranda-lambert-leann-rimes-brooklyn-decker-more
  15. ↑ http://www.washingtonpost.com/entertainment/music/country-newcomer-duets-with-legends-on-new-album/2014/07/09/6d61bba2-077c-11e4-9ae6-0519a2bd5dfa_story.html
  16. ↑ http://www.rollingstone.com/music/news/dolly-parton-merle-haggard-willie-nelson-duet-with-teen-prodigy-20140708
  17. ↑ http://cleorecs.com/home/cleopatra-records-to-release-mary-sarah-bridges-78-feat-dolly-parton-willie-nelson-merle-haggard-oak-ridge-boys-more/
  18. ↑ http://video.foxnews.com/v/3703204679001/the-fighting-side-of-me/?#sp=show-clips
  19. ↑ Matt Bjorke (August 13, 2014). "Country Album Sales Report – August 13, 2014". Roughstock.

External links