Mary Lou Lord - Stars Burn Out

I spent the better part of the 1990's plugging away as a songwriter living in Seattle at the height of the music scene's dominant stronghold on popular culture. It was the most rewarding experience I could have ever imagined -- I got to experience music from every different angle, the inexplicable highs, the bone-crushing lows, the parties, the secret handshake bullshit that people read about in books. It's all true. While still a snot-nosed momma's boy trying to prove I could rock with the best of them, I met a girl who changed my luck named Mary Lou Lord. I had gone to Olympia for a punk show at the Capitol Theater (Lync and Karp) and ended up wandering out of the theater for a while. There she was, with an amp rigged up to a car battery for power and a microphone, busking on the sidewalk in front of two dozen or more kids who eagerly listened and threw dollar bills. I was instantly captivated. I stood in rapt attention as she played for nearly 5 hours with only two short breaks. She sent me to the Lucky 7 to buy a six pack, and we sat out on the street drinking our PBR's and exchanging songs. At last, I had met someone who challenged my screwed-up notions about being a performer, who shared my love for the songs and songwriters that time forgot, and I've never been the same. Through my friendship with Mary Lou I began to see what I was missing out on much more clearly -- I needed to quit trying to look cool and start doing the work.

Over the years, I watched with pride as she busked her way to international acclaim, playing in concert halls around the world with the same vitality that gave her street fame. It's because of her passion for the music that I always see this beacon shining on the darkest day. She taught me the humility and the dignity of just standing there with my guitar and playing the song, that there was never any shame in just letting the words and music tell the story for me. She taught me to be an advocate for the music that moves me. "I think you have to be a fan of music first in order to do this," she would tell me. "If you don't love it, then it can't move you to want to play it." Unlike lesser artists with, perhaps, more financial success, Mary Lou does feel what she plays very deeply. I've never heard a note come out of her that didn't have this aching need to be heard, every phrase carrying the weight and importance of oxygen to breathing.

Over the years, Mary Lou has worked consistently with friend & collaborator Nick Salomon (of the much-loved Bevis Frond). Her latest album Baby Blue is another such collaborative effort, showcasing her ability to jump from rock song to folk song to pop song with equal grace. It is, perhaps, the most important mark of excellence in her 15 years as an artist. Two years ago, Mary Lou was diagnosed with spasmodic dysphonia, a neurological condition that affects the vocal chords. Notable dysphonics include NPR talk show host Diane Rehm and Linda Thompson (ex-wife of Richard Thompson) who stopped performing after dysphonia began affecting her singing in the early 1980's. You would not know to listen to this record that Mary Lou had been affected -- Nick Salomon managed to capture wonderful performances from her on this album. The overtones of the record are alternately reminiscent of both Shawn Colvin and Lucinda Williams. This past summer, as we played several dates together, Mary Lou would make it a point each night to dedicate "Stars Burn Out" (as she also did with the album) to the memory of our friend, the late Elliott Smith. Written before his death, it is nonetheless as affecting as any performance she has ever given and one of my favorite songs of hers. Known for her cover songs, I've included her unbelievable cover of "Fearless" by Pink Floyd. also featured on Baby Blue, as a bonus track. I think it offers great insight into what makes her presence as an artist continue to be a blessing in my life and the lives of countless fans & musicians around the globe. Never forgetful of where she came from, she continues to entertain her multitude of fans playing in the subways of Boston. If you ever want to catch her, and you happen to live in or are visiting Boston, drop by the Park Street station on the red line some night. If you're lucky, you'll have a chance to hear the sweet, unforgettable refrains of her music and stand face to face with one of the most engaging souls in music you're ever likely to meet.

BONUS TRACKS: Fearless Farming It Out

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