Mary Flower is an

American American(s) may refer to: * American, something of, from, or related to the United States of America, commonly known as the "United States" or "America" ** Americans, citizens and nationals of the United States of America ** American ancestry, pe ...

musician and

music educator Music education is a field of practice in which educators are trained for careers as elementary or secondary music teachers, school or music conservatory ensemble directors. Music education is also a research area in which scholars do original ...

on the independent

Yellow Dog Records Yellow Dog Records is an American independent record label based in Memphis, Tennessee, that features authentic American music: blues, soul and Americana. It was founded in 2002 by Mike Powers to support independent musicians on its roster with ...

label. A blues and

ragtime Ragtime, also spelled rag-time or rag time, is a musical style that flourished from the 1890s to 1910s. Its cardinal trait is its syncopated or "ragged" rhythm. Ragtime was popularized during the early 20th century by composers such as Scott J ...

fingerstyle guitarist and

vocalist Singing is the act of creating musical sounds with the voice. A person who sings is called a singer, artist or vocalist (in jazz and/or popular music). Singers perform music (arias, recitatives, songs, etc.) that can be sung with or withou ...

, she combines intricate syncopated Piedmont style fingerpicking with lap-slide guitar. In 2000 and 2003, Flower placed in the top three at the National Finger Style Guitar Championship, the only female to do this twice for guitar. She’s performed with

Jorma Kaukonen Jorma Ludwik Kaukonen, Jr. (; ; born December 23, 1940) is an American blues, folk, and rock guitarist. Kaukonen performed with Jefferson Airplane and still performs regularly on tour with Hot Tuna, which started as a side project with bass ...

, guitarist/songwriter Pat Donohue,

Hot Rize Hot Rize is a bluegrass band that rose to prominence in the early 1980s. Established in 1978, Hot Rize has appeared on national radio and TV shows, and has toured most of the United States, as well as Japan, Europe and Australia. History Hot ...

founder Tim O’Brien, singer

Mollie O'Brien Mollie O'Brien (born October 25, 1952) is an Americana, bluegrass, R&B, and folk singer from Wheeling, West Virginia. She has released a number of Americana albums with her brother, Grammy-winner Tim O'Brien. She has also released five pos ...

, guitarist/songwriter

Geoff Muldaur Geoff Muldaur (born August 12, 1943) is an American active singer, guitarist and composer, who was a founding member of the Jim Kweskin Jug Band and a member of Paul Butterfield's Better Days. Career Having established a reputation with the Kwe ...

, and the Campbell Brothers. As a songwriter, arranger and educator she has several musical and instructional releases to her credit. She is currently based in

Portland Portland most commonly refers to: * Portland, Oregon, the largest city in the state of Oregon, in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States * Portland, Maine, the largest city in the state of Maine, in the New England region of the northeas ...

Oregon Oregon () is a state in the Pacific Northwest region of the Western United States. The Columbia River delineates much of Oregon's northern boundary with Washington, while the Snake River delineates much of its eastern boundary with Idaho. T ...

, United States.

Biography

Early life, music career

Flower grew up in a musical family and first performed as a high schooler in her hometown of

Delphi, Indiana Delphi () is a city in and the county seat of Carroll County, in the U.S. state of Indiana. Located twenty minutes northeast of Lafayette, it is part of the Lafayette, Indiana Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 2,893 at the 2010 ...

. In the early 1970s, after attending a concert by

Delta Delta commonly refers to: * Delta (letter) (Δ or δ), a letter of the Greek alphabet * River delta, at a river mouth * D ( NATO phonetic alphabet: "Delta") * Delta Air Lines, US * Delta variant of SARS-CoV-2 that causes COVID-19 Delta may also ...

transplant

Yank Rachell Yank Rachell (born James A. Rachel; March 16, 1903 or 1910 – April 9, 1997) was an American country blues musician who has been called an "elder statesman of the blues". His career as a performer spanned nearly seventy years, from the late 19 ...

, an acclaimed singer/

mandolinist A mandolin ( it, mandolino ; literally "small mandola") is a stringed musical instrument in the lute family and is generally plucked with a pick. It most commonly has four courses of doubled strings tuned in unison, thus giving a total of 8 ...

/guitarist, Flower was inspired to deepen her pursuit of blues music, and began in earnest her decades long musical career. She made connections with talented musicians early on, introducing

Caroline Peyton Caroline Peyton (October 8, 1951 – August 11, 2021) was an American singer, songwriter and actor. Peyton was born in Brookhaven, Mississippi, and grew up in Charleston, West Virginia. She recorded two albums in the 1970s, 1972's ''Mock Up'' and ...

to the music scene in Bloomington, Indiana. Peyton would go on to a successful career as a solo musician and a Disney vocalist for several productions. In 1972 Flower moved to

Denver Denver () is a consolidated city and county, the capital, and most populous city of the U.S. state of Colorado. Its population was 715,522 at the 2020 census, a 19.22% increase since 2010. It is the 19th-most populous city in the Unit ...

, accompanied by friend Randy Handley. Here she teamed up with country-folk singer-songwriter

Katy Moffatt Katherine Louella "Katy" Moffatt (born November 19, 1950) is an American musician, lyricist, composer, vocalist. She is the sister of country singer-songwriter Hugh Moffatt. Midnight radio Moffatt became impassioned by music as a child grow ...

and ventured out for several successful tours with her on the National College Coffeehouse Circuit. Her skills garnered her a fellowship from the Colorado Council on Arts and Humanities. While raising a family in Denver she developed a strong regional following, worked closely with future

Prairie Home Companion Prairies are ecosystems considered part of the temperate grasslands, savannas, and shrublands biome by ecologists, based on similar temperate climates, moderate rainfall, and a composition of grasses, herbs, and shrubs, rather than trees, as the ...

regular

Pat Donohue Patrick Donohue (born April 28, 1953) is an American fingerstyle guitarist born in St. Paul, Minnesota. He is a Grammy nominated, National Fingerpicking Guitar Champion songwriter. Donohue has several albums to his credit and his songs have been ...

, and founded the loosely organized band Mother Folkers. After thirty years in Denver, in 2004, she moved to

Portland, OR Portland (, ) is a port city in the Pacific Northwest and the largest city in the U.S. state of Oregon. Situated at the confluence of the Willamette and Columbia rivers, Portland is the county seat of Multnomah County, the most populous coun ...

and was signed soon after to

As educator

Teaching others has been a consistent trend in Flower’s career. She developed the core classes at the Swallow Hill School of Music and was a teacher there from 1990-2004. Nationally she’s been part of the Blues in Schools program, developed five instructional DVDs, and teaches workshops at many festivals where she also performs. In 2010 she heads up guitar week at the Augusta Heritage Center.

Awards

;Won * 2010: Independent Music Awards Vox Pop Acoustic Song winner for "Slow Lane to Glory" * 2003: National Finger Style Guitar Championship - Mary Flower - Third Place (Finalist) * 2000: National Finger Style Guitar Championship - Mary Flower - Third Place (Finalist) * 1987: Best Folkie in Denver from the Best of Westword (three time winner) ;Nominated * Independent Music Awards - Acoustic Song of the Year (2009) - Slow Lane to Glory from "Bridges" * Blues Music Award nominee for Acoustic Artist of The Year (2008) * 2008 & 2009 Muddy Awards, Best Acoustic Guitar nominee

Discography

Albums

* ''When My Bluebird Sings'' (Bluesette Records, 2014) * ''Misery Loves Company'' (Yellow Dog Records, 2011) * ''Bridges'' (Yellow Dog Records, 2009) * ''Instrumental Breakdown'' (Yellow Dog Records, 2007) * ''Bywater Dance'' (Yellow Dog Records, 2005) * ''Ragtime Gal'' (Bluesette Records, 2003) * ''Ladyfingers'' (Bluesette Records, 2001) * ''Honey from the Comb'' (Time & Strike, 1999) * ''Rosewood & Steel'' (Bluesette Records, 1996) * ''Blues Jubilee'' (Resounding Records, 1994) * ''High Heeled Blues'' w/Vicki Taylor (Resounding Records, 1991) * ''Cookin' with Flower'' (Bare Records, 1982)

Instructional

* ''Blues Guitar Arrangements'' (2007) * ''Crash Course in Open Tunings'' (2007) * ''Fingerstyle Blues in E'' (2006) * ''Ragtime Guitar'' (2006) * ''Arrangements in Dropped-D Tuning'' (2006)

References

External links

Official Mary Flower website

Yellow Dog Records website
{{DEFAULTSORT:Flower, Mary Musicians from Indiana Musicians from Portland, Oregon People from Delphi, Indiana People from Lafayette, Indiana People from Denver Year of birth missing (living people) Living people