Mary Beth Cross Finds Home in Spotlight
by Tim Wenger
by Tim Wenger
Mary Beth Cross has been making a name for herself in Denver and beyond with her authentic blend of folk and Americana. Her record Beyond Good and Evil has been receiving rave reviews nationally and has allowed her to perform in new markets, spreading her tuneage to new ears around the country. Coming off an incredibly strong 2013, Cross hopes to make 2014 into even more of a breakout year. CMB got the inside info on her upcoming schedule and recording plans, and how she stays busy on the road.
CMB: What’s on the agenda for this Spring and Summer?
MBC: My agenda is to play and sing for as many opportunities as possible. These include wedding ceremonies, rehearsal dinners, a festival in La Mars, Iowa in August, a concert for little kids with my son accompanying me on fiddle. I also plan to attend “Telluride Bluegrass Festival” and “Rockygrass Festival” to take in the new music and enjoy playing and jamming with other musicians.
Highlights:
July 11: “Apex Park and Recreation District Summer Concert Series” in Arvada, Colo., children’s concert, accompanied by fiddle player Laura Schwenker.
Aug. 29: Will receive the “Folk-Country CD of the Year Award” at the 38th annual “Old-Time Music Festival and Convention in La Mars, Iowa. I will perform a 30-minute set for hundreds of attendees.
CMB: What’s the plan for future recordings? Who would you like to work with, and where?
MBC: We are finishing up a “sampler” of a few songs recorded here at Swallow Hill’s Sawtelle studios to use as a demo for gig opportunities to hear what we sound like live with my local band.
I would like to get back down to Nashville to record my next project titled “Feels like Home”, possibly incorporating tracks from the sampler recorded here as well as additional tracks recorded with the players in Nashville.
CMB: What are your favorite pastimes on the road?
MBC: Playing cards, jamming, cooking…
CMB: Do you ever make it back to Wisconsin to perform?
MBC: I just spent the weekend with my sisters in Minneapolis, Minn., and performed a House Concert and Coffee House gig while we were there for a 10-mile race called “100% Irish for the Day”. It was a lot of fun. We are heading to Wisconsin in two weeks, where my parents and three siblings live, and I’ll be looking for opportunities to book the next few days while I am there. My son is learning the fiddle, so I will be jamming with him informally for any and all who are around to listen.
CMB: Is there anything that really assists you with songwriting, like an influence, a place, a state of mind?
MBC: What helps me most in my writing is when I am relaxed, peaceful and not really trying. It is as if a song drops into my lap, and if I have the time and courage to work with it, it develops into a beautiful song.
CMB: What are your favorite venues in Denver, and who gave you a shot when you were just starting out?
MBC: The Denver Botanical Gardens for wedding ceremonies and concerts, as well as fun, family and community gatherings are my favorite venues. I am still looking forward to opening at Red Rocks for one of my favorite performers.
Stella’s coffeehouse is a great venue for just starting out. Swallow Hill has featured me in their “Best of Open Mic” series in Tuft Theater and the Café. I have also enjoyed playing as an opener down at the Black Rose Acoustic Society in Colorado Springs. Friends have been kind to host house concerts and let us come and play for infusion centers, hospitals, and community fundraising events.
CMB: Where can we find your music?
MBC: You can find my music on Amazon, Amazon mp3, itunes, Napster, cdbaby.com, Rhapsody, Spotify, Soundcloud, airplaydirect.com, and most online streaming and download sites. My CD’s can be purchased at Twist and Shout Records, Second Spin, Garfield Estates Vineyard and Winery in Palisades, Colo., as well as Atomic Record Store in Denver and HB Woodsongs in Boulder.
Online: marybethcross.com
Category: Buzzworthy2
Subscribe
If you enjoyed this article, subscribe to receive more just like it.
 |
 |
