Meet Mary Kutter

Today we’d like to introduce you to Mary Kutter.

Hi Mary, can you introduce yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today.
I grew up in Kentucky and was playing shows in the area when I was offered a job to host a weekly TV/Radio music variety show outside of Louisville, Kentucky. Every week I’d interview different artists and songwriters and met a handful of writers I started writing with in Nashville. I moved to Nashville and started hosting different writers’ nights in the local midtown music scene.

During that period, I learned so much about the industry and what made a great song (I had just under 500 different artists/songwriters play one of my writer’s nights, and it was a crash course in how to stand out from the rest of the pack). When Covid hit, the entire industry shut down, and immediately I started writing a ton via zoom. In 2020 I had 342 songwriting sessions; in 2021, I had 397 sessions. I hit 50 million streams as a songwriter, and I know every session, every writer’s night I hosted, and every episode of my show in Kentucky led me to this point. This year has been insane in the best way, with music I’ve written placed in the national USPS commercial, a Netflix movie, in several TV shows. I’ve had two major label artists cut music I wrote with them, and I’ve had songs I’ve helped write be on billboards around the world, including Times Square. It’s been a wild ride, and I am so grateful.

I also started releasing music as an artist this year. Several artists who are big on TikTok I write with told me I needed to start posting on TikTok. I posted a chorus of an unfinished song, and it went crazy on the app. I finished the song and released it, called Go South. Thousands of people made videos using the sound, and I’ve released two more viral songs since. I am so excited about my artistry in 2023, so hang on! I’m gearing up for some huge things this coming year.

You wouldn’t say it’s been obstacle-free, but the journey has been smooth so far.
Unfortunately, the music industry doesn’t have a roadmap or a set of directions. Everyone’s road is different, and the only common thread I’ve found so far between different successful folks in the music world is working hard, believing in yourself, and having perseverance.

When I first moved to Nashville, I had two game-changer meetings. I met with a very powerful male music executive who flat-out told me, “girls can’t write country music,” then soon after. I had another meeting with another guy who was a power mover in town who told me with my “level of talent,” I should move home because I would never find success in this industry. I remember calling my Dad after those meetings. I was so floored that blatant sexism still existed, and of course, being a young kid from small-town Kentucky, being told those things from people who should know what they were talking about and saying that to you messed with my head. I was crying on the phone, and my Dad very calmly said, “Mary, this is what you are going to do. You’re going to work harder than anyone in town, and one day you will make it, and when you run into these men at some award show, you can thank them for inspiring you to go all in and prove them wrong.”

In the last couple of years, I’ve had so many super close things that almost would happen huge songwriting cuts with massive stars that would fall through last minute, radio singles where they got pulled the previous minute, and deals that fell through. While I can work super hard, some things will remain out of my control. Hence, I’ve been very conscious of beginning this year to enjoy every little piece of the journey, the super exciting highs, the mundane routine tasks, and even the hiccups along the way where I can think of how to pivot. Every single time I walk into the studio, to write with different people, every single show. I soak it up because these are the industry’s highs, and enjoying the process makes this roller coaster the thrill of my life.

Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
I love that every session will be something totally different; there are no limits to what we can create. That’s why my songwriting cuts are super diverse, from country rock to super pop to heartbreak ballads, to music for commercials, etc. That being said, I’ve been pulled into many rooms to write particular things, like show openers for acts before they go on tour. Because I’ve gotten a reputation for being able to push the crew toward whatever they have been trying to write but need that extra oomph. In every room I’m in, I always try to figure out what gaps there are. Is a fantastic melody person already going to be leading the music side? Will they need a lyric driver? Also, what song do we need to chase down? I can lead in the music or lyrical side of things, but I put my ego away to serve the individual session best.

I’ve been told by so many people that I’m “fearless” with my artistry, the way I dress, and the songs I choose to record. It’s pretty clear I’m not afraid to stand out and be bold, and when I’m writing for others, I’m all ears for us to go as bizarre and out of the box as possible. And with chasing dreams, I’m 100% all in for unabashedly running 100mph to chase those dreams down.

The number one thing I’m most proud of may not relate to music, but it touches everything I do. My parents raised my brother and me to treat everyone, no matter who they are, with kindness and respect. I work as hard as possible and think outside the box, but I always prioritize doing right by others. I hope that shines through how I treat others in the writing room. I respect and elevate every idea cowriters throw out, creating a super creative space in every writing room I’m in. I hope every time I leave a room, the energy and the people there are better off and happier than before.

Are there any apps, books, podcasts, blogs, or other resources you think our readers should check?
I love learning and am always trying to soak up knowledge. The EmpowerHer podcast is genuinely amazing. A buddy of mine got me the Masterclass subscription during Covid, and I’ve been hooked and have completed 20 masterclasses so far. I’m always reading different books and magazines. What you put into your brain does come out. That being said, I also consume a lot of great TV shows and movies with great stories that make me think differently or even are so entertaining that I turn my brain off for 30 minutes.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.marykutter.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/marykutter/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mary.kutter/
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/user/MaryKutterMusic
• Other: https://www.tiktok.com/@marykutter?lang=en