Today we’d like to introduce you to Mary Jennings.
Hi Mary, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
Oh geez! You start with a doozy! I have been at this for over 20 years, so we would need many hours and several cocktails to go through it all, but I will try to keep it brief. I have loved music and performing since I was a little girl. Every household (Mom, Dad, and both sets of grandparents) had a piano, and I was always encouraged to play away even if it was rough. That kind of encouragement and availability led me to my exploration of music. It took a jolt forward when I suddenly lost my mom when I was 18 and found that my only true therapy was in music. That has continued to today even 20+ years later and through lots of writing, touring hits, and misses. I have continued to find myself in music. It looks different now that I am a 40-year-old Nashville mom in a post-pandemic world than when I was an NYC-living, mid-20s performer, but the goals are still the same. I will always write genuinely and perform when it feels written, which will help me sleep at night. Wait, did I just right a lyric? Hahaha!
I’m sure you wouldn’t say it’s been obstacle free, but so far would you say the journey has been a smooth road?
Oh my gosh, “smooth” is not how I would describe it, but neither is life. I have tried to take every struggle that has come along with music and find a way to write about it or help others. When you are an aging female in music, there will be struggles. I hate to admit it, but it’s true. I have had my fair share of tough reviews, canceled shows, “nos,” or passes on my work, but it does keep me from doing it. The current struggle right now is balancing my worlds. It’s not the easiest to be a good mom, wife, busy musician, creator, friend, family member, etc., but I still try. But what did I do when it felt hard? I wrote a song! My most recent single, “Handstands in a Kiddie Pool,” is about that struggle, and getting the words and feelings out helped immensely.
Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
I am most known for being a musician and a bolo tie maker (No Sass Creations). I have been making music longer, but the bolo ties have been a great side hustle that is still a huge part of my creativity, image, style, and joy. I started making them for myself and to wear at performances, then they became tour/show merch, and then they took on a life of their own. https://www.nosasscreations.com/
https://www.maryjennings.com/
Any advice for finding a mentor or networking in general?
Find people with no hidden agendas and with whom you can genuinely relate. I have found some amazing friends and a wonderful community in music and art. The best kind of mentors and community are those who just want to share knowledge and help. It isn’t about elevating themselves. Naturally, the best relationships are mutual, so if you are good to people, they will hopefully be good to you as well.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.maryjennings.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/maryjenningsmusic/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/maryjenningsmusic
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/jenningsmusic
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/jenningsfemtastic
- SoundCloud: https://soundcloud.com/jenningsmusic
Image Credits
The red photos (first one and last) are by Jeb Wilson of Nashville Photography Group Exit/In photos (Madison Avery)
