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MIDWEST MUSIC SUMMIT IS HOT FOR “HONEST ABE”, MARY ABRAHAM * * * Award-Winning Rocker Heats up the Midwest Music Summit You've probably heard of Detroit talents such as Eminem, Kid Rock, and The White Stripes – now, Indianapolis is about to get a taste of what a little Detroit Rock, a dash of Motown Soul, and a whole lot of Girl Power sounds like. WHO: Singer/Songwriter MARY ABRAHAM & The Lincolns
WHERE: Stone Mug Cafe's Acoustic Patio Stage; 6525 N. College Ave., Indianapolis, IN 46220; (317) 251-6985 WHEN: Saturday, August 12, 2006, 6:30pm DETAILS: FREE
Detroit is Hot for "Honest Abe" … Award-Winning Rocker Mary Abraham is Back With a New Band and a Show on the 107one FM Stage for the Ann Arbor Art Fair Catch the vibe before the band hits Indianapolis to play for major record labels in August Why did pop/alternative station 107one FM in Ann Arbor invite Mary Abraham & The Lincolns to play the 107one FM stage during the 2006 Ann Arbor Art Fair on Wednesday, July 19? Because her songs from the award-winning EP The First Five are burning up the airwaves. Now the Royal Oak native is back with her new band Mary Abraham & The Lincolns. She's also on her way to Indianapolis for the Midwest Music Summit, a prestigious music showcase that invited her to play on August 12. The songs on The First Five EP competed against thousands of songs to win coveted Honorable Mention awards in the annual Billboard Songwriting Contest. "Hey Love" was also the runner up in the 2004 Grammy Demo Review & Contest for the Chicago chapter of The Recording Academy. The tracks "Hey Love", "Fall on Your Knees" and "Waiting for You" are currently hitting the Detroit market and receiving airplay on CIMX 89X in Detroit/Windsor and 107one FM in Ann Arbor. XM Satellite Radio and various online radio programs are also playing "Hey Love". "Mary Abraham's music is original, heart-felt and compelling – she is one of the area's top up-and-coming artists," said Brad Savage, Program Director for 107-one FM. Mary is no stranger to radio stations. A few years back, when she was an English major with minors in religious studies and public relations and specializing in film (Got all that?), Mary Abraham was studying for finals in her dorm room at Michigan State University, but distracted by an endless stream of songs that kept popping into her head. Shortly after graduation, she snagged a music-lover's dream job as the events coordinator and later the promotions coordinator for 96.3 WDVD, Detroit's taste-making hot AC station. Abraham worked at the station for a year-and-a-half where she organized artist meet-and-greets, concerts, interviews and more. This was the beginning of a solid career. But there was one beautiful "obstacle" on the road to success: Her singer/songwriter muse. She faced one of the toughest decisions of her life, took a leap of faith and traded her behind-the-scenes career for the center stage. "At twenty-two I knew I was lucky to have the job I did," Abraham said. "But I also knew that unless I took a risk and left my job, music would forever be a hobby for me, with no chance of it ever becoming a career." Since recording The First Five EP, Abraham assembled The Lincolns, a powerhouse ensemble of seasoned Detroit musicians. The current lineup is Guitarist Craig Parker of Plymouth, Bassist Ryan Ruiz of Shelby Township, Drummer Ben Payne of Ypsilanti and Keyboardist Jonny Victor of Novi. Victor is also an actor who stars in "InZer0," the new Detroit science-fiction series created by Jamie Sonderman for Thought Collide Productions that is generating a huge buzz around town. The group saturated the Detroit Market by playing some twenty-five shows in less than two months. Now, Mary Abraham & The Lincolns are looking ahead to touring in the fall, working on a forthcoming album and performing during an exclusive showcase for major record labels at the Midwest Music Summit in Indianapolis on August 12. RECAP CONCERT DETAILS: WHO: Singer/Songwriter MARY ABRAHAM & The Lincolns
WHERE: 107one FM stage on The University of Michigan campus (Washington & Fletcher), Ann Arbor, MI; (734) 994-5260 WHEN: Wednesday, July 19, 2006, 5:45pm DETAILS: FREE
Singer/Songwriter & Warren, Michigan Native Mary Abraham , singer/songwriter from Eminem's hometown, is bringing her pop / folk rock / alt. country tunes to venues across Michigan in support of her newly released The First Five EP. Abraham, along with band members Craig Parker on guitar and Johnny Victor on keyboards, will entertain both your heart and mind . A few years back, Mary Abraham remembers trying to study for finals in her dorm room at Michigan State University and being distracted by an endless stream of songs that kept popping into her head. Shortly after graduation, she snagged “the coolest job in the world,” becoming Events Coordinator and eventually Promotions Coordinator for Detroit's taste-making Hot AC station, 96.3 WDVD. Abraham worked at the station for a year and a half, and could have had an incredible career behind the scenes. But there was one beautiful “obstacle” on her road to success: her singer/songwriter muse - cultivated by gigs at East Lansing hotspots like The Riv, Rick's American Music Café and The Blue Note – just refused to let her go. Now, with the release of her acclaimed debut EP The First Five , she's drawing on her incredible experiences in the radio promotion world to launch her own career as an indie artist—with impressive out-of-the-box results. The track “Fall On Your Knees” from The First Five is currently hitting the Detroit market, receiving airplay on Ann Arbor's 107.1 FM and attention from various radio programs with special hours dedicated to developing local musicians. Each of The First Five songs won coveted Honorable Mention Awards in the 2003 and 2004 Billboard Songwriting Contests, and the compelling opening track “Hey Love” was the Runner Up in The Recording Academy's 2004 Grammy Demo Review & Contest for the Chicago Chapter, out of close to 300 entries. RECAP CONCERT DETAILS:
Get Intimate with Singer/Songwriter Mary Abraham, the pop / folk rock / alt. country singer/songwriter from Eminem's hometown, is slated to perform tunes from her acclaimed EP The First Five at Xhedos Cafe on Saturday, March 11th along with band members Aaron Soave on guitar and Johnny Victor on keyboards. This will be an intimate performance at Xhedos where you can enjoy tofu, hummus, or just a whipped-cream-topped mocha while Abraham's songs entertain both your heart and mind. The track “Fall On Your Knees” from The First Five is currently hitting the Detroit market, receiving airplay on Ann Arbor's 107one-fm and attention from various radio programs with special hours dedicated to developing local musicians. Each of The First Five songs won coveted Honorable Mention Awards in the 2003 and 2004 Billboard Songwriting Contests, and the compelling opening track “Hey Love” was the Runner Up in The Recording Academy's 2004 Grammy Demo Review & Contest for the Chicago Chapter, out of close to 300 entries. RECAP CONCERT DETAILS: WHO: Singer/Songwriter MARY ABRAHAM along with Aaron Soave and Johnny Victor WHERE: Xhedo's Cafe at 240 W 9 Mile Rd, Ferndale, MI 48220 (248) 399-3946 WHEN: Saturday, March 11, 2006, Doors: 8:00pm / Over by: 11:00pm DETAILS: $3 cover; Special Guest TBA
THERE'S SOMETHING ABOUT MARY Singer/Songwriter From Eminem's Hometown Tackles The Entropy Of The Universe And The Wisdom Beyond A Broken Heart On Her Acclaimed EP ‘The First Five' * * * Songs From Debut Collection By The Warren, Michigan Native Have Won Numerous Honorable Mention Awards In Billboard Magazine Songwriting Contests, While The Opening Track “Hey Love” Was Runner-Up In The Recording Academy's 2004 Grammy Demo Review * * * Energetic Scrabble Addict, Monster Truck Rally Enthusiast And Old School WWF Wrestling Fanatic Is Currently Receiving Airplay On Ann Arbor's 107one-fm With “Fall On Your Knees”
A few years back, when she was an English major with minors in Religious Studies and Public Relations and specializing in Film (got all that?), Mary Abraham remembers trying to study for finals in her dorm room at Michigan State University and being distracted by an endless stream of songs that kept popping into her head. Shortly after graduation, she snagged “the coolest job in the world,” becoming Events Coordinator and eventually Promotions Coordinator for Detroit 's taste-making Hot AC station, 96.3 WDVD.
A native of Warren , Michigan —hometown of none other than Eminem –Abraham worked at the station for a year and a half, and could have had an incredible career behind the scenes. But there was one beautiful “obstacle” on her road to success: her singer/songwriter muse - cultivated by gigs at East Lansing hotspots like The Riv, Rick's American Music Café and The Blue Note – just refused to let her go. Now, with the release of her acclaimed debut EP The First Five, she's drawing on her incredible experiences in the radio promotion world to launch her own career as an indie artist—with impressive out-of-the-box results.
The track “Fall On Your Knees” is currently hitting the Detroit market, receiving airplay on Ann Arbor's 107one-fm and attention from various radio programs with special hours dedicated to developing local musicians. Each of The First Five songs won coveted Honorable Mention Awards in the 2003 and 2004 Billboard Songwriting Contests, and the compelling opening track “Hey Love” was the Runner Up in The Recording Academy's 2004 Grammy Demo Review & Contest for the Chicago Chapter, out of close to 300 entries.
“The songs I chose to include on the EP were my favorites out of the many I had written over the course of my college years and just after graduation. They reflect an important ‘growing up' time in my life, spiritually and emotionally,” says Abraham, whose vast array of singer-songwriter oriented influences include Cat Stevens, David Bowie, 10,000 Maniacs, Joni Mitchell and Marvin Gaye.
“There was always a lot to write about, especially if falling in and out of love seems to be a constant in your life!” she adds. “Each tune is very different, but all are meant to express the different aspects of a young woman's emergence into the grown-up world, and the understanding, or lack there of, that comes with it. But I think no matter what stage you are at in your life, The First Five deals with pretty universal hiccups and triumphs that we all face, time and time again.”
The First Five songs represent a unique songwriting partnership Abraham developed for a period of time with Jesse Young, a fellow MSU student she met in a new songwriting class on campus; the class was designed for music majors, but she and Young, fueled by their passion for the craft, found ways to secure waivers that allowed them to take it. Abraham wrote all the melodies and lyrics and did the arrangements, which she would then give to Young to create chord progressions and richer guitar elements.
“My background is as a drummer/percussionist, so my style of singing has a percussive quality that helps convey the messages in the songs,” she says. “He plays the guitar very percussively, so it was a good match and we instantly clicked. Working with Jesse was a major turning point for me as a songwriter and artist.” Though Mary still writes songs with Jesse, onstage she performs with Aaron Soave on guitar and Johnny Victor on keyboards, and the trio also has a full-band available for showcases.
The songs currently receiving the most attention from radio stations and labels are “Someone Like You” and “Fall On Your Knees.” Both reflect a great deal of wisdom that Abraham has gained falling in and out of love over the years. “'Someone Like You' is a classic pop song about coming out of a relationship and feeling burned, whereas ‘Fall On Your Knees' touches on what you feel going into a relationship - cautious about everything.”
Track number four, “Entropy,” is also receiving attention from critics and songwriters in the music industry. “Entropy refers to the chaos and deterioration of the universe, and how we're always trying to find answers to or put a stop to things we don't understand or can't control,” Abraham adds. “There are so many questions, and life can be so out of control despite our best intentions.”
Abraham's songs probe deeply and sometimes seriously into the depths of the listener's heart, but both onstage and in life, she has an insanely upbeat, hyper personality that proves completely infectious upon the first encounter. A playful profile on her website www.maryabraham.com features a section called “Fun Facts About Mary,” where her growing legions of fans can learn about all of her favorite movies and TV shows and some very surprising but cool pastimes.
These include going to Detroit Pistons, Lions and Tigers games, and Monster Truck Rallies; playing Nintendo, Tekken, and - true to her English major roots - Scrabble; cooking while singing Joni Mitchell with her mom; playing in the snow in winter; hanging out with her dad and listening to Elvis, Kinks, and Cat Stevens albums; doing yoga; boxing; riding roller coasters; playing pinball, and watching “Family Guy,” “Jeopardy,” and pretty much anything on the History channel. She also knows more about Old School WWF Wrestling than one twenty -something female should!
“Like most indie artists," she says, "my goal is to not only make a living as a musician but to also reach a large amount of people, the way my musical influences have reached me, and helped me out along the way. Sometimes it's difficult for others, including myself, to truly pin-point my style as either rock, folk, pop, or even alt-country; I think I can easily fit into any of those genres. I am more concerned, though, with composing music and lyrics that everyone can connect with. In line with all these things, I like to make smart music that is also very upbeat, and very uplifting. You should get something out of it, but you don't have to be in a soul-searching mood to get it. In fact, you should be smiling going in and laughing going out, because every song reflects the message that no matter what, things will always be alright – you will always be alright!” |
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