Mary Munsey

SoHA Coordinator

Accolades:

• International Woody Guthrie Festival song of the year in 2010
• IBMA awards for excellent bluegrass music lesson plans for young children

Here is a sample of Mary Munsey’s work.

Mary Munsey

“My whole life has been music.  I have existed purely to play, sing, write, teach and share the love I have for music with others.

We all have a divine mission, something we are meant to do, and mine is music. 

I never could quite pick one type over another.  I don’t prefer Jazz to Classical or Blues over Big Band.  Whatever I am fortunate to be playing, I do what I can to do it as well as I can.  My formal music training has opened up many wonderful avenues of historical music to me.

My informal “By ear” journey has been just as enjoyable.  A long time ago, a musician told me I would never get anywhere in music if I didn’t make a choice.  I guess he was right in some ways.  I never narrowed my field to one genre and I am so glad that my wanderings have given me such a huge experience, a large musical family and so many opportunities to share music with others.

Maybe I didn’t pick only one road. I don’t think I was meant to. I haved played bassoon in orchestras, piano in churches, bass and mandolin and guitar in bluegrass groups, sax in jazz and country bands, written folk songs, taught public school music, directed choirs, taught college music classes, performed at the Bluebird Cafe in Nashville and won the International Woody Guthrie Festival song of the year in 2010.

I’ve opened for Doc Watson and Clint Black, marched in the University of South Carolina band, sung at Ralph Stanley’s Festival and the Carter Family Fold. I have played in variety, rock, big band, ballroom, country, jazz, blues, bluegrass and reggae groups. I have been awarded two IBMA awards for excellent bluegrass music lesson plans for young children, performed a set at the Podunk Bluegrass Festival in Connecticut and at Woodyfest in Oklahoma. I have a song in the NASA space museum dedicated to the Challenger crew and families and I have been privileged to teach students of all ages my passion for music during my lifetime.

My love of songwriting and performance continues today. I still teach and still enjoy all types of music. I encourage all people to learn an instrument or two, find other folks to play music with and to get out there and enjoy live music and the joy it brings to life!”

As a result of all off this, the Songwriters of Highlands Appalachia came into being around 2010. The group has a strong following most likely due to her great teaching skills and care for others.