Imagine a five year old with curly red hair, reminiscent of Bonnie Raitt, performing Hello Dolly nonstop on her grandmother’s ukulele in the living room. Born in Washington, DC and raised in Prince George’s County, Maryland, Mary Shaver grew up spinning Janis Joplin, Jimi Hendrix, and the Rolling Stones on her first record player, later becoming spellbound by Stevie Nicks’ smoky, magnetic presence. Those early influences planted the seeds of a lifelong devotion to blues, soul, classic rock, and roots music — genres defined by grit, honesty, and emotional fire.

Today, Mary is recognized as one of the most powerful and soulful blues vocalists to emerge from the DC–Maryland–Virginia region and the Eastern Panhandle of West Virginia. With 35 years of performing, she is recognized for her strong stage presence, emotive vocals, and a style likened to Etta James, Big Mama Thornton, Bonnie Raitt, and Janis Joplin. Her signature blend — Texas, Louisiana, and Chicago blues meets Memphis soul — has earned her Wammie Award nominations and (two) wins, steady radio airplay, and deep respect from musicians across the Mid‑Atlantic.

Finding Her Voice

Mary’s path to becoming a recording artist was not linear. Throughout her twenties, she sang mostly in acoustic jam circles while balancing full‑time work. In 1989, she joined the rock/blues band One Thin Dime, opening for national acts including Mem Shannon, Sue Foley, and William Clarke. But the band never recorded, and Mary felt the pull toward something more personal.

Everything shifted in 1996 when her mother survived a near fatal car accident. The crisis sharpened Mary’s focus: it was time to record. Teaming with drummer and producer Pete Ragusa (The Nighthawks), she released her debut album No Time Like Now (1999), a mix of classic blues, R&B, and original songs. The record received airplay on WPFW 89.3 FM and established Mary as a rising voice in the DC blues scene.

Bands, Collaborations & Live Legacy

In 2000, Mary formed the Mary Shaver Band with guitarist Keith Grimes and drummer Raice McLeod (both original members of Eva Cassidy’s band), along with bassist Wade Matthews. The group became a staple of the DMV blues circuit, performing at major festivals, headlining clubs, and opening for Southside Johnny & the Asbury Jukes at the Birchmere. Their 2005 album, Live at Blues Alley, captured the electricity of Mary’s live performances.

Mary has excelled in simple, emotionally raw settings. Since 1999, she has performed with guitarist Dave Sherman and harmonica master Roger Edsall, a trio steeped in traditional blues. They opened for Joe Louis Walker, The Outlaws, and The Marshall Tucker Band.

Songwriting & Studio Work

On July 30, 2016, Mary released her original EP Full Circle, produced by Marco Delmar. She wrote every song, sang all lead and harmony vocals, and played electric rhythm guitar on her honey burst Gibson Les Paul. The sessions included world class musicians such as Lenny Castro (Stevie Wonder, Joe Sample, Joe Bonamassa, Stevie Nicks), Steph Paynes (Lez Zeppelin), Eric Selby, and Barry Warsaw. The EP highlights Mary’s evolution as a songwriter and her ability to blend blues, soul, and roots into something unmistakably her own.

New Chapters & New Sounds

From 2020 to 2024, Mary was a featured vocalist with New Blue Soul, expanding her presence across the DMV and exploring a wider palette of soul, R&B, blues rock, and contemporary roots music. Guitarist Michael Tash was also part of the project, strengthening a musical partnership that would continue into future work.

Since settling in the Eastern Panhandle of WV in late 2023, Mary has been deeply influenced by Appalachian music and contemporary country, finding inspiration in the storytelling traditions, harmonies, and emotional honesty that define the region. These influences have woven themselves naturally into her evolving sound.

Current Projects

Since 2005, Mary has been a longtime collaborator with Michael Tash and Bad Influence, performing everywhere from Walter Reed Army Medical Center to the Collective Encore in Columbia, MD. Their partnership remains one of the most celebrated in the regional blues community.

In 2024, following their shared tenure with New Blue Soul, Mary and Tash established The Known Agitators, a high energy blues rock and roots project that continues to perform actively.

The Heart of It All

Mary performs with focus and emotional intensity, whether with a band, as a duo, or solo.

As she describes it: “I become entranced. All I know at that moment is what I am singing and what I am feeling from the band and the audience.

For her growing fan base across West Virginia, Virginia, Maryland, and the greater Mid‑Atlantic, that moment is exactly why they keep coming back.