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MCC FAQ(And other strange abbreviations we don't usually pay attention to)
Abbreviations and other hard-to-decipher entities. (Which has gotten pretty long now that she's been in the biz for 14 years!)
Names and Pronunciations
Albums, songs, release dates, etc.Mary Chapin CarpenterBorn: February 21st, 1958, in Princeton, New Jersey. Marital Status: Married Timmy Smith, a contractor from Virginia, on June 1st, 2002. Eye color: Blue Hair color: Blond (yes, naturally!) Height: 5' 3" Parents: Father Chapin, Life Magazine executive; Mother Bowie, teacher. Siblings: Three sisters. Two older, one younger. Education: Degree in American Civilization from Brown University, class of 1981; in 1996, the university awarded her an honorary doctorate of music. Earlier jobs: Secretary, grounds crew for National Folklife Festival, waitress, swim teacher, lacrosse coach. First guitar: Learned to play her mother's folk guitar (first four strings of a regular guitar). First song: Written at age 7, about a bumblebee squashed on the sidewalk. Current Residence: In, around, or about Washington, D.C.
Hobbies: Walking the dogs, reading, writing. Charities: See the rockin' Charities page! Spend some money! Feel good! Favorite movie: To Kill A Mockingbird Favorite TV show: The Larry Sanders Show Favorite book: Parting the Curtains: Interviews with Southern Writers by Daynne Romine Powell Favorite drink: coffee Favorite song: "Kung Fu Fighting" Favorite sport: boy watching Favorite Store: Crate & Barrel Favorite foods: soft-shell crabs and beignets Did you know? After signing her record deal, she kept her day job for two years and only toured when she could get the time off from work; "I think I've always been cautious. I just didn't feel it was judicious for me to quit until I could see on paper that no matter what happened, I could still pay the rent." First album bought: a Beatles album Musical favorites: Admires many singers, songwriters and musicians, including Randy Newman, Paul Brady, The Beatles, Townes Van Zandt, Guy Clark, Crowded House, Neil Finn, Bonnie Raitt, Shawn Colvin, Rosanne Cash, Jim Lauderdale, John Gorka, Bruce Springsteen and newer artists Gillian Welch and Patty Giffin Famous fans: Artists who have covered songs penned by Mary Chapin include Wynonna, Joan Baez and Alvin and the Chipmunks. Books: Mary Chapin has written two childern's books Dreamland and Halley Came to Jackson, based on songs she has written. Current label: Sony/Columbia First break: 1977, age 19; she was home from college for the summer and went to an "open mike" night at Gallagher's, a Washington, DC bar down the street from her parents' house. Career break: She and some of her musician friends made a tape of songs to sell at Gallagher's, where Mary Chapin had started playing regular gigs; a friend shopped the tape around Nashville, and it was picked up by CBS Records, now Sony. CMA awards: Female Vocalist of the Year 1992, 1993 ACM awards: New Female Vocalist 1989; Top Female Vocalist 1992 Grammys: Best Country Vocal Performance, Female 1991, 1992, 1993, 1994; Best Country Album for Stones in the Road 1994 - Mary Chapin was the first artist to win this award. Gold albums: State of the Heart (1989); A Place in the World (1996); Party Doll and Other Favorites (2000) Platinum albums: Shooting Straight in the Dark (1990, 1 million); Come On Come On (1992, 3 million); Stones in the Road (2000, 2 million; first went platinum in 1994) Billboard Top 10 singles: "Never Had It So Good" (No. 8, 1989); "Quittin' Time" (No. 7, 1989); "Down at the Twist and Shout" (No. 2, 1991); "I Feel Lucky" (No. 4, 1992); "Passionate Kisses" (No. 4, 1992); "He Thinks He'll Keep Her" (No. 2, 1993); "I Take My Chances" (No. 2, 1994); "Shut Up and Kiss Me" (No. 1, 1994); Tender When I Want To Be" (No. 6, 1994). Personality: An admitted homebody and self-described recluse; funny, witty and intelligent; "I definitely consider myself solitary - to a fault. I think there's a difinitely something strange, an irony, to me being in this field. It requires an openness, an accessibility, that kind of goes against my personality." On songwriting: "I think writing, if you really work at it, has the ability to show you things you might not see otherwise, in yourself and the world around you. I just let my mind run free and see where it goes." What She Says: "What I love about country is its tradition, and that's different from being predictable. I love its simplicity, and that's different from being stupid. I love its genuine quality, which is different from being overly sentimental." What Others Say: "One of the things I find remarkable about Mary Chapin's songs is that she does draw on her own personal experiences, but then steps back and looks at it from a very stong and self-affirming standpoint. I think that's the thing that other women relate to. She doesn't see herself as a victim. She's hurting, but she'll definitely survive." Cammilla, Mary Chapin's older sister.
How do I get in contact with Chapin??All of Chapin's fan mail should be directed to this address: MCC Tours Inc. Keep in mind Chapin cannot read all of her letters. Also, there is not yet a fan club, and MCC has stated that currently, there are no plans for one. If you prefer email, try Marychapincarpenter@sonynashville.com Articles | Guestbook
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