Album Notes

Mary Anna began performing in her church choir when she was two years old. Born into a musical family, Mary Anna started singing and harmonizing in her family’s a capella gospel group at age 6. She sang both in high school and college choruses, directing church choirs and chorale ensembles while still a student. She also participated in college theater productions, and began performing with cover bands, where she began to develop her particular gospel and blues-infused vocal style. After joining the U.S. Army and being stationed in Korea, she won a talent show and was selected to join a performing troop of U.S. army musicians, the US Army Soldier Show. She performed in major venues like the Grand Old Opry and West Point, and for U.S. military installations and all over the United States and Korea. When she left the army, Mary Anna lived in Washington DC, where she joined an R&B band, “A Tough Act to Follow,” that performed all over the East coast for the next 2 years. Already a well-seasoned vocalist, she moved to New Orleans and sang R&B and blues at numerous clubs on Bourbon Street and other New Orleans venues, eventually being drawn to the complex rhythms and melodies of New Orleans jazz. She auditioned for and won the spot as the lead vocalist in Jazzland’s musical revue show “Jazz, Jazz, Jazz,” singing classic blues and jazz tunes. While living in New Orleans, she was the music/choir director of the First Unitarian Universalist Church of New Orleans. She also began to experiment with singing classical and folk music with a pianist and violist. From gospel to rhythm & blues, from jazz to classical to folk, Mary Anna Gordon is truly a versatile vocalist.