Album Notes

Mary Gordon's debut cd, Wine Glasses & Wooden Spoons, finds her in the richest expression yet of both voice and songwriting talent. Receiving radio play beyond her hometown of Charlottesville, Virginia, radio host and singer songwriter Christine Lavin said, "Her voice is gorgeous, her arrangements surprising. It's so obvious when I hear a voice like Mary Gordon Hall's, I know she was born to sing. A beautiful, beautiful album."

Joining Mary Gordon on Wine Glasses & Wooden Spoons are some of central Virginia's most accomplished musicians, including John D'earth, Tom Proutt, Emily Gary, Brady Earnhart, Terri Allard, Greg Trafidlo, and Morwenna Lasko, among others. Mary Gordon also was thrilled to have two of her favorite musical mentors from out of state, Sloan Wainwright and David Roth, share their talents on her album. Wine Glasses & Wooden Spoons was co-produced and engineered by Jeff Romano of Greenwood Studio who helped bring the song collection to life. "Working with Mary Gordon was like being a kid again," said Romano. "The sessions with her mother were some of the most unforgettably fun times I've ever had in the studio. It was really easy to bring out MG's true musicality, and everyone else who contributed really put a perfect thumbprint there to invite the listener in. I'm really proud of this CD. It's like a welcome guest in my home."

Being a veteran school teacher (of 31 years!), Mary Gordon began her songwriting career about 20 years ago writing songs for her students. Her first album, I Won't Go to Bed Until I Sing My Song, is enjoyed by families around the world. It will soon be re-released as a cd. More recently, though, she began to write and compose music for adults, and has performed in Central Virginia venues including First Night Virginia, Gravity Lounge, Mountain View Grill, Acoustic Muse, Acoustic Charlottesville, The Prism, and Rapunzel's. A regular at the Swannanoa Gathering and Cedar Run Song Workshops, students and instructors alike seek her out for her incredible harmonies. It's not unusual to find visiting artists on any of Charlottesville's stages to ask Mary Gordon to come up to sing backup harmonies.

Upon retirement from teaching in Virginia public schools, Mary Gordon plans to pursue her musical career in varied ways. Besides traveling around sharing her songs in coffeehouses and concert series around the globe, she plans to blend her two passions, teaching and songwriting, by leading songwriting workshops for teachers. As the arts are typically the first to go when there are funding cuts, from experience, she knows how important it is to feel comfortable integrating music into the classroom. Her goal is to demonstrate to classroom teachers ways to encourage and assist students in song writing.